Capricorn Caves
The Floor is Made From What!
“Do you know what the floor in here is made from?” our guide asks.
Little Miss two has been “spirited” so far throughout this 60 minute tour of the Capricorn Caves. We are about 45 minutes into the tour and she is now squatting down attempting to dig a rock out of the ground with her little finger.
I suspect she plans to throw it at her brother. It’s the first time since the tour started that she hasn’t attempted to run off, squeeze into a hole she isn’t suppose to, or yell “pick me up” or “no…put me down” at the top of her voice.
I get a sinking feeling in my stomach as one of the other people in the group yells out “guano!”
“Yep, that’s right. The floor is made out of compacted bat poop,” our guide replies.
I look down at Miss Two in horror just as she sticks 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 tell myself its ok because it’s not 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?
The Capricorn Caves are actually really beautiful and the tour is pretty decent. Unfortunately, you can only visit on a tour though. Wandering around at your own pace would definitely be easier with kids. However, I understand they do it this way to protect the caves.
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.
Everyone sits down on the sturdy church style bench seats and the room is lit by candles. A wonderful acapella version of ‘Hallelujah’ is played through an MP3 player to show how great the acoustics are.
Mr Four is a bit bored, but sitting quietly enough. He is content knowing that he will soon get to finish the tour by negotiating a zig zag passage and cross a swaying suspension bridge.
The Moment Miss Two Embarrasses Me ….
Unfortunately, I have misjudged Miss Two’s nap time and she is hard work. While the other guests are enjoying the special moment of the music in the cathedral cave; she climbs onto the seat in front, bends down till her head is under her bottom and breaks the tranquility by screaming, ”Mum…..I can see my buuuummm!”
I avoid eye contact with everyone until the end of the tour.
General Information on the Capricorn Caves …
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. You can take the popular cathedral tour like we did, or there are some more adventurous options to choose from.
The cathedral tour is wheelchair friendly. Expect to see cave coral, stalactites, bats and dangling fig-tree roots. All of the caves are beautiful but the cathedral cave is really something special. I would love to experience one of the popular opera performances held in here.
If you visit during 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.
You should definitely go out of your way to visit these caves if around the Rockhampton area. In general, kids will like this tour even if they are a bit bored by the tour guide. The bats, interesting formations, climbing stairs in the dark, the squeezie zig zag tunnel and the suspension bridge are enough to keep them occupied.
…..unless you misjudge nap time with your two year old like I did!
Book your Capricorn Caves Cathedral tour >>HERE<<
Resources for booking your family getaway to Central Queensland
Tickets
- Transfers to Great Keppel Island can be booked >>HERE<<
- Get your Capricorn Cave Tour Tickets >>HERE<<
- Jump on board your Keppel Island Sailing Cruise >>HERE<<
- Book your Keppel Island Snorkel Tour >>HERE<<
Accommodation
- The NRMA Yeppoon Holiday Park is amazing, particularly for those with kids as it features an outdoor movies theatre, giant water slide, jumping pillows, other fun stuff. If camping the bathrooms are clean and if not, the bungalows are wonderful!
- If you want to stay right near the Capricorn Caves, I recommend the Capricorn Caves Bungalows.
- For Rockhampton, I recommend the Empire Apartment Hotel or the Rockhampton Discovery Parks.
- If staying on Great Keppel Island, I recommend the Great Keppel Island Holiday Village.
- Byfield National Park camping information can be found here.
Getting to Central Queensland
Car Hire
Compare car prices across major brands >>here<<
Flights
Search for the best deal using I Want That Flight or Trip.com
Public Transport
Public transport to Rockhampton is limited to Trains and Buses from major capital cities. Research and book your options >>HERE<<
Want to discover more awesome places?
For more information on visiting Central Queensland, check out our Central Queensland page for family travel.
For inspiration on more destinations, head on back to the home page!
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