Welcome to the Chillagoe Caving Club!

Far North Queensland offers some of Australia’s most spectacular and unique caving. With warm cave temperatures (typically around 21–22°C) and an incredible variety of formations, passages, entrances, and wildlife, it’s a region that continues to attract and inspire cavers of all levels. The tower karst landscape creates intricate networks of caves — often shorter but with multiple entrances — making exploration both challenging and rewarding.

Our primary karst areas include Chillagoe, Mitchell-Palmer, Broken River, and a scattering of smaller limestone outcrops in between. Further west, Camooweal and Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill Gorge) offer even more remote caving opportunities.

The Chillagoe Caving Club has so far discovered and tagged nearly 600 cave entrances in the Chillagoe region — and we’re still finding more. Many caves lie within National Park boundaries and require a permit to access. The club holds an annual group permit, which allows members to participate in trips to these areas.

Caving here often involves a vertical component, with free climbing, wire ladders, or rope systems required to access parts of a cave. Expect to scramble, crawl, squeeze, and get a bit muddy — a reasonable level of fitness (and a sense of adventure) is essential.