hastings cave tours hobart

Discover the STATE RESERVE

Hastings caves, introduction.

The Hastings Caves State Reserve offers visitors a variety of experiences, from relaxing in the warm waters of a thermal springs pool, walking in the rich forests of the reserve and, the unique experience of exploring Newdegate Cave. Both the thermal pool and the trail which leads through the surrounding forests are accessible to wheelchair users.

Named after Sir Francis Newdegate, the Governor of Tasmania from 1917-1920, Newdegate Cave is the largest tourist cave in Australia which occurs in dolomite, rather than limestone.

Its richly decorated chambers began forming tens of millions of years ago. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a tour of the cave with qualified Parks and Wildlife Service guides.

Newdegate Cave

The spectacular subterranean formations from millions of years ago.

Formed millions of years ago, these great dolomite caves were discovered in 1917 by timber workers. A Parks and Wildlife guide will take you on a 45-minute guided cave tour. You will discover spectacular subterranean formations including flow stone, stalactites, columns, shawls, straws, stalagmites and the unusual helictites. The cave is spacious and well-lit and there are no narrow passages. There are 500 stairs in total inside the cave, all equipped with handrails.

You are invited.

A good place to be..

The cafe provides pies, toasted sandwiches and biscuits, confectionary, drinks and ice creams. You can enjoy in a peaceful environment surrounded by nature in forest hot spring.

The Thermal Pool awaits you.

Hot meets cold. twice the pleasure..

Facilities include a visitor centre, kiosk and souvenir shop. Tickets for cave tours and the thermal pool can be purchased here. The kiosk provides pies, toasted sandwiches and biscuits, confectionary, drinks and ice creams.

The pool area has a picnic shelter with tables, open fires electric barbecues, toilets and change rooms.

Petrol is available from Southport and Dover.

There are two easy nature walks starting from the pool area. The Platypus Walk is a 10 minute walk through wet forest, following a small stream to a warm spring. The track is suitable for wheelchairs and for visually impaired visitors.

The Hot Springs Walk branches off the Platypus walk and takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Flora & Fauna

Eucalypts shade the diverse understorey of ferns, moss, native laurel, mountain pepper, blackwood, sassafras, musk and tea-trees. Gahnia, commonly known as cutting grass because of the serrations on its leaves, provides a safe haven for small birds.

You may see a platypus, trout or eel in the creek. Quolls, lyrebirds and currawongs are often seen within the reserve. Pets are not permitted in any state reserve, including in cars. Even the smell of domestic animals disturbs wildlife.

The thermal pool was opened to the public in 1939. The springs temperature is normally around 28 °C. Rainwater enters the dolomite area near the Hastings Caves. and it is heated as it descends to about 600m before rising again under pressure to bubble out as warm springs. The springs occur in several places over the Lune River flood plain.

We’d love your visit!

Get in touch with us, our location, hastings caves and thermal springs.

754 Hastings Caves Rd, Hastings TAS 7109

Phone: 03 6298 3209 Fax: 03 6298 3103

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

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Hastings Caves State Reserve

Magical dolomite cave and thermal springs.

• Explore our parks

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​ Visitor centre opening hours 10am – 4pm open 7 days

The magical underground world of Hastings Caves will open your eyes to what lies beneath the picturesque Tasmanian landscape. The mystery of these Tasmanian c​aves is revealed beneath a dense green forest and ferny glades. The spacious dolomite cave system is a labyrinth of chambers, richly decorated and cleverly lit to highlight ancient subterranean formations.

Newdegate Cave is the largest dolomite tourist cave in Australia. Its vast chambers began to form more than 40 million years ago.

Back on the surface, you can relax in the swimming pool, which is fed by mineral-rich thermal springs. Experience warm thermal pool water that remains 28 degrees, year-round. 

Explore the Hastings Caves State Reserve further on the two easy walking trails, pack a picnic, or enjoy a barbecue with friends and family in the lovely forest surrounds. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the native wildlife that share this forest, including platypus , quolls , pademelons and birds ​.

F or tour times, costs and bookings see  Hastings Cave and Thermal Springs .  

Cave tour bookings are only required for commercial and educational groups, and for public groups of 12 or more people in one party.  All other tickets are purchased at the Hastings Visitor Centre prior to your tour. ​ Bookings are not required for the thermal pool.​

Nature and conservation

Hastings Cave (Newdegate Cave) is home to a number of strange and fascinating animals. More than 40 species have been discovered and new ones are still being found. Many are so adapted to life underground they have neither eyes nor pigment, and have developed unusually long antennae.  Symphyla ( Hanseniella magna) grow to only 10mm and are often are mistaken for millipedes. They are blind but scuttle about the cave feeding on soil microbes.

Species of cave harvestman spiders (Hickmanoxyomma cavatictim ) and cave beetles ( Idacarabus cordicollis ) are unique to the Hasting area.  Cave crickets shelter in the cracks and crevices around the entrance of Newdegate Cave. Occasionally, when weather conditions are favourable, they forage for food in the adjacent forest.

The Tasmanian endemic mountain shrimp ( Anaspides spp .) is commonly encountered in streams and pools of the Hastings cave system. When it was discovered in Tasmania in the late 19th century, the only records were from fossilised specimens dating back from about 270 million years ago.  

For more information on our wildlife please see Tasmania's wildlife .

Visit our caring for wildlife page for more information on interacting with and protecting our native animals.

Cultural heritage

Hastings Caves State Reserve is within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area ​ - a place of profound significance to today's Tasmanian Aboriginal community due to the cultural heritage that is found here. Newdegate Cave was named after Sir Francis Newdegate, the Governor of Tasmania from 1917-1920. The wet sclerophyll forest around the cave was being harvested when the entrance was uncovered by a gang of tree fellers in 1916-1917. There is evidence of early logging techniques on tree stumps along the forest walk to the cave.

Local entrepreneurs began guiding trips into the cave in 1919 and the area was proclaimed a scenic reserve a few years later.  A government-led job creation program developed the access road, thermal pool and internal cave infrastructure – including timber staircases, a walkway and lighting – during the 1930s Depression. While upgrades have occurred regularly since then, the town of Hastings​​ is shadow of its former self. At its peak it had a port, a sawmill and homes for the many timber workers living in the area.

Getting there

​​​​​Hastings Caves State Reserve is 105 kilometres (1 hour and 45 minutes) from Hobart's city centre.  

Take the Southern Outlet (A6) towards Huonville. Follow the A6 for 93 Km passing through Huonville, Geeveston and Dover.

Turn right at the Southport turn-off onto Hastings Caves Road (C635). After 4.2 Km, turn right and follow the sealed road for 3.3 Km to the Hastings Visitor Centre. ​

There are areas with no connectivity (black spots) and the GPS may not provide accurate guidance in these areas, please follow the road signs.​

Where possible, please avoid driving in our reserves at night. You are sharing the roads with our native wildlife, so take it slow and watch out for animals on the road.

Know before you go

Cave tour bookings are only required for commercial and educational groups, and for public groups of 12 or more people in one party.  All other tickets are purchased at the Hastings Visitor Centre prior to your tour. ​Bookings are not required for the thermal pool.​​

Please arrive and check-in at the Visitor Centre 45 minutes before the advertised or booked tour time.  After check-in there is a further 5km drive and then a 200m walk to reach the cave entrance where the tour begins.   

Cave tour fees apply.  A parks pass is not required at Hastings Caves, you will require a pass if visiting a national park.

Sturdy shoes and warm clothing are recommended for cave tours.   Pool users should wear swimming costumes, or shorts and tee shirts.  Please consider sun protection.

Dogs are not allowed in the Reserve.

To protect the cave environment, backpacks, selfie sticks, tripods, food and drinks are not allowed in the cave.​

The swimming area is set in a lush forest glade, picnic facilities and barbecues are available.  Electric barbecues turn off 30 minutes prior to closing time.   No portable cooking devices are allowed (Webber​ barbeques, gas or electric cookers.)

Light takeaway snacks, coffee and souvenirs are available at the Visitor Centre.​​​   

​Find out other essential information for visiting Tasmania's parks and reserves on our know before you go section .

Safety message

Access friendly.

​​​​​The visitor centre and café are fully accessible, as are the toilets. Wheelchair users may need assistance to reach the thermal springs. The pool has steps and a handrail. The change rooms and toilets are accessible, but wheelchair users may require assistance with the showers. There are picnic sites including sheltered tables and barbeques. 

The Platypus walk is a lovely 5 to 10 minute track through the forest behind the pool. This wide, boardwalked track is wheelchair-friendly. 

There are guided tours of Newdegate Cave, but the path and cave contain stairs and low lighting, unsuitable for most mobility impaired people.

Explore with the interactive map

Experiences in hastings caves state reserve.

Experience Tasmania's spectacular cave systems through one of our guided tours.

North West, Launceston and North, Hobart and South

An enjoyable addition to a visit to Hastings Caves or the Arve River Forest Drive. Take an easy stroll through a forest of stringybarks and stretches of tea tree swamp to an idyllic lake.

Southwest National Park

Duckhole Lake

Hastings Caves State Reserve has something for everyone. Tour the caves, swim in the thermal springs, wander the short walks and picnic with the family.

Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs

Tasmania's parks and reserves can make for a beautiful backdrop for your special day. See some of our favourite locations for simple, outdoor wedding ceremonies, through to full packages offered by Highfield Historic Site.

East coast, Hobart and South, Launceston and North, North West

Hastings cave, Tahune Airwalk and the Huon tasting trail

From AUD $166.00

Moonah, Tasmania

Take a spectacular day trip from Hobart through the Huon Valley to the Deep South of Tasmania. Highlights include the Tahune Airwalk, Hastings Caves and the tasting trail of the Huon valley.

Join us for an unforgettable day tour exploring the pristine beauty of Tasmania's deep South, where the apples are crisp, the salmon is fresh, and the trees have been around since before your great-great-grandparents were born!

Our first stop is Huonville, where you'll have a chance to grab a takeaway coffee and stock up on any essentials for the day. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic drive along the beautiful Huon River. As you sip your coffee, you'll hear tales about why this area is famous for its apple orchards, craft cider makers, boutique winemakers, and salmon production.

Next, we arrive at the Tahune Airwalk, where you'll have two glorious hours to explore this spectacular region. Choose one or all three of the walks on offer. Start with the famous Airwalk, a 600-meter stroll 50 meters up in the tree canopy amongst the world's tallest flowering plants, the eucalyptus gum trees. Feeling adventurous? Take on the Swinging Bridges Track, a 3.4-kilometer jaunt where you'll cross two swinging bridges over the Huon River the first (100m long) and the Picton Swinging Bridge (64m long). Alternatively, you can stay on the ground and enjoy the tranquillity of strolling along the riverbank through ancient Huon pines, mingling with trees that are 2,500 years old. Talk about a walk-through of ancient times!

After lunch, it's time to venture further south to the magical Hastings Caves, where you'll marvel at the underground wonders of Australia's largest dolomite cave. Your entrance ticket (included) grants you a guided tour through this fascinating cave system, led by an experienced and passionate guide. Here you can admire the intricate formations and learn about the area's geological history. While exploring the Hastings Caves State Reserve, keep your eyes peeled for native wildlife like platypus, quolls, pademelons and birds.

On our way back to Hobart, we'll stop at one of the local cider producers where you can enjoy a tasting paddle with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options or indulge in a complimentary mouth-watering apple pie (seasonal) if your stomach desires. It's the perfect way to wrap up a day of exploring. There's truly nothing better than sitting back, relaxing in a historic venue, enjoying a drink, and sharing stories with your fellow adventurers.

• 10 hour tour. Departs Hobart 7:30 am returns 5:30 pm

Inclusions:

• Selected Hobart CBD hotel pick up/drop off - 10 hour tour
• Guided tour through Hastings Caves (ticket price included)
• Guided tour
• Comfortable air conditioned transportation

Exclusions:

• Meals and drink at own cost, Lunch and snack options available throughout the day.
• Tahune Airwalk entrance fee.

*Family Pass (2 adults, 3 children): $80.00

Click below and enter your information to secure your booking

Some of the things you can expect to see and do

Huonville Coffee and Scenic Drive

Begin your journey with a takeaway coffee in Huonville, setting the stage for a relaxing drive along the picturesque Huon River. Enjoy tales of the region's rich history in apple orchards and salmon production.

Click or swipe to explore more day tours

Bruny Island Day Tour

From AUD $159.00

duration: 10 hours

Arguably Tasmania's best day trip! World class beaches, rugged coastline and native wildlife matched with the finest local produce from the ocean and the land. A tour you do not want to miss!

Port Arthur Shuttle and Tasman Sights

From AUD $95.00

duration: 8 hours

Hobart to Port Arthur and return $95pp or One way to Port Arthur or from Port Arthur back to Hobart $50pp. To receive the $50 one way fare please enter "ONEWAY' into the promo code when booking.

Hobart Highlights Day Tour

From AUD $100.00

duration: 7 hours

Get ready for a day of culture, lifestyle, adventure, nature, produce and wildlife. We'll leave no stone unturned

Mount Field to MONA Day Tour

From AUD $110.00

Join us on this unforgettable tour where we explore two of Tasmania’s most iconic locations. Discover the best of our island state, combining the natural beauty of Mt Field National Park to the quirky and interactive art scene at MONA.

Cradle Mountain in a day from Hobart

From AUD $250.00

duration: 14 hours

The only Cradle Mountain day tour departing from Hobart. On arrival, you'll have 4.5 hours to explore this world-renowned landmark and be reinvigorated by mother nature's vibes in the amazing ancient forests.

Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs

Spend an Idyllic Day in Nature

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The Hastings Cave State Reserve is a splendid day trip from Hobart or a great stop for anyone exploring the south of Tasmania. It’s the perfect setting for a picnic, soaking in the thermal pools, and/or exploring the unique formations of the Newdegate Cave.

For a relaxing experience, visitors can soak in the warm thermal waters. They can be enjoyed during any season with a year-round temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). The surrounding forests and reserve provide a dramatically beautiful backdrop and a peaceful atmosphere for a picnic or a walk. The Platypus loop walk from the swimming pool takes about 10 minutes through the Forrest over the springs where platypus can often be seen. There is also a longer thirty minute hot springs walk from the pool which is worth the walk . The warm springs feed a swimming pool at the Hastings Visitor Center, which is available to visitors to swim in. The pool has change rooms and hot showers, free barbeques, picnic tables and picnic shelters with open fires. Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Rob Burnett

Getting There/Tour

Both the thermal pool and the trail which leads through the surrounding forests are accessible to wheelchair users. Image Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Richard Bennett

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