The Sheep's Back Wool Museum and Tourist Office
Located in McDonnell Street in an old flour mill, The Sheep's Back Wool Museum and Tourist Office is an ideal starting point for visitors to the area. There is a gift shop and gallery as well as The Sheep's Back Wool Museum which is a history of wool and sheep (particularly in the local area) which is spread over four floors of the old flour mill. It is comprehensive and fascinating and has a number of 'Best Small Museum' awards. The mill was built in 1870, powered by water from the nearby creek, and continued to operate until the 1930s. For details of opening times contact (08) 8762 1518. The Tourist Office can be contacted on 1800 244 421.
Naracoorte Cultural Arts Centre
Located in the old Corporation Building in Ormerod Street this new centre houses an impressive art collection (Naracoorte can boast that it had the first regional art gallery in South Australia) as well an interesting exhibition of Aboriginal art.
Swimming Lake and Jubilee Park
Naracoorte has a particularly lovely swimming lake which lies to the north of the town (take Moore Street north off MacDonnell Street). It is an ideal picnic location (complete with barbecue facilities and a new children's playground) and is adjacent to the Jubilee Park, 28 hectares of scrubland which was opened in 1986, which offers the visitor an opportunity to walk to an area characterised by rich displays of native fauna and flora.
Mini Jumbuk Factory
Further indication of the area's dependence on wool. The Mini Jumbuk factory produces small woollen souvenir sheep as well as a range of woollen products including blankets and quilts. For more details and opening times contact (08) 8762 3677.
The Churches
It is hard to think of any other place in Australia where three churches are concentrated on the top of a hill all overlooking the town. They can be accessed by heading up Jones Street from Smith Street (the town's main street). In this case the churches are St Andrews Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church, a handsome Gothic church which boasts an impressive 1875 spire (the church was partially restored in 1956); St Pauls Anglican Church (1880) with an historic lychgate which is now a war memorial; and the local Roman Catholic church.
The Banks
Naracoorte has two impressive 19th century bank buildings. The old Commercial Bank (now the District Council Office) in De Garis Place off Smith Street is a single storey building which was completed in 1884 for the Commercial Bank of South Australia. The intricate ironwork fence is particularly beautiful and it has fine stuccoed mouldings. Nearby, at the junction of Smith and Ormerod Streets, is the National Australia Bank, once the National Bank, which was built of limestone in 1873. The verandah was added later. It is typical of the importance of bank buildings in a town like Naracoorte at the end of the 19th century. It was a symbol of local prosperity.
Tiny Train and Mini Golf Park
Located on the outskirts of town (ask for directions at the Museum) this small fun park is open on weekends and during school holidays and combines an 18-hole mini golf course with a small train which is ideal for younger members of the family. For details contact (08) 8762 1327.
Struan House
One of the most gracious houses in South Australia, Struan House, which was built between 1873-75 for Henry Smith and Thomas Agar. Designed by W.T. Coke it is a fine example of a Victorian mansion (most of the rooms have beautiful marble mantelpieces) and is now part of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory for the South Australian Department of Agriculture.
Bool Lagoon
Bool Lagoon can be accessed 23 km south of Naracoorte. The turnoff is on the Penola Road and leads to the lagoon where the Tea-tree and Pat-om boardwalks allow for excellent birdwatching. There is the Gunawar Walk on Hacks Island and a scenic view from Wiriu Lookout. The visitor can expect to see sharp-tailed sandpipers (which fly thousands of kilometres to the freshwater lake), brolgas, mallards, Cape Barren geese, freckled duck, pied goose and the largest colony of ibis in South Australia. The lagoon area has picnic and camping facilities. Contact (08) 8764 7541.
Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park
On the eastern outskirts of town Caves Road heads south-east for 11km to Naracoorte Caves Park. It is one of only three fossil sites in the country to be given an official World Heritage Listing because fossils, dating back 170 000 years and ranging from tiny frogs to megafauna, have been found in the area. It is recognised as one of the richest collections of Pleistocene fossils in the world. Today the caves are an important breeding site for bent-wing bats.
There are 60 caves in a 25 km area. Because the land is relatively flat many of the caves are simply nothing more than holes in the ground. However there are now four caves which are open for inspection and which guided tours occur on a daily basis. There is also a single self-guided tour cave.
In recent times considerable funds have been spent upgrading the facilities. In December 1998 a $4 million Wonambi Fossil Centre was opened. It features robotic recreations of the animals which have been found as fossils in the caves which allows the visitor to get some idea of what the ancient marsupial lion and giant echidna actually looked like. There are 17 robotic animals.
1. Alexandra Cave
Located next to the park headquarters it is 210 metres long and was first discovered in 1908 by the forester, W. Reddan. It is recognised as containing the most beautiful limestone formations in the district. It has the full range of stalactites, stalagmites, helactites, straws, columns and flow stone. The cave's major attractions include the 'Mirror Pool' (stalactites, straws, white flowstone), 'Shower Pool ' (superb display of straws), 'Wedding Cake' and the 'Butcher's Shop'.
2. Victoria Fossil Cave
In terms of fossils the Victoria Fossil Cave has been a rich source with bones and fossils revealing the presence of giant kangaroos, large marsupial lions and giant wombats which once roamed the area and presumably fell into the caves. Ninety-three different species of mammals, reptiles, birds and frogs have now been found in the cave. It was not discovered until 1969 when members of the Caves Exploration Group of South Australia squeezed through a 25 cm hole and found the fossils. Although, to be fair, the main part of the cave had been open to the public since 1897 having been found three years before. The fossil section of the cave was open to the public in 1971.
3. Blanche Cave
The first cave in the complex to be discovered. It was found by a group of local settlers who were trying to recover some sheep which had been stolen by local Aborigines. It is known that Benjamin Sanders, a local station manager, actually found some of his sheep in the cave. Around this time the body of an Aborigine was also found in the cave. The body had been there so long it had become calcified and consequently it became known as the 'Petrified Native'. The body was stolen by a showman and put on display. He was caught. The body was returned but, according to folklore, the showman came and stole it again. It has never been recovered. It has been damaged because, as early as the 1860s, it was being used for parties. There are still old benches and stools at the entrance. It wasn't until 1885 that the government showed any interest in preserving the cave. The cave's main features include features known as 'The Ram', 'The Post Office' and 'The Big Column'.
4. Bat Cave
Widely recognised as a significant nursery chamber for the bent-wing bat. The cave now has a unique Teleview Centre where visitors, via a closed circuit television, can watch the 300,000 bats which use the cave for their breeding. These remarkable creatures head off each night on eating forays (they can eat up to half their bodyweight every day) and during the Christmas holidays there are special evening tours to watch them leaving the cave.
There are also Adventure Caving tours of some of the unlit and undeveloped caves.
The Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park covers 410 hectares has powered sites, an excellent restaurant (the Bat-Wing Cafe), toilets, walks, guided cave tours, picnicking and camping. For details of cave tours contact (08) 8762 2340.
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.