Author: Editor

A peripatetic wanderer on his personal journey of discovery.

Elk River Cave Update

Results from the Second Diving Project in the Murrindal Potholes Eastern Master Cave Photography: LIZ ROGERS PETER FREEMAN VSA | The Murrindal Potholes Reserve, on the hills above the small town of Buchan, is Victoria’s premier cave area. It has always been a fun place — hardly any great caves, but enough quantity of smallish … Continue reading Elk River Cave Update

Cave temperature study could improve climate change predictions

BROOKE GRANT UNSW | Researchers studying the hydrology of Wellington Caves in central NSW have made a discovery that challenges a key assumption used to reconstruct past climates from cave deposits. Published in Nature’s open access journal Scientific Reports, the research found that there can be a 1.5ºC difference between the temperature of the air … Continue reading Cave temperature study could improve climate change predictions

Zooming through Hang Son Doong

Join Ryan Deboodt as he takes an otherworldly journey through Vietnam’s Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave, by both ground and air. Filmed near the entrance and the first and second dolines which are 2.5 and 3.5 km inside the cave respectively. There’s much more on his web site You can also find his … Continue reading Zooming through Hang Son Doong

For Your Eyes Only, Junee Cave, Tasmania

JANINE McKINNON STC | For Your Eyes Only (FYEO) is a highly decorated chamber in a cave in Tasmania. It is protected by a 230 m long sump (waterfilled passage). The water temperature is between 4°C and 8°C, visibility in the sump varies between zero and 3 m, and the current can be very high … Continue reading For Your Eyes Only, Junee Cave, Tasmania

Jenolan Caves: The complete guide

Published by Critical Concepts Pty Ltd, Brisbane, 2013, 268 pp, images, diagrams, endpapers. Book Review by ANDY SPATE | Mark Hallinan has produced a wonderful guide to the Jenolan Caves. This book ranks with Beneath the Surface: A natural history of Australian caves (Brian Finlayson and Elery Hamilton-Smith, 2003, (eds.), University of New South Wales … Continue reading Jenolan Caves: The complete guide

Exitravaganza 2013 and 2014

SARAH GILBERT and TONY VENESS STC | During the summers of 2013 and 2014, week-long expeditions were run once again as part of the ongoing Exit Cave Mapping Project at Ida Bay in Southern Tasmania. STC, in conjunction with the Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE), organised these third and … Continue reading Exitravaganza 2013 and 2014

Cliefden Caves in Danger

IAN CURTIS Orange Speleological Society (OSS) | Cliefden NSW, with its caves, world-renowned Fossil Hill, tufa dams, hot spring and cultural sites is in danger of being flooded. The NSW government is proposing to build another dam on the Belubula River and money has been set aside for a feasibility study and construction. How can … Continue reading Cliefden Caves in Danger

Cliefden Caves: Repair of the Donkey Tail

GARRY K SMITH NHVSS | The ‘Donkey Tail’ is a stalactite which formed in a passage initially above the water table and was then submerged in a pool of calcite-saturated water for a long time. As very slow CO2 degassing and water evaporation has occurred, over time the calcite coming out of solution has been … Continue reading Cliefden Caves: Repair of the Donkey Tail

Rescue of Trapped Cavers at Bungonia

Click here for larger version of map. ANDREW BAKER and MICHAEL FRASER NSW Cave Rescue Squad Inc. | On Monday 17th February 2014 three missing cavers were rescued from a flooded passage in Bungonia Caves, south of Sydney. This is an overview of the NSW Cave Rescue Squad’s involvement in the rescue and notes lessons … Continue reading Rescue of Trapped Cavers at Bungonia