This town is located 72 kilometres from Launceston and only 22 kilometres from Deloraine, and is often the base for trips to the Great Western Tiers and the limestone caves. The main activities in the area include farming and forestry. The town was named for the hundreds of underground streams which cover the northern area of Tasmania, like moles working their way between the towns.


Natural Attractions

The limestone caves are located about 16 kilometres south of Mole Creek and consist of two main show caves, the King Solomon Cave and the Marakoopa Cave. The caves are only examples of more than 200 caves discovered in the area, which are features of the 'karst' landscape - one that has developed primarily through chemical processes.

In this particular case, the local water has turned acidic as it comes in contact with the area's vegetation, and the acid qualities then cause erosion in the limestone rock. The results of this process are caves, caverns, sinkholes, underground springs and streams, which can all be found in the Mole Creek area.

The history of the caves is very interesting. The original limestone in the area is believed to have been formed in the Ordovician period, about 500 million years ago, when Tasmania was nearer the Equator and was covered by a warmer sea.

The limestone is thought to have formed part of a coral reef in the area at that time, and as time progressed the water levels subsided and the limestone was covered by younger rocks on the surface.

The King Solomon Cave is 230 metres long and has some exquisite examples of dry cave decorations. Visitors can view the cave at various times throughout the day from 10.30am to 4pm. The Marakoopa Cave is located in the foothills of the Western Bluff and consists of several chambers, with underground streams, gypsum formations and a glow worm colony. Inspection commences at 10am and ends at 4pm daily.

The Mole Creek Wildlife Park and Koala Village has displays of native fauna, such as the Tasmanian Devil, as well as native cats, possums and a koala colony. Research material pertaining to the 1984 Tasmanian Tiger Search is also on display for visitors' perusal.

Also nearby are the Alum Cliffs, a decomposing limestone formation which - despite that description - are quite a pretty sight. A short drive south west from Mole Creek takes you to another of the state's World Heritage areas, the Walls of Jerusalem National Park.

Other Attractions

Visitors can take tours of the R. Stephen's Honey Factory, which produces delicious leatherwood honey for retail outlets all over the State. Inspecting visitors can see the process involved in harvesting and processing the raw honey, and can purchase this delicious food at any time from the factory.

A pleasant picnic and information area is located at the western end of the town, and provides visitors with information on activities and attractions in the town and the surrounding area.

The Limeworks is still active in Mole Creek, and the quarried stone is mainly used for agriculture. Some of it, however, is used for the manufacturing of glass, while some larger chunks are sent to the Associated Paper Pulp Mill at Burnie, for use in the paper-making process. There are no longer scheduled tours of the Limeworks, but interested visitors can make an appointment for a personalised tour at any time.

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