ParksVictoriaPhone131963www.parks.vic.gov.au

WelcometoCountryTheGunaikurnaipeoplearetheTraditionalOwnersoftheCountryfeaturedinthisvisitorguide.ThroughanewwayofmanagingpubliclandcalledJointManagement,theStatehascreatedanequalpartnershipwiththeGunaikurnaipeople.Thebenefitsofthispartnershiparemanyandinclude:theknowledgeandcultureoftraditionalownersincorporatedintonaturalresources(land)management,culturalawarenessandknowledgeoflocalhistory,improvedparkmanagementthroughknowledgesharingandincreasedopportunitiesfornewinitiatives.Byconservingandprotectingthenaturalenvironmentandculturalvalues,theeducationandenjoymentexperienceisenhancedforallcommunitymembersandvisitors.BuchanCavesReserveisoneofthejointlymanagedparkswithinGippsland.ThisagreementrecognisesthefactthattheGunaikurnaipeoplehavealwaysbeenconnectedtotheirlandandaretherightfulpeoplewhospeakforthatCountry.Theseparksandreservesareculturallandscapeswhicharepartofourlivingculture.

GettingthereBuchanCavesReserveislocated360kmeastofMelbourne.TheReserveis60minsfromBairnsdaleviaBruthen(B500/C620/C608),or45minsfromLakesEntranceviaNowaNowa(A1/C620/C608).

Thingstoseeanddo

CavetoursBuchanCavesReserveisfamousforitshoneycombofcavesfullofspectacularlimestoneformations..Thecaveswereformedovermanythousandsofyearsbyundergroundriverscuttingthroughlimestonerock.Theformationsarecreatedbyrainwaterseepingthroughcracksanddissolvingsomeofthelimestone.Aseachdropletcomesthroughtheroofitdepositscalcitewhichcrystallisesinasmallring.Intime,stalactitesareformedontheroofofthecave,andstalagmitesbuildupfromdropletswhichfalltothefloor.RoyalCaveandFairyCaveareopenforguidedtoursdaily,exceptChristmasDay.Ticketscanbepurchased24hoursinadvanceonline,gotowww.parks.vic.gov.au/stayorinpersononthedayattheVisitorCentrewithintheReserve.TherearefivetoursdailybetweentheSeptemberschoolholidaysandEasterandthreetoursdailyfortherestoftheyear.

WalkingFortheshorteasywalks,allyouneedaresturdyshoeswithgoodtreadandcomfortableclothing.Forthelongerandmoredemandingwalks,areasonableleveloffitness,goodbootsandplentyofwaterarerecommended.Foryoursafetypleaseremainonthewalkingtracks.

MoonHillWalk0.5km,30minutesreturnThisshortwalkleadstoviewpointsoverlookingthereserveandtheBuchanValley.ItpassesMoonCavealongtheway,sobringatorchandhavealookintheentrance.ThetrackcontinuespasttheDevilsPunchbowl,alargecollapsedcavesystem,tothetopofthehill.Fromhereyoucanseetheextentoftheexposedlimestoneonbothsidesofthevalleyinthereserve,alittlefurtheracrossvisitthelookoutforbeautifulviewsoftheBuchanValley.IfyoucontinueonandjoinNorthernArmTrack,itwillleadyoubacktothecampground,whichwillbeanadditional30minutes.

SpringCreekWalk3km,1.5hoursreturnThissuperbwalksplitsintothehigherTeaTreeTrackandthelowerKanookaTrackwithbothmeetingattheSpringCreekFallsviewingplatform.TheTeaTreeTrackisanadventurouswalkthathassomesteepareasonitswayuptothefalls.Ashortdistancealongthetracktoyourleft,therocktypechangesfromthegreyBuchanCavesLimestonetotheolderSnowyRiverVolcanics.Tocomeback,takethelowerKanookaTrack.Thistrackcrisscrossesthecreekandfeaturesmossyrocks,beautifulfernsandtreesdominatedbyKanooka.KeepaneyeoutforLyrebirds,GippslandWaterDragons,Kookaburras,KingParrotsandotherwildlife.

CavesReserveTrack4km,2hoursreturnThiswalkstartsoppositetheplaygroundandfollowsafireaccesstrackalongaridgetothenorthwesterncornerofthereserve.TurnleftattheintersectiontomeetupwiththeSpringCreekWalkingTrackandtheGranitePoolsWalkingTrack.TheCavesReserveTrackreturnstothecampgroundviatheNorthernArmTrack.

GranitePoolsWalk4km,2.5hoursreturnOneofthesteeperwalksinthereserve,itmakesitswaythroughsometalltimberandmosscoveredgullies.LookoutforlyerbirdsonyouwayandenjoythewonderfulviewsoftheBuchanValley.

BuchanCavesReserveKrauatungalungCountryVisitorGuide

NestledinapicturesquevalleyinEastGippsland,theBuchanCavesReservehidesanundergroundworldofcolourandenchantmentjustwaitingtobediscovered.HundredsofcavesarelocatedinthisregionandsomeofthemostspectacularlimestoneformationsinAustraliacanbefoundhere.ThereserveishometotheRoyalCaveandFairyCave,twoofthefinestcavesintheregionboastingelaboratestalactitesandstalagmitesandbeautifulcalcite.

See Buchan Caves inset visitor guide

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metres0 600300 450150www.parks.vic.gov.auDisclaimer: Parks Victoria does not guarantee that this data is without aw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability which may arise from you relying on this information. Cartography by Parks Victoria August 2016.For mobile App search for Avenza PDF Maps

Walking track

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Campsite from No.33 are onlysuitable for tents and campertrailers. Only available during Easter and Christmas(26 December to mid January)

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www.parks.vic.gov.auDisclaimer: Parks Victoria does not guarantee that this data is without aw of any kind and therefore disclaims all liability which may arise from you relying on this information. Cartography by Parks Victoria August 2016.For mobile App search for Avenza PDF Maps

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FJWilsoninterpretedwalk2km,1hourreturnThiswalkisnamedafterFrederickWilson,whocametoBuchanin1907fromJenolanCavesintheBlueMountains(NSW)andcontributedsignificantlytothedevelopmentofthereserveThiswalkstartsabout100meastoftheVisitorCentrefollowingtheRoyalCaveexittrackandendsneartheFairyCaveentrance.Fromhereyoucanreturnalongthemainroadthroughthereserve.Numberedpostsalongthewalkrefertopointsbelow.

1. DiscoveringstreampassagesBehindthisentranceashorttunnelleadstotheFederalCave.Itismorethan400mlongandcontainsverywhiteandstrikinglybeautifulformations.DiscoveredbyFrederickWilsonandWilliamBonwickin1915,thecavewasopenedtovisitorsin1917.WilsonandBonwickdiscoveredtheFederalCavebyfollowingastreampassageleadingfromtheRoyalCave.ThisstreampassagepassesthroughFairy,Royal,FederalandDukesCaves,endingitsjourneyattheswimmingpool.Until1970FederalCavewaslitbypowergeneratedhereatthereserve.WhenelectricitywasconnectedtoFairyandRoyalCaves,FederalCavewasclosedandsealedoff.InterestinFederalCavehasgrowninrecenttimesanditisnowavailableforspecialisedtoursduringChristmas,Easterandallschoolholidays.In2007alowvoltagelightingsystempoweredbysolarenergywasintroducedintotheFederalCavebytheFriendsofBuchanCaves.

2. LimestoneatBuchanThelimestoneatBuchanformedabout380millionyearsagounderveryshallowseascoveringmuchofEastGippsland.Alaterperiodofmovementoftheearthscrustraisedthisareaabovesealevel.Limestoneisarockthatcontainsmorethan50%calciumcarbonate,whichisusuallypresentasthemineralcalcite.Theskeletonsofmostmarineanimalsthatlackbackbones,suchascorals,starfish,seaurchinsandshellsaremadeupofcalciumcarbonate.Somealgaecanalsoproducecalciumcarbonate.Thelimestonehereiscomposedofdarkgreylimemudwithnumerousfossilsscatteredthroughout.Lookatthesmallgroovesinthisrock,calledRillenkarrenorSolutionFlutes.Theyareformedbyrainwaterdrainingacrosstherock,gentlydissolvingthelimestone.Astimegoesby,thegroovesbecomedeeper.

3. HiddenfossilsTheRoyalCavestourendshere.AlthoughRoyalCavewasdiscoveredin1910,thisartificialexittunnelwasntcompleteduntil1929.Lookforfossilsinthelimestonewallbuiltaroundtheexit.

4. NaturalstepsNoticeherehowthestepshavebeenmadefromthelayersoflimestone.Theselayersareknownasbeddingplanes.Verticaljointlinesacrossthebeddingplanesallowwatertoseepthroughtherockfromthesurface,andovertimethiswateractionslowlydissolvesthelimestone.Thisishowcavedevelopmentbegins.Goodexamplesoffossilisedcoralandbrachiopodscanbefoundhereintherock.

5. Shhwhatcanyouhear?Fromhere,takeamomenttostopandlistenforLyrebirdsandBellMiners.DidyouknowthattheLyrebirdcanperfectlyimitatejustaboutanysoundithears?Fromhere,headtowardstheFairyCaveentranceanddownthestepsbacktothemainroad.OnyourwaybacktotheVisitorCentretakeyourtimetolookatthemanyornamentaltreesplantedinthereservesincethe1930s.

WildlifeThereserveisarefugeforwildlifewithover100speciesofbirdsrecorded,includingKingParrots,WhiteWingedChoughsandCurrawongswhichcanbeseenaroundthecamparea.ListenfortheBellbirdsandLyrebirdsneartheFairyCaveentrance.Kangaroosareplentifulthroughoutthereserve.AtnightthecampgroundcomesalivewithBrushtailedPossumsandthecallsofBoobookOwls.Pleasedonotfeedthewildlife.Theyfindtheirfoodinthewild.Feedingthemcanresultindiseases,aggressivebehaviourandanunnaturalrelianceonhumansforfood.Dogsandotherpetsarenotpermittedinthepark.PicnickingBuchanCavesisagreatplaceforafamilypicnic.Thereareelectricandwoodfiredbarbecuestocookonandplentyoftablesandsheltersaroundthereserve.Thereisalsoaplaygroundandaswimmingpoolwhichisfedfromanundergroundstream.TheVisitorCentreboastsaninterpretivedisplayofthecavesystems.CampingandaccommodationThereisarangeofaccommodationoptionsatBuchanCavesReserve.Sharedfacilitiesincludehotshowers,toilets,alaundry,acamperskitchenandelectricandwoodfiredbarbecues.Tobook,gotowww.parks.vic.gov.au/stayorcall131963.CampgroundThecampgroundhas41siteswithpowerandanadditional20siteswithoutpower.WildernessCampfixedtentsWildernesstentsofferauniquelowimpactcampingexperienceandincludeexclusiveuseofthefullyfittedoutcampkitchen.Twoofthetentsaresetupforcouplesbutcancomfortablysleepuptofourpeople.Eachcontainsaqueensizebed,twobedsidetables,atableandchairs,asinglefutonchairthatconvertstoasinglebed,asingletrundlebedunderthequeensizebed,andasmallfridge.Theotherthreetentsaresetupforgroupsandhavethreebunkbedsandcomfortablysleepuptosixpeople.Eachcontainsasmallfridgeandatableandchairs.BYOlinen.Cabins Adoublebedandabunkcontainingthreesinglebeds.Bringyourbedlinenandtowels.

Showerandtoiletfacilities KitchenettecontainingstovetopandmicrowaveCavesHouseluxuryaccommodationHistoricCavesHouseoffersatrulyluxuriousexperiencewhilestayingattheBuchanCavesReserve.Itfeatures: Sleepsuptoeightpeoplewiththreebedroomsfeaturingqueensizebedsandoneanteroomwithtwosinglebeds.

Alllinensupplied Fullyfurnishedthroughoutwithheatingandcoolingoptions Beautifulcoveredfrontdeckwithriverviews OutdoorBBQandfire

BepreparedandstaysafeThisparkisintheEastGippslandfiredistrict.Bushfiresafetyisapersonalresponsibility.Anyoneenteringparksandforestsduringthebushfireseasonneedstostayawareofforecastweatherconditions.ChecktheFireDangerRatingandfordaysofTotalFireBanatwww.emergency.vic.gov.au,ontheVicEmergencysmartphoneapporcalltheVicEmergencyHotlineon1800226226.NofiresmaybelitonTotalFireBandays.OnCodeRedFireDangerRatingdaysthisparkwillbeclosedforpublicsafety.Closuresignswillbeerectedbutdonotexpectanofficialwarning.Checkthelatestconditionsatwww.parks.vic.gov.auorbycalling131963.ForemergencyassistancecallTripleZero(000).December2017