A natural tourist attraction on the South Australia-Victoria border is set to reopen next year after an almost three-year closure.

Key points:

  • The Princess Margaret Rose Cave is set to reopen in mid-2023
  • The cave was named in the 1930s after the owners gained permission from Buckingham Palace
  • Tourism operators are celebrating the reopening of a “big drawcard” for travellers to the region

The Princess Margaret Rose Cave closed in early 2021 after the private owners retired.

The magnificent limestone cave was found by local property owners in the 1930s who requested permission from Buckingham Palace to name the site after future Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister.

Parks Victoria now manages the cave area.

The Victorian Government announced it was spending $650,000 to renovate the site including repair work to the visitor centre, and safety upgrades within the cave.

Local tourism operators are celebrating the news that the attraction will reopen.(ABC South East SA: Isadora Bogle)

Glenelg area chief ranger Darren Shiell said the safety upgrades included the steps, handrail and lighting within the cave.

Mr Shiell said the cave was “an amazing natural feature” that lured visitors to the region.

“It will certainly provide an economic boost to the region, to the tourism operators and other small businesses in Nelson, Mount Gambier, and surrounds,” he said.

“[We’re] really looking forward to getting the site open and getting people back there.”

Darren Sheill says the safety upgrades include the steps, handrail and lighting within the cave.(Supplied: Darren Sheill)

Mr Shiell said the reopening would bring more money into the region.

“Maybe [visitors] will stay a bit longer in town, buy lunch, and fill up the car with petrol,” he said.

“Perhaps they will stay a few nights in a local accommodation provider and tip in a bit of money to the local economy.”

Aside from encouraging more people to the Lower Glenelg National Park, Mr Shiell said the caves were an important teaching tool for Indigenous heritage.

“Information panels in the visitor building are all going to be replaced and upgraded,” he said.

“We’re working closely with Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative to ensure we get a mix of information that includes some of the Indigenous history of the area.”

Mr Shiell says the “amazing natural feature” has enticed travellers to the region.(ABC South West Victoria: Jeremy Lee)

‘Big drawcard’

The cave has been a significant attraction for the small Victorian town of Nelson.

Owner-operator of the River Vu Caravan Park Patricia Lomas said she was “very excited” to hear the site would reopen.

“It’s a big drawcard for our community,” she said.

“Most of our clients who come to our caravan park love to go and see the Princess Margaret Rose Cave, plus they like to do the boat tour [on the Glenelg River].”

Ms Lomas said not all travellers had heard the message that the cave was currently closed.

“We had someone this week, actually, come over [from Melbourne] to do the river cruise plus do the cave,” she said.

“They had booked in for two nights to do that and they ended up only staying one night because of the caves being closed.”