The Leeuwin – Naturaliste Ridge is a limestone ridge formed one million years ago and runs between Cape Leeuwin in the south and Cape Naturaliste in the north in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. The ridge now falls within the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
Cave systems are commonly found in limestone areas. Acidic rainwater and underground streams can dissolve away the limestone creating cavities in the rock. Over time these cavities are gradually expanded into the caves we see today. The caves often contain structures such as stalactites and stalagmites formed from min real rich water dripping through the roof of a cave. These structures develop very slowly, over thousands of years, to form the wonderful displays we marvel at in cave systems.
The Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge is dotted with caves systems along its length, many of which are open to the public. We chose to visit Mammoth Cave as it is only a short drive from the town of Margaret River which was our base for our stay in the region. The cave is open daily from 9am to 5pm with the last entry to the cave being at 4pm. It is a self guided audio tour and this is available in several languages, the guide was easy to use and very informative, sound quality was good. Caves systems are much cooler than the outside air temperature so it is a good idea to dress in layers for your visit.
The walk through the cave system is circular and involves a series of boardwalks and platforms. There are some steps to climb but it is possible to visit the first chamber without any steps. The exit from the cave leaves you with a short walk through the trees of the Marri forest back to the visitor centre and car park. The tour takes around an hour if you ever a gentle stroll through the system and stop frequently to admire the rock formations and take plenty of photographs.
There some wonderful, breath taking formations and lighting is used to ensure you see them at their best. The cave contains a fossilised jawbone of Zygomaturus, a giant plant marsupial similar in appearance to the modern day wombat. It has been dated by scientists as being around 50,000 years old, giving a unique glimpse in to what some of the wildlife was like in the area in prehistoric times.
It is difficult with a simple photograph to capture the enormity and beauty of the caverns and formations on view. if you are fortunate enough to be in the Margaret River region go and take a look, you won’t be disappointed.