Visiting the Capricorn Caves with kids: What to expect
“Do you know what the floor here in the Capricorn Caves is made from?” our guide asked.
Little Miss Two had been “spirited” thus far throughout this tour of the Capricorn Caves. We were about 20 minutes into the tour, and she was now squatting down, attempting to dig a rock out of the ground with her little finger.
I suspected that she had plans to throw it at her brother and it was the first time since the tour started that she hadn’t attempted to run off, squeeze into a hole she wasn’t supposed to, or yell “pick me up” or “no…put me down” at the top of her lungs. So I just let her be, she was being quiet and not really hurting or annoying anyone.
I got a sinking feeling in my stomach when one of the other people in the group yelled out, “guano!”
“Yep, that’s right. The floor is made out of ancient compacted bat poop,” our guide replied.
I looked down at Miss Two in horror just as she stuck her chubby little fingers in her mouth.
Gross! …
If I’m being honest, it’s probably not the worst thing she has ever put in her mouth. I told myself its ok because it wasn’t fresh bat poop. This is bat poop that has taken thousands of years to compact into the floor surface. It looks just like a regular dirt floor, so it’s just like tasting regular dirt. Right?
Despite this not-funny-at-the-time moment, the Capricorn Caves were actually really beautiful, and the tour is pretty neat. Unfortunately, you can only visit on a tour, though. Wandering around at your own pace would definitely be easier with kids. However, I totally understand they do it this way to protect and preserve these beautiful caves.
The Cathedral Cave experience
Nearing the end of the tour, we are all led into the Cathedral room. Opera concerts and wedding ceremonies are held in this cave due to its fantastic acoustic properties. The room is lit by candles, and everyone sits down on the sturdy church style bench seats. A beautiful acapella version of ‘Hallelujah’ is played through speakers to show how great the acoustics are.
Mr Four was a bit bored, but sitting quietly enough. He was content knowing that he will soon get to finish the tour by negotiating a zig-zag passage and crossing a swaying suspension bridge.
Unfortunately, I had misjudged Miss Two’s nap time, and she was hard work. While the other guests were enjoying the special moment of music in the Cathedral Cave, she climbed onto the seat in front, bent down till her head was under her bottom and broke the tranquillity by screaming, ”Mum…..I can see my buuuummm!”
Sigh. I avoided eye contact with everyone until the end of the tour.
Are the Capricorn Caves family-friendly?
Yes, the Capricorn Caves are family-friendly and children are welcome. You just need to pick the right tour for the age of your child. We only did the Cathedral Tour (would love to come back and do some of the more adventurous ones) and this tour is wheelchair friendly. However, due to stairs and uneven floor surfaces, a pram/stroller cannot be taken on all of the tours, so if you have a baby carrier, now is the time to dig it out.
Tour types and accessibility
Cathedral Caves Tour
- Age: All ages
- Duration: 45 minutes
- About: Showcases the largest and most spectacular caves, including the Cathedral Cave with its special accoustics.
Capricorn Explorer
- Age: 5+
- Duration: 90 minutes
- About: Discover hidden wonders and some of the caves’ best-kept secrets on this off-the-beaten-track Explorer tour.
Cathedral Adventurer
- Age: 10+
- Duration: 120 minutes
- About: Suitable for those with older kids and teenagers, this tour will take you beyond your comfort zone through winding tunnels, narrow passages and will see you scaling underground rock formations.
Capricorn Family Adventure
- Age: 7+
- Duration: 120 minutes
- About: Available during school holidays and suitable for those with kids over the age of 7 years. Explore caves such as The Dungeon and Whale’s Belly by the light of your headlamp and be prepared to crawl, squeeze and climb.
Need to know before you go
Location and getting there
The caves are located 23km north of Rockhampton. Basically, if you are on the highway heading north, you can’t miss the signs. The caves honeycomb around a limestone ridge, and there are more than 1.5 km of passages to explore.
When to visit
Although you can visit any time, if you visit during the Summer Solstice (early December to early January), the sunlight beams directly through a very small vertical shaft into Belfry Cave, creating a very special natural light show.
Final verdict (and nap time warnings!)
You should definitely go out of your way to visit the Capricorn Caves if you’re around the Rockhampton area. In general, kids will like this tour even if they tune out a bit when the guide is talking. The bats, interesting formations, climbing stairs in the dark, the squeezie zig zag tunnel and the suspension bridge are all enough to keep them occupied.
…..unless you misjudge nap time with your two-year-old like I did!
Where to next?
Let me know what you think!