Buchan is a small East Gippsland town that would be easy to miss if the ground beneath it were not so extraordinary. The streets are quiet, the hills are dry and open, and a few minutes from the centre the limestone drops into a cave system formed by underground rivers hundreds of millions of years ago.
The reason to come is Buchan Caves Reserve. Royal Cave and Fairy Cave are both show caves, but they feel different enough to justify seeing both if tours line up: Royal is more spacious and known for calcite-rimmed pools, while Fairy Cave is tighter, stairier, and richer in delicate formations. Above ground, the reserve has short walks, picnic spots, a spring-fed pool, and enough birdlife and kangaroos to make it more than a quick ticket stop.
Buchan works best as a spare-day detour from Lakes Entrance, Orbost, or the Snowy River country. It is not a big destination and public transport is poor, but with a car it gives you a proper underground adventure and a good taste of rural East Gippsland.