Going walkabout with Erik Thompson

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Perhaps best known for his role in Packed To The Rafters, Erik Thompson recalls his travels to medical conventions and toxic New Zealand volcanoes.

1. As a child, our family holidays were always to…

Dad’s annual medical conference. We got to stay in a hotel, stay up late and drink soft drink.

One year we went to Hastings, New Zealand, and visited a dodgy park called ‘Fantasyland’, a cheap rip-off of Disneyland.

2. The last place I visited was…

Samoa and the next place I am booked to go is… Queenstown for a spot of skiing.

3. I’ll never forget the time…

I went to school in Scalloway on the Shetland Islands, Scotland. My mother was born in Shetland and I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years, but to actually go to school and sink into the community was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

4. If money was no barrier, send me off to…

The Mentawai Islands in Indonesia, a remote surfing mecca. I went there four years ago with some old mates to celebrate our 45ths; next year we all turn 50 so we’re heading up again.

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5. My favourite travel companion is…

My wife Caitlin, of course. The problem is she doesn’t like to visit the same place twice. There is one exception though – she has no problem returning to Kangaroo Island again and again, which I support wholeheartedly. It’s a fantastic, uniquely Australian place full of wonder.

6. My carry-on is usually filled with…

My noise-cancelling headphones, computer and a large bottle of water.

On long flights I change into flight pyjamas once we’ve taken off. It’s a tip I picked up when I was hosting on Getaway.

7. My last holiday read was…

Island Home by Tim Winton. I’ve always been a Winton fan, from Cloudstreet to Dirt Music and Eyrie.

This book is his meditation on how the unique geography and position of Australia on the planet, shapes us as a people.

8. The best bed I’ve ever slept in was…

At the Park Hyatt Melbourne. Egyptian cotton sheets and excellent pillows (pillows are everything).

It’s all topped off with really good blinds to keep the room dark and support that rare sleep-in.

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9. My local’s tip for hometown McLaren Vale is…

To make a visit to the family winery Penny’s Hill, one of the Vale’s best cellar doors and restaurants.

Pop in and the people are very friendly, and I’m probably related to them…

10. The most adventurous thing I’ve ever done on holiday is…

Taking a helicopter out to White Island, an active volcano in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, and landing in the crater.

Plumes of toxic gas rose from lakes of acid forcing us to wear gas masks.

It felt like it could blow at any moment. Quite amazing and a tad scary!

 

Come on a walkabout with other Australians of note… Jesinta Campbell – Joel Creasey – Sally Fiztgibbons

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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
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    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves. Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.