Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to all three plus CaveWorks saves you money. Mammoth is open from 9am to
5pm (last tour at 4pm); tours of Lake and Jewel run hourly from 9:30am to the
last tour at 3:30pm. Sometimes extra tours are scheduled during school vacations.
The caves are open every day except Christmas. Book tours through CaveWorks.
Calgardup
and
Giants
caves, run by the Department of Conservation and
Land Management (CALM), are a more challenging experience. The caves are
not electrically lit and there are no guides. Visitors are equipped with helmets,
lamps, and information, and allowed to spend as long as they like exploring.
Calgardup goes to a depth of 27m (81ft.) and has boardwalks to help negotiate
it. Calgardup Cave is on Caves Road, about 12 minutes' drive south of Margaret
River and 3 minutes north of Conto's Road turnoff. It is open from 9am to
4:15pm daily. Giants Cave, 20 minutes South of Margaret River on Caves Road,
is one of the largest and deepest caves on the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge. It is
575m (1,725 ft.) long and about 86m (258 ft.) deep. Entry is from 9:30am to
3:30pm school and public holidays, and some other times. Entry to Calgardup
and Giants each costs A$10 (US$6.50) adult, A$5 (US$3.25) child, or A$30
(US$20) a family of six (includes helmets and lamps). Buy your tickets at the
National Park Information Centre
(
&
08/9757 7422
) at Calgardup Cave.
The center also has walking maps and information on camping sites and other
activities in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.
Another “adventure cave” where you get down and dirty crawling on your
hands and knees, in the protective clothing supplied, is offered at
Ngilgi Cave,
Caves Road, Yallingup (
&
08/9755 2152
), for A$40 (US$26) for anyone over
15. It departs daily at 9:30am and takes about 3 hours. Book 24 hours ahead.
Ngilgi's main chamber has translucent stalactite “shawls,” which anyone can
explore on a semiguided tour. This costs A$14 (US$9.10) for adults and A$8
(US$5.20) for children 5 to 17, or A$38 (US$25) for a family, and runs half-
hourly from 9:30am, with the last tour at 3:30pm (4pm during school vacations,
5pm during Christmas school vacations). Flashlight tours cost A$14 (US$9.10)
adults and A$9 (US$5.85) children (minimum A$80/US$52 group). The cave
opens every day except Christmas.
Food-based attractions are opening up in the area all the time. You can pick your
own kiwi, raspberries, and other fruit at
The Berry Farm,
222 Bessell Rd. outside
Margaret River (
&
08/9757 5054
), or buy them ready-made as attractively pack-
aged sparkling, dessert, and port wines; jams; and vinegars. At the
Margaret River
Chocolate Company,
Harman's Mill Rd. (at Harman's Rd S.), Willyabrup (
&
08/
9755 6555
), you can do free tastings, watch the candy making through a window,
and, of course, buy the stuff. Open daily 9am to 5pm.
A Wine-Buying Tip
The place to buy wine if you want to take it out of Australia is the
Margaret
River Regional Wine Centre,
9 Bussell Hwy., Cowaramup (
&
08/9755-5501
),
because most wineries don't deliver internationally. It stocks about every
local wine, does daily tastings of select vintages, sells maps, visitor guides,
and winery guides, and has an expert staff to help you purchase, and even
tailor your day's foray. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to
7pm, and Sunday from noon to 6pm (closed Christmas, Good Friday, and
sometimes New Year's Day). Order off its website at www.mrwines.com.
Tips
