The Stockyard Gully Caves are one of Western Australia's best kept secrets. The main
cave has a sandy bottom and is some 300m long from entrance to entrance. There are two shorter caves that are accessible for the more adventurous before reaching the "final"
cave, which has no exit.
The caves can be approached from the Northern end via
Lake Indoon or the southern end from Cockleshell Gully Road. 4WD is only required for the sandy tracks and is suitable for towing off-road trailers/vans. Any 4WD is appropriate, as the larger rocky
limestone outcrops on the track have been flattened off by CALM.
Although this trek can be completed in one day (mostly driving), it is a great weekend away with overnight campout at nearby
Lake Indoon.
Lake Indoon is a large, freshwater lake, which covers 130 hectares, with a depth varying from approximately 1.5m - 5m depending on the seasons and rainfall. It is approximately 4.5kms around the lake. The
Lake Indoon facilities include camping grounds around the lake, an ablution block with hot water showers, and a tank for
drinking water. The Carnamah Shire runs the
campground at
Lake Indoon with campsites available on a first-in first served basis. A gas BBQ and
picnic area is available near the
boat ramp on the north side of the Lake as
well as a
toilet block (cold showers only). The
camping area spreads out around a section of the lake with each site casually clustered under large canopy of trees and native scrubs attracting plenty of birdlife especially the Carnabys Cockatoo who love to eat the flowering banksias that are prolific in the area. This is also a dog friendly
campsite.
How to Use this Trek Note
- To download this information and the route file for offline use on a phone, tablet, headunit or laptop, go to the app store and purchase ExplorOz Traveller. This app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage and the EOTopo webpage.
History
The erosion from a creek fed upstream from the surrounding plains formed
the caves. Further erosion over the years has resulted in roof
cave-ins, leaving natural entrances to
the caves. These caves are a natural water course and the creek flows in the wetter months. There are warnings not to enter
the caves in severe rainstorms as the
cave can flood!
TrekID: 94