Looking for Crystals in Yanchep National Park Caves Tour

Did you know there are caves to explore just outside Perth, Western Australia?  In fact, there are over 580 caves beneath the far northern suburb of Yanchep, a 50-minute drive from the Perth CBD.  Whilst many of those caves are not available to explore by the average person, within the Yanchep National Park cave tours are available for the public.  For the daredevil, there is an adventure cave tour.  However, I am not so brave.  Instead, I purchase the $15 Yanchep National Park Crystal Cave Tour ticket from the Visitor’s Centre located within the park.

In this Article about Yanchep National Park Cave Tours You Will Learn:


PLEASE NOTE: Crystal Cave is currently closed for maintenance and risk evaluation, however the rest of Yanchep National Park is still open to explore

Deepest point in Yanchep Crystal Cave
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The Crystal Cave Tour

Our tour begins nine metres below the Earth’s surface in the cool, slightly damp, dimly lit first chamber of Crystal Cave.  Listening to our tour guide, she reflects on tours that began in the early 1900’s.  Back then tourists would have to clamber down ropes, scramble with lanterns through narrow tunnels to reach each chamber and sometimes sludge through the then-natural streams.  Today, thanks in part to a large donation the Yanchep National Park received in the 1930’s we are able to walk down wooden stairs – though there are no ramps, along structured dirt paths with iron rails, all lit by electricity.

The Yanchep Crystal cave safety tunnel
The tunnels and rails built for tourists

Looking for the crystals I see small pretty wall cavities lit by coloured red and amber lights, but – no crystals.  Ducking my 163cm (5ft 3in) frame I make my way through a narrow tunnel.  It opens out into a large limestone chamber.

Lit cavities in Crystal Cave Yanchep
Cavities in the cave

To my right is a 10m diameter pond of water.  In front of me, limestone stairs invite me to view traditional cave formations; large beige stalactites hang from the ceiling along with sheer glistening shawls and straws, and some stalagmites are popping up from cavity floors – but no crystals.

Yanchep National Park cave cavities
More cavities within the Yanchep National Park Caves

Strange little glass red tags look as if they are holding cracks in the limestone walls together – surely they’re not crystals.  No, they are the alert system for rock movement.  Every day before the first Crystal Cave Tour, a tour guide walks the 250m Yanchep cave trail to ensure all the tags are still intact.  To date, none of the glass tags have broken.

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The safety tags used to check the Yanchep caves
Safety tags

Our guide asks us to all be quiet as we gaze at the aptly named reflection pond – but it’s not a crystal-looking pond.  Not a sound is uttered and it is eerily quiet.  You cannot even hear the sound of water trickling into the pond.  The Perth underground water table has receded and so too have the natural Yanchep cave ponds – the water is now pumped in for the tourists.  Lack of water has also caused the loss of small micro-animals that once lived in the caves.

Stalactities in Yanchep Crystal Cave, Western Australia
Stalactites

But it still feels damp inside the 12m deep cave.  The guide swings her torch up.  A moist sheen covers the rocky ceiling, it looks like – crystals.

Our 45min Crystal Cave Tour draws to a close.  Our guide points out one consolation due to the lack of water in the Yanchep National Park cave system.  Cave cavities that were once filled with water are now dry, allowing speleologists to access new areas and discover even more caves below Yanchep.

Tips to Plan Your Visit to Crystal Cave in Yanchep National Park

Website

For further information refer to these official pages on the West Australian Parks and Wildlife website:

Location

Entry into Yanchep National Park is $15/car (fees correct at March 2023).  Please visit the Yanchep National Park website (see above) for the latest fees.  Annual Western Australia park passes are also available.

Yanchep is 50km from the Perth CBD.  The easiest way to reach Yanchep National Park is to drive.  The Perth Transperth public transport system travels to the suburb of Yanchep but does not stop at the national park (and I think it’s too far to walk).  Alternatively, you can book a tour:

Cave Tour Prices

To purchase a Crystal Cave Yanchep tour either buy at the Yanchep National Park Visitors Centre or online on the Crystal Cave website (see above).

  • $15/adult
  • $7.50 /child
  • There are four tours per day

These tour prices are correct at July 2018.  Please refer to the Crystal Cave website (see above) for current prices.

What to Take With You in Yanchep Crystal Cave:

When spending time in Yanchep National Park you will want to have good walking shoes and a day trip bag that includes:

  • Hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Water
  • Camera or at least a Smartphone
  • Money
  • A light jumper/sweater (it is cool in the cave)

Get the entire

More Things to Do in Perth, Western Australia

Perth and Western Australia offers so much natural beauty to explore like:

You may also like to purchase one of these guidebooks on Perth and Western Australia* for more ideas.

Inside the Yanchep National Park on a Crystal Cave Tour
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9 Comments

  1. Hi sally!
    May I know if it’s a far hike from the carpark of yanchep entrance to the cave? Where we meet the guide? Thank you so much

  2. We love exploring caves! As we’re just starting to put ideas together for an Australia trip, this one is going right into our planning. Thanks for the heads up! Wait…that’s a bad thing in a cave, right? 😉 Curious now…what happens if one of those red tags falls?
    #TheWeeklyPostcard.

    1. If one of the red tags fall, Rob and Ann, tours for that day are cancelled, they then have experts check for movement and only reopen when it is deemed safe. By the way, back in 1968 the biggest earthquake in WA was recorded (6.9 on the Richter Scale) at the time there was a tour being conducted in Crystal Cave – they didn’t feel a thing!

  3. I love exploring caves. It is just mind boggling how it takes so long for the stalactites and stalagmites take to grow. #TheWeeklyPostcard.

    1. Anisa isn’t it so amazing what beautiful formations human natural can create?

  4. Ooh fun! These remind me of the Carlsbad Caverns in Arizona I visited as a little girl! Haven’t been to one since! #TheWeeklyPostcard!

    1. I hope I’ve inspired you to try a cave tour next time on your travels Lolo.

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