Thermal pool, Hastings, Tasmania

In contrast to Buchan Caves’ icy cold pool, the pool at Hastings cave, south of Hobart is lusciously warm. A thermal pool in a rainforest. I swam here in December 1974.

Buchan Caves Pool

This is one of the coldest pools anywhere. On the hottest of summer days, when the dry crackling heat of a bush summer is accompanied by the slow orbit of dopey, bloated flies, plunging into this pool will guarantee instant cold-induced headache! The pool is fed by a mountain stream which rises to the surface within the Buchan Caves reserve. The same water I suppose (though I could be wrong) which has shaped the limestone cave formations of the Buchan Cave system. The caves are west of Orbost in northeast Victoria. Volunteers keep the Reserve in good shape. I visited here with friends and family in January 1976, when returning from Melbourne. Town pool at Orbost