Can I go inside the Byaduk Caves, Victoria?

Only one of the lava-created Byaduk Caves near Hamilton, Victoria, is open to the public. You can visit Harmans 1 on a 1.5km walk in Mount Napier State Park.

What are the Byaduk Caves, Victoria?

The Byaduk Caves are a network of underground tubes, formed by lava from Mount Napier, a nearby volcano.

Where are the Byaduk Caves?

The Byaduk Caves are in Mount Napier State Park, Victoria. The nearest sizable town is Hamilton, and the drive south from Hamilton to the Byaduk Caves is 21km long.

The nearest town on the coast is Port Fairy, which many visitors tend to tag on to a trip along the Great Ocean Road. The distance from Port Fairy to the Byaduk Caves is 70km.

Best Port Fairy accommodation picks

The best places to stay in Port Fairy are:

For a treat: Oscars Waterfront Boutique Hotel.
For heritage and character: Merrijig Inn.
For family-friendly cabins and facilities: Big4 Port Fairy Holiday Park.
For backpackers: Port Fairy YHA.
For a comparatively affordable motel: Seacombe House Motor Inn.

7 fantastic Great Ocean Road experiences
1. Crowd-beating reverse direction tour. 2. Surfing lessons in Anglesea. 3. Split Point Lighthouse climb. 4. Shockwave Zip-Coaster. 5. Guided wildlife walk. 6. Budj Bim National Park tour. 7. Great Ocean Road by motorbike.

How were the Byaduk Caves created?

When Mount Napier erupted around 10,000 years ago, the lava on the surface dried more quickly than the lava underneath. The still-molten lava below began to dig out tunnels. These tunnels are what you can still see today.

How to visit the Byaduk Caves

The best way of visiting the Byaduk Caves is on a 1.5km looping walk that starts at the Byaduk Caves car park. This connects several of the caves, but only one of them is open to the public.

This is Harmans 1, which has stalagmites, stalactites and columns, plus a colony of bats.

There are a few rocks at the entrance that you’ll need to scramble over, and you’ll be able to see more if you bring a torch.