Buchan Caves
| Buchan Caves | |
|---|---|
Victoria, Australia | |
| Coordinates | 37°29′44.88″S 148°9′47.16″E / 37.4958000°S 148.1631000°E[1] |
| Length | 3–4 kilometres (1.9–2.5 mi)[2] |
| Discovery | 1907 (European)[3] |
| Geology | Devonian Limestone[3] |
| Entrances | 6[2] |
| Show cave opened | Fairy Cave 1907[3] |
| Show cave length | 400 metres (1,300 ft)[3] |
| Lighting | Electricity [3] |
| Website | Parks Victoria Buchan Caves website |
The Buchan Caves are a group of
The Buchan Cave Reserve has been transferred back to the
The limestone rock at Buchan was laid down during the Devonian period about 300 – 400 million years ago. At the time, the sea covered this area of East Gippsland which was alive with shellfish and coral. Their remains were deposited in layers and over the years compacted to form limestone. The caves were formed by solution of the limestone.[4][5]
The Buchan Caves are located approximately 360 kilometres (220 mi) east northeast (or six hours' drive) from
Tourism
The caves are a major tourist attraction for Buchan and for East Gippsland. Daily tours are conducted in Royal Cave and Fairy Cave. Royal Cave features calcite-rimmed pools and in Fairy Cave features elaborate
The Buchan Caves are situated within the Buchan Caves Reserve. There is access to short and long walks in the surrounding bushland and the nearby Snowy River National Park. The area is surrounded by trees and wildlife, including over 60 species of birds including
History
Aboriginal history
The traditional and current custodians of the Buchan Caves and its surrounds are the
European history
Buchan Caves were first identified and described for colonial settlers, when in 1840.
The caves were accidentally made a reserve in 1887, as they were on land set aside for stock camping. The government commissioned an exploration of the land and, on the recommendation of the geologist
In 1907, Frank Moon reported back about the Fairy Cave which was then opened to the public later that year. Royal Cave was mapped in 1910 by Frederick Wilson and after an entrance tunnel was excavated, it was opened to visitors in 1913. The Caves Reserve was set out and planted mostly in the late 1930s.[10]
The site is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and is included a Heritage Overlay.[11]
References
- Government of Victoria. 2 May 1966. Archived from the originalon 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ Government of Victoria. Archived from the originalon 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Duckeck, Jochen. "Buchan Caves". Show Caves of the World. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Buchan Caves Reserve: park notes" (PDF). Parks Victoria. August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ a b Visit Victoria Buchan Caves Archived 20 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Buchan Caves Reserve". Explore national parks. Parks Victoria. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- ^ Hamilton-Smith, Elery , AM, D.App.Sci (January 2009). "The Buchan Story" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Daring to delve". www.haldane.ausvic.net. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- Kitson, Albert(1907). "Proposed Reservation of Limestone Caves in the Buchan District, Eastern Gippsland". Records of the Geological Survey of Victoria. Vol. 2, Part 1. pp. 37–44. (Note: Kitson's report was written in 1900 and published in 1907).
- ^ Parks Victoria Buchan Caves Reserve Archived 19 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Buchan Caves Reserve, Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H1978, Heritage Overlay HO241". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
External links
- "Buchan Caves Reserve: park notes" (PDF). Parks Victoria. August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
- Gippsland’s official tourism website
- The Buchan Caves Area (geology)
- Media at Wikimedia Commons under Category: Buchan Caves Reserve