Cave Concert - Saturday 20th December 2025 - 6pm - 10pm

Deep inside the Milky Way Glowworm Cave is the Starburst Cathedral, the largest chamber of the cave, filled with delicate crystal formations and thousands of star-like glowworms.  Here the mix of music, the unique acoustics of the cave chamber, the sound of dripping water, the absolutely enchanting beauty of this very special place of the subterranean world provides you with a magical experience of a lifetime. 

This concert is also the official opening of this extended section of the cave after 3 years of hard manual underground work. 

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TICKETS ON SALE VERY SOON.

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​Milky way Glowworm Cave and the Starburst Cathedral

The Milky Way Glowworm Cave is a Jewel of Northland.  The privately owned cave was opened for public viewing in early 2023 after being kept secret for over 100 years. The cave required a lot of development over 5 years to make it a walk-in show-cave.  It has rapidly become world famous for its quality of stalactites and glowworms and draws visitors from around the world. It has now been on television in the UK, Germany, and filmed for a NZ television program due for release next year along with YouTubers from Argentina, USA, India, and other countries. Since opening the cave, walking 125m in, an extension has been worked on for 3 years, which takes people into the Starburst Cathedral, the largest chamber. This is 250m into the 3km long cave system.  This chamber is the most spectacular display of delicate straws and stalactites 10s and 100s of thousands of years old.  It is an awe inspiring place with wonderful acoustics.

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Artists & Music Genre

The music selection ranges across several easy listening genres of classical, folk, soul, soft rock and country performed by 2 duos and 2 solo artists including young rising stars Maggie Burke, Adara Lunjevich, Kaiser Jacoby, and well known seasoned performers the Mollymawks (Al Baxter & Emily Allen) and Tammy D'Ath.  More about the artist at the bottom of page.

 

Tickets & Pricing

Tickets will be on sale very soon (likely 11th December) . 

Due to it's location there is a limit of seating for only 50 people.

Concert Tickets are $150 each.  This price is due to the unique location and the limited guest numbers. 

Each seat is provided with a fleece blanket to either sit on or wrap over your shoulders.

(Separate to this concert the cave tour into Starburst Cathedral for 1.5 hours is $80 or the shorter tour half way in is $45). 

 

Event Start and Finish.

You must arrive by 6pm, so you can be guided inside the Milky Way Glowworm Cave to the Starburst Cathedral, 250m inside the cave. This will take time, and there will be a cutoff time for guides to get you into the cave for the last people seating by 6.45pm and the start at 6.55pm.  

 

Phones & Photos

There is no cell phone coverage or Wi-Fi underground.  You may take photos (flash turned off) of the cave and glowworms, before or after the concert. 

You are not allowed to take photos or video during the musical part of the event. 

 

Toilets

There are no toilets in the cave.  The toilet is outside the cave which is a 250m walk to get outside plus 50m outside to flushing portaloos.

There are toilets at the office also, which we recommend you use before walking 300m over to the cave entrance.

 

Sensible Clothing & Footwear

The walk to the cave is a gravel path and inside the cave is a concrete path with 30 steeps down into the cave.  You need to wear sensible footwear like sneakers/trainers. DON'T WEAR HIGH HEELS OR PLATFORMS. The cave temperature is about 15 degrees Celsius so you need to wear sensible warm clothing such as a jacket. DON'T WEAR A LIGHT SUMMER DRESS.

 

Food

You should eat dinner before you come.  At our shop/office there is snack food, bags of sweets, chips, chocolate bars, soft drinks.  These you may take into the cave.  Please don't bring other food into the cave.  There will be some light finger food at intermission.

 

Intermission

There will be light finger food snacks and a small none alcoholic drink provided during a 40 minute intermission (this includes time for you to be reseated).

 

The Cave Environment & Weather

The event is underground, about 50m vertically and 250m inside the cave.  The stalactites on the cave roof drip very occasionally, some more than others.  It is likely you will get a few drips of water on you.  It is part of the experience.  The cave has a small stream flowing in it.  Normal rain events are not a problem for us, and the event will continue as planned.  This is because we have a flood diverter outside the cave which diverts all storm water away from the cave.  In an extreme rain storm event which last for days we will likely cancel or postpone the event, this is partly due to the stalactites dripping a lot more and the increased sound of waterfalls inside the cave which would reduce the sound quality of the music.

 

Care of the Cave

To help look after the cave it is important that you do not touch the cave walls, formations or glowworms.

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Time & Program - 6pm start.

6:00pm - Guests arrive to the car park at Waipu Caves Farm Park and check in at the office.  (Those who have some difficulty walking can park closer to the cave after check in). Guests will be guided in groups of 10-15 people into the Milky Way Glowworm Cave, all the way down to the Starburst Cathedral at 250m inside the cave. On entry into the cave guests are provided a small hand light. 

While waiting at the entrance, to be guided in, solo singer/song writer, 18 year old local rising star, Maggie Burke with a folk, soft rock, country style will be performing. 

6:50pm - Once all are seated a welcoming speech and the official opening of the Starburst Cathedral by owner, Ian Fox. 

7:00pm - The concert starts with 2 local rising stars, a duo of Adara Lunjevich and Kaiser Jacoby, both 17 years old and classical singers performing for two  songs. 

7:10pm - The Mollymawks, duo of Al Baxter on guitar and Emily Allen on violin with a Celtic flavour covering a range of topics.

7:50pm - A 40 minute break for a light finger food snack (provided) in the Milky Way Chamber (half way back to the cave entry point), a toilet stop (outside the cave), and a little time to look around the cave. 

8:30pm - Solo singer, Tammy D'Ath, locally raised, with a real passion for soul, folk, with a touch of country and the classics.

9:10pm - Closing speech and Thanks.

9:25pm - Guests guided out in groups. On exiting guest hold lights low so they can see glowworms all the way out of the Milky Way Glowworm Cave.

10:00pm - Last of the guest should be exiting around 10:00pm.

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More About the Artists

Adara Lunjevich and Kaiser Jacoby.

Adara and Kaiser are both 17-year-old classically trained singers from Waipu. They both have been singing for many years, and they each have a passion for the classical genre. Adara and Kaiser have consistently competed in the NPAC singing competitions where they both have received many placings. They regularly perform locally, most recently being soloist performers at Classics at the Cove.  Both have completed their grade 8 Trinity singing exam, in which they are both eagerly awaiting their results.

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Maggie Burke.

An 18 year old local singer and songwriter with a guitar in hand, she sings a range of the classics and a leaning towards country, along with her own songs.

 

The Mollymawks

An acoustic duo playing original songs and tunes with a Celtic flavour covering a range of topics. The duo comprises of Al Baxter on guitar and vocals and Emily Allen on violin. Al is originally from the UK and has played in acoustic bands since arriving in Auckland in the 1990's. He currently runs the Ministry of Folk in Auckland and performs with Emily both in the Mollymawks duo and their band called Hoop.

Emily is a full-time musician, plays lead violin with Opus Orchestra and has toured with symphony orchestras internationally. She studied the violin at Oxford University, her playing has branched out from classical into folk where she performs and arranges with Hoop, the Mollymawks, and with Bill Angus and the Mighty Ways.

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Tammy D’Ath

Tammy is a local girl, from Ruakaka. She has a real passion for soul, folk, a touch of country, and the classics — the perfect mix for setting a relaxed, chilled vibe with good ole songs everyone knows and loves.

Her repertoire ranges from timeless favourites by Etta James, Nina Simone, and Carole King, through to classics from The Beatles, Adele, Elton John and many more artists we all recognise.

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This page edited by Ian Fox 8th December 2025​​