Your guide to exploring South Australia’s Limestone Coast these school holidays

Explore the caves

Nara­coorte Caves Nation­al Park – South Aus­trali­a’s only World Her­itage-list­ed site

Locat­ed approx­i­mate­ly 3.5 hours dri­ve from Ade­laide, step under­ground into a world of ancient fos­sils, dra­mat­ic for­ma­tions and liv­ing his­to­ry at Nara­coorte Caves. 

• Vic­to­ria Fos­sil Cave: A one-hour guid­ed tour show­cas­ing mag­nif­i­cent speleothem for­ma­tions and a cham­ber rich with extinct megafau­na fos­sils. Tour times: 10.15 am and 2.15 pm.
• Alexan­dra Cave: A 30-minute tour ide­al for fam­i­lies, high­light­ing stun­ning lime­stone for­ma­tions and cave geol­o­gy. Tour times: 9.30 am and 1.30 pm.
• Bat Obser­va­tion Cen­tre and Blanche Cave: Learn about the endan­gered South­ern Bent-wing Bats via infrared cam­eras, then explore Blanche Cave, rich in nat­ur­al and Euro­pean his­to­ry. Tour times: 11.30 am and 3.30 pm.
• Stick-Toma­to Cave: A self-guid­ed, well-lit cave with two cham­bers, per­fect for young chil­dren and short vis­its. Open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
• Won­am­bi Fos­sil Cen­tre: Exhi­bi­tions show­ing how the caves act­ed as pit­fall traps and dens for over 500,000 years.
• Roof Top Loop Walk: An acces­si­ble trail with view­ing plat­forms offer­ing glimpses into cave inte­ri­ors and bat habitats.
• Novice cav­ing tours: Stick-Toma­to Cave is a great intro­duc­tion to adven­ture cav­ing — the tour requires some walk­ing and crawl­ing through an unlit cave and while there are some fun squeezes and chal­lenges for those who wish to try, these are optional.
• Fos­sil Hunters Nature Play­ground: An award-win­ning play space where kids can learn and explore between tours.

Tan­ta­noola Caves Con­ser­va­tion Park – a hid­den gem

Locat­ed about 100kms from Nara­coorte, Tan­ta­noola Caves Con­ser­va­tion Park offers a com­plete­ly dif­fer­ent experience:

• One of Australia’s few wheel­chair-acces­si­ble caves, set into a cliff face
• A spa­cious cham­ber filled with pink and white lime­stone formations
• A guid­ed intro­duc­tion fol­lowed by time to explore at your own pace
• A clifftop walk­ing trail and pic­nic grounds with panoram­ic views.

Wildlife and nature

The region is alive with wildlife, espe­cial­ly in spring and summer.

• Spot Mallee Fowl, echid­nas, kan­ga­roos and Mag­pie Geese.
• Vis­it Bool Lagoon and Hacks Lagoon — wet­lands teem­ing with water­fowl and oth­er birdlife.
• Enjoy wild­flow­ers, orchids and migra­to­ry birds across the hot­ter months.

Coastal and park adventures

If you love salty air and open spaces, you’re in the right place.

• Beach­port Con­ser­va­tion Park: Rugged coastal scenery and walks along the Woak­wine Range.
• Canun­da Nation­al Park: Windswept cliffs, sand dunes and stun­ning ocean views.
• Coorong Nation­al Park: A lagoon sys­tem rich in birdlife and Abo­rig­i­nal cul­tur­al heritage.
• Ewens Ponds Con­ser­va­tion Park: Snorkel in crys­tal-clear fresh­wa­ter springs with unique under­wa­ter plant life.
• Lit­tle Dip Con­ser­va­tion Park: Scenic coastal walks and diverse flo­ra and fauna.
• Telford Scrub Con­ser­va­tion Park: Peace­ful for­est trails and native wildlife. 

Fam­i­ly fun

The Lime­stone Coast is full of easy adven­tures for kids:

• The Fos­sil Hunters Nature Play­ground at Nara­coorte Caves.
• Inter­ac­tive exhibits and short tours for curi­ous young explorers.
• Pic­nic areas and short walk­ing trails through­out the region.

Sug­gest­ed 3‑day itinerary

Day 1: Nara­coorte Caves

• Explore South Aus­trali­a’s only World Her­itage-list­ed site.
• Join a fos­sil tour at the Vic­to­ria Fos­sil Cave.
• Vis­it the Bat Obser­va­tion Cen­tre and Blanche Cave.
• Let the kids loose at the Fos­sil Hunters Nature Playground.
• Walk the Roof Top Loop Trail for scenic views and bat watching.

Day 2: Coorong Nation­al Park

• Take a coastal walk along the lagoon system.
• Go bird­watch­ing — look out for pel­i­cans, swans and migra­to­ry species.
• Learn about the Abo­rig­i­nal cul­tur­al her­itage of the region.
• Enjoy peace­ful kayak­ing or pho­tog­ra­phy in the wetlands.

Day 3: Tan­ta­noola Caves and surrounds

• Tour the stun­ning Tan­ta­noola Cave.
• Walk the clifftop trail for panoram­ic views.
• Try bush­walk­ing or moun­tain bik­ing in near­by reserves.
• Relax with a pic­nic in the scenic grounds.

Lots to see and do

Here’s a quick list of activ­i­ties to enjoy across the Lime­stone Coast:

• Cave tours (Nara­coorte, Tan­ta­noola, Alexan­dra, Stick-Tomato).
• Bat view­ing via infrared cameras.
• Fos­sil exhibits and playgrounds.
• Bird­watch­ing at Bool Lagoon and the Coorong.
• Nature walks and scenic lookouts.
• Moun­tain bik­ing and bush­walk­ing trails.
• Pic­nics in con­ser­va­tion parks.
• Wildlife spot­ting: kan­ga­roos, echid­nas, Mallee Fowl.
• Wild­flower and orchid view­ing in spring/​summer.
• Kayak­ing and pho­tog­ra­phy in wetlands.

Tips for your visit

• Book tours in advance at parks​.sa​.gov​.au
• Check for park alerts and clo­sures before head­ing out.
• Respect and learn about the Abo­rig­i­nal con­nec­tion to Country.

Whether you’re plan­ning a fam­i­ly trip, a nature escape or sim­ply want to explore some­where new, the Lime­stone Coast has lots to see and do this school holidays.

Pack your sense of adven­ture and get ready to explore.