One Mother Hen: The Tantanoola caves

My place in time #52 - This place has been here my whole life

I was out doing the big fortnightly grocery shop last Monday when I bumped into a friend (let's call her Kat). I was on my own, it must have been my lucky day, hubby had knocked off work early and I escaped out the door without the kids. It was the first day of school holidays and I was dreading taking both of them. It would have been fine anyway, but was much better without them.

Kat suggested I join herself and her son for a visit to the Tant caves. I agreed it was a fab idea and went on my merry way, completing the shopping and even trotting off to Target afterwards to take full advantage of having no kids. It's always nice to have that time alone, without the latest Frozen fashion offering being shoved in my face and having to find AWOL kids (so they could show me more cool stuff I should be buying).

In the supermarket it's easy, I will find my kids in the lolly aisle, or giggling at and wasting the batteries of all the funny, and sometimes rude greeting cards. Our small Target Country is like a rabbit warren, shits me to tears. Trying to navigate with a pram a couple of years ago was hell, especially with go-go gadget arms that would knock and grab everything from the sides. Then there was that time Izzy piddled all the over the floor. Never forget it, I made a dash to the car, grabbed a towel and headed back in there and wiped it up, and continued perusing the aisles like it never happened. As far as anyone was concerned, it didn't happen. Except you, right now.

Being the killer of joy, or rather that dumb ass voice in my head, I thought of how much I could not be bothered going to the caves. The introvert in me was overruled and my brain convinced me to go along. I called Kat in the morning and arranged a time and even a picnic at the Tantanoola playground afterwards. As always my brain wins. It was tres cool. Maybe oneday I will manage to be at the playground when the pub across the road is actually open. Tantanoola is a small town, and there's this piece of me that thinks it is totally acceptable to sit at a table out the front of the pub, with a drink, while the kids play across the road, or no? I'll let you know how that goes ;)

The Tantanoola caves was discovered about 80 years ago, when a boy chased his ferret down a hole. There he discovered the caves. His family, the Lanes, started charging people for tours and continued to do so until it was handed over to the state government in the seventies.

The caves are made up of limestone and dolomite, showing a difference of colour on the walls and ceiling. The paths have been concreted, making it wheelchair accessible. It is the perfect school holiday activity and is only a 15 minute drive out of town. There is a cliff top walking trail that is quite enjoyable as well.