Melville Caves Vic

trouto · Senior Member

Melville Caves Vic

herbie · Guru

We stayed there for a few days on our trip down south a few years back. I remember it as a very nice area

when we were in that area it was cherry season and remember going to a farm and picking our own cherries.

The history behind the caves is that I think it was Captain Melville the bush ranger used one of the caves as a look out. Five Billy cans of gold was taken by Capt Melville from unsuspecting travellers and was never recovered, it is thought still to this day it is buried around Mt Arapiles near Horsham.

Before European occupation this area was inhabited by Jaara aboriginial people,who took shelter amoungst the rock formation. Scarred trees around the parks rock shelves indicate the removal of material from trees by the Jaara people for usage as shields and bowls.

Fantastic interesting place.Could have stayed longer but we had ks to travel so will return another day.

The camping area is about 1k past the main picnic area.

In 1980 a 240-gram gold nugget was found in this area by some lucky camper.

-- Edited by herbie on Friday 20th of September 2013 11:33:29 PM

-- Edited by herbie on Friday 20th of September 2013 11:42:10 PM

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Lovely area around there. Have not camped there but did a wedding there a few years ago with spectacular backdrop, then had a posh picnic for the reception. Lovely spot .It is popular in the summer.
Tess

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

You really tested my memory ... I thought I knew Melville Caves ... but had to search Google and my diary to remember.

For those that don't want to search, this will help - http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/kooyoora-state-park

and here are a couple of photos for interest from my last visit. The first one is inside Capt Melville's cave.

Cheers - John

freehazzas · Senior Member

We are heading there tomorrow for a couple of days.

Desert Dweller · Guru

We've stayed at the campground in Kooyoora State Park adjacent to Melville Caves quite a few times, once for a whole week. Lovely quiet spot except when you strike a school group camping there. It's very popular with schools. Watch where you park if there's been a fair bit of rain as grouind water bubbles up from below & causes patches to become like quick sand. We saw a rig bogged up to the axles. There's another campground in Kooyoora State Park just off the Calder Hwy near Glenalbyn which is even quieter & easy to reach over a couple of k's of gravel road. Turn off Calder Hwy at Brenanah-Glenalbyn Rd.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Sunday 14th of June 2015 08:44:44 AM

hokianga · Senior Member

I have stayed there a number of times when I was travelling, felt very safe although I was a solo at the time. The fur boys loved it too. Often there would be no one else there, although it appears to be getting more popular.