Stick-Tomato Cave

Wet Cave


Useful Information

Location: 12 km south-east of Naracoorte.
(-37.036598, 140.797604)
Open: Visitor Center: All year daily 9-17.
Stick-Tomato Cave: All year daily 9-17.
Adventure Caving Tour: All year daily after appointment.
[2022]
Fee: Stick-Tomato Cave: Adults AUD 11, Children (4-15) AUD 7, Children (0-3) free, Family (2+2) AUD 29.
Groups (10+): Adults AUD 9, Children (4-15) AUD 5.50.
Stick-Tomato Cave and Wonambi Fossil Centre: Adults AUD 17, Children (4-15) AUD 10.50, Children (0-3) free, Family (2+2) AUD 45.50.
Groups (10+): Adults AUD 15, Children (4-15) AUD 9.50.
Adventure caving – novice: Adults AUD 68, Children (8-15) AUD 39.
[2022]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided, D=30 min, St=20.
Adventure caving – novice: D=90 min, MinAge=8.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: 20 steps at the entrance, otherwise level
Bibliography:  
Address: Naracoorte Caves National Park, P.O.Box 134, 89 Wonambi Road, Naracoorte SA 5271, Tel: +61-8760-1210. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1994 opened as a self guided cave.

Description

Stick-Tomato Cave is the only cave at Naracoorte Caves you can visit self-guided. The easy self-guided walk has an automated lighting system. The first chamber is partly illuminated by sunlight which filters through the tree ferns at the entrance. The second chamber does not have any natural light. The speleothems are described as "robust columns and stalactites (which) offer a wonderful contrast to the delicate formations in Alexandra Cave". Probably that was the reason why the official decided to make the cave self guided, less damage possible.

The cave has a staircase with 20 steps at the entrance, the rest of the tour is level. So it is actually wheelchair accessible if you are able to make this stairs.

Stick-Tomato Cave was formerly known as Wet Cave. It was called so, because of the dripping spelothems, although there is also a stream running through it. We are not sure why and when it was renamed, but there are actually thousands of Wet Caves all over the world, but only one Stick-Tomato Cave. It makes our work much easier if caves are easy to identify. The name Tomato-Stick Cave, which is noted on Google Maps, is definitely a typo.