Our visitors 10 most common questions
Q: Are these real caves?
A: No, the caves themselves are not real. It is a museum built like a cave. The natural crystal, fossil and mineral specimens from all over the world are displayed in a surrounding where they belong. West of Atherton lies Chillagoe with beautifull limestone-caves with some Aragonite crystals and Mt. Surprise has the volcanic Lava Tubes. Both of these natural wonders are very spectacular in their own right. What the Crystal Caves offers is a unique world collection of natural crystals and real fossils admired by ten of thousands of visitors per year.
Q: Are they all Australian specimens?
A: No, to create a museum with only Australian specimens would mean The Crystal Caves would be considerably smaller. René and Nelleke collect only the best quality of each crystal formation or a complete fossil sort. Australia is known all over the world in mineralogical circles for the Crocoite from Tasmania for example, and Gold from Palmer River and Opal from Lightning Ridge and Cooper Pedy. Yet Uruguay has the best quality of Amethyst. And Argentine is known for their Rhodochrosite and the Congo for Malachite. Australia does have many of the minerals on display, but Australian companies tend to mine for the ore, not the crystals.
Q: How long does it take to go through?
A: Average time is 45 minutes - 1 hour, depending on whether you read everything or simply wander through and enjoy some of natures most bizarre creations. Allow 1and a half hour to visit both Fascinating Facets and The Crystal Caves.
Q: How much does it cost?
A:Entrance Fee:
Including free taking pictures of you with the biggest Amethyst geode in the world !
No extra charge* $20.00 for adults,
$10.00 for children ( 5 -15)
Toddler FREE( up to 5 years)
Family tickets:
2 adult plus 2-3 children $ 55.00
Pensioners $ 15.00
Groups and excursions:
call 07 40 912 365* $1.oo of every adult ticket goes to charity
Children are given a bag of polished gemstones as a souvenir of The Crystal Caves. There is a fun game which you can play in the museum at the end of your tour, you may win a prize if you do well.
Q: When is the next tour?
A: There are no set times which allow you to go through, you may go at any stage and stay under for as long as you wish. However, to allow the full hour to go through, it is recommended that you go in at least one hour before closing time.
Q: How long have the caves been here?
A: Built in 1987, The Crystal Caves underwent major reconstruction in 1992 which now makes it the most spectacular mineral collection on public display in Australia, displayed in a most unique way. The store ‘Fascinating Facets’ was established in 1982.
Q: Why Atherton?
A: You would need to visit Atherton and the surrounding townships which make up the Atherton Tableland to understand why the family Boissevain settled in Atherton. At 1000 meters above sea level, the Atherton Tableland offers a cool change from the sometimes stifling heat of the coast of Tropical North Queensland. The area has many natural attractions to make a visit well worth it, from waterfalls to crater lakes, from mountain ranges to rolling hills. Our huge Lake Tinaroo is a popular fishing and recreational area. The laid back attitude of the locals is a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Q: Which bus tour includes The Crystal Caves in their itinerary?
A: 'Reef and Hinterland' bus company will bring visitors to the Crystal Caves or contact us
Q: Why do we have to wear a helmet with a spotlight?
- There are a couple of lower cave sections
- Some specimens are not lit and hidden on purpose for you to find (use the spotlight on your helmet)
- It's fun and a bit of reality.
When you go into a cave, natural or otherwise, wearing a helmet is part of the experience.
Q: What is the most expensive specimen in the museum?
A: Because the collection is constantly being upgraded, it is impossible to put a figure on the private collection. A rough estimate would be in excess of A$850,000. Some of the more valuable pieces include an Amethyst specimen from Uruguay ($25,000), a Malachite egg ($9,000), Dinosaur eggs ($5,500), an Aquamarine Crystal ($8,000), and a Crystal ball with a natural pyramid inside ($9,500). It is interesting to know that most of our visitors are so impressed with what they've experienced in the Crystal Caves that when they resurface, the often heard comments are "This collection must be worth millions", "Fantastic!"
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