Ashford Caves

{{Short description|Karst in New South Wales, Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox cave

| name = Ashford Caves

| other_name =

| photo = AshfordCaves 060702c.JPG

| photo_width = 280

| photo_caption = Bats occupy several caverns in the caves complex.

| map = Australia New South Wales

| relief = 1

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| map_width = 280

| map_caption = Location in New South Wales

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| location = {{NSWcity|Ashford}}, New South Wales, Australia

| coords = {{coord|29|12|29|S|150|58|56|E|region:AU-NSW|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

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| geology = Limestone

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| access = Public

| show_cave = 1915

| show_cave_length = {{convert|560|m}}{{cite book|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/geodiversity/110455nswkarstcaveguide.pdf#12|type=PDF|title=Guide to New South Wales Karst and Caves|department=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=Government of New South Wales|date=June 2011|edition=First; revised|isbn=978-1-74232-547-7|page=10}}

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The Ashford Caves, located within the Kwiambal National Park, are a series of caves that contain an outcrop of coralline limestone and are located in the New England Northern Tablelands region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The caves are managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and are situated approximately {{convert|8|km}} west of the former Ashford coal mine, north of {{NSWcity|Ashford}} and not far from the Queensland border town of {{QLDcity|Texas}}.

Originally on a private property, the Ashford Caves are now part of the Kwiambal National Park. A basic camping ground called 'Lemon Tree Flat' is located within a {{convert|10|km|adj=on}} radius of the cave entrance, as are the Macintyre Falls.{{cite web|url=http://www.inverell.nsw.gov.au/dir205/InvOnline.nsf |title=Inverell Online |access-date=2007-03-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060916234054/http://www.inverell.nsw.gov.au/dir205/invonline.nsf |archive-date=16 September 2006 }} www.inverell.nsw.gov.au

The large arch-shaped opening was made to access the phosphate (guano) resources for use as fertilizer, which has been quite profitable. Prospects of mining limestone at this location have been explored, but dismissed as unviable.

A colony of Eastern Bent-wing Bats{{cite web|url=http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10534|title=Threatened species: Eastern bentwing bat|department=Office of Environment & Heritage|publisher=Government of New South Wales}} inhabits the cave system and breeds from November through March.