Western Australia · Attraction
Mammoth Cave
Ancient megafauna in stone
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Mammoth Cave is a self-guided limestone cave set 21 kilometres south of Margaret River, within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Tens of thousands of megafauna fossils, including thylacines and the giant marsupial Zygomaturus, were unearthed here and are displayed in situ, making it one of the most significant palaeontological sites in Australia. Audio guides are available in several languages.
The cave stretches around 500 metres in length and reaches 30 metres below the surface, carved over millennia by slightly acidic groundwater dissolving the ancient limestone. Stalactites, stalagmites, shawls, and columns fill every chamber, while fossil bones embedded in the cave floor put you face to face with animals that last walked Australia more than 46,000 years ago.
Visitors follow a lit, self-guided circuit at their own pace using an audio handset available at the entry kiosk. The cave floor can be uneven, so sturdy footwear is recommended, and the temperature inside hovers around 17 degrees year-round, so a light layer is a good idea.
Mammoth Cave is managed by the Capes Foundation and sits within a pocket of towering karri forest on Caves Road, making the short bushwalk from the car park to the cave entrance a pleasant introduction to the South West's old-growth landscape.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Mammoth Cave.
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