Go underground for a good time: it’s all about Wombeyan Caves

Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is about a 3.5 hour drive from Sydney, or 2.5 hours from Canberra; a good distance for taking a half day off work and hitting the road at lunchtime on a Friday. On the way, you’ll go right past the Southern Highlands, so duck off the highway at Berrima and drop in at one of its country bakeries. Keep going on the Hume Highway down to Goulburn and stop here to stock up on all the food supplies you’ll need in your campsite or cabin. From Goulburn, it’s about 1 hour and 20 minutes to Wombeyan Caves. Follow Tablelands Way through Taralga (which has a general store if you forget tomato sauce), and then take the Wombeyan Caves road turnoff and drive for an extra 23kms.

At Wombeyan, you can stay in the comfort of a cosy double or family cabin, which has a kitchenette, small lounge and dining area, and bathroom, with shared electric BBQs opposite the cabins to cook up a feast, and a balcony to relax while satin bowerbirds and the many kangaroos who live here pass by.

Or, sleep under the stars at Wombeyan Caves campground, where you can enjoy hot showers in the amenities block (check out its impressive facelift!) and cook up a feast at the communal Barmah camp kitchen and dining hall. There’s even a fireplace – ideal for toasting marshmallows. 

After a bush-style alarm clock from the sounds of the superb lyrebirds, eastern whipbirds, and flycatchers who live here, today is all about what lies beneath. Enjoy a hearty breakfast because today we’re going to explore!

It’s probably wise to book your individual cave tours or caves’ combo pass for entry to multiple caves before you arrive (bonus: savings), to make sure you don’t miss out. Next to Kui Kiosk, at the Wombeyan Caves office counter, get all the info you need about cave exploring and purchase your cave tickets if you forgot to book. Tip: this is the last stop for the restroom before you head off on your cave exploration. 

Start with a guided tour of Wollondilly Cave, the longest and most varied cave here, where a guide takes you through five incredible chambers over several levels, while sharing anecdotes and the history of the cave. Be prepared for narrow passageways and steep ladders that get the heart pumping just a little. Cameras with flash can be used here so you can snap plenty of photos, too.

As you adjust to the daylight, make your way back down the hill. Stomach grumbling? Park yourself at one of the picnic tables at the grassy picnic spot outside Kui Kiosk, also a popular hangout with the locals (roos). Pro tip: pack some sandwiches and snacks so you don’t have to drive back and forth to your cabin or tent. 

After lunch, it’s time to explore Fig Tree Cave, which is widely regarded as one of NSW’s best self-guided cave experiences. Filled with stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, cave coral, and other beautiful cave decorations, exploring the cave takes 45 minutes to an hour, and finishes when you reach the ‘Broken stalactite’ platform. The last chamber of this cave – from Marble Way to Victoria Arch – is currently closed. You’ll need to return the way you came to complete the tour. But don’t fret, there’s still plenty to see inside the cave including light shows, spooky dark zones and an underground river, with recorded commentaries to guide you along the way.

Finish your cave exploration for the day with the afternoon guided tour through Kooringa Cave – the smallest of the show caves here with just a single chamber, but one of the most beautiful. Exploring this cavern you’ll see pristine white columns and contrasting draperies. 

Got someone in your group who can’t go through a cave? They can still get a taste of the underground world by following the flat 300-metre path from Kui Kiosk along the Victoria Arch walking track to a new, fully accessible viewing platform. 

After checking out of your cabin or packing up the tent, take in the wonder of the last (but not least) guided tour of the 200 metre long Mulwaree Cave, which is actually found in the upper levels of Wollondilly Cave, and is known for its incredible stalactites, stunning wall colours and decorations which look like dripping wax. 

Sometimes a weekend away has it all – relaxing in the bush, hanging out with the locals (resident roos!) and drifting off to sleep after chatting around a flickering fire, with a good sprinkling of real adventure you wouldn’t get at home. A couple of days deep in Wombeyan’s maze of underground passages, and inspired by the caves themselves, you’ll already be planning your own comeback on the drive home.