Honeycomb Cave


Useful Information

Location: At Mole Creek.
74 km south of Devonport and about 25 km west of Deloraine. From Launceston follow highway to Devonport, turn off at Deloraine onto B12 to Mole Creek.
(-41.599954, 146.406950)
Open: Mild Tour: SEP to MAY daily 8:30.
JUN to AUG daily 9.
Check actual dates on online booking system or call.
Pre-booking essential.
[2021]
Fee: Mild Tour: Adults AUD 160.
Wild Tour: Adults AUD 320.
Half day photography tour: Adults AUD 160.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave Ordovician limestones.
Light: none, caving gear provided
Dimension: T=9 °C.
Guided tours: Mild Tour: D=4 h, cave+lunch, MinAge=14.
Wild Tour: D=8 h, 2 caves, 2 meals, MinAge=14.
Half day photography tour: D=4 h, MinAge=14.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Wild Cave Tours, 13185 Lake Highway, Golden Valley Tas. 7304, Tel: +61-3-6369-5226, Fax: +61-3-6369-5226, Cell: +61-403-293549. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Honeycomb Cave is a river cave, which shows boisterous waterfalls and wet drippy formations. Beneath formations and erosional passages there is a wealth of cave life to explore, although it is tiny and often hard to detect. There are large Tasmanian cave spiders, but they are timid with humans and difficult to find. The glowworms are pretty easy to detect becuase of their light. And they even become brighter every spring, when food is more abundant. This small larvae of flies use the light to attract prey, often their own adult parents. They are endemic to New Zealand and rarely found in Australia. Large blind cave shrimps (Anaspides) can also be seen, but only in the right time of the year. Late November is a good time, if there is not too much rain.

Honeycomb Cave is the most visited wild cave in Mole Creek Karst National Park. The tours are guided by Deb Hunter from Wild Cave Tours. It is both an easy beginners cave and close to the meeting point at James General Store, Main Street, Mole Creek. The half day tours start at 8:30 and end approximately 12:30. There are tours on all days of the week, but in general only three to four tours per week. To find the dates check the online booking or call Deb Hunter. All caving equipment, overalls and lights as well as morning tea or lunch (as applicable) are provided. The tours are restricted to people with a certain amount of physical fitness.

There are numerous other caves in the area, which are open on a limited access basis. You need a permit from the National Park, which is regularly given to caving clubs. However, Deb will care for the permit, and so you may visit Baldocks Cave, My Cave, Cyclops Cave, Westmorland Cave, Wet Cave or Sassafras Cave. The tour to Honeycomb is offered regularly and is also the beginners tour. The other tours are made after appointment, and some only as second trip tours, which allows the guide to estimate your fitness and ability. While photography is generally allowed, there are special tours for cave photography, including a workshop for cave photography which is only available after appointment.