The area around Buchan in Victoria contains abundant small caves, some very well decorated, others less so but with copious amounts of mud in compensation. Permits are needed for some caves; most have free access or need to be organised through the landholder. Commonly visited caves include Trogdip, Honeycomb, Baby Berger, Elk River, Slocombes and Wilsons Cave.
Getting there
It’s a fiveish hour drive down through either Cooma–Jindabyne or Cooma–Cann River. The latter is a good sealed road; the former is a dirt track through the scenic Snowy River area along the Barry Way. Both usually mean a rather late arrival after a 5pm departure from Canberra. Watch for deer on the roads after dark, and the nasty drops at the roadside around Buchan.
Facilities
Both camping and a hut (Homeleigh, via the Rimstone Collective) are available — camping is the more usual choice, with fireplaces, grassed sites and hot showers. Buchan also has a fine pub, unusually for a caving area, with an excellent chicken parmi.