Cathedral Caves

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Not to be confused with Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve.
Cathedral Caves
In Cathedral Caves 3.jpg
Inside the Cathedral Cave
Map showing the location of Cathedral Caves
Map showing the location of Cathedral Caves
GeologySandstone
Age160 mya
OperatorKāi Tahu
Websitehttps://www.cathedralcaves.co.nz/

Coordinates: 46°36′30.40″S 169°22′52.56″E / 46.6084444°S 169.3812667°E / -46.6084444; 169.3812667

The Cathedral Caves are two connected limestone sea caves located on Waipati Beach, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Papatowai, on the Catlins Coast in the southeast corner of the South Island, New Zealand.[1] It is the largest and most spacious cave of the Wellington Caves.[2] The two main cave systems join together within the cliff and one has a 30 metres (98 ft) high ceiling.[3] Often blue penguins and fur seals will emerge from the gloom at the far end of the cave.[citation needed]

The 199m-long cave is formed in Jurassic sandstone (about 160 million years old) of the Murihiku Terrane, though the cave itself is much younger, ten to hundreds of thousands of years old.[citation needed] They were named by Thomas Hocken who noted how the caves reverberated noise[4] and their resemblance to European cathedrals.[5] The caves are only accessible for an hour either side of low tide. They are managed by Kāi Tahu descendants[6]

Cathedral Caves

  • The exterior of the cave entrance

  • The interior of the cave

  • The entrance to the cave

Further reading[]

References[]

  1. ^ Welcome to Cathedral Caves Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Tautuku Block X Section 3c Trust. Accessed 2008-01-20.
  2. ^ Osborne, R.A.L. (17 April 2007). "Cathedral Cave, Wellington Caves, New South Wales, Australia. A multiphase, non-fluvial cave". Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi:10.1002/esp.1507.
  3. ^ "Cathedral Caves". www.cathedralcaves.co.nz. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  4. ^ "The Caves". www.cathedralcaves.co.nz. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Cathedral Caves". Catlins, New Zealand. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Cathedral Caves". Department Of Conservation. Retrieved 13 February 2021.

External links[]

  • Official website - Information about the caves, including tide charts and pictures
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