Ngilgi Cave

Ngilgi Cave was found in 1899 by a stockman searching for horses and opened to visitors the following year, the first show cave in Western Australia. Its name comes from a Wardandi story of a battle between the good spirit Ngilgi and the evil Wolgine, and the cave is presented with that cultural context alongside the geology. Inside are shawls, helictites and a dense concentration of straws and delicate formations, seen on semi-guided tours where visitors move at their own pace with guides stationed through the chambers. Adventure caving tours crawl into undeveloped sections. The cave sits at the northern end of the Margaret River caves belt, near the Yallingup surf coast.

The landscape

• The delicate formations - straws, shawls and helictites through the chambers.
• The Wardandi story - the cultural narrative presented alongside the geology.
• The semi-guided route - moving at your own pace with guides in each chamber.
• The adventure tours - crawling routes into undeveloped passages.

When to go

Year-round; the cave is a constant cool temperature and works as a wet-weather option. Tours run through the day, with adventure caving on a booked schedule. School holidays are busy.

What to expect

The route involves many steps and some tight sections. Adventure tours require a minimum age, fitness and old clothing. The cave has had periods of closure and changed management in recent years, so checking current operation helps.

Nearby

Yallingup beach is minutes away; Cape Naturaliste and Dunsborough lie north.

Key facts