Kooringa Cave
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve
Overview
Cave tours have been cancelled until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Kooringa Cave is one of the most heavily decorated show caves at Wombeyan Karst, and is sure to impress.
- Type
- Show caves
- Where
- Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve
- Price
-
Entry to Kooringa Cave is by guided tour only. $24 per adult, $19 child/pensioner, $22 seniors, $60 family (2 adults and children up to age 16). Multi-cave passes available.
- Opening times
Kooringa Cave is open by prior booking and on long weekends. Closed on Christmas Day.
- What to
bring - Drinking water, sturdy shoes
- Bookings
- Contact Wombeyan Caves office to book a guided tour.
- Please note
- Prices for cave entry and passes are subject to change. Prices are correct at June 2015.
- Combine your tour of Kooringa Cave with one of the other show caves in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve with the Discovery Pass or Explorer Pass.
- There is limited mobile reception in this park.
Leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind you and discover the spectacular world of stalactites and stalagmites in the underground world at Kooringa Cave.
It might be the smallest of the show caves at Wombeyan Karst, but Kooringa Cave is one of the most heavily decorated caves, and will be sure to impress.
First opened to the public in 1875, this striking single-chamber cave contains many pristine white columns and contrasting iron-rich draperies. So be sure to bring you camera, as the formations make for outstanding photography.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/show-caves/kooringa-cave/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve in the Country NSW region
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Kooringa Cave.
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
Kooringa Cave is located near Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve Visitor Centre. To get there:
- Drive north of Taralga on Oberon Road, then turn right onto Wombeyan Caves Road.
Park entry points
- Wombeyan Caves carpark See on map
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Car and bus parking is available at Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve Visitor Centre, a short walk from Kooringa Cave.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
While the caves can be visited all year round, a trip to Wombeyan in spring is well timed to catch wildflowers in full bloom.
Summer
A great time for a weekend camping trip - pitch your tent, enjoy breakfast cooked on the barbecue and beat the heat with a dip in a natural swimming hole.
Winter
Take advantage of the cooler weather and book a weekend getaway at the historic Post Office Cottage. The wood heater will keep you warm all night.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
13°C and 26°C
Highest recorded
38.8°C
Winter temperature
Average
1°C and 11°C
Lowest recorded
-9.6°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
June
Driest month
April
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
174.2mm
Maps and downloads
Fees and passes
Entry Fees
Entry to Kooringa Cave is by guided tour only: $24 per adult, $19 child/pensioner, $22 senior, $60 family (2 adults and children up to age 16).
Discovery Pass
Visit the self-guided Fig Tree Cave plus enjoy a guided tour* of your choice. $33 per adult, $25 child/pensioner, $30 seniors, $83 family. *Subject to availability, valid for Wollondilly Cave, Junction Cave, Mulwaree Cave, or Kooringa Cave in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Explorer Pass
Visit the self-guided Fig Tree Cave plus enjoy 2 guided tours* of your choice. $44 per adult, $33 child/pensioner, $39 seniors, $99 family. *Subject to availability, valid for Wollondilly Cave, Junction Cave, Mulwaree Cave, or Kooringa Cave in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve.
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
Bowral (80 km)
Spring is tulip time while summer has fragrant roses and autumn, flowering bulbs. Bowral Tulip Festival runs from the end of September until early October; the Autumn Garden Festival is held in May.
Goulburn (87 km)
Named after Henry Goulburn - the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Goulburn developed into a major centre for wool, and in 1863, it became Australia's first inland city. Today, the town is a rich hub of history, discovery and natural beauty.
Taralga (62 km)
Many of Taralga's existing buildings date from the 1860s to the 1890s, and most of them consist of stone from local volcanic supplies. This has resulted in an architectural style unique to Taralga that is somewhere between Georgian and Victorian, giving the town a unique and picturesque aesthetic.
Learn more
Kooringa Cave is in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Aboriginal connections
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve is located within the traditional land of the Gundungurra People, with the word Wombeyan coming from local language meaning 'grassy valley between mountains'. It's believed that Wombeyan Caves were part of an Aboriginal travel route that coincided with seasonal availability of food and the caves may have provided reliable shelter. The Dreamtime myth of Gurrangatch relates to the forming of Wombeyan and Jenolan Caves. The caves are said to have been formed during a contest between Gurangatch, a mythical being that was part fish and part reptile, and Mirragan, a legendary tiger cat.
Life in the air
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve plays a special role in the conservation of some of Australia's precious native flora and fauna. The moist forest that surrounds the park's creeks are home to superb lyrebirds, the eastern whipbirds and flycatchers; look for lyrebird scratches around on the forest floor. Keep your eyes in the sky around the park's rocky outcrops for birds of prey, including brown goshawks and wedge tailed eagles. You'll have to look particularly carefully to see a tawny frogmouth; their camouflage is excellent- staying very still and upright- you might mistake them as part of the branch.
- Mares Forest Creek walking track Tracking through a marble karst area along a stream, Mares Forest Creek walking track in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Area takes you to Tinted Cave.
- Victoria Arch walking track A short walk on Victoria Arch walking track, in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, takes visitors through the bush to a remarkable natural formation.
On show
The limestone caves of Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve are between 400 and 430 million years old. The geological processes that have created the magnificent cave system you see today continue to work their magic; you'll notice the impressive cave decorations including stalactites and stalagmites that are created by the infiltration of water into the caves. Take a guided Discovery tour to find out more about the history and geology of the caves.
- Dennings Labyrinth Cave tours have been cancelled until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Dennings Labyrinth, in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, is a guided tour through one of the park’s show caves.
- Fig Tree Cave Cave tours have been cancelled until further notice to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. Be sure to take the self-guided tour of the impressive Fig Tree Cave while you’re at Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve. The cave decorations are a sight to see.
- Victoria Arch walking track A short walk on Victoria Arch walking track, in Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve, takes visitors through the bush to a remarkable natural formation.
Plants and animals you may see
Animals
-
Eastern bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)
In colonies numbering up to 150,000, eastern bentwing-bats congregate in caves across the east and north-west coasts of Australia. These small Australian animals weigh around 13-17g and can reach speeds of up to 50km per hour. Eastern bentwing-bats use both sight and echolocation to catch small insects mid-air.
-
Common wombat (Vombatus ursinus)
A large, squat marsupial, the Australian common wombat is a burrowing mammal found in coastal forests and mountain ranges across NSW and Victoria. The only other remaining species of wombat in NSW, the endangered southern hairy-nosed wombat, was considered extinct until relatively recently.
-
Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
One of the most widespread of Australian tree-dwelling marsupials, the common brushtail possum is found across most of NSW in woodlands, rainforests and urban areas. With strong claws, a prehensile tail and opposable digits, these native Australian animals are well-adapted for life amongst the trees.
-
Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.
