Do you enjoy visiting caves?
Then we recommend visiting the Yarrangobilly Caves in The Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.
We visited the Yarragobilly Caves in Novmeber, 2016.
We arrived after lunch and therefore had limited time. So we decided to do the South Glory self guided cave tour. On this tour we got to visit the thermal pool, bush walk by the Yarrangobilly River, then into the South Glory Cave. It would have been nice to enjoy the swim at the end, but the route into the cave is only one way.
Here are our reasons we suggest you consider visiting the Yarragobilly Caves:
Thermal Pool
Who would believe it? We were very surprised to learn there was a thermal pool in The Snowy Mountains. It was such a nice surprise to find the thermal pool at the Yarrangobilly Caves.
Take your swimmers. It was a hot day when we visited. So we wore our swimmers, with clothes over the top.
The walk down to the thermal pool is 0.7 kilometers. The path is rather steep, with a gravelled, uneven surface. We had to walk with care to ensure we didn’t slip.
As you can see from the photo above the area was popular, particularly with families.
The pool is deep and we couldn’t touch the bottom without going under. So, be aware if you are visiting with non swimmers or children. The pool is unsupervised.
There is also a children’s wading pool, toilets and picnic area.
The pool is fed by natural spring water and is said to be 27 degrees all year round. To us, it didn’t feel 27 degrees. Perhaps that was because we were hot from walking?
In the pool we found green slime on the pool walls. Yet we found the water lovely and clear. We assume the slime gathers on the walls because the water is not treated with chemicals.
Yarrangobilly River Walk
Following our swim we went on to enjoy a bush walk along the banks of the Yarrangobilly River.
As we visited the area in November we also enjoyed the beauty of the bush spring flowers.
There was quite a steep climb from the river bed up to the entrance of the South Glory Cave. At time we were huffing and puffing and we had to stop to catch our breathe.
South Glory Cave self guided tour.
There are a number of caves you can visit. We chose to do the South Glory Cave and didn’t encounter any problems with the self guided tour. It was a lovely cave and well worth the visit.
According to the brochure we were given, there are 206 steps in the cave, plus ramps. Just before the exit there is quite a steep climb up stairs.
Exercise:
Visiting caves , bush walking, and having a swim are great ways to rejuvenate. This is one of the bonuses for us as retirees enjoying travel. Sightseeing encourages us to exercise. We certainly felt we had a good work out that day.
We have visited caves before and are aware that visiting a cave also means climbing up and down hills, even before you get into a cave. Then there are stairs to climb in the cave.
The brochure we were given also stated that cave is a medium grade and a moderate level of fitness is required. We agree.
Before visiting a cave consider your level of fitness. Also, check out with staff how physically demanding each cave is graded at.
Natures Beauty:
In our view, nothing beats natures beauty. At Yarrangobilly Caves there is natural beauty all around. You get to experience nature’s trifecta with the thermal pool, river and caves. Of course, that is not including the beauty of the Australian bush, the wild flowers, birds etc.
Other things to consider:
- Accommodation is available at Yarrangobilly Caves. Check out details with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
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Rustic, heritage style accommodation at Yarrangobilly Caves - Cost of entry to cave – Adult ticket $18.00, Senior ticket $13.00, site fee $4.00 = $35.00 for us both
- There is no caravan access to Yarrangobilly Caves. So we left our caravan at Yarrangobilly Village campsite.
- Wear sturdy boots, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent
- Carry a backpack for water, a towel to dry off after the swim, and some basic first aid equipment.
While we had never heard of the Yarrangobilly Caves before, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Nothing beats natures beauty. And here you experience nature’s best with the thermal pool, river, and caves. We highly recommend you visit.
Enjoy your travels from Estelle and Greg.