View across Buchan

Buchan (including Buchan South and Buchan Caves)
Small timber town noted for the interesting caves which are located nearby
Located 355 km east of Melbourne via the Princes Highway Buchan lies at the centre of a sheep, cattle, dairying and timber area on the Buchan River. Its major attraction is a group of spectacular limestone caves called, unsurprisingly, the Buchan Caves.

No one knows how the town got its name. Some people argue that the name derives from either the Aboriginal term "buchan buchan", meaning "smoke signal expert", or "bukkan munjie", meaning "the place of the grass bag".

East Gippsland explorer, Edward Baylis, began the Buchan station in the late 1830s. The area was first settled around 1840 but no detailed survey or exploration was carried out until 1899 or 1900. The land in the area was reserved by the State Government because there had been considerable vandalism of the area's caves.

Things to see:  

Buchan Caves
Fairy Cave, which is 400 metres long, has the usual collection of quaintly named features including the King's Chamber, the Queen Victoria Chamber, the Hall, the Jewel Chamber, the Grotto, the Bridal Chamber and the limestone ''Wedding Cake' which is frosted with what resembles icing sugar.

The cave was discovered by Europeans in 1907 and opened to the public the following year. The bones of kangaroos and a wombat the size of a horse have been found on the cave floor. The other cave open to the public is the Royal Cave, which includes 'Niagara Falls' and the 'Font of the Gods'.

The calcium carbonate which forms the basis of the limestone formations in the area's 350 or more caves derives from the skeletons of shellfish and coral which were deposited when the sea still covered southern Gippsland. The subterranean chambers and passages were carved out by the rainwater that trickles into the caves, forming spectacular stalactites and stalagmites which sometimes meet to form impressive pillars, or waterfall-like structures, due to the passage of the water over ledges. Red and brown colourations are caused by the presence of iron oxide while green shades are caused by copper. The caves are lighted artificially by electricity and have concrete steps and hand rails. There is natural ventilation and the temperature remains a steady 15 degrees celsius.

Buchan Caves Reserve
The Buchan Caves Reserve features picnic spots, a camping ground, a 1 km walking track and a variety of flora and fauna, including koalas, over forty species of birds, kangaroos, currawongs.

Other Caves in the District
Other cave areas not open to the public are the Cloggs Cave Area, 4 km south-east of Buchan, and the New Guinea Area, 20 km north-east of the town, on the banks of the Snowy River. Apart from their scenic value, these sites have revealed important signs of Aboriginal occupation, including hearths, middens, rock paintings, burnt bones, and tools such as pebbles for burnishing skins, scrapers, blades, pebble choppers and awls for piercing holes in skins for the manufacture of skin cloaks which date from 17 000 years old. The remains of extinct species, including a kangaroo the size of a horse, the Tasmanian Wolf and a Tasmanian Devil now extinct in the area, have also been uncovered.

Buchan South
12 km south-west of the town is Buchan South, the site of a black marble outcrop which was used in the construction of 16 huge pillars for Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance. 900 tonnes were also shipped to London for inclusion in Australia House.

Stonehenge, in Buchan South, is worth a visit for gemstone collectors. Black marble artefacts are also available from the Black Marble Hut in the main township of Buchan.

Sightseeing in the District
Those interested in sight-seeing may choose the road to Orbost, 55 km south-east, or the 80 km trek north to Suggan Buggan. The road north out of Buchan overlooks the Buchan and Murrindal Valleys and leads to Murrindal, the home of the Shades of Death Cave, discovered by Europeans in 1900, explored in 1905 but not permanently opened to the public until 1984. The area is mentioned in an Aboriginal legend which tells of a man who wandered into a cave and met Nyols, tiny people rarely seen by mortals.

Further along the road are West Tree Creek, where the river tumbles into a deep gorge, Butchers Ridge, Gelantipy, where petrol, refreshments and information are available and, along an unsealed road, Wulgulmerang. This area featured in Rolf Boldrewood's Robbery Under Arms (1888). Bushranger, Captain Starlight, is also said to have passed through the region.

The Bataluk Cultural Trail
The Bataluk Cultural Trail extends from Sale in the east, through Stratford, Mitchell River National Park, Bairnsdale, Metung, Lake Tyers, Buchan and Orbost to Cape Conran in the west. It follows the trails and trading routes of pre-colonial days and focuses on elements of Koorie history and culture, including Dreamtime stories, traditional lifestyles, the Den of Nargun, Legend Rock, Aboriginal Keeping Places, archaeological sites such as canoe trees and shell middens (some dating back 10 000 years), cultural centres of the region, and aspects of European invasion, colonial settlement and present-day existence. At Buchan the focus is on Buchan Caves.

Rafting on the Snowy
Peregrine offer rafting expeditions along the Snowy River which depart from Buchan, tel: (03) 9662 2800 or the Peregrine Travel office in your state capital.

	Motels
	Buchan Motel Off Main St Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9201 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Buchan Caves Hotel Main St Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9203
	Apartments
	Sherrington Holiday Apartments Basin Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9262 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Buchan Valley Log Cabin Gelantipy Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9494 Rating: ***
	Lodges & Chalets
	Buchan Lodge Saleyard Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9421
	Ontos Lodge Gelantipy Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 0275
	Caravan Parks
	Stonehenge Rockhounds Caravan Park South Buchan-Timbarra Gillingall Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9312
	Buchan Caves Caravan Park Main St Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9264 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	Buchan Motel Off Main St Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9201
	Dilly Dally Restaurant Main Rd Buchan VIC 3885 Telephone: (03) 5155 9387