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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Mole Creek
Base in Mole Creek for one night: two show caves plus the karst park fill a day; anything beyond that is a separate trip with its own access and trail checks.
Mole Creek is a small township on the B12 Mole Creek Road between Deloraine and the north-west, and the reason to stop is underground. Mole Creek Karst National Park protects Tasmania's only show-cave network, with two guided caves — Marakoopa and King Solomon's — plus the surrounding karst country. The rest of the village is farmland, forest and a pub. One night covers the caves; treat the Walls of Jerusalem and Cradle Mountain as separate trips and check current access, road conditions and trail status before you commit.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (cold, wet, some cave tours reduced)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or a café lunch in the village | A$8–25 |
| Pub counter meal | A$25–40 |
| Guided cave tour, adult | A$25–40 |
| Guesthouse double room | A$130–280 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LST · Launceston
- About 1 h 15 min by car via Deloraine and the B12; no public bus to Mole Creek.
- DPO · Devonport
- About 1 h 30 min by car; the Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal.
Typical fares
- Launceston airport → Mole Creek by car
- about 1 h 15 min, no public bus
- Cave tour ticket
- A$25–40 adult, 2026 estimate
- Fuel, Deloraine → Mole Creek and back
- about A$15–20, 2026 estimate
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is effectively required: there is no public transport to the caves, and the B12 is winding and narrow in places. Distances are short but the cave roads are slow going; fill up in Deloraine or at the village supermarket before heading out. Phone coverage is patchy away from the village, so download offline maps first.
See and do
Known for
- Mole Creek Karst National Park show caves
- Marakoopa Cave
- King Solomon's Cave
- Karst and cave country on the B12
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Deloraine | Drive east on the B12 | About 30 min |
| Devonport | Drive north via Deloraine and the Bass Highway | About 1 h 40 min |
| Walls of Jerusalem National Park | Drive towards the trailhead past Liena, then walk | Check current access and trail conditions |
| Cradle Mountain | Drive via the C132 and Cradle Mountain Road | Check current route and timings |
| Tullah | Drive west via the B12 and C132 | Check current route and timings |
Sleep
- Mole Creek village (Pioneer Drive)
- Guesthouse, pub rooms and the café within a 5-min walk; the only place with food and fuel nearby.
- Liena and the caves road
- Farmstays and cabins closer to the cave entrances, 15–20 min west; you need a car for everything.
- Deloraine
- About 25 min east on the B12; more beds, shops and restaurants if Mole Creek is full.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the cave entrance? | Where is the cave entrance? |
| Is the road sealed? | Is the road sealed? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Do I need to book? | Do I need to book? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Cave tours run to set departure times and can sell out in summer school holidays: book ahead or arrive for the first tour.
- The road to King Solomon's Cave is unsealed and narrow; not suitable for large vans or trailers.
- Wildlife on the B12 at dawn and dusk: drive slowly, especially after dark.
- Weather turns fast at this elevation; carry a rain layer even on a clear morning.
- Fuel, food and phone coverage are limited: the village has a small supermarket and a café with weekday hours only.
Very low crime; the real risks are the winding B12, wildlife at dawn and dusk, unsealed cave roads and cold, changeable weather. Tell someone your walking plan — phone coverage is patchy.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mole Creek yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mole Creek Karst National Park show caves
- Marakoopa Cave
- King Solomon's Cave
- Karst and cave country on the B12
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Mole Creek Karst National Park — Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania: parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/mole-creek-karst-national-park
- Mole Creek — official visitor information: www.molecreek.info/
- Discover Tasmania — Mole Creek: www.discovertasmania.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Mole Creek, revision 5270119 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5270119
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mole Creek
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
No consulates in Mole Creek; the nearest are in Hobart (US, UK and others) and Melbourne for most countries. Check your own country's list.
Phone coverage is patchy on the cave roads and trailheads; download offline maps before you leave Deloraine.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mole-creek). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.