With cave names like “Fat Man’s Misery” and “Jack’s Beanstalk” it should give away this isn’t a typical cave tour. The Capricorn Caves Adventurer tour transports you to another world, similar to how an earthworm crawls through dirt. But, unlike a worm in the ground, you’ll experience life-changing moments in these caves.
As my first ever caving experience, I can fully say I experienced the depths of the Capricorn Caves through the Adventurer tour. What I didn’t expect, but later learned was this caving tour gives the same adrenaline as jumping out of a plane. It’s scary, it’s exciting and it’s completely safe.
Based on doing the Adventurer tour, I’m sharing some friendly tips about the Capricorn Caves and what the tour is all about. This isn’t sponsored content, but instead I’m hoping to inspire others to support local tourism for those currently in Australia.
Read on to learn more about the Capricorn Caves, and my experience doing the Adventurer tour.
Table of Contents
About the Capricorn Caves
The Capricorn Caves are a maze of limestone caves, located about 23 km north from Rockhampton, Queensland. Positioned next to Mount Etna, the caves have a uniquely wavy and rocky texture. This unusual view is the top of the caves, and is the result of water washing away the limestone.
There’s loads of different types of caves around the world and in Australia. All are known for their own thing. The Capricorn Caves’ specialty is its Cathedral Cave, from which its natural shape creates a one of a kind acoustic experience. And yes, it’s a legitimate cathedral which can host weddings. Read below for more information on the history of the caves.
History on the Caves
Going back a little bit, these caves were formed from limestone, which was a blend of corals, shallow water and volcanic times. But don’t worry, there’s no longer any active volcanoes in the area, or Australia at all.
The caves sat undisturbed, until a family living in the area came across them by accident. Initially, the family tried to generate an income by welcoming tourists to view the caves. Eventually though this fizzled out, due to old roadways and difficult transportation at the time.
Instead, the family sold the bat manure in the caves by mining. At the time, bat manure held its weight in silver, so it was a decent way to make some money at the time.
Eventually the caves returned to focus on tours again, still owned by the same family. Read further for some quick information on the tours offered at the Capricorn Caves.
Tours at the Capricorn Caves
The Capricorn Caves is known for its uniquely shaped Cathedral cave, which has a spectacular way of allowing sound to bounce of the walls. This translates into natural acoustics in the cave, when sound goes through it. However, that’s just one part of the Capricorn Caves. There’s many ways to see and visit the caves, which is what this section is all about.
There’s three main cave tours, the Cathedral Cave tour, Capricorn Explorer and Capricorn Adventurer. There’s also special tours such as night caving with burgers, and abseiling. What’s special about all of these tours is they all focus on different things. It’s possible to do every tour and not have too much overlap of information or views.
Outside of the Capricorn Caves, in the middle of a bright green forest. 
Inside the caves has some interestingly-shaped limestone remnants.
The Cathedral Cave tour is the most basic and accessible. It’s A$30 per adult, and open to all-ages and is wheelchair accessible. This 45 minute tour goes through the largest caves, including the cathedral. A bonus, is that in the Cathedral Cave the tour guide play music to show off those natural acoustics. That’s right, no singing necessary. But, there’s also a piano to play, if you fancy.
For those up for more of an adventure, there’s the Capricorn Explorer. It’s not as intense as the Adventurer tour, but goes deeper in the caves than the Cathedral tour. Bringing guests to some unique views of the caves. At A$50 per adult, the tour lasts about 90 minutes. It’s a time to learn more about the depths of the caves, without getting too dirty.
And then, there’s the Capricorn Adventurer. This tour requires scrambling, pulling and shifting intimating through the Capricorn Caves. The tour sits at 120 minutes for A$65 per adult. Full disclosure, this tour goes through tiny holes in the caves and it isn’t easy. This tour would be difficult for those with claustrophobia. But, that’s all part of the adventure, read below for my full review on the Capricorn Caves Adventurer tour.
Capricorn Caves Adventurer Tour Review
Someone else on my tour had recently gone sky diving and said that experience was easier than this caving tour. That was after just a few minutes into the Capricorn Adventurer tour.
No really, the “Fat Man’s Misery” tunnel is one of the first we started with on the tour. This feels like a long tunnel through two rooms of the cave. Going through, everyone has to go arms fully above the head inching the body through as you curve your body slightly through the tunnel. I almost had an anxious breakdown. I thought I was going to throw up.
In my defence, I didn’t quite realize until the moment going through the caves what was about to happen. Let’s rewind a bit.
All cave tours start from the same spot, which is the Capricorn Caves main visitor centre on Olsens Caves Road. After checking in for the tour and arriving at the appropriate time, those doing the Adventurer tour must fill out a waiver. There’s an opportunity for a final toilet stop before beginning the tour.
The tour guide, Mindy, gathered everyone and brought us to another area of the information centre closed off to the rest of the visitors. This is where we were fitted with helmets, head torches and overalls. The latter is optional, but I highly recommend it after doing the trip. If you do the tour with your own clothes they might be ripped up and incredibly dirty, there’s no way around that on this tour. Well, unless you peace out before starting, that is.
Next, by direction of our bubbly tour guide, we all headed to a secret back entrance of the caves. It’s a luscious and forestry area mixed with the subtle backdrop of the caves. Heading into the caves, Mindy gave us a quick intro about how the caves were formed.
This was the moment my heart started thumping as I realized there were limited ways out of the cave we were now standing in. Surely though it would be from the huge crack in the wall on the left?? This is where the crawling began.
However, after the initial crawl through Fat Man’s and the near anxious breakdown, I survived. And, instead of just surviving I realized I was screwed. There was no way I was going back through that tunnel, so obviously I had to keep going. The cave at this point was calming so I took some deep breaths, and my anxiety—slowly—calmed.
After Fat Man’s, it was time for “Skinny Man’s Misery”, the next tunnel which felt similar to being shot out of a cannon, but without the shooting part. All of the tunnels are physically possible to get through. It’s just about time, claustrophobia, anxiousness, movement and positioning. All of these moments are what make the experience life-changing. Once conquering fears and heading through these moments, you know you can do anything.
After wrapping my head around how to get through the tunnels—with the help of our lovely tour guide—the rest of the tour was thrilling and honestly one of the best tours I’ve done. I also found it seriously underrated, as the Capricorn Caves website doesn’t go into too much detail about the tour itself.
Gab Travelling
Without spoiling too much of the tour, it goes from tiny cave, through tiny tunnel to amazing views and sights that many will never get to see. Take advantage of doing this tour if you’re in the area. And if it seems scary just remember the company has been doing tours in these caves for decades, which are still safe.
A highlight of the tour is that we got to go on top of the caves for 360-degree views around the area. On that walk up we also got to listen to the caves. Some of the limestone spire-like rocks sticking up are hallow inside and knocking them gives off an odd, but interesting echo tune. A similar noise to a piano, but through a rock, if you will.
The limestone caves from the outside, which is jagged and spikes. 
And the caves from the inside, showing a more rounded look.
For me, having a passionate tour guide such as Mindy really brought the group and the tour together. She took her time taking us to some special places in the caves. And, we even had time to watch for micro-bats at the end, before exiting the caves. For anyone in the area of Rockhampton, do this tour and you won’t regret it. It’s a real adventure, and one you won’t forget.
After the Capricorn Caves, don’t miss driving out west to stop at Carnarvon National Park, which is full of bright green flora, wildlife and mesmerizing walks through the gorge.
