The Glow Worm Caves are a unique guided tour through a man-made cave located in Mt Tamborine. Glow worms are the larvae (immature stage) of a small fly. They glow to attract small insects to eat.
The tour starts with a short educational video which gives you time to adjust your eyesight to the darkness. Then you are given a glow-in-the-dark wristband to hang around your neck, so you don’t bump into another person.
Once inside the caves we were given ample time to see the glow worms and hear about their lifecycle and the secret to their ‘glow’. Our tour guide was entertaining and engaging.
Fact: Glow worms use bioluminescence or ‘living light’ to glow. This is a combination of two compounds called luciferin and luciferase with oxygen and ATP (energy).
The caves are man-made to protect the ones in the wilderness and natural parks. Glow-worms live in wet, humid environments where there is a permanent water supply like a river or creek. The Mt Tamborine caves provide the perfect conditions for the glow worms with a controlled environment.
Fact: Glow worms prefer to live on the roof of the cave instead of the walls because it allows them to make really long snares. The snares (a bit like a spider’s web) is made from silk threads and sticky droplets to capture small insects.
The tours run every half an hour and go for around 40 minutes. The walk inside is a short distance and quite flat.
Please be aware that no cameras or mobile phones are allowed in the caves as the flash is harmful to the glow worms.
There is a restaurant, art gallery and winey in the same spot. There is a nice garden area which would be an ideal spot to have a picnic lunch.
The Glow Worm Caves at Mount Tamborine are a worthwhile experience to learn more about these amazing creatures.
Open 7 days daily from 10 am to 4 pm
The Glow Worm Caves are located within Cedar Creek Estate, Cnr Long and Hartley Road, 104 – 144 Hartley Road, North Tamborine QLD 4272
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