Cave and Karst Management in Australasia XX I Proceedings of the 21st Australasian Conference on Cave and Karst Management Naracoorte, South Australia, 2015
Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association 2015
ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 i
Proceedings of the Twenty first Australasian Conference on Cave and Karst Management 2015 Conference Naracoorte, South Australia, 2015 Cave and Karst Management in Australasia XXI
Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association 2015
ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 ii
Cave and Karst Management in Australasia XXI Editors: Rauleigh and Samantha Webb ACKMA Western Australia Publisher: Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association PO Box 27, Mount Compass South Australia, Australia 5210 www.ackma.org Date: August 2015 ISSN No: 0159-5415 Copyright property of the contributing authors: Copyright on any paper contained in these Proceedings remains the property of the author(s) of that paper. Apart from use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand) no part may be reproduced without prior permission from the author(s). It may be possible to contact contributing authors through the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association Proceedings available: Publications Officer Australasian Cave and Karst Management Assn Cover illustration: Top photo: Fossil Bed (Pit A), Victoria Fossil Cave, Naracoorte Photo by Steve Bourne Bottom photo: Stalactites in Blanche Cave, Naracoorte Photo by Rauleigh Webb Conference: 10 May – 15 May 2015 Naracoorte, South Australia Organiser: Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association Convener: Deborah Craven-Carden, supported by: Decima McTernan, Snr Guide NCNP; Amy Macken, WH EO, NCNP; Ros Jones, Team Leader Caves Café; Phoebe McArthur and Jacqui Secker, Caves Café cooks; Brian Robins, District Ranger; Peter Tucker, Woodland Ecologist; Steve Clark, Wetland Ecologist; Tim Collins, Regional Manager – SE Region
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Contents Papers ‘Caring for Country’ - Overview of Naracoorte Caves National Park and World Heritage Area (NCNP WHA) management and governance ...... 5 Deborah Carden 1 and Nick McIntyre 2
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites – Naracoorte and Riversleigh ...... 17 Dr Amy Macken
The Wombeyan Karst: one hundred and fifty years of protection ...... 19 Julia M. James
Capricorn Caves, Cyclones, Caves and Conferences...... 31 Ann Augusteyn
Coins in Cave Pools ...... 52 Cathie Plowman
Small mammal community change during the Last Glacial Cycle ...... 71 Dr Amy Macken
‘GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN’ ...... 74 Mary Trayes
Environmental impacts on karst in Papua New Guinea ...... 89 Professor David Gillieson
Cave Animal of the Year ...... 101 Timothy Moulds 1 and Cathie Plowman 2
The positive power of connection...... 104 Sasa Kennedy
Geotourism in the Limestone Coast of South Australia, an explorative study of interpretation...... 118 Nina Birss
Southern Bentwing Bats Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii at Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia ...... 124 Steve Bourne
Abstracts only ...... 144 Conference acknowledgements and introduction ...... 147 List of delegates ...... 150
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‘Caring for Country’ - Overview of Naracoorte Caves National Park and World Heritage Area (NCNP WHA) management and governance Deborah Carden 1 and Nick McIntyre 2 Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, South Australia Email: [email protected] 1 [email protected] 2 Abstract Effective management practices, the support of associates and experts, the involvement of community Naracoorte Caves National Park and World Heritage and improved and upgraded visitor and administrative Area (NCNP WHA) is administered by the assets will ensure that the site remains vibrant and Department of Environment, Water and Natural accessible to visitors for many future decades. Resources. In the past four years there have been a series of departmental restructurings, one of which resulted in reporting line changes for NCNP WHA staff. Today the surficial management responsibility lies with ‘Public Lands’ staff reporting to the regional office in Mt Gambier and responsible for initiating sustainable management practices and maintaining natural values by controlling threats such as fire and pest plants and animals. At NCNP ranger staff are responsible for the maintenance of grounds and are the first port of call when things breakdown. The responsibilities for the protection and conservation of subterranean values comprising megafaunal fossil deposits and geomorphological features, meeting World Heritage obligations and managing the commercial business entities lies with Corporate and Customer Services in Adelaide, delivered through the NPNC WHA Site Manager and Commercial Services staff. Key stakeholder involvement is provided by the Interagency- community Reference Group governance role established under a ‘Caring for Country’ Federal Government grant. NCNP WHA is a key ‘nature based’ tourist attraction in South Australia offering a range of experiences underpinned by palaeontological science and research and ecological protection. Interpretation of the site’s natural and cultural heritage is provided to visitors on daily guided cave tours, raising awareness and appreciation of the Park and its World Heritage values. In May 2013 ACKMA was presented with an update on the long-term planning that was taking place for NCNP WHA. In November 2014 the DEWNR Executive endorsed the Master Plan and agreed with the proposed refurbishment priorities. A business case is underway to confirm the priorities and establish costs for the proposed capital upgrades that will take place over several years.
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Introduction caves and fossil deposits. The site has strong historical community links dating back to 1845 and it Welcome to Naracoorte Caves is an important business, tourism, scientific and Major features of Naracoorte Caves National Park conservation asset for the South East region of South and World Heritage Area (NCNP WHA) are the Australia.
Figure 1: Thylacoleo Carnifex, Fossil Bed, Victoria Fossil Cave, NCNP WHA. Credit: Margaret Smith A World Heritage Site mitigate threats and maintain natural and cultural values balanced with encouraging visitation and 28 caves are currently recorded, with the natural enjoyment of the site. values of the caves complimented by various vegetation associations on the surface. Access to the Public Land Management caves complexes is managed. The Park has had varying levels of management since The Department of Environment, Water and Natural 1885. It was transferred to National Parks and Resources (DEWNR) administers the NCNP WHA. Wildlife in 1972 as a conservation park. Facilities and The Park comprises 660 hectares of which 297 services have been upgraded over time to create hectares are World Heritage listed. Two directorates demand and meet visitor needs. A Management Plan are involved - the Partnerships and Stewardships was developed in 2001 in response to being declared a Directorate (P&S), known at a regional level as South National Park and the document guides management East Natural Resources Management (SE NRM) is and conservation actions and balances visitation with responsible for the management of parks and reserves protecting and conserving heritage values. in the SE of South Australia (SA). The Corporate and Customer Services Directorate (CCS) is Land Management responsible for DEWNR’s commercial enterprises. Activities undertaken by SE NRM on the Park P&S and CCS work under an integrated management include fire management and the control of pest framework, the day-to-day work being co-ordinated at plants and animals. regional and site levels. P&S are responsible for the Fire management ensures response to wildfire and above-ground management and CCS hold protection of built and natural assets. Control responsibility for the guided tours, accommodation activities include the reduction of fuel loads, achieved and camping, the Caves Café, the World Heritage through prescribed burns undertaken by the project and below-ground responsibilities. DEWNR fire brigade. At Naracoorte Caves Sustainable management practices control and prescribed burns were undertaken in 2013 and 2015,
ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 6 reducing fuel loads on 16 hectares adjacent to the Declared pest animals include foxes, rabbits and deer. main visitor precinct. This type of control is planned The presence of these animals is monitored by staff and delivered with consideration to business and control responses are initiated based on numbers. operational needs (outside of peak visitation periods) Generally rabbit and fox baiting is done annually. and with regards to flora (rare plants) and fauna (threatened species, which at Naracoorte Caves are Shared Work the Southern Bentwinged bats). Fire access tracks are Maintenance of the visitor precinct and surrounding maintained around the Park. Fire response effort is environs is shared. A minor capital works program is frequently co-ordinated with the Country Fire Service. established annually and in 2014/15 CCS delivered The site is in a semi-natural state. There are the upgrade of in-cave lighting and handrails. P&S sequences of remnant vegetation across the park and undertake lawn-mowing, walks and trails externally funded programs have in recent years maintenance, rubbish collection and the visitor considerably increased the extent of native vegetation precinct gardens are maintained by Friends of on site. Weeds, both declared and non-declared, Naracoorte Caves (FONC) as a volunteer project. compete with the natural environment. Addition of The SE NRM Community Engagement team join new land (farm and forest) has occurred over time, with the Friends group to assist the Commercial purchases bringing unwanted plant species. A weed Services staff with events that showcase the World control program is operated across the site with Heritage Site. mapping and follow-up treatment of infestations, pine trees and woody weeds are removed and prescribed burns followed up with monitoring and weed control.
Figure 2: Miniopterus schrebersii bassanii, the Southern Bentwinged Bat. Credit: Steve Bourne
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Key Species Protection NCNP WHA is one of eight commercial sites The Southern Bentwinged Bats are listed at a national operated in SA by DEWNR level as critically endangered and are an indicator for It is a unique site. It provides a strategic visitation the ‘No Species Loss’ program. and tourism asset in the region – differentiated from In SA they breed only at NCNP WHA. Over many others by the fossil deposits and the World Heritage years the bats have been studied with involvement of listing. It’s located in a distinctive natural setting and the SA Museum in Adelaide, assisted by FONC and provides opportunity to educate and raise public SA caving groups. In 2011 a baseline population awareness on natural values. It creates ‘pathways’ for monitoring project was done by a Fulbright scholar other tourism experiences in the region and maintains and monitoring continued by FONC for the three a balance between conservation and commercial. following breeding seasons. The presence of the bats adds value to a visitor’s experience of the site as does the FONC monitoring which visitors are invited to observe. World Heritage Naracoorte Caves and the sister site of Riversleigh are two of the most important World Heritage Fossil sites and were listed together in 1994 as the ‘Australian Fossil Mammal Sites ~ Riversleigh and Naracoorte’. The Australian Fossil Mammal Sites meet two World Heritage criteria 1: 1. The fossil deposits are outstanding representations of major stages of the earth’s history, including the record of life. 2. Both sites provide complimentary evidence of key stages in the evolution of the fauna on one of the world’s most isolated continents. Riversleigh’s assemblages span the last 30 to 10 million years, while Naracoorte’s span 500,000 to 1000 years – together they tell a long story of Australia’s evolution. Our aims are that site management is always underpinned by protection and conservation principles and research insights. Commercially we need to be a market leader, provide authentic visitor experience, sustain and improve financial performance by appealing to a broader range of visitor markets. A goal is to ensure that NCNP WHA remains an integral part of the tapestry of nature based tourism in the Limestone Coast region of SA.
1 There is eight criterions ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 8
Presenting A World Heritage Area
Figure 3: Victoria Fossil Cave. Credit: Margaret Smith Keep the Outstanding Exceptional
Figure 4: Fossil Bed (Pit A), Victoria Fossil Cave. Credit: Steve Bourne Integrity, Intactness, Protection fossil deposits. Management response is to control access with fences and gates around cave entrances Threats to the site’s values come primarily from and locked doors in Alexandra Cave and Victoria significant natural events and humans. Low resilience Fossil Cave. Recreational cavers and scientists require thresholds are characteristic of cave attributes and permits to gain access into the caves.
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Caring for our Country (CfoC) ~ permitted access
Figure 5: Dr Liz Reed, excavating in Blanche Cave under a DEWNR CfoC Project. Credit: Steve Bourne Some things we can’t control
Figure 6: 6 Dec 2010 ~ Wet Cave floods. Credit: Steve Bourne
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Keep the Outstanding Exceptional Interpretation is the art of presenting sometimes complex information. Research is essential for the identification, presentation and transmission of the World Heritage As the Site Interpreters are guiding, interpreting and Values to present and future generations. The most informing visitors they are managing their groups in valuable deposits should remain forever intact. such a way that participants learn why there’s a ‘don’t touch’ message, why cave decorations cannot be There is no formal buffer zone around NCNP WHA souvenired and leaving with the understanding as to and to date this hasn’t been an issue. Adjacent why tours are guided. A ‘hands-on’ experience is landowners include forestry, farming and vineyards. provided when educating school students. In 2011 the reserved area was added to and this gives a further measure of protection. The ‘Learn by Activity’ program engages young people in exploration and discovery - finding fossils, Site Interpreters play a role by raising awareness to learning about megafauna, learning about bats, and visitors about natural and cultural heritage values and enjoying adventure caving. they observe and report any issues or changes. Telling the Story
Figure 7: Guide Julie Stone and students in a ‘Learn by Activity’ program – ‘hands-on’ in this case. Credit: DEWNR Looking ahead to 2016 and beyond The refurbishment is ‘visitor focused’. Arrival statements will be made (“You are at SA’s only World Where are we at with the Master Plan Heritage Site”). Better visibility will enhance way- development? finding and linkages between site components will be At the 2013 ACKMA conference in Waitomo New more obvious. Overall the presentation will be Zealand the NCNP WHA Master Plan process was enhanced, attractive and interesting and an experience outlined. Capital development occurred at the Park in in itself. the 1990s after the World Heritage nomination and The completed plan was endorsed by DEWNR though assets are well maintained refurbishment is Executive in November 2014. At the time of the required. 2015 conference at Naracoorte a business case was under way. On completion this will be presented to
ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 11 the Executive for endorsement and to the State adventure caving/education shed; the Wirreanda Treasury and Cabinet with the intent to secure accommodation and camp ground precinct; the support for funding upgrades and improvements. Victoria Fossil Cave and Stoney Point precincts. The priorities for development are the Visitor Precinct and The Park comprises four precincts - the main visitor Victoria Fossil Cave car park. area with the Park’s Visitor Centre, Caves Café, the administrative building, fossil laboratory and the
Figure 8: Master Plan map of the Park. Credit: Shannon Architects Making a ‘One-stop shop’ The Wonambi Fossil Centre would become a self- guided interactive interpretive experience, fully Combining the guiding operation with the site showcasing the World Heritage values. administration and the café under one roof would be ‘visitor focused’ and more operationally efficient.
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Figure 9: Wonambi Fossil Centre ~ the World Heritage Visitor Centre 2002. Credit: Steve Bourne Bat Teleview Centre upgrade the connection of this experience to the rest of the Visitor Precinct. The Master Plan seeks to improve the interior of the Bat Teleview Centre, including the acoustics, and to In May 2015 the bat observation system was upgraded.
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Figure 10: Bat Teleview Centre. Credit: Steve Bourne Show Caves People In 2014/15 the dichroic lights in the four show caves To keep the outstanding exceptional we recruit and were replaced with lower energy LEDs. Wet Cave’s train the right staff, appreciate motivation and old wooden handrails were replaced with stainless initiative, sustain a work climate of empowerment, a steel, continuing a program of replacing galvanised culture of respect and seek to maintain employment and wooden handrails. The only cave where wooden stability. handrails (hard wood) will be retained is the State We celebrate ‘ownership’ – the positive connection Heritage listed Blanche Cave, though if posts require and pride that staff has in their place of work. replacement the treatment will comprise a stainless steel base into which the timber is slotted. Planet There is a small area of original material and they are Sustainable practices and community involvement of sound order. It is important to retain the ‘heritage’ achieve expected environmental performance. Staff character of Blanche Cave and the ICOMOS Charter engages and inform visitors. Site Interpreters provides the guiding principles. State Heritage facilitate ‘Learn by Activity’ education programs. We advisers approved the refurbishment of two sections raise awareness about natural and cultural values and of stone staircase, ICOMOS principles being enacted. for NCNP this helps fulfil our World Heritage The caves themselves will not be further developed obligation. other than continuing the replacement of aged Friends of Naracoorte Caves and two caving groups infrastructure with ‘cave-friendly’ materials have active projects at Naracoorte – providing (inert/non-rusting). Interpretive displays will be hundreds of hours of voluntary time and support for improved, providing additional interpretive tools for conservation. guides. The Interagency-Community Reference Group (IRG) Keeping the Outstanding Exceptional comprises representation from organisations with an • interest in NCNP WHA. There are two sub-groups – People (social) the Master Plan sub-group and the Scientific Research • Planet (environmental) sub-group. The IRG provide expert advice and • Profit (economic) community representation to DEWNR. The
ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 14 relationship is facilitated by the World Heritage Naracoorte District Council, SE Aboriginal Executive Officer (WH EO) who reports to the Site focus Group, the Commonwealth and Inter- Manager. agency community Reference Group (IRG) • Profit active for us are Friends of Naracoorte Caves, Cave exploration Group SA (CEGSA), The commercial enterprise comprises show cave Flinders University Speleological Society tours, novice and extended adventure caving. The (FUSSI) and campground hosts site has a café, bunkhouse accommodation and a • interested and engaged are schools and all camp ground. We provide authentic visitor visitors experiences – we endeavour to know what visitors want and understand their cost drivers. We know our Conclusion points of difference and we’re looking at new The Australian Fossil Mammal Site – Naracoorte experiences to improve revenue. In doing this we Section seek to work productively, to be operationally effective and efficient. ~ A National Park (belonging to all Australians) Involve others ~ A World Heritage Area (belonging to the people of the world). ~ it’s a good way to go • engaged with us are the South Australian Museum, Riversleigh Advisor Committee,
Figure 11: ‘Under the Ledge’ Victoria Fossil Cave excavation site 2003. Credit: Steve Bourne
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Figure 12: Stenurine kangaroo Interpretive display, Victoria Fossil Cave 2012. Credit: Margaret Smith
Figure 13: Alexandra Cave 2012. Credit: Margaret Smith Acknowledgements and thanks • To the IRG for its active support • To Naracoorte Caves National Park World • To the photographers for the use of their photos Heritage staff – who ‘care for our country’ • Friends of Naracoorte Caves for being best friends
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Australian Fossil Mammal Sites – Naracoorte and Riversleigh Fulfilling World Heritage obligations Dr Amy Macken World Heritage Executive Officer, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Naracoorte Caves Email: [email protected] Abstract Governments and the Federal Government in relation to the protection of World Heritage sites. In 2014 the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) secured funding from Under the World Heritage Convention and the Australian the Australian Government to support an Executive World Heritage Management Principles, World Officer (EO) and community advisory group for the Heritage management should identify, protect, Naracoorte Caves. It is nearly 12 months since the conserve, present and transmit to future generations project commenced and in this time our advisory the World Heritage values of World Heritage group, the Naracoorte Interagency-Community properties. Management should also provide for Reference Group and two sub-groups have each met public consultation on any actions that may have a three times. At the forefront of World Heritage significant impact on the World Heritage values of a obligations are the identification, preservation, property, involve individuals and groups with a conservation, presentation and transmission to future particular interest in the site and who may be affected generations of the values of our unique site. Turning by its management and facilitate the ongoing these principles into practice at a strategic and contribution of community and technical advice and operational level is a key focus of our work. This perspectives. paper outlines the achievements we have made over In Australia, public consultation on proposed actions the last 12 months towards filling the aims of the EO in World Heritage sites is provided through referral position and advisory groups and sets out our goals and Environmental Assessment processes under the for the next 12. EPBC Act. Community participation in management Background is generally provided through mechanisms established within the State agencies responsible for World The Naracoorte Caves National Park was inscribed Heritage Areas. on the World Heritage list in 1994 as a joint listing with the Riversleigh fossil site in north-western Naracoorte Interagency-Community Queensland. World Heritage listing was made in Reference Group recognition of the global significance of the fossil To address the requirement for community assemblages of the two sites and their value in participation in managing the Naracoorte Caves providing insights into the evolution of the unique World Heritage Area, DEWNR established in 2014 Australian fauna. the Naracoorte Interagency-Community Reference Protection of World Heritage properties is guided by Group (IRG). Secretariat support is provided to the the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World IRG by the World Heritage EO. Financial support for Cultural and Natural Heritage (the World Heritage the EO and IRG was obtained by DEWNR from the Convention ), an international agreement made between Australian Government’s Caring for our Country State Parties (national Governments) and the United program. The initial commitment of financial support Nationals Educational, Scientific and Cultural is to June 2016. Organisation. The Convention outlines the roles and The IRG is composed of representatives of responsibilities of State Parties to identify, protect and community and organisational stakeholders including preserve sites of World Heritage value. In Australia, Universities, local Council, Regional Development, these roles and responsibilities are provided for tourism bodies, Friends of Naracoorte Caves and the through the national Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management Board. The group Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. The EPBC meets quarterly and reports to the Director, National Act also sets out the Australian World Heritage Parks on issues relating to the management of the Management Principles and the division of Naracoorte Caves. Through a Research Sub-group of responsibilities between State and Territory the IRG they will also help to identify research
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priorities to ensure research remains relevant to the • Commencement of consultation with management, protection and interpretation of the site. stakeholder groups on specific management A Master Plan Sub-group will provide support to the issues relating to cave management development of a business case for the recently • Coordination with the South Australian endorsed Naracoorte Caves Master Plan. Museum to establish best-practice and practical In establishing the IRG and Research and Master Plan fossil curation processes. Sub-groups, a number of specific objectives were • Identification of preferred Master Plan identified by DEWNR to guide the management of development options for the Wirreanda the Park over the short to long term. These include Accommodation Precinct and the Wonambi greater coordination at a strategic level with Fossil Centre. Riversleigh through the development of a Strategic • Support in securing financial investment for an Management Framework for Australian Fossil upgrade of visitor facilities. Mammal Sites. At a local level, the IRG and Research Sub-group are also working with the EO towards an Looking Ahead update of the Naracoorte Caves National Park At this stage funding to support the EO role and IRG Management Plan and the development of a Scientific is confirmed to June 2016. Over the next twelve Research Plan and Local Fossil Collection months we will continue to work towards the Management Guidelines. development of the planning documents. A number Achievements 2014-2015 of other goals have been set by the group and EO including welcoming a representative from the SE Since establishment of the IRG in August 2014, Aboriginal Focus Group to the IRG, positioning significant progress has been made on the specific Naracoorte Caves as a research locality for a wide objectives for the group and their more general range of disciplines, continuing to work with contribution/input into management of the site. This researchers and staff on developing and delivering includes: informative and relevant training materials and programs, engaging the wider community through • Drafting of the planning documents community events on the Park and maintaining the • Engagement with local Aboriginal people site as an exciting, authentic visitor locality. through work with the South East Aboriginal Focus Group Beyond 2016? The opportunity for enlisting the • Updated information for researchers and the support and guidance of community and public on the website including an up to date organisational stakeholders for the Naracoorte Caves bibliography of paleontological research through the IRG and Sub-groups has been valuable as involving sites and fossils from the National demonstrated by achievements made by the groups in Park and World Heritage Area the last 12 months. Not only does the convening of these groups fulfil obligations under the World • Distribution of guidelines and advice to help Heritage convention but it also provides a broader researchers navigate the permit and reporting range of support, ideas, impetus and contribution to requirements when working at the site • the management of the site at both a strategic and Setting up the Research Sub-group as a key operational level. We are working towards ensuring advisor to DEWNR Scientific Permits on stakeholder perspectives and the partnerships that research proposals for the Naracoorte Caves have emerged over the last 12 months will continue • Establishment of an Internal DEWNR Steering beyond the initial funding period and remain a Committee for the review of the Park fundamental part of the governance structure for the Management Plan site into the future.
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The Wombeyan Karst: one hundred and fifty years of protection Julia M. James Email: [email protected] Abstract hydrology, palaeontology, invertebrate fauna and flora of the karst. Such material has been of immense The Wombeyan Karst is within the traditional value when considering nomination of the territory of the Gundungarra and Wiradjuri people. In Wombeyan Karst for National and World Heritage. It 1865 it was set aside specifically for the preservation is concluded that if Wombeyan Karst is heritage listed of caves. Over time the New South Wales governance by Australia or the World it would gain additional of the Wombeyan Karst has changed and at present it protection. is governed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and is one of only four Karst Conservation Introduction and Discussion Reserves in the country. Much of the land around this The Wombeyan Karst was first reserved for water small reserve (571 hectares) has been cleared for supply and other public purposes in 1865. It agriculture. The karst contains building quality remained as Reserve No 8 until 1879 when it was marble. 1915 saw the start of quarrying for marble in reserved for the preservation of caves. Over time the the reserve. In 1997, quarrying ceased and New South Wales governance of the Wombeyan rehabilitation has taken place. In 150 years of tourism, Karst has changed and at present it is governed by the the on-site management and staff have cared for and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and is one protected the karst environment. The Sydney of only four Karst Conservation Reserves in Australia. Speleological Society has produced two books that record Indigenous and European history, cave exploration, geology, geomorphology, mineralogy,
Table 1: Government departments and Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust Periods of Governance of the Wombeyan Karst 1864-1870 Lands 1870-1905 Mines 1905-1960 Intelligence and Information (State Railways) 1960-1985 Leisure, Sport and Tourism 1985 -1989 Sport and Recreation 1989-2006 Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust 2006 National Parks and Wildlife Service At present NPWS (Office of Environment and Heritage) The Wombeyan Karst is within the traditional Much of the land around this small reserve (571 territory of the Gundungarra and Wiradjuri peoples. hectares) has been cleared for agriculture. The Many open sites and artifacts have been discovered, Wombeyan Karst has building quality marble. 1915 indicating that the First Australians had a significant saw the start of quarrying for marble in the reserve presence in the area and were the first custodians of and in quarries the building marble was extracted it. Over the years, the NSW government engagement without the use of explosives, in order to protect the with indigenous communities has given opportunities caves. By 1997, quarrying in the reserve had ceased for them to be again involved in environmental and some rehabilitation has taken place. The marble management and protection decisions that affect karst and the caves it contains have great aesthetic them. Today, Wombeyan is a recognized “aboriginal appeal resulting in the most spectacular caves being place” and the local people have successfully re- developed for tourism. Wombeyan Creek has carved a established their connections to country. way through the marble to flow into Victoria Arch and then into the Marble Way (see Figures 1 and 2). Waters that have fallen on the Wombeyan surface
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have seeped through into the caves to form long periods of massive calcite deposition in the decorations that fill them from roof to floor (see caves. Not all the decorations in the Wombeyan Figures 3 and 4). Huge shawls (see Figures 5 and 6) Caves are massive, some are delicate and some are that hang from the roofs and walls together with a rare (See Figures 7 and 8). large fallen stalactite indicate that there have been
Figure 1: Victoria Arch, Fig Tree Cave: Photo Julia James
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Figure 2: The Marble Way, Fig Tree Cave: Photo Alan Warild
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Figure 3: The Roof in Coronation Cavern, Wollondilly Cave: Photo Alan Warild
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Figure 4: Lots Wife and The Cockatoo, Wollondilly Cave: Photo Alan Warild
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Figure 5: Shawls in Coronation Cavern, Wollondilly Cave: Photo Alan Warild
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Figure 6: Large fallen stalactite, Fig Tree Cave: Photo Alan Warild
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Figure 7: Helictites in Bouverie Cave: Photo Leslie Field
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Figure 8: Cave Pearls: Photo Steve Babka Europeans have visited the caves for more than 150 A number of Speleological Societies and Universities years. In 1868 they were formally protected when have been active at Wombeyan surveying and carrying Charles Chalker was appointed Keeper of Caves. out research. The Sydney Speleological Society has Since that time there has been a dedicated core of produced two books, Wombeyan Caves and Caves guiding staff at Wombeyan. The Sydney Speleological and Karst of Wombeyan. These companion volumes Society Occasional Paper No16 titled the Guides of record Indigenous and European history, cave Wombeyan Caves 1864-2012 by John and Glenda Wylie exploration, geology, geomorphology, mineralogy, reviews the careers of these custodians of the caves hydrology, palaeontology, invertebrate fauna and flora who have continued to care for and protected the of the karst. As well as publishing detailed karst environment. Special acknowledgements are descriptions of caves with some surveys (see Figure given to the contributions of the caretakers, 9). Such material has been of immense value when superintendents, managers two of which are from the considering nomination of the Wombeyan Karst for Chalker Family. National and World Heritage listing.
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Figure 9: Map and accompanying photographic display of Junction Cave In the past, the Commonwealth Department of viii. Contain the most important and significant Environment and Heritage convened an expert natural habitats for in-situ conservation of committee to establish the heritage values of biological diversity including those containing Australian Karsts. Wombeyan was included in the threaten species of outstanding universal value study and it was proposed that it be grouped with from the point of view of science or other Eastern Highland karsts for nomination for conservation. National Heritage. More recently, The Greater Blue Mountains World In 2000, the Greater Blue Mountains Area was Heritage Area was given National Heritage inscribed for two of ten possible World Heritage recognition for the above two criteria. criteria. They are: The adjacent Wombeyan Karst was not included in vii. Be outstanding examples representing the 2000 nomination and in 2008 a strong case was significant ongoing ecological and biological made for adding it in the Greater Blue Mountains processes in the evolution and development World Heritage Area as it lies on the boundary (see of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine Figure 10) and fulfils the above criteria. However at ecosystems and communities of plants and present, before a place can be nominated for World animals; Heritage it is required to have National Heritage recognition.
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Figure 10: Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area showing location of Wombeyan and Jenolan Caves The case for National Heritage for the Wombeyan Wombeyan is a biodiversity “Hot Spot” with 23 Karst has been strengthened recently when The cave-dependent species being recorded. There is Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area a high level of endemism amongst the species Advisory Committee prepared a series of essays (yet with more than half the cave invertebrates found to be published) supporting additional National there only occurring at Wombeyan. Heritage recognition for cultural and additional • The geoheritage of Wombeyan Karst is natural heritage criteria for the Greater Blue outstanding Mountains World Heritage Area. Wombeyan was • The marble caves are of exceptional beauty. included in all of these essays. • Paleontological sites have produced valuable A summary of the Wombeyan Karst values: information on past mammal species. • Native vegetation at Wombeyan reflects its The first two of the above dot points are important geology and geomorphology – only site for for they fulfil the criteria for which the Greater Blue Chalker’s wattle (Acacia chalkeri). Mountains was inscribed. • It is a refuge for relict faunas with ancient Conclusion lineage. Which have similarities to faunas that originated hundreds of millions of years ago in Whatever route is taken to obtain its inscription, the and around the super continents of Pangaea and Wombeyan Karst deserves heritage recognition by Gondwana. The presence of such species Australia and possibly the World and as a result would provides vital clues to past climate and gain additional protection. environmental conditions at Wombeyan. ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 29
Bibliography Wombeyan Caves - Sydney Speleological Society Occasional Paper No.8, 1982, eds H. Jane Dyson, Ross Ellis and Julia M. James, The Sydney Speleological Society, Sydney. Caves and Karst of Wombeyan - Sydney Speleological Society Occasional Paper No.13, 1982, ed Ross Ellis, The Sydney Speleological Society, Sydney. Guides of Wombeyan Caves 1864-2012 - Sydney Speleological Society Occasional Paper No.16, 2012, John and Glenda Wylie, ed, Ross Ellis, The Sydney Speleological Society, Sydney.
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Capricorn Caves, Cyclones, Caves and Conferences Ann Augusteyn Capricorn Caves Email: [email protected] Abstract Introduction Capricorn Caves, just north of Rockhampton in In February 2015 category five Cyclone Marcia tore Central Queensland, will be hosting the Cave Guide her way through Central Queensland. The eye of the School and ACKMA annual general meeting in May cyclone passed over Capricorn Caves and the 2016. The team at Capricorn Caves look forward to destructive 200 kph winds left a tangled mass of fallen showcasing the range of guest experiences, education trees and vines. Amazingly no buildings were programs, the new solar powered LED cave lighting destroyed but electrical poles, cables and connections and recovery from cyclone Marcia. The theme for the were flattened. We were without power for several Guide School will be delivery of guest experiences not days which meant no water, no sewerage, no to be missed by any tour guide. See you in Capricorn! refrigeration and of course no cave lights.
Fallen trees and tangled semi ever green vine thicket blocked cave paths. But with the use of a generator we opened to the secondly, and very importantly, the people of public just 11 days later. So when everything seemed Capricorn Caves stayed strong — our passionate team weakened by this powerful cyclone, two things stayed and their families pulled together in a momentous incredibly strong. First, and not surprisingly, our 400- recovery operation. million-year-old caves proved very resilient! And
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Staff cleared paths and roads and removed fuel for bush fires The staff were amazing. Two days after the cyclone pulled us through the cyclone, drives our everyday they organised a staff volunteer day to clear roads into success. the property and paths into the caves. They and their This is also why we are looking forward to hosting the partners turned up with chain saws, rakes and 2016 Cave Guide School followed by the ACKMA wheelbarrows. It was exhausting work, hacking Annual General Meeting in May 2016, so that we can through the “mongrel vines” loaded with very all share our collective experiences and aspire to aggressive green ants. The 35 degree heat felt like 45 delivering inspirational cave presentations. degrees with the humidity. This recovery work continued for many weeks after the cyclone: 80 semi- So first where are we and how do you get trailer loads of green waste were removed from the there? property. Located half way between Brisbane and Townsville, It is this team that underpins our “Caring for we are easily accessible off the main east coast touring Country”, our conservation, social and economic route. By air we are only one hour from Brisbane with endeavours. The same passion and commitment that frequent services by Virgin and Qantas. Emirates also code shares with Qantas from Auckland.
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Map of Queensland Secondly what are we? origin the limestone has been uplifted over millions of years to form a ridge with an interesting surface karst. The caves are different to the underground wet and highly decorated systems in the south. Of Devonian
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Beautiful and fascinating surface karst The many daylight entrances allow air to circulate the lack of rainfall, has limited the growth of cave through the connecting passages which, together with speleothems.
Daylight entrances and many passages with limited speleothem growth
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Scientists are still debating the formation of the caves: surface or underground water from below? are they formed from water flowing in from the Meanwhile we stay posted!
Dr Armstrong Osborne from Sydney University conducts research in Capricorn Caves The other significant difference is that Capricorn Conservation Caves are the only privately owned show caves in Olsen era Australia on freehold land. This also brings with it a deep responsibility for the conservation, social and The caves were found by the Olsen family in 1881. As economic management of the caves and property and far as we know the local Darumbal tribe knew of the this responsibility is shared among owners, managers caves but did not explore the inner darkness – no and cave tour guides – our team. We are all guardians artefacts or art work have been found in the caves. in a moment of time. The issues remain constant – So Johannes Olsen claimed the 80 acre selection and just the people change . opened the caves to visitors in 1885. Timber stairs and bridges were constructed to facilitate access and candles were used to light the passages through the caves for many years. For a while they operated an unsuccessful Olsen Guano mining company and recorded that the cleaning out of the caves was beneficial for visitors.
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Johannes Olsen seated in the Main entrance to Olsen’s Caves 1884 Augusteyn era apparent in relation to cave infrastructure, cave lighting and the management of flora and fauna on In 1988 the caves were purchased by the Augusteyn the surface. family. Three conservation issues quickly became
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New owners on the left, the Augusteyn family, face the same issues as Annette and Rodney Olsen on the right. Timber infrastructure have been preserved as the heritage of the Olsen family. There does not appear to be any impact from We inherited a cave with timber stairs, bridges and these structures on the limestone; probably due to the board walks. Some were constructed in 1883 and “dry” nature of the caves.
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Timber bridge constructed by the Olsens in 1883 and used by visitors for 122 years until 2005. In 1992 my late husband Ken installed a timber ramp face. I was mortified as believed that we had taken all into the cave for wheelchair access. He carefully cut precautions for ordering the environmentally the timber around the rocks. We observed no impact appropriate timber. I have been advised from a well- from the timber but when some of these boards were respected source to pour milk over the rock to replaced in 2013 to my absolute horror we noticed minimise the impact. I invite inspection and feedback. timber stains running underneath an external rock
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Wheelchair ramp constructed by Ken Augusteyn in 1992 with no visual impacts of timber stains. Cave Lighting In April 2015 we launched a complete relighting of the caves project. This replaced the 32 volt tungsten In the Olsen era visitors used candles and for a while bulbs installed in the 1960/70s. These lights were not to the delight of our guests we replicated the only failing but visitor safety was in jeopardy, experience with household candles in a holder lampenflora was forming on the cave walls from the through the Zig Zag passage. I am pleased to report heat of the tungsten bulbs and some caves were no that we now use battery operated lanterns – to the longer accessible for the general public due to dismay of repeat visitors. inadequate lighting.
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Lampenflora from the heat of the 32v tungsten lights installed in the 1970s.
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Old switch boards installed in 1970s and used into the 21 st century The new solar powered Weidmuller LED lights months. We are coming to the conclusion that our operate through a Cbus computerised system. We are caves may not be as dry as we believe. Three sources delighted with the results. New features are of power are available to run the whole cave system: illuminated, more caves are accessible for the public, solar for daily use, 240v when solar batteries are power bills have decreased and unsightly cables and depleted and generator when both solar and 240v light fittings have mostly disappeared. The guides power sources fail. We were most thankful for the last enjoy the use of remote controls for visitor option during cyclone Marcia. management but the average life of the remote is 6
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Colosseum Cave illuminated with solar powered Weidmuller lights.
Cbus system which facilitates remote control of the switches.
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Management of flora and fauna responsibility for the rare fern Tectaria devexa that grows nowhere else in Australia. Seeds are collected To maintain a cave in excellent condition, from the dry rain forest and germinated in our bush management is required not just of the cave but also nursery for replanting in buffer zones or cyclone . of the area above and around it Management of the devastated areas. fauna and flora is ongoing and often overwhelming. We rely on the guides to implement weed and feral animal control in the low tourist season, with special
The rare fern Tectaria devexa thrives on limestone rock and sustained rainfall. Our caves provide a habitat for five species of bat survey revealed a population of only 35 in the insectivorous bats and the endangered ghost bat. region. Through DNA testing of the scats there Visitor management prioritises the bats and cave appears to have been a catastrophic event one access is closed where possible when bats are present. hundred years ago that impacted on ghost bat Research is limited but numbers appear to have numbers. This coincides with the guano mining declined: in December 2013 John Augusteyn’s ghost industry activity.
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Releasing Ghost bat ( Macroderma gigas ) after tagging. Caves and the Community of the Olsen family, pioneer settlers from Norway in the 19 th century. Socially caves have an important role in the community. Caves not only preserve the record of Capricorn Caves also offer a smorgasbord of socially geological change but show caves document the pages engaging experiences in the real outdoor world. We of the local community history and the development cater to a wide cross section of the community from of tourism. Our township is named The Caves with the elderly to families and children, mobility impaired strong links to the longest running conservation battle guests and have custom made adventure tours. We in Australia, namely the fight to save Mt. Etna. The are an educational centre for schools and provide an history of the Capricorn Caves focusses on the story opportunity for social and cultural gatherings from weddings to Underground Opera.
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Underground Opera perform biannually in the Cathedral Cave. Underpinning everyone’s experience is personal Economic Management engagement or connection and a sense of discovery. Again the role of the tour guide delivering the “Not only is a show cave a business, it must be a experience is crucial to guest satisfaction and what a continuously successful business. Why? Because the challenge in a cave with few stalactites and no glow cave is the very basis of the business.” David worms! Summers. Past President International Show Caves Association ISCA (Summers, 2013).
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David Summers Past President of International Show Cave Association with the staff of Capricorn Caves None of this is possible without good economic Product diversification procedures; these underpin the whole management process from conservation of the natural resource Since there is no large population base in our regional itself, product development and refurbishment to centre, we have diversified our product to encourage employment of quality guides. The guides are the key repeat visitation by introducing adventure caving, to delivering diverse, engaging experiences, which in rope courses, conferences and events. Apart from the turn maintain and increase visitor numbers and visitor free independent visitor (FIT) our best target market yield. is educational tourism with fully catered accommodated school camps. The Queensland Museum’s palaeontology dig site provides a basis for many geotourism experiences.
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Rockhampton Grammar School students gather round the dig site. Promotion and packaging Bones for families saw improved patronage but the real winner was Poo and Spew. (Referring to the But the product alone does not guarantee patronage: guano deposits preserving the bones and spew the it must be promoted and marketed strategically. The vomit from the owls that regurgitated the bones of geotour was a prime example of the difference their prey). promotion makes. The geotour, which incorporated a walk of discovery through undeveloped caves and the dig site, received minimal bookings; renamed Bats and
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Examining 80,000 year old bones from the dig site in the Discovery Centre. Partnerships gaining Savannah Guide accreditation. We play in the tourism sandpit with a recent success at the National We take every opportunity to engage free promotion Tourism awards taking out the bronze award for and work with likeminded professional organisations Australian Tourist Attraction. Possibly one of our such as ACKMA and Savannah guides. We enjoy most successful marketing tools is our website and advanced ecotourism accreditation and are very proud the use of social media – YouTube, Facebook and to be a Savannah Guide site with several of our guides Instagram.
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Bronze winners of Australian Tourism Award for Tourist Attraction. The role of the tour guide experience other guiding techniques. Just as we learnt so much at Waitomo, Winton and Yarrangobilly, so Underpinning all aspects of cave conservation, we hope that you will come to the Cave Guide School management of flora and fauna, delivery of guest in Rockhampton in May 2016. We plan to have guest satisfaction and experiences is the cave tour guide. It speakers, workshops and deliver presentations on is crucial that we acknowledge their role, maintain guest experiences and interpretation. their passion through professional development workshops, involve them in research projects and encourage them to travel to other attractions and
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Capricorn Caves guides at Waitomo Caves, New Zealand. Equally we welcome all cave managers – I have visit from a dozen mother in laws. Now I look matured from being a petrified host in 1993, when the forward eagerly to sharing your ideas and suggestions ACKMA conference was deemed to be more like a on difficult issues of cave management.
Life Members of ACKMA 2009 ACKMA conference Margaret River
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Also for your information we have a range of share, self- contained two bedroom cabins and a accommodation on site: a Lodge with 12 rooms quad caravan park for tents and camper vans.
Two bedroom self-contained cabin. Just in case I have not given you enough compelling See you at Capricorn Caves in May 2016. reasons to attend, we plan to include a trip to the totally unspoilt Great Keppel Island, the jewel in the crown of the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
References Summers D. (2013). The Business of Operating a Show Cave. Address to the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association Conference, Waitomo, New Zealand, May 2013 Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association.
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Coins in Cave Pools Is it a Problem? Should it be managed? Cathie Plowman Email: [email protected] Abstract Why do people throw coins into pools? Throwing coins into pools of water for good luck, The author has not been able to locate any detailed having a wish granted, to receive a religious blessing research on this practice. The varied reasons and as a charity fundraiser is a widespread practice commonly given for throwing coins include: across many cultures. Sites where this regularly occurs • include pools in gardens, fountains, memorial pools Receiving good luck • and caves. While this practice historically occurred at Having a wish granted several show cave sites in Australia and New Zealand • Receiving a religious blessing it has largely ceased in these two countries due to • Following the lead set by others management actions. However, the practice of • Fun or challenge to have a coin land in a given throwing coins into pools of water is widespread in place many other countries including the United States of • A traditional fundraiser, and there are many America and many Asian and European countries. impressive examples of this in relation to This paper will raise and consider some issues wishing wells in caves. regarding the practice of throwing coins into pools in caves, including why people do it, are there issues for Are there issues with coins in caves? cave conservation and management, should the The research is limited but coins do change the practice be managed and is more study required re natural appearance of the places where they are this issue. This paper specifically seeks to raise thrown. This may be a stream or pool, mud walls or discussion on this issue, rather than to criticise the ceilings. Blue-green staining from coins in common. practice. Therefore, except for some historical Water chemistry can be altered and there can be examples, specific caves will not be mentioned in this changes to aquatic life. The pool and its surrounds paper and photos showing examples of coins thrown may also be damaged if the coins are collected. in caves will not include the name of the cave. Thrown coins also change the aesthetics of caves. Coins in Cave Pools However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Coins being tossed into pools of water are a while some may find changes to the natural widespread and long-standing human practice. We see appearance distressing, others may find the blue-green it regularly: in pools in gardens and natural areas, in stains left by coins adds to the beauty of the cave. fountains, memorial pools and gardens, and in front Following are three examples from Australasian show of religious statues. Coins being thrown into cave caves where ‘wishing wells’ have caused alterations to pools has traditionally occurred in Asia, many parts of the cave appearance and ecology. Europe, North America, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Example 1: Jillabenan Cave at Yarrangobilly Caves in New South Wales. This short paper will consider: This cave was opened as a show cave in 1914. At • Why people might throw coins into water? some stage a pool known as the Bath of Venus was • Should the practice be managed in caves? modified and became a wishing well. In • Is more study required on this issue? approximately 1967, the caves were closed to be • Issues regarding what happens to the coins redeveloped as part of a prisoner workforce project, and were reopened in approximately 1970. Since then This paper specifically seeks not to criticise any the pool has not been promoted as a wishing well and current practice occurring in caves but to raise some any ‘tossed’ coins have been retrieved by staff. questions and promote discussion. However today, more than 45 years after the pool was last used as a wishing well, the blue-green stains from past coins remain.
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Figure 1: Bath of Venus prior to 1928. This photographer is unknown. John Brush re-photographed this photo which is now part of the historic collection at Yarrangobilly Caves.
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Figure 2: This photograph was taken by Leo Hoad in 1928 and was part of a postcard series. It too has been re-photographed by John Brush. The photo shows that the floor of the pool has been altered and raised and the pool is now being used as a wishing well.
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Figure 3: The Bath of Venus in 2014. The blue-green stains from past coins remain more than 45 years since the pool was used as a wishing well. The ‘splotches’ in the pool are shadows cast by the calcite rafts which have now formed on the surface of the pool. Photo: John Brush. Example 2: Aranui Cave, Waitomo, New Zealand time a fauna survey showed only microbial fauna at the wishing well site with lower biodiversity than at Dr Mike Scarsbrook and colleagues did some water the reference site. sampling in the cave in March 2006. Samples were collected at the wishing well site and at a reference Further water samples were collected from the two location elsewhere in the cave. Copper and nickel sites in September 2006 and the copper and nickel (prominent in New Zealand coins) were significantly content at the wishing well site had dropped since the higher at the wishing well site than at the reference March sampling (see Figure 4). The reference site site (see Figure 4). All coins were removed from the measurements had not altered. wishing well in April 2006 (1.7 kg dry weight). At that
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Figure 4: Graph showing the recoverable metals from Aranui Cave. Illustration by Mike Scarsbook and provided by Andy Spate. Example 3: Jenolan Caves, New South Wales In 1910 alone £66 was collected from these ‘boxes’. A significant amount of money for the time and an At Jenolan Caves money was traditionally collected in example of the long-standing relationship between two caves at sites known as hospital boxes and ‘wishing wells’ and charity fundraising. distributed to the hospitals at Lithgow and Bathurst.
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Figure 5: Former ‘hospital box’ in the Mafeking Chamber, Jenolan Caves. It is uncertain when the practice of coin collection here was ceased but the blue-green colour remains today. Photo: Sasa Kennedy.
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Figure 6: Coins collected from a ‘hospital box’ at Jenolan Caves. Photo Julia James.
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Figure 7: Scoop used historically to collect coins from the ‘hospital boxes’ at Jenolan. Photo Sasa Kennedy. Wishing wells and coin throwing; some specific sites will not be named as the intention is to international examples raise discussion on the practice rather than focus on individual cave sites. The following photos show some examples of coins in caves from different international sites. The
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Figure 8: Wishing well in cave in Korea. Photo Andy Spate.
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Figure 9: Coins in a cave pool in Europe. Photo: Steve Bourne
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Figure 10: Close-up of the pool floor of the cave pool in Figure 9. Photo: Steve Bourne
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Figure 11 An ice cave in Europe. While coins are often thrown into a single pool or ‘wishing well’, in many caves coins are thrown spontaneously so that the coins are scattered in several places in the cave. Should we be concerned about the possible impacts of coins in an ice cave like this when the impacts of climate change are already altering the cave environment? Photo: Steve Bourne.
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Figure 12: Wishing well in a cave in Europe. Photo: John Brush.
Figure 13: A small pool in a cave in Europe. There are three coins visible in the pool. This small pool included some exquisitely beautiful cave pearls. For the author, the sight of the coins marred the natural beauty of the pool and started her considering the issues of coins in caves. Photo: John Brush
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Figure 14: Cave in Europe. Photo: John Brush.
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Figure 15: Cave in the USA. The throwing of coins into the ceiling is encouraged in return for making a wish. The cave owners apparently clean the cave ceiling of coins annually and donate the money to charity. Photo: John Brush.
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Figure 16: Close up of the roof in Figure 15. Photo: John Brush.
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Figure 17: This cave in the USA has collected significant amounts of money for charity in this wishing well. The sign in Figure 17 summarises the amounts such as paper money, wedding and engagement rings collected from 1954 until 2008. In 1954 $1,700 was are regularly thrown into the pool. collected. In 2008, $144,000 - a total of $898,000 up Comments posted on the internet in relation to this to 2008. During discussions when I presented this cave show the different responses. Whereas some paper at the International Show Caves Association people find the blue-green colour adds to the beauty Conference (ISCA) in 2014, a manager from this cave of the cave, others dislike the damage caused by the advised that they have considered closing the wishing wishing well but are full of praise for the charity well for environmental reasons, but that it is too fundraising. Photo: John Brush. lucrative for charity. Besides coins, other valuables
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Figure 18: Coins, paper money and hair clips in a mud bank in a cave in the USA. Photo: John Brush. Should the practice of coin throwing in caves Does encouraging coins to be thrown in one cave be managed? encourage visitors to throw coins in other caves where the cave managers are seeking to discourage Should we be concerned with this widespread and the practice? Would an external or stand-alone traditional practice? Do the impacts of coins even wishing well be a suitable alternative? This was matter given the amount of alteration that occurs in a previously done at Tantanoola Cave in South show cave to allow visitations, e.g. lights, paths, Australia but perhaps is not as romantic or appealing railings, along with the impacts associated with large as a natural-looking pool. volumes of people. Should the coins be collected? In some places they Would more research be helpful? Research could are, in other places they are deliberately left where better quantify the impacts of coins on the cave they land. Damage can be caused in collecting coins environment but also consider why people throw in vulnerable cave locations. In some places when coins in caves and perhaps look at alternatives that coins have been collected they have had little value might satisfy the needs of the visitor as well as due to their degradation. International coins may also protecting the cave. Professor Kyung Sik Woo advises have little value and there are costs when converting that an artificial pool with a statue of the Buddha was currencies. The Australian government gives all placed in a cave in Korea and people confined their monies collected from the pools and fountains at coins to this pool rather than elsewhere in the cave. Parliament House, Canberra to the international charity UNICEF.
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Figure 19: Wishing well previously at Tantanoola Cave, South Australia. Photo Steve Bourne The wishing well in Figure 19 was built by the service assist staff in times of illness and sudden crisis. Allen club Rotary International. Former cave manager added that ‘today’s wishing well utilises a shallow well Steve Bourne reports that when the entrance to the dug by Confederate soldiers in 1865 to get water for cave was being redeveloped he contacted the local the process of leaching nitrates from the soil of the branch of Rotary regarding the relocation of the cave to make gun powder.’ He proudly concluded wishing well. No current active members of the club ‘now the well is used to help people not to help kill were aware of the wishing well and no one could them.’ Al’s input widened the author’s perspective on remember when it had last been cleared of coins. Two the social side of wishing wells. In Australia we have a 10 litre drums of coins were subsequently collected national health system. Not so in many countries, from the well, but the money had to be discarded due including the USA, and the funds raised in wishing to degradation from being in water for so long. wells can provide significant and necessary financial support. Some additional input Conclusion Since presenting this paper at the ISCA conference 2014, I have received the following input on this There is a long history of people throwing coins into issue: pools of water both inside and outside of caves and also a long history of money collected in cave wishing Nurul Hidayah from Dark Cave, Malaysia reports that wells being donated to charities. But are these a decision was made not to encourage any coin traditional practices in tune with current thinking on throwing in the cave and that, any coins are collected best practice show cave management? Is it time for as soon as they are noticed. However, as coin further discussion and thinking? throwing in not encouraged, very few coins are actually thrown in the cave. Coin throwing is a Acknowledgements common practice at nearby caves. My thanks to people who have provided photos and Allen Mathis from DeSoto Caverns, Alabama USA information: Steve Bourne, John Brush, David Butler, advised that they had recently commenced a wishing Anneliese Bycek, Nic Haygarth, Nurul Hidayah, Julia well. It has a net-liner in it that can be lifted out once James, Sasa Kennedy, Allen Mathias, Ken Morrison, a week so coins do not accumulate in the cave. The Mike Scarsbrook, Andy Spate and Al Warild. money collected is used for a staff support fund to ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 70
Small mammal community change during the Last Glacial Cycle Dr Amy Macken World Heritage Executive Officer, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Naracoorte Caves Email: [email protected] Abstract environmental conditions (McDowell, 2001; Laslett, 2006). Research into two Pleistocene aged small mammal bone deposits of the Naracoorte Caves National Park The research presented here was completed as part of and World Heritage Area has revealed the role of my PhD studies with Flinders University under the climate thresholds in shaping faunal communities. supervision of Drs Liz Reed and Gavin Prideaux and The study sites were from Wet Cave and Blanche involved a study of small mammals from deposits in Cave, each providing large fossil samples suitable for two nearby caves within the Naracoorte Caves looking at a past mammal community and to examine National Park and World Heritage Area: Wet Cave if and how it changed over time. The aims of the and Blanche Cave. Bone deposits in these caves were research were to measure how much change occurred targeted specifically to analyse the effects of climate within a mammal community over time and to see if change through the last glacial cycle on the local small that change corresponded to climate change. As the mammal community. Previous work on the studied two cave deposits span a similar time period they also assemblages revealed that they covered similar time provided a rare opportunity to test the periods, both spanning the last glacial cycle, c. robustness/repeatability of the trends measured in the 500,000 to 10,000 years ago, contained large samples fossil records. of bone material and were both accumulated by similar means (owl pellet), making them ideal for the Introduction research question (McDowell, 2001; Laslett, 2006). The Naracoorte Caves are recognised as a globally They also presented an opportunity to examine if the significant fossil locality, containing multiple sediment results from one deposit were replicated in the other, and bone deposits that provide ‘snap shots’ of local providing a test for the robustness of the observed environmental conditions and animal diversity in trends. By establishing a chronology for the two sites relation to cyclical climate changes over the last c. at the level of both sedimentary units and layers, I was 500,000 years. One of the unique features of the also able to examine how the timescale at which a Naracoorte Caves fossil locality is that in some cases, deposit is studied can influence the detection of more than one fossil deposit is available for a period ecological change. of time, providing multiple sites from which to draw Methods evidence about the past. Sedimentary units and layers of the Wet and Blanche A focus of palaeontological research at the Cave deposits were correlated with each other based Naracoorte Caves has been Australia’s iconic on a statistical analysis of their radiocarbon ages megafauna. A number of megafauna species were first (Macken et al., 2013). The sedimentary units provided described from fossils found at the Naracoorte Caves a coarse timescale from which to analyse change and numerous studies have provided insights into the through the deposits. Sedimentary layers provided a timing and potential causes and processes associated finer timescale. with their extinction in the Late Pleistocene, c. 50,000 years ago (Roberts et al., 2001; Prideaux et al., 2007; All diagnostic small mammal remains (maxillae, Macken et al., 2012). dentaries and teeth) from the two study sites were identified and were used to generate counts for the Bone deposits of the Naracoorte Caves also contain number of individuals of each species for each unit or in some cases, are largely composed of the remains and layer of the two sites. A range of ecological of small body-sized animals. The latter resulted from metrics for measuring the characteristics of the small the accumulation of owl pellets under roosting sites in mammal community were calculated from the caves. Research at the Naracoorte Caves has shed specimen data. These were: species richness (how light on the diversity of small-body sized animals of many different species for each sedimentary the Naracoorte region through the Pleistocene (e.g., unit/layer); composition (what species made up each Smith, 1971; 1972) and in a number of studies, small- sedimentary unit/layer); rank-order abundance (what mammals were used as a basis for reconstructing past ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 71
was the least to most abundant species in each beyond a temperature threshold that hadn’t been sedimentary unit/layer) and species proportions (what exceeded for millennia. It is also significant as it is the is the relative abundance of each species in each first evidence for significant community-level change sedimentary unit/layer). These metrics were examined in response to climate change from the Naracoorte in both deposits and compared between deposits. For Caves. It challenges an assumption that the extreme statistical treatment of the data please refer to Macken cold and arid conditions of the last glacial maximum and Reed (2014). drove large-scale faunal change in Australia (McDowell et al., 2013). Instead, our results suggest Results and Discussion that the small mammal community of the Naracoorte Results are presented here only for the analysis of region was not affected by the cooler climate phases species richness. For results across the other metrics of the last glacial cycle, but responded to temperatures please refer to Macken (2013) and Macken and Reed exceeding a threshold level for the community. (2014). Our results also show that the timescale at which the Species richness for each sedimentary unit compared deposits were studied did affect the observed pattern between Wet and Blanche Caves was found to be of faunal change. At the coarse timescale, variation in statistically similar, suggesting that both sites provided species richness was ‘smoothed out,’ suggesting that comparable information about the small mammal there was no change through the last glacial cycle. By palaeocommunity through the last glacial cycle from comparison, the finer timescale enabled shorter term the Naracoorte region. fluctuations to be detected, revealing a significant ecological perturbation in the decline in the number In relation to climate change effects, there was no of species in the Naracoorte area during the warming detectable change in species richness at the coarse phase. Of note is the observation that species richness timescale. This finding is consistent with studies of increased again following the decline, revealing an older deposits which found no change in the number ability of the community to recover from disturbance. of species during earlier phases of climate change (Moriarty et al., 2000; Prideaux et al., 2007). By While future work is required to determine the comparison, a significant decline in species richness relationship between the small mammal community was detected at the fine timescale and occurred from change and other climatic and palaeoenvironmental 17,100 to 16,700 years BP. factors (e.g., rainfall, vegetation and land temperatures and seasonality), the observations from Comparison with a sea-surface temperature record Wet and Blanche Cave emphasise the role of (derived from core collected from the Murray thresholds in contributing to perturbations in Canyons; Lopes dos Santos et al., 2012) revealed that ecological communities. In particular, understanding the decline in species richness at this time did not threshold points for modern communities may be coincide with the commencement of climate warming more important than modelling responses to following the last glacial maximum, but instead lagged generalised climate warming. the onset of warming by c. 1,000 – 3,000 years. It appears to have instead been associated with sea- Acknowledgements surface temperatures warming beyond 16 degrees C. Special thanks are extended to Drs Liz Reed, Gavin Of note is that the temperature curve shows that sea- Prideaux, Trevor Worthy and Jessica Blois; Pawel surface temperatures had not exceeded 16 degrees C Skuza; James Moore; Deborah Carden and staff of for the previous c. 30,000 years. the Naracoorte Caves; Friends of Naracoorte Caves; Conclusion and members of the Flinders University Palaeontology Laboratory. Our findings suggest that it was not warming per se that drove changes in the local small mammal community during the Pleistocene, but warming
References Laslett, T.M. (2006). A palaeoecological study of a Quaternary vertebrate fossil deposit in Blanche Cave, Naracoorte, South Australia. BSc (Hons) Thesis, Flinders University, South Australia. Lopes dos Santos, R.A., Wilkins, D., DeDecker, P. and Schouten, S. (2012). Late Quaternary productivity changes offshore South-eastern Australia: a biomarker approach . Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 363-364, pp. 48-56.
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Macken, A.C. (2013). Natural variation in south-eastern South Australian small mammal communities through the Late Quaternary . PhD Thesis, Flinders University, South Australia. Macken, A.C., Prideaux, G.J. and Reed, E.H. (2012). Variation and pattern in the responses of mammal faunas to Late Pleistocene climatic change in southeastern South Australia . Journal of Quaternary Science 27, pp. 415-424. Macken, A.C. and Reed E.H. (2014). Postglacial reorganisation of a small-mammal paleocommunity in southern Australia reveals thresholds of change. Ecological Monographs 84, pp. 563 –577. Macken, A.C., Staff, R.A. and Reed, E.H. (2013). Bayesian age-depth modelling of Late Quaternary deposits from Wet and Blanche caves, Naracoorte, South Australia: a framework for comparative faunal analyses . Quaternary Geochronology 17, pp. 26-43. McDowell, M.C. (2001). The analysis of Late Quaternary fossil mammal faunas from Robertson Cave (5U17, 18, 19) and Wet Cave (5U10, 11) in the Naracoorte World Heritage Area, South Australia . M.Sc. Thesis, Flinders University, South Australia. McDowell, M.C., Bestland, E.A., Bertuch, F., Ayliffe, L.K., Hellstrom, J.C., Jacobsen, G.E. and Prideaux, G.J. (2013). Chronology, stratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental interpretation of a Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene cave accumulation on Kangaroo Island, South Australia . Boreas 42, pp. 974-994. Moriarty, K.C., McCulloch, M.T., Wells, R.T. and McDowell, M.C. (2000). Mid-Pleistocene cave fills, megafaunal remains and climate change at Naracoorte, South Australia: towards a predictive model using U-Th dating of speleothems. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 159, pp. 113-145. Prideaux, G.J., Roberts, R.G., Megirian, D., Westaway, K.E., Hellstrom, J.C. and Olley, J.M. (2007). Mammalian responses to Pleistocene climate change in south-eastern Australia . Geology 35, pp. 33-36. Roberts, R.G., Flannery, T.F., Ayliffe, L.K., Yoshida, H., Olley, J.M., Prideaux, G.J., Laslett, G.M., Baynes, A., Smith, M.A., Jones, R. and Smith, B.L. (2001). New ages for the last Australian megafauna: continent-wide extinction about 46,000 years ago . Science 292, pp. 1888-1892. Smith, M.J. (1971). Small fossil vertebrates from Victoria Cave, Naracoorte, South Australia. I. Potoroinae (Macropodidae), Petauridae and Burramyidae (Marsupialia) . Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 95, pp. 185-198. Smith, M.J. (1972). Small fossil vertebrates from Victoria Cave, Naracoorte South Australia II. Peramelidae, Thylacinidae and Dasyuridae (Marsupialia) . Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 96, pp. 125-137.
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‘GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN’ Caves of the Cobden Quarry, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand Mary Trayes ACKMA, NZSS, GSNZ Email: [email protected] Abstract chasing up where all the rock went to. From 1881 to 1930 a dozen men lost their lives (eight in the Cobden Investigation of a former quarry in the Cobden Quarry alone) and many more were injured, in the Limestone, West Coast, South Island, New Zealand effort to win sufficient rock to form two large has revealed the existence of previously unknown breakwaters for training the river and stabilising the cave and karst development. The Cobden Limestone bar at the Port of Greymouth. (the type name comes from the quarry area) generally has a lower calcium carbonate content (70 - 80%) Setting than other karst and cave forming Oligocene Modern day Greymouth straddles both banks of the limestones of the region. Other known caves in the Grey River just downstream of the Grey River Gorge Cobden Limestone are generally muddy, and small to with the suburb of Cobden, and the quarry, on the moderate in size only, but research about the 130 year north side. The Grey River has a large catchment, period of the quarry’s working life indicates that cave with the river flowing 120kms south-westwards from development there may have been more extensive its source near the Lewis Pass to enter the sea over a than usually found within this formation. Since 1881 sandbar at Greymouth. Rainfall in the region is high when quarrying began, five caves of varying size have – 2500mm per year at Greymouth alone – so the river ‘come to light’ due to blasting. It is postulated that is prone to flooding. Flow rates in the river regularly the five chambers uncovered may have been part of reach 3,000m 3/sec and during big floods can exceed one larger cave. A study of the drainage in the area 5,000m 3/sec. The prevailing weather, from the west also points to this. A large ‘sink’ was identified north- off the Tasman Sea, often causes big swells on the bar east of the quarry in 2013 and for many years a creek and when these are combined with strong flow rates drained from the lower face. Formations retrieved in the river, shipping movements in and out of the from the last cave uncovered about 1999 allow a Port of Greymouth can be quite hazardous. Many glimpse of what might have been and one stalagmite ships and fishing boats have been lost over the years. collected is in the process of being dated. Many fossils have been collected from the quarry and it is a listed Either side of the Greymouth Gorge is a line of geo-preservation site for Oligocene Echinoids. Large tectonically uplifted limestone hills with the Rapahoe parts of a fossil Ziphioid Whale skeleton were also Range (also called the ‘Twelve Apostles’) to the north found in 1887. and the Peter Ridge to the south. The river has successfully cut down through the limestone to form Introduction a deep gorge, the bottom of which is 40- 50m below This paper is part of wider research being undertaken water level. Much of this depth is filled with gravel about the Cobden Quarry. Other aspects under study eroded from glacial terraces further upstream then are its land tenure, the rock as a resource, the effects brought downriver by successive floods. of having such a large quarry within close proximity After a clear night in autumn and winter, a cold to a town, sociological effects (a steady employer but katabatic wind, the ‘Grey Barber’, drains down the also a dangerous place to work), how we remember Grey Valley through the gorge making mornings in such places for posterity and what other non- Greymouth and parts of Cobden unpleasantly cold quarrying activities have taken place there. and windy. Between the wet climate, the Grey Barber The author first became interested in the Cobden and its south-facing aspect, the Cobden Quarry just Quarry when, as part of her employment with the downstream of the gorge, was a far from idyllic West Coast Regional Council (WCRC), she was workplace for much of the year. involved with the quarry’s 2005 closure and site The town of Greymouth developed from 1864, firstly rehabilitation. Since retirement research about the as a port of entry for goldminers, then later when the quarry has become a major interest including talking gold began to run out, as a main centre for shipping to people who worked there, or their descendants, coal and later timber. The first quarrying was done learning about past quarry techniques and plant and ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 74
on the south (Greymouth) side of the gorge in the When the breakwaters were finally finished at the end early 1870’s to make room for both a road and of World War II, the Greymouth Harbour Board railway. In order to do this at least two caves, one a decided to close the quarry (1948) but it was opened Maori burial cave, were quarried away. again in 1957 when rock was needed to carry out emergency flood protection work at nearby Coal In the same period there was a disastrous flood (1872) Creek. In 1959 the Westland Catchment Board then when many buildings by the river were washed out to took over control of the quarry, followed by its sea. The government quickly funded the building of successor, the West Coast Regional Council in 1989. the town’s first floodwall – the 1874 wall – while the After two disastrous floods in 1988, a large amount of fledgling town council sought engineering advice rock was again taken from the Cobden Quarry to fast about ‘training the river.’ Rock for the first floodwall track a flood protection scheme already begun on the came from the Southside (Greymouth) Quarry but Cobden side of the river. In November 1990 the when engineering advice suggested that breakwaters Greymouth Floodwall was officially opened and to be built on both sides of the river, the Cobden Quarry date has not been topped by any flood. All up, was opened on the north side around 1875. The around two million tonnes of limestone rock were Cobden Quarry then became the main supplier of taken from the Cobden Quarry between 1875 and rock for both breakwaters, continuing to operate, 2005, most of which has been used for the Grey River with only a few years downtime, right through until breakwaters and associated flood protection works. 2005.
Figure 1: This 1950’s White’s Aviation photograph shows the north and south breakwaters, and a half tide wall along the Grey River. The Greymouth Gorge is in the back-ground with the obvious ‘hole in the hill’ on the left (north side) being the Cobden Quarry. Photo: History House Museum, Greymouth Geology Morgan, of the New Zealand Geological Survey (NZGS), at the same time as he was mapping the The Cobden Limestone was named by geologist- nearby Greymouth Coalfield. A cave in the Cobden surveyor Alexander McKay in 1877 when he was Limestone out at Point Elizabeth was noted on the collecting fossils from limestone exposed at the 1911 map produced from this work. Greymouth Gorge and at Point Elizabeth (other end of the Rapahoe Range). The first mapping of the In 1974 geologist Simon Nathan, began fieldwork to limestone was carried out in the early 1900’s by PG update the geology of the Greymouth area. This
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included mapping of the rock strata and collecting During fieldwork Nathan closely examined the well many fossil samples. He then compiled a report with exposed sequence of limestone at the Greymouth all previous and new fossils finds (1974) and Gorge and proposed that the formation be sub- completed a new edition of the Greymouth geology divided into three members, the underlying Ngarimu map with handbook (1978). In the latter Nathan Limestone, the mid-layer Tarapuhi Limestone and the describes the Cobden Limestone as a “fine-grained overlying Puketahi Mudstone. Fossil dating of creamy-white to light brown-grey muddy micritic forarminifera and calcareous nannoplankton was also limestone, locally containing interbedded bands of carried out to ascertain just when the various calcareous mudstone. With rare exceptions analysed limestone layers were laid down. Results showed that samples from throughout the formation contain less all three members were laid down in deep water than 80% CaC0 3, most being in the range 70-75% offshore between the mid to late Oligocene and the CaCO 3.” early Miocene, i.e. between 34-22 M years before now.
Figure 2: The 1:63,360 Greymouth Geological Map (Simon Nathan, DSIR, 1978) has side maps at larger scale. Here Map B shows the Cobden Limestone in olive green (‘ncp’ or ‘nct’). Listed fossil sites by the quarry on the north side of the road bridge are f1043, f1003 and f1000. Many macrofossils have been found in the Cobden years are listed on New Zealand’s fossil data base Quarry over the years, both by trained scientists and (FRED) at Geological & Nuclear Science, Lower casual fossil seekers. Echinoids and molluscs are Hutt and the site is ranked as regionally important for relatively common on freshly exposed surfaces in Oligocene Echinoids in the Geoscience Society of both the mudstone and harder limestone layers, and New Zealand‘s Geopreservation Inventory. corals and brachiopods can be found at times. Collections made at the quarry by geologists over the
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In April 1887 a number of large bones – six vertebrae been made for the 1933 and 1999 finds. No with ribs attached – were found in a block of rock photographs have been found of any of the caves to about 2ft by 4ft which had been uncovered by date and as per the table at the end of this section blasting. They were recognised as being those of a summarising all the information, details about cave saurian or reptile and featured in local newspaper size and location are fairly scant. articles at the time. The block containing the remains was retrieved from the quarry and given to the School 1889 Cave of Mines in Greymouth. Drawings of the bones were 26 th July 1889, The Grey River Argus (GRA): then made and sent to geologist Professor F. W. UNTITLED [part article only] Hutton, NZGS, who identified the part skeleton as …….“Mr J. Ring, who never misses an opportunity of that of a Ziphioid or Beaked Whale of Oligocene age. bringing his camera to bear whenever a good picture is Unfortunately no further trace of these bones, or the obtainable, yesterday took some pictures of a cave in the drawings, has been found to date in any of the larger Cobden quarry laid bare by the last big blast. The cave South Island museums. is at the top of the quarry, is about 9ft high and 6ft As far as cave and karst development goes in the wide, and widens out the farther in one goes, There are Cobden Limestone, the muddiness of the upper numerous stalactites, which produce quite a pretty effect Puketahi Mudstone layer appears to preclude good but as the visitors amuse themselves by breaking these off cave formation but there are some modest sized the cavern will soon possess no more interest than any caves, some with formations, known from the better ordinary hole in the rock.” quality Tarapuhi Limestone. These include Te Ana Puta Cave at Point Elizabeth, Cobden or Tainui’s 1904 Cave Cave (by the Greymouth Gorge only 250m from the 28 th October, 1904, GRA: UNTITLED [part Cobden Quarry), Cleopatra’s Bath and Welshman’s article only] Cave at Limestone Road, Whiskey and Stillwater Caves at Cape Terrace, an unnamed cave quarried “A blast was fired at the Cobden Quarry yesterday away on the south side in the 1870’s (known from afternoon which was far from being satisfactory. For the newspaper reports) and those recorded below from past few days work has been in progress in the direction the Cobden Quarry. of having a big blast. The arrangements were well thought out and 2,800 pounds of powder placed in the To date no caves are known from the Ngarimu drives. The fuse was lit and a large crowd waited with Member, the lowest strata in the Cobden Limestone expectation for the result. There was a roar, the hill Formation, but there may be some below river level at trembled, and all was over, not a ton coming down. On the Greymouth Gorge, a major karst feature in its inspection it was found the shot had spent its force in a own right. Engineers building the second road bridge cave. The result is to be regretted, but no blame can be in 1974 -75, sank sixteen test bores through the river attributed, to “anyone.” The existence of caves in gravel up to 10m into the limestone and found that limestone hills are frequently met with. The only fear not only was the bottom very uneven, but there were now is that the face may be dangerous to work.” holes under the surface of the limestone as well. Those building the new rail bridge in 2006, just 31st October, 1904, GRA: UNTITLED [part upstream from the road bridge, struck similar article only] problems. Other karst features away from the ………“After the unsuccessful blast at the Cobden Greymouth Gorge area include many tomos and quarry last week, the overseer on inspection stated that grikes, plus two small gorges and a stream capture at the shot had spent its force on a cave. On Saturday Cape Terrace. morning this theory was borne out as the workmen came Cobden Quarry Caves on a large cave fully 30 feet long, near the lower chamber.” Five caves are known to have been exposed due to 2nd November, 1904, GRA: HARBOUR blasting in the Cobden Quarry. The exposures BOARD ENGINEER'S REPORT [part article occurred in the years 1889, 1904, 1933, 1986 and only] 1999. Dates and documentation for the first four were found in various archives but for the last all the ………… “On October 27th, a blast was fired in information has come from those who were there at the Quarry without results. On examination it was the time, and the formations they collected. All the found that the lower chamber containing 1100lbs of information for the 1889, 1904 and 1986 finds is set powder had blown into a cave at the back. The upper out below but for space purposes only a selection has ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 77
chamber containing 1800lbs did not explode owing to [Pat Morgan was Quarry Manager from 1973 – some defect in the fuse.” 1993, firstly for the Westland Catchment Board, then the West Coast Regional Council] 1933 Cave 28th May 1986: th VIDEO FOOTAGE AT 5 December, 1933: ENGINEER’S WEST COAST REGIONAL COUNCIL [now MONTHLY REPORT TO GREYMOUTH on DVD] HARBOUR BOARD [extract] The blast, for which preparation was being “COBDEN QUARRY ……. Blasting operations made as above, was carried out on May 28th on the toe disclosed the presence of a cave 80 feet long by 1986. The final preparations and the blast were 28 feet wide and of a maximum height of 35 feet. The videoed by Westland Catchment Board cave is located close to the rear face of the quarry and the Engineer, Wayne Moen from a position across roof follows the dip of the strata, rising from a few feet at the Grey River. Most of the footage is in the one end to a height of 35 feet at the other. The rear end ‘long view’ but the camera zooms in just before of the cave is blocked by debris which has fallen from the the blast, enough to allow a glimpse of the cave roof and sides, and the floor is covered with clay to a low down mid-face. depth of approximately six feet. It is probable that the cave is of greater extent than is apparent at present and as its presence will very materially affect the design of the next tunnel shot it is essential that accurate information is available regarding its precise location and extent.” 7th August 1934: ENGINEER’S MONTHLY REPORT TO GREYMOUTH HARBOUR BOARD [extract] “Cobden Quarry: ………the condition of the quarry at present is such that the carrying out of another large tunnel shot is not be recommended. It has not been possible, on account of the dangerous charactoer of the roof, to explore thoroughly the cave which was discovered some months ago and the absence of accurate information as to the extent and location of the cave renders the design of a large blast too speculative to be contemplaated on account of the expenditure involved. While a large tunnel shot is undoubtedly the quickest and most economical method of obtaining stone at Cobden quarry, it is considered that the slower and more expensive method of extracting stone by a system of benching is preferable to embarking on a project which would be difficult in its execution and highly problematical in its results.”…….. 1986 Cave 1st May 1986: MEMO, MINES INSPECTORATE CORRESPONDENCE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES, CHRISTCHURCH This handwritten memo to Alan Best, Quarry Inspector says, “ Pat Morgan has been drilling for the next shot – has struck a cavern low down in the middle (of the face) – drilled all round it. Plans will be drawn up after drilling is completed. The cavern in the middle of the road will make results uncertain but we should go over the placings and loading of the holes with Pat before he fires.”
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1999 Cave then began corresponding with Graeme and it was soon clarified that sometime in the late Information about this cave has come together 1990’s a routine small blast in the top right hand in bits and pieces, to eventually form a coherent corner of the quarry had uncovered a small but story. The author retired at the end of 2012 and well decorated cave. The actual date has been began her quarry research in early 2013, but hard to pin down as quarry records for the even before this there were hints about possible period have not yet been found at WCRC, but caves in the quarry. In 2007 she found part of a it’s been narrowed down to post 1995 and stalactite about 30cms long by 12cms in before Graeme’s retirement. 1999 is thought to diameter during a planting session on the lower be the year but if further information comes to terraces and three people, including a WCRC light this may need to be amended. employee, told her at different times that they’d found small pieces of formation up in the When the cave was uncovered those present north-east corner of the quarry. soon realised that the blast had de-stabilised the cave roof, making it unsafe. So after retrieving However it wasn’t until she talked to Ken some accessible formations, another blast was Dalzell in 2013 that real confirmation came made which dropped a large rock down over about. Ken, a member of the West Coast Gem the entrance of the cave, effectively sealing it. and Mineral Club, told her that there were some When the author and a friend went looking for stalagmites from the Cobden Quarry in the the cave in February 2014, they found it still Club’s display out at Shantytown. The sealed although it was possible to look down a formations had been donated to the Club by number of holes into the cave with the aid of a Graeme Warriner, former WCRC Quarry torch. There were also small mossy stalactites Manager, before he moved to the North Island around the former entrance and pieces of after his retirement in March 2001. The author broken formation lying about.
Figure 3: The author at the former entrance to the cave uncovered by blasting in 1999. Despite the entrance now being covered by a large rock, vestiges of the cave were still visible on this visit in February 2014. Photo: Bruce Annabell
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In mid-2014 Graeme Warriner and the Gem & Department, Melbourne University and in May 2015 Mineral Club agreed that the smaller stalagmite it was cut, and part polished ready for dating by mass (30cms high and 9.8 kg in weight) could be sent to spectrometry. The results of this are still pending as Melbourne University for dating and in return she of July 2015 but Professor Drysdale said in mid-May donated the stalactite she’d found to the Shantytown that the polished surface “looked interesting and showed display. In November the stalagmite was sent over to plenty of visible changes that look suspiciously like millennial- Professor Russell Drysdale at the Geography scale climate events of the last glacial period.”
Figure 4: Stalagmites at the West Coast Gem & Mineral Club which were taken from the cave uncovered by blasting in 1999. The smaller one on the left has been sent to Melbourne University for dating. Photo: Mary Trayes, 2013 In 2013 local cavers did some exploration behind the There is also the large doline – drainage area quarry rim and down toward Kells Hotel. They didn’t northeast of the quarry. However given what is find any caves but there were other karst features known about the former quarry caves, the karst such as the large grike behind Kells Hotel development by the quarry and the Cobden (immediately adjacent to the quarry) and at least three Limestone generally, it is very probable there are other grikes parallel to, and back about 30 - 50m from other caves to the north along the Rapahoe Range. the quarry rim, one of which goes down at least 10m.
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Caves Information Summary
Discovered Documentation Description Location Other notes
1889, 26 th July Grey 9ft high x 6ft wide “top of the quarry” Greymouth photographer, James Ring took with numerous photographs but none have been found. 600lbs of th River Argus i.e. unclear exactly 27 June (GRA), stalactites blasting powder was used to dislodge 20,000 tons where rock at the time.
1904, 1904, 30ft long cave near lower Drives were put into upper and lower chambers at (blasting) chamber, the ends of two tunnels which were then packed th th 27 Oct. 28 Oct. GRA i.e. unclear exactly with blasting powder. Only the lower one went off, st where expending all its force into a cave with no rock 31 Oct. GRA coming down at all. 2nd Nov. GRA
1933, 1933, 5 th Dec. 80ft long x 28ft wide Mid way along the The 1932 tunnel blast took 5 months prepar ation. Monthly x 35ft high at top main face and just Three tunnels were driven into the face with 14,600 Unstated date end. Filled with clay below the top of lbs of powder laid. The blast brought down in November Engineer’s report to Greymouth & debris to 6ft the toe of rock 105,000 tons of rock, only about ½ of which was Harbour Board depth. brought down by a useable for the training walls, the rest being major blast on Feb. shattered to rubble. st Not possible to 1934, 1 Aug. th explore re extent 25 1932. When the cave was exposed in 1933 the floor was Monthly because cave roof filled to a depth of 6 feet with clay and rubble. Its Engineer’s report The full extent of too dangerous presence made future tunnel blasting unsafe and to Greymouth this cave remained from then the method of benching with smaller Harbour Board unknown because blasting made it too blasts was used. The presence of the cave was a unsafe to explore. problem for safe quarry management right through until WWII.
1986, 1986, 1 st May Size not given, Low down in When the cavern was uncovered during preparatory estimated moderate middle of the drilling for the next blast, it added to concerns the Unstated date Memo in Mines to small (north) face. quarry inspector already had regarding instability of at end April Inspectorate the lower end of the main quarry face ex blasting in Correspondence, NOTE: A video was 1984. National Archives, made of the blast which Christchurch followed on 28 th May. This cave may have been the remnant of the one The cave can be seen exposed in 1933. The latter went well back into the briefly mid-face before face so it makes sense that some of the cavity may the blast drops rock have still been present. down over it again.
1999, exact Documented by Small, well decorated Upper right/east After this cave was uncovered by a small blast there date unknown the author in 2014 cave about 5m wide face, site visit were immediate concerns about public safety so after talking to x 3 high at the made and position after those present took a few formations each a current & former entrance. Depth photographed but large rock was dropped back down over the WCRC staff who unknown. not GPS’d (bush a entrance. Vestiges of cave can still be seen today. A were present when problem). survey of the quarry boundaries later revealed that the cave was the cave was beyond the legal boundary and either found on Fox Street road reserve or on Department of Conservation managed land. Discussion submerging through joint lines and grikes, and the doline above the north-east corner of the quarry, then The five instances of caves being found in the quarry running down the bedding planes (which are on a 30 show two probable areas of cave development, one degree slope in the quarry). On its journey down low down in the north or main face (1933, 1986) and through the hill the water would have dissolved out another at the top right of the quarry at right angles to chambers of varying sizes before resurging from the this, i.e. facing west (1904, 1999 and possibly the 1889 bottom of the hill as a spring. cave). These two areas could well have been connected via the dissolution effects of rainwater ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 81
This theory is based on information found in various 11th March 1902. A couple of days after a routine reports and newspapers (particularly those about blast, a complete section of the quarry face, 30ft high drainage problems in the quarry), looking at old and almost vertical, collapsed along the line of the photographs and from knowledge about karst face, burying both men. In the following report to processes. Reports made by various Greymouth members of the Harbour Board, John Thomson, Harbour Board Engineers over the years have been a Harbour Board Engineer at the time, gives an particularly good source of information about the day explanation as to how this might have happened. to day working of a large limestone quarry and the However he doesn’t seem to have taken into account difficulties of working around a large cave in the how water might have built up in a ‘space’ behind the middle of the main face. Despite this information the face with the weight of the water causing it to fall theory that all the caves may have been part of one outwards after being de-stabilised by blasting. larger system is impossible to prove because the caves GRA, 22 nd March 1902 : ENGINEER'S are long gone with only the 1999 cave’s location REPORT (to the Harbour Board) known. One can only say that it is possible that all the caves have been part of one larger system. “I have the honor to report as follows. I regret to state that an accident took place in the Cobden quarry on It would appear that in the early years of the quarry’s Tuesday, 11th inst., causing the death of two men operation there was very little understanding about Messrs Evan Williams, and John Simmons. ….. At karst processes or how caves are formed, rather just the time of the accident the men were getting stone on the an acceptance of the fact that caves might be found if south side, where work had been in progress since limestone was quarried. Newspaper reporting in this December. The height of the face was about 30 feet and era tended to be philosophical - the ‘that’s what you nearly vertical. Any danger would naturally be expected get’ attitude - rather than knowledgeable. After 1925 from slips coming down the lower and inclined bed on when the quarry was really busy again getting rock to which the stone rested, but in the present instance about again lengthen the breakwaters, successive Harbour 2.30 the whole face fell over at right angles to its length, Board Engineers tended to dwell on the practicalities burying William and Simmons, who were filling trays of blasting – how big a blast, how much rock – rather for the crane. There was no indication of any unusual than thinking through all the problems which might danger, and Mr Walton was watching the work for ensue, including breaking into a cave. Did they even about half an hour before coming over to report progress know there had been historical problems with blasting to me at 11 o'clock that morning. A few days previously due to caves behind the quarry wall? several men with bars examined the top, and on the day For many years the preferred method of blasting was of the accident after a shot had been fired it was driving one or more large tunnels into the rock then examined again. packing chambers at the end of the tunnels with large The verdict at the inquest was that John Simmons and amounts of blasting powder. Some of these tunnels Evans Williams met their death by accident, no blames were quite long, for instance the one driven over a being attached to anyone. ……. Judging by the five month period in 1928 was 81ft long with a cross appearance of the stones after they fell, I think that the drive of 46ft at the end, and the combined length of outer and vertical wall was pushed over by pressure from the three tunnels excavated for the big blast in behind, caused by soft wet clay working its way between February 1932, was nearly 400ft. But as was found on the stones at the back, some of which probably had beds more than one occasion, the chambers at the ends of sloping outwards. This would give the required pressure these tunnels were prone to filling with water which and would account for no indication being seen in the face ran down the bedding planes after heavy rain. This till it came down in one mass.” occurred during final preparations for the 1932 blast but reports of the time indicate that the engineer’s The presence of the wet clay, the main breakdown main concern was how to keep the powder dry. product of the thin mudstone bands in the limestone, There was no contemplation given to where the water may have exacerbated the rockfall rather than being might be going (into a cave) and what effects that the main cause. Photographs taken along the face in might have on the blast. There seemed to be no 1985 and again in the 1990’s (see Figure 5) show a memory that in 1904 all the energy of a major tunnel tendency for the quarry face to bulge out along the blast went into a cave with no rock coming down at bands of mudstone. Perhaps this also occurred in all. 1902 before the face gave way. It’s quite likely that this lack of understanding about karst processes also led to two men being killed on
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Figure 5: View along the quarry face looking east taken in the 1990’s at the time of drilling for a small blast. Note the mudstone band at the point of the slight bulge in the quarry face. Photo: Graham Warriner Despite these problems, quarry safety improved The potential for major rockfall was always there greatly during the busy years of the 1930’s, even after however and as late as 1986 a Quarry Inspector was the large cave was found in 1933. The Harbour expressing concerns about the stability of the western Board took their Engineer’s advice and from then on (lower) end of the main face after blasting in tunnel blasting was abandoned in favour of the slower November 1984 left an arch of overhanging rock (see benching method. Between benching and the use of Figure 6). Not long after a cave was found to the right more modern quarry plant, plus regular visits from (east) of this and all care had to be taken when a blast the Quarry Inspectors, the Cobden Quarry became a was planned near it. far safer workplace from the early 1930’s. In fact there were no major accidents or injuries to workers from then on.
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Figure 6: Preparatory drilling being carried out in the mid-quarry area in 1986. The drilling rig is near the face on the upper bench with a compressed air line running up to it from the compressor truck. Note the unstable area with overhang and arch, the result of blasting in November 1984. Photo: WCRC Collection References to water actually coming out of the quarry 3rd May, 1916, GRA: Extract from face are few, but it’s clear from both newspaper and ENGINEER'S REPORT, GREYMOUTH Harbour Board Engineer’s reports that there was HARBOUR BOARD ANNUAL MEETING quarry run-off both from surficial and underground “Cobden Quarry:— ….. On April 14th an sources. The natural drainage of the quarry is toward extraordinary heavy rainfall caused an unusually large the corner of the present day Kells Hotel carpark and overflow of water from the quarry face, which the new then south-westwards to the Grey River. As a 18in pipe was quite unable to carry away, the surplus consequence the quarry floor was apt to become a water running over the road, in all directions. In swamp. To alleviate this various drainage systems addition to the old box drains which cross the road I were put in place over the years in an attempt to would recommend that a new 3ft by 1ft box about 50 direct water through culverts under to the road and feet long be put in. The cleaning out of quarry drains and away to the river. From examination of rainfall and water tables will be completed this week.” …… flood event records it would appear that heavy localised downpours usually culminated in the 7th December1953, Greymouth Evening Star culverts under the road being unable to cope causing (GES) flooding across Bright Street by Kells Hotel car-park. “STREET ‘TORRENT’ IN COBDEN” In February 1916 a landowner living near the quarry “Portions of Cobden which never previously been flooded complained to the Grey County Council about the suffered this morning, as the result of a torrent which excess water coming from the quarry and the County swept down form the hills in the area of Bright Street Engineer then “recommended that representations be made to between the two hotels. The flow of water across the road the Harbour Board with a view to inducing them to make at the old Harbour Board quarry was no greater than provision for the escape of water complained of through the usual in time of exceptionally heavy rain, but a few quarry to the river.” This was actioned by the Harbour hundred yards to the west a miniature river emerged from Board but the drainage system put in place was no the hills. It is thought likely that the blocking of a big match for the coming early winter deluge. cave in the quarry some years ago produced the change.
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The new ‘river’ reached the street through three properties great expense, put in an alternative system of drains on the north side, including the Cobden Hotel, and, behind the properties on the east side of Bright Street although it did not enter the buildings, it caused damage to alleviate potential flooding of the area after heavy to the sections and gardens. The water raced down Bright rain. Street, cascading over the kerb like a miniature rapid. It In the early 2000’s proof came that there was ‘more was several feet deep at the side of the bitumen and cave’ behind the quarry wall when several exploratory covered even the crown of the road. It was high on the drill holes made into the western or lower end of the wheels of motor-vehicles and the street effectively closed to main quarry face went back into ‘space’ after only a pedestrians. There was one report of a cyclist being swept couple of metres. It had been decided to explore rock off her machine by the force of the current.” reserves in this area because quarrying had actually 9th May, 1958, GES: GREY RIVER IN gone outside the quarry boundary at the other, eastern HIGH FLOOD AFTER STORM end of the face (where the 1999 cave was found). However the lower or western end is also the one The paper had much on this event including a closest to Kells Hotel and some of the houses in note that this was the “eighth flood since early Bright Street, and knowing that any blasting could be summer” and that the “rainfall for the 24 hours to compromised by the presence of caves, with possible 9am Friday morning May 9 th was 3.59” at Karoro and damage to the properties, it was decided to scale 4.78” at the Greymouth tiphead”. Continuing on quarry operations down. After some minor blasting with reports from round the town, the paper in the mid-face area in 2002 and then utilising what then said , “In Cobden a great volume of water poured rock remained on the quarry floor, the Regional from the quarry across the road and there was flooding in Council decided at their January 2005 meeting that lower Ward Street.”…….. they would close the quarry and rehabilitate the site. In 2005, when the West Coast Regional Council In May 2013 the author and two friends checked out announced they were going to close the quarry and the exploratory drill holes made just a few years landscape the site, they invited the local community before. They shone high powered torches into a group ‘Forever Cobden’ to have some input. Long- number of those within reach, but found their lights time Bright Street resident Bill Murphy attended a just disappeared into darkness after about 3m, noting number of meetings on behalf of the group. At an also that a couple of holes near the ground had built early one he asked if the Regional Council intended up minor calcite deposits. The best confirmation that uncovering the creek which used to come out of the there was a space behind the wall actually came from quarry face so the original drainage could be restored two holes well up out of reach. This showed that and thereby prevent flooding of the type which had water flowed out from time to time, water which occurred in 1953. The request was turned down after could only have come from a cave. it was found that the Grey District Council had, at
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Figure 7: Karen Rohloff points to the water stain below one of the exploratory holes drilled into the western end of the quarry face around 2000. The water stain is an indicator that there is space – a cave- behind this end of the quarry wall. Photo: Mary Trayes, 2013 Conclusion improved markedly in the 1930’s with better quarry management and the introduction of Quarry In terms of the 2015 ACKMA conference theme, Inspectors. There were no deaths over the last 75 “Caring for the Country,” one would probably say years of the quarry’s life. And as far as the caves and that in the example of the Cobden Quarry the country fossils go, there is plenty more Cobden Limestone or rather the town of Greymouth (including Cobden), along both the Rapahoe Range and Peter Ridge so hasn’t come off that well. The downsides of 130 odd there are very probably plenty more caves and years of quarrying have not only been the loss of the certainly more fossils. caves, but the deaths of eight men with many others injured, property damage and public disruption from Greymouth wouldn’t be the port town it is today if blasting and ending up with a ‘big hole in the hill’ the breakwaters and wharves had not been right opposite the town. As an armourstone, the established. The port was busy for many years with Cobden Limestone was of fair to poor quality only colliers and coastal traders coming and going and and the breakwaters were only finished when concrete remains a haven today for Greymouth’s fishing fleet. was used to make the heavier blocks needed to The town probably wouldn’t be where it is today withstand the constant heavy seas at the tipheads. either, right by the river, had flood protection works not been carried out over the years. It’s probable that On the plus side the rock was handy to where it was most Greymouth people today would say that having needed and relatively cheap, and the quarry was a the use of their port over the years, plus the peace of steady source of employment, especially during the mind which adequate flood protection has brought Depression years of the 1930’s. Quarry safety
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them, amply justifies all of the downsides engendered past being easily forgotten. If nothing else this paper by 130 years of Cobden Quarry use. is an attempt to bridge part of this gap. Unfortunately the memories of people today about ‘The caves might be gone but they are not such issues are usually short with the losses of the forgotten’
Figure 8: A late afternoon view of the former quarry in 2014. The lower terraces were planted as part of the rehabilitation work but the upper terraces have revegetated naturally. The photograph was taken from the Greymouth Floodwall and looks across the half tide training wall with the new Cobden Bridge at right and the red roof of Kells Hotel at left. Photo: Mary Trayes Acknowledgements Meehan, WCRC; Brian Piner, former quarry contractor; Margaret Mort and Karen Prendergast, The author would like to acknowledge the History House Museum, Greymouth; Dr. Ewan information and help given by the following people Fordyce, University of Otago; Greymouth Evening and organisations in the writing of this paper. Bill Star; Archives New Zealand, Christchurch; Bruce Murphy, Bright Street, Cobden; Sandra Walker, Kells Annabell, Karen Rohloff and Ian Selwood, local Hotel, Cobden; Pat Morgan, Rick Lowe, Mike cavers. Shearer, Kim Thomas and Graham Warriner, former WCB/WCRC staff; Paulette Birchfield and Mike Bibliography Greymouth Harbour Board Engineers Reports, Greymouth Harbour Board Archives, 1906 – 1950; History House Museum, Greymouth. Grey River Argus, assorted articles, 1865 – 1920, National Library of NZ, ‘Papers Past’ (online) Hindmarsh, W.S. Tales of the Golden West, 1906. Hutton, F. W. On some Fossils lately obtained from the Cobden Limestone at Greymouth : Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 20, 1887, pp.267 -69. Hayward, B & Kenny, J. Inventory and Maps of Important Geological Sites and Landforms in the West Coast Region : Geological Society of New Zealand.
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Nathan S. Greymouth Geological Map & Handbook , Sheet S44 1":1 mile, DSIR, 1978. Nathan S. Outline of the Paleontology of the Greymouth District , NZGS Report 67, DSIR, 1974. Englefield, R . Construction Report - State Highway 6- New Cobden Bridge , Ministry of Works & Development, Greymouth, 1975. Temple, S. Engineering Properties of the Grey River Breakwater Armourstone Material , University of Canterbury, Dept. of Geological Sciences, February 2000.
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Environmental impacts on karst in Papua New Guinea Professor David Gillieson Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns QLD 4870 Email: [email protected] Abstract alluvial plains of the Fly and Kikori rivers. Many of these escarpments have large springs emerging at the The extensive tropical karst areas of New Guinea base of the limestone, and in many cases there are combine rugged relief, large sinking streams and very fossil cave passages visible in the cliffs (Gillieson, extensive cave systems. Many of these areas have high 1985). The escarpments are prone to frequent rock conservation significance with largely intact primary falls and landslides which may occur on a decadal rainforest, rich wildlife and virtually no human timescale. The large island of New Britain has presence. They are subject to a range of natural and extensive karst areas on the south coast with the human disturbance processes, including landslides, Nakanai area containing very deep caves and large fires, forest dieback, road construction, logging and underground rivers (Audra et al ., 2011). The Lelet induced settlement. The combination of rugged Plateau of New Ireland has an extensive polygonal terrain and very difficult access mitigates against karst plateau over an area of 500 km 2 and an altitude conventional monitoring based on specific locations range of 1400 m (Gillieson, 1997). Large springs fed and instrumentation to assess impacts on karst from the plateau emerge at the coast. The karst and processes and biota. Monitoring environmental caves of New Guinea are young and are actively impacts in Papua New Guinea (PNG) therefore forming under a humid tropical climate, with involves the integration of satellite and aerial imaging continuing uplift on active plate margin. The techniques with on-ground observations. Current extensive and complex limestone geology with high- approaches include use of moderate resolution angle faulting provides a wide array of expressions of imagery (Landsat, SPOT) to identify areas of change, tropical limestone karst morphology. Extensive karst then high resolution imagery (sub-metre QuickBird, plateau at all elevations are completely covered in IKONOS, WorldView) to quantify extents and polygonal karst terrain with dolines and springs. It is possible causes. This scaling process depends on the likely that the distribution of individual karst types is identification of areas of concern to initiate more more controlled by geology than by altitude or detailed assessments with helicopter, drone and on- climate. There have been no studies of karst processes ground surveys. There is potential for at least two in New Guinea to date. World Heritage nominations for PNG, but their realisation will require capacity building amongst The principal tectonic force for the development of PNG government staff and novel approaches to the New Guinea landmass was been the northward management to conform to World Heritage drift of the Australian continental plate. Following operational guidelines. deposition of Miocene limestones along a slowly subsiding shelf, there was an uplift of the order of Karsts of Papua New Guinea 4000m in the Pliocene. This uplift was accompanied The karst areas of Papua New Guinea occupy about by high-angle faulting by which thick sheets of 15% of the land area, extending from nearly 4000 m limestone moved to create parallel ridges with quite on the Huon Peninsula down to sea level in the complex stratigraphy. Uplift was largely complete by Kikori basin. The major rivers draining the central the early Pleistocene, but minor movement associated cordillera of New Guinea cut through many limestone with the Highland volcanoes has since caused some areas, which typically form steep parallel ridges with local folding and faulting. scarps on the southern side and intervening valleys or The karst areas of New Guinea have been typically plateaux. There are extensive alluviated lowland karst the last lands to be settled in any region. Historically plateaux, one of which in the Kikori - Kutubu area the only uses for the karst areas have been hunting, 2 has an area of 15,000 km . From west to east along forest products harvesting and some very minor the spine of PNG there are karst areas in the Star dispersed settlement. Starting in the 1920s Australian Mountains, Hindenburg Plateau, Muller Range, mining companies showed interest in the natural gas Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands and Huon and oil seepages in the Southern Highlands, and over Peninsula. The karst plateaux and ranges end abruptly the last 30 years there has been extensive exploration, with escarpments from 300 to 750 m high (Francis et drilling and finally exploitation of very large gas al ., 1980; Gillieson & Spate, 1998) descending to the ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 89
reserves. A 220km liquid natural gas pipeline has now expanding road networks and opportunities for work been constructed from wells in the Southern associated with the development. Thus the karst areas Highlands to the coast at Kikori. This will provide a of Papua New Guinea are at a cusp in their history. It significant proportion of the PNG national income remains to be seen whether the Papua New Guinea for the foreseeable future. Associated with such government will enact effective legislation and development is induced settlement, facilitated by management to protect these areas.
Figure 1: Karst areas of Papua New Guinea. Data from http://web.env.auckland.ac.nz/our_research/karst/#karst6
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Figure 2: LIDAR derived contours (5m) of polygonal karst terrain to west of Beaver Falls and north of the Hegigio River, in the Kikori region.
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Figure 3: View of polygonal karst terrain from Figure 2, looking northwest from the Hegigio River
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Figure 4: Unnamed streamsink in the Baia River area, Karius Range, Southern Highlands Environmental impacts on PNG karsts Landslides are widespread in PNG as a result of the combination of steep terrain, heavy rainfall and Small disturbances of less than one hectare are seismic activity. ‘Landslide’ is a generic term for a common in PNG rainforests. The disturbances may range of mass movement processes including be from natural causes such as insect damage, plant rockslides on steep escarpments, rotational slumps disease, natural tree death, wind throw from storms, and bank collapses in deep soils and unconsolidated drought, frost or lightning strikes. Human induced materials, and mudflows along valleys. All of these disturbance at this scale includes forest clearance for processes can be identified in satellite imagery and food gardens, selective logging or fires lit by people. may be visible for decades. In PNG, landslides are Canopy gaps indirectly cause the redistribution of usually triggered by earthquakes or intense rain water and nutrients and affect the dynamics of plant storms. Tectonic instability and the extreme and animal populations. Seedlings and saplings grow ruggedness of the terrain make the highlands very to fill the gap within 6 months, and the forest species susceptible to landsliding, but the extent to which composition may change over time as a result of this regional factors influence the distribution and severity continuous low-level disturbance. of landsliding is uncertain. Rockslides are common on Large disturbances occur on a greater spatial scale, the limestone escarpments and ridges that characterise affecting large areas of forest ranging from many the Southern Highlands. They vary in size from 50- hectares to square kilometres. Such disturbances may 100m wide and 200-600m high (Gillieson and Spate, include natural events such as landslides, volcanic 1998). Landslides are common along the limestone mud flows, floods, fire, frost and drought, or they escarpments of the project area and their debris form may be human in origin such as fires, forest clearing, broad aprons below the scarps. Along many rivers road building, and invasion of weeds. Regeneration of bank collapse is a common process caused by affected areas is successional and the regrowth may be undercutting of unconsolidated sediments by channel similar or different to existing vegetation. migration. Many valleys have been infilled by mudflow deposits which are also prone to these
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collapses. All of these can be regarded as natural • logging processes operating on decadal timescales. Hydrologic change caused by infrastructure (for example, Patches of tree death or canopy gaps may be detected concentration of flow through road culverts leading in aerial photographs of an area. Such patches are to downstream bank erosion) may accelerate bank often attributed to Phytophthora pathogens. Of these, collapse or sedimentation, including within caves the species Phytophthora cinnamomi is the most widely (James, 1993). distributed and the most widely known as causing root rot disease and death in a large number of plant Natural and human disturbance types on karst are species. It is believed that P. cinnamomi originated near specifically: Papua New Guinea and it has also been detected throughout forests in Australia and Asia, and in other • tree fall gaps and forest dieback • parts of the world (Arentz and Simpson, 1986). The induced settlement and associated shifting pathogen favours mild temperatures, areas of high cultivation rainfall (greater than 600mm per annum), and • fires waterlogged soils. It is known to survive for as long as • landslides and mudflows six years in moist soil. • roads and associated infrastructure
Figure 5: Nothofagus dieback on polygonal karst in the Homa region, probably due to Phytophthora cinnamomi. In PNG fire may occur naturally as a result of The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), a measure of lightning strikes or it may result from human ignition. the probability of occurrence of good rainfall, was Lightning strikes are usually associated with heavy strongly negative for each of these years. Records rainfall and rarely lead to forest fires. Fires in tropical show that extensive fires were observed in PNG in forests are most likely to occur in times of severe association with many of these droughts. For drought associated with the El Niño Southern example, the 1997-1998 ENSO in PNG was Oscillation (ENSO), when moisture levels are low. characterised by reduced rainfall and reduced cloud Meteorological records indicate that severe droughts cover, resulting in severe drought and frosts above occurred in PNG in 1896, 1902, 1914, 1982 and 1997. 2200m in the Western Highlands. Extensive fires
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occurred, many of which were started by landowners significant negative social upheaval in villages, with intending to clear land, or by people who believed many overseas logging companies ‘mining’ PNG that the smoke would produce rain (Allen, 2000). forests. Rates of forest loss can be up to 5% per year, amongst the highest in the tropical world. Widespread Road building associated with logging and environmental damage from logging in PNG (Saulei, infrastructure construction provides access to 1984) includes: previously remote and inaccessible areas. Roads also play a major role in opening up new areas to • Damage to stream and marine ecosystems exploitation by hunters, miners and illegal loggers from soil erosion, sediment and nutrient run- (Laurance et al., 2009). Roads can cause erosion, off contribute to wildlife mortality, provide pathways for • Loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction invasion by exotic species and pathogens, and and hunting contribute to loss of biodiversity habitat and long • Forest fragmentation (Figure 6) term forest disturbance. In addition, other linear • Forest conversion to grasslands that may infrastructure such as pipelines and powerlines has increase the likelihood of fires also been found to have significant effects on natural • ecosystems, particularly in tropical environments. In Damage to forest food sources such as sago many instances, such linear infrastructure can create palms • barriers to species that avoid living in or traversing The creation of waterlogged or swampy forest edges, and after heavy tropical downpours, environments with acidic soil silted run-off from infrastructure projects can affect The rugged and mountainous nature of PNG has local aquatic ecosystems. meant that most of the country’s timber extraction is While regulations do exist to control logging, lack of confined to the more accessible coastal lowlands and resources means that compliance checks are rarely offshore islands (Shearman et al., 2009). Illegal logging undertaken. High levels of corruption and is widespread in lowland areas, and this activity is now unsustainability in the forestry industry have created encroaching on karst areas in the Kikori River basin.
Figure 6: Logging on lowland forest in the Kikori Basin, access road typically leads from a riparian wharf into the forest. No rehabilitation of logging roads is carried out.
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Monitoring disturbance using multi-level ground surveys. Thus the concept is to have scaling of remote sensing investigations from coarse to high resolution imagery, triggered by thresholds of interest. The extensive karsts of Papua New Guinea are thus subject to a range of environmental impacts. For example induced settlement might be detected as Monitoring this disturbance is problematic given the areas of cleared rainforest on Landsat imagery. If this difficulty of accessing many areas on the ground. The were close to new roads then high-resolution imagery only practical way of monitoring either natural or would be obtained to quantify the exact extent of the human-induced disturbance is to adopt a hierarchy of settlement and number of houses. Finally helicopter monitoring approaches, combining satellite remote survey, perhaps coupled with a site visit, would allow sensing with aerial survey and imaging and lastly on- identification of the people involved and their rights ground inspections. It can be carried out using to the land being settled. Another example is the moderate resolution satellite imagery such as Landsat detection of logging adjacent to an area of karst in the and SPOT at annual intervals. Areas of interest can be lowland area. Logging roads show up clearly on identified using change detection techniques. If Landsat imagery but the individual snigging or identified areas warrant further investigation then extraction tracks are more clearly seen in high- high resolution imagery can be used, for example resolution imagery. Cable logging is also being used Rapid Eye or Ikonos or World View with spatial but will only show up in high-resolution imagery. resolution between one and 5m. Further investigation These assessments may trigger a site visit using can use helicopter survey or drones to collect specific helicopters to interview the logging contractors. information. Security issues may impede or negate on-
Figure 7: IKONOS near infra-red image of the Hides Ridge area, showing gas wells on polygonal karst. Image resolution is 4m. The areas affected and the length of logging roads in map out the features of interest. Tables of areas of an area can be quantified by importing the imagery impacts in a project area provide a good evidence into GIS and using on-screen digitizing techniques to base for monitoring change. If imagery is obtained on
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an annual basis then it is possible to identify areas of the development of landforms, or significant new natural disturbance, for example landslides or geomorphic or physiographic features; fires and expanded areas of induced settlement or (ix) be outstanding examples representing logging. The availability of high resolution satellite significant ongoing ecological and biological imagery at almost daily intervals makes it possible to processes in the evolution and development of map and monitor rapidly changing impacts such as terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine wildfires and floods. New sensors are being launched ecosystems and communities of plants and with a swarm of smaller satellites, each of which animals; image a given area on the earth’s surface twice a day, and largely solve problems of cloud cover. High (x) contain the most important and significant resolution radar imaging penetrates cloud and allows natural habitats for in-situ conservation of monitoring of persistently clouded areas, but is biological diversity, including those containing expensive when repeat monitoring is required. threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or World Heritage nomination of PNG karst conservation. areas Two tentative sites have been registered with IUCN: A study by Williams (2008) showed that World Heritage karst sites are globally reasonably well The Sublime Karsts of Papua New Guinea comprise three distributed with the exception of arctic and glacial main areas, two on the PNG mainland and one on environments. A number of humid tropical karst sites, New Britain. To the east of the formerly glaciated Star for example Mulu, Phong Nha and South China Mountains lie the overthrust limestone ridges of the Karsts, have been inscribed in recent years. The Bahrman Range, bounded to the south by the massive extensive and relatively unmodified karsts of Papua Hindenburg Wall. The karst terrain here is underlain New Guinea could form a predominantly natural by large caves including Selminum Tem, which is nomination, using three criteria of the World Heritage 25km long (Gillieson, 1985). The Darai limestones are Convention: extremely variable in lithology and interbedded with shales and siltstones. Large springs emerge at the (viii) be outstanding examples representing major contact of the limestone and underlying shales. stages of earth's history, including the record of Neotectonics and mudflows associated with the life, significant on-going geological processes in glaciation have altered the karst drainage. Much of the area is uninhabited and it is in a pristine state.
Figure 8: The massive escarpment of the Hindenburg Wall is 600m high and is subject to frequent landslides. A spring emerges at the contact between limestone and underlying shales.
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The second part of the Sublime Karsts is the Muller the north, intact lowland forests in the south, and the Range in the Southern Highlands, a remote karst area largest block of mangrove forest in the Pacific. The punctuated by deep dolines or tiankeng (James, 2005). Ramsar listed Lake Kutubu is a basalt dammed water Most of the area is uninhabited and is undergoing body formed in karst rocks; its outlet, the Mubi River, little change other than natural disturbances. This may passes through at least two caves. The basin’s natural change with oil and gas exploration active in the area. systems remain in remarkably good condition with To the east is the large polje of the Lavani Valley, limited areas of human habitation. A World Heritage with sinking streams on the drainage divide between listing would provide a better focus for efforts to the Sepik and Fly Rivers. Finally the third part of the conserve biologically important areas and promote tentative nomination is the Nakanai karst of New sustainable economic opportunities such as Britain. There the limestone ranges are punctuated by ecotourism and forest product harvest. The Kikori deep tiankeng intersecting very large underground Basin is also the site of PNG's first major liquid rivers (Audra et al ., 2011). The Muruk cave system is natural gas development. A 220km long pipeline has the deepest in the Southern Hemisphere at 1158m. been constructed and gas is now being delivered to a The ranges and plateau have only a very sparse port near Kikori. Associated road developments will human population, with small villages on the place extreme pressure on the environments of the lowlands. Until recently the rainforests have remained Basin and allow access by loggers. A partnership intact, but logging is now being carried out on the between the pipeline consortium and WWF has led to margins of the area. the declaration of over 86,000 ha of protected areas so far. It has to be remembered that there is very little The only World Heritage property that is genuinely public land in New Guinea and that virtually all areas comparable with the Sublime Karsts is the Lorentz from the highest peaks down to the coast is owned National Park WHA, situated in West Papua at the either by an individual or by a clan. In Papua New other extremity of the Star Mountains. This contains Guinea a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is the extensive glaciated karst terrain and large sinking simplest form of protected area , protecting an area of streams, as well as a wide range of vegetation types land or water while retaining full power by and associated wildlife on an altitudinal transect from landowners to manage their land. WMAs are managed nearly 5000m to sea level. There are current issues of by an elected committee formed by customary illegal logging, wildlife poaching and road landowners. In the Kikori these include the Lake construction which are of concern to the World Kutubu Wildlife Management Area (24057 ha), Neiru Heritage Committee. The Gunung Mulu WHA WMA (3984 ha), Libano WMA (8250 ha) and (Malaysia) is broadly comparable to the Sublime Sulamesi WMA (49800 ha). Further interest has been Karsts in terms of its high relief karst morphology shown by communities to establish other protected and the intactness of its vegetation. It contains some areas within the Kikori Basin. of the longest and largest caves in Southeast Asia, while its rich biodiversity and ongoing ecological Comparable areas to the Kikori Basin include the processes meet World Heritage criteria. The majority Manas Wildlife Sanctuary of India and the of the karst area is under lowland rainforest and is Sundarbans National Park of Bangladesh. Both these uninhabited, and there have been very significant lowland forested areas have large river systems but efforts by the Malaysian government to ensure that have been placed on the World Heritage In Danger management meets the Operational Guidelines of the list. The Central Amazon Conservation Complex World Heritage Convention. WHA makes up the largest protected area in the Amazon Basin (over 6 million hectares) and is one of The Kikori River Basin / Great Papuan Plateau extends the planet’s richest regions in terms of biodiversity. over two million hectares and includes the extinct Smaller areas include the Khao Yai National Park volcano of Mt Bosavi, polygonal karst on extensive WHA of Thailand, which has large areas of riparian Darai limestone and extensive river systems draining rainforest and associated karst mountains. primary lowland rainforest. Nearly all the forest types found in PNG are present, from montane forests in
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Figure 9: Beaver Falls on the lowland Mubi River is fed by karst springs emerging at the contact between Darai Limestone and the underlying Ieru Formation shales It is necessary for a host country to be not only able nomination for either the Sublime Karsts or the to demonstrate that a site meets one or more of the Kikori Basin-Great Papuan Plateau areas could only criteria but that appropriate management is in place to proceed following extensive negotiations with and conserve World Heritage values. Unfortunately, given consent of the traditional owners of the land, the remoteness of the karst areas in PNG, it is combined with significant assistance to PNG difficult to envisage that the Department of government staff from relevant overseas expertise in Environment and Conservation in Port Moresby has karst geomorphology, karst processes and in biology the capacity to manage these areas on the ground and ecology. The financial implications of this are without very extensive community conservation very significant and will undoubtedly require overseas schemes. The development of a World Heritage aid to be realised.
References Allen, B.J. (2000). The 1997–98 Papua New Guinea drought: perceptions of disaster . In Grove, R.H. and Chappell, J., (eds.), El Niño—History and Crisis. Cambridge, White Horse Press, pp. 109–122. Arentz F. & Simpson J.A. (1986) The distribution of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Papua New Guinea and notes on its origin . Transactions of the British Mycological Society 87 (2) : 289-295. Audra, P., Lauritzen, S. E., & Rochette, P. (2011). Speleogenesis in the hyperkarst of the Nakanai Mountains (New Britain, Papua New-Guinea). Evolution model of a juvenile system (Muruk Cave) inferred from U/Th and paleomagnetic dating . Speleogenesis and Evolution of Karst Aquifers, 10 : 25-30. Francis, G., Gillieson, D.S. & James, J.M. (1980). Surface Geomorphology of Some Muller Range Karst Areas . In James, J.M. and Dyson, H.J. (eds.), Caves and Karst of the Muller Range, Sydney, Speleological Research Council pp. 91-100 .
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Gillieson, D.S. (1985). Geomorphic Development of Limestone Caves in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea , Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 29 : 51-70. Gillieson, D. (1997). Slope form and karst soil processes in polygonal karst, New Ireland, PNG . Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 108 :49-62. Gillieson, D. and Spate, A. (1998). Karst and caves in Australia and New Guinea . In Yuan Daoxian (ed.) Global Karst Correlation, Final Report of IGCP 299 "Ecology, Climate, Hydrology and Karst Formation", Science Press, Beijing & VSP Publishers, The Netherlands, pp. 229-266 James, J. M. (1993). Burial and infilling of a karst in Papua New Guinea by road erosion sediments . Environmental Geology, 21(3) : 144-151. James, J. (2005). Giant dolines of the Muller Plateau, Papua New Guinea . Cave and Karst Science, 32(2/3) : 85. Laurance W.F., Goosem M., Laurance S.G. (2009). Impacts of roads and linear clearings on tropical forests . Trends in Ecology & Evolution 24 (12) : 659-669. Saulei, S.M. (1984). Natural regeneration following clear-fell logging operations in the Gogol Valley, Papua New Guinea . Ambio, 13 : 351-353. Shearman, P.L., Ash, J., Mackey, B., Bryan, J.E. and Lokes, B. (2009). Forest conversion and degradation in Papua New Guinea 1972–2002 . Biotropica 41 : 379–390. Williams, P.W. (2008). World Heritage Caves and Karst: A Thematic Study , IUCN World Heritage Series No 2, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, 57pp.
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Cave Animal of the Year Should Australia consider adopting this concept? Timothy Moulds 1 and Cathie Plowman 2 Principal Ecologist, Invertebrate Solutions, PO Box 14 Victoria Park, WA, 6979 1 Lueena, 637 Deviot Road, Deviot, Tasmania, 7275, Australia 2 Email: [email protected] 1 [email protected] 2 species and habitats across Germany and other Abstract countries (Vogel et al ., 2013). The concept is used to The concept of Cave Animal of the Year was raise conservation awareness, as conservation of conceived by members of the Swiss, Austrian and habitats are based primarily on biological aspects. The German Speleological Federations in 2009. The first German “Cave Animal of the Year” was the concept is used to raise conservation awareness, as genus Niphargus, and was chosen as it represents a conservation of habitats are based primarily on true Troglobiont that is colourless, without eyes, an biological aspects. It is firmly believed that this interesting type of movement and a photogenic concept should be adopted by Australia and/or New appearance. Zealand to aid in the promotion of caves, karst and their conservation through the raising of public The German Experience awareness. Minimal direct cash resources are believed Since 2009 a series of prominent and easily seen cave to be required to implement the program of Cave animals have been chosen by the German Animal of the Year. The development of a logo and Speleological Federation including the Herald Moth website are the immediate priorities. Additional funds Scoliopteryx libatrix (2010), the bat Myotis myotis was would allow for printing of promotional posters, chosen in 2011 to coincide with the international Year leaflets and other support material. It is anticipated of Bats, and the Large Cave Spider Meta menardi that additional sponsorships could be obtained (2012). The Germans have used a website linked to all through time from various more broad based national “Nature of the Year” pages. The concept conservation organisations or sympathetic includes information on life history, ecology and the commercial organisations. geographical distribution for each particular animal is The choice of animal for the Cave Animal of the Year available. Subterranean ecosystems, cave protection campaign requires some careful consideration. It and biospeleology are explained as well as a call for needs to be easily available to be photographed so as action. The website includes posters and flyers to enable enough images for the running of a available for download. The committee also produces publicity campaign. The authors are considering the a press release including photographs. Printed Tasmanian Cave Spider Hickmania troglodytes as the versions are offered to all German show caves (Vogel inaugural Cave Animal of the Year in order to create et al ., 2013). The campaign also includes learning and synergies with the Sixteen Legs program being run by training workshops for the determination of common Dr Niall Doran and the Bookend Trust if this is cave species with a special focus on the EU Flora- agreeable to all parties. The implementation of the Fauna-Habitats Cave Animal of the Year will require the launch of the Over the years, the interest of the media in the Cave website, followed by the release of promotional Animal of the Year in Germany has greatly increased material to various educational institutions. The with wide-spread media coverage. In 2012, the authors would seek to announce the first Australian homepage of the Cave Animal of the Year received Cave Animal of the Year 2017 in December 2016. on average 250 hits per week. 9,000 flyers and 250 This would be accompanied by the launch of the posters were distributed (Vogel et al ., 2013). website, and followed up with a presentation on the In 2011, the first European Cave Animal of the Year program at the International Congress of Speleology was declared and Vogel et al (2013) believed that if in 2017. other speleological federations are developing interest Introduction in the campaign, a worldwide initiative should be conceivable. Another easy way to create public The concept of Cave Animal of the Year was awareness could be to declare an “Endangered Cave conceived by members of the Swiss, Austrian and of the Month/Year” on national and international German Speleological Federations in 2009 following websites to raise awareness of a particular cave that on from the concept first used in 1971 for Bird of the may be in danger of damage or destruction. Effective Year, and quickly adopted for over 40 different ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 101
public relation work for the benefit of cave protection The authors were inspired by the Sixteen Legs should be based on the slogan “Acting local, thinking presentation by Dr Niall Doran and the Bookend global and cooperate over borders!” (Vogel et al ., Trust with regards to the level of knowledge and 2013). background that they have obtained during their filming of the Tasmanian Cave spider Hickmania Should Australia and/or New Zealand adopt troglodytes. If it is agreeable to both Niall and the this concept? Bookend Trust then this would be a natural choice The concept of Cave Animal of the Year raised for the inaugural Cave Animal of the Year for particular interest from two ACKMA members when Australia as it is large, easily photographed, is they attended the presentation by Vogel et al (2013) at reasonably well known biologically compared with the International Congress of Speleology at Brno, most cave invertebrates and is about to be the subject Czech Republic in 2013. The idea was raised by of a large publicity campaign as part of the Sixteen Cathie Plowman to present discussion papers at the Legs film. 2015 ACKMA conference to gauge the interest and Implementation level of support for such a concept in Australia and/or New Zealand. The authors firmly believe that The implementation of the Cave Animal of the Year the concept has merit in the promotion of caves and will require the launch of the website, followed by the karst conservation through the raising of public release of promotional material to various educational awareness. After feedback from ACKMA and institutions. The organisers for Cave Animal of the subsequently ASF Conference delegates the authors Year would be required to prepare materials such as have concluded that the concept be kept separate for note sheets, photos, A4 size posters for e-distribution each particular country to simply the choice of animal, and develop a database of organisations that this due to the general lack of common species between material is sent to. The authors would envisage a set Australia and New Zealand. The promotion of the of promotional material being prepared to allow the Cave Animal of the Year should also be kept separate concept to be incorporated into state natural history from being directly part of either ACKMA or ASF museum public education programs, selected schools but be aligned with the values of both organisations and not for profit conservation organisations. We to promote the conservation of caves and their fauna. would seek that these organisations would provide website links to the Cave Animal of the Year website. Logistics and support The website and choice of cave animal could also be Minimal direct cash resources are believed to be linked to other conservation awareness programs required to implement the program of Cave Animal such as the more broadly known Year of of the Year, but support could be obtained from fauna/flora/habitats already in existence. ACKMA and ASF as part of conservation grant programs to allow for the cost of website hosting, The authors would seek to announce the first printing of promotional posters, leaflets and other Australian Cave Animal of the Year 2017 in support material. It is anticipated that additional December 2016. This would be accompanied by the sponsorships could be obtained through time from launch of the website, and followed up with a various more broad based conservation organisations presentation on the program at the International or sympathetic commercial organisations. The Congress of Speleology in 2017. development of a logo and website are the immediate Conclusion priorities. A list of potential sponsors has also been developed for future support. The authors firmly believe that the concept of Cave Animal of the Year should be implemented in Choosing an animal Australia, and plan to pursue this to have the The choice of animal for the Cave Animal of the Year inaugural launch in 2017 to coincide with the UIS campaign requires some careful consideration. It International Congress of Speleology in Sydney. needs to be easily available to be photographed so as Acknowledgements to enable enough images for the running of a publicity campaign. The species or genus must also The authors would like to extend a massive thank you have some pre-existing information regarding its to Barbel Vogel of the German Speleological biology, ecology and distribution as otherwise it Federation for generously sharing this concept at the becomes difficult to provide meaningful pamphlets or 2013 UIS conference in the Czech Republic and then posters to the public. providing access to her electronic presentation for research purposes. ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 102
References Vogel B., S. Zaenker and H. Steiner. (2013). The Cave Animal of the Year – An easy way to wide-spread public resonance. Proceedings of the 16 th International Congress of Speleology. Brno, Czech Republic. Edited by Michal Filippi and Pavel Bosak. pp. 274-276.
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The positive power of connection Sasa Kennedy Parramatta City Council, Jenolan Caves Historical and Preservation Society Email: [email protected] Abstract and past; managers; commercial partners; cavers; scientists; visitors; the local community; those from This paper looks at the importance of building other related cave sites and, crucially, the traditional connections between people and show caves in order custodians or first peoples of that land. to increase productivity and profitability. It also considers the flow-on benefits of these connections in The traditional custodians have looked after the preserving karst and cave sites into the future. country for many thousands of years. It was, is and always will be their custodial responsibility, a fact Introduction which should always be respected by current In 1957 Tilden Freeman (Freeman, 1957) wrote, in managers and staff. his seminal book “Ïnterpreting our Heritage” , “Through In Australia the Aboriginal people, traditional interpretation understanding; through understanding custodians of this land, connected to the land through appreciation; through appreciation protection.” living on their land and travelling through it; through Tilden Freeman worked with the United States ceremony and dance; and through passing on National Park Service and was one of the first people knowledge through storytelling and ceremony which to develop the theories and principles of what we were age and gender appropriate. The result is a now call heritage interpretation. These principles are familiarity with, and deep understanding of, the land followed by all competent interpretive guides and by and the knowledge necessary for sustainable creators of interpretive signage and other media. If management over millennia. we wish to protect our natural and cultural heritage Current and future managers should ensure it is not sites this mantra is worth remembering. only possible, but easy, for custodians to access their Substitute the word connection for interpretation and lands for ceremonial and other purposes and to the mantra still stands, because interpretation is participate in, and contribute to, management largely about creating connections. Our connections decisions. The benefits are significant. Firstly, the to a site lead to understanding, appreciation and sharing of traditional knowledge with management eventually a desire to protect that site. In an era will contribute to sustainability, for example the where governments and institutions are so heavily contribution of traditional fire management practices focussed on commercial interests and ensuring the to ensuring the long-term viability of ecosystems on economic viability of heritage sites, it is essential that karst reserves. Secondly, it will lead to a deeper we remember the crucial power of connection, and understanding of the environmental and cultural foster emotional connections to our sites, in order to heritage values for staff and visitors. Thirdly, and help protect them now and into the future. perhaps most importantly, it enables traditional custodians to remain connected with, or to re-connect There is a broad range of people who should feel with, their lands. connected to cave and karst sites – staff, both present
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Figure 1: Learning about Aboriginal connections to the land at Jenolan How can we build strong, protective connections to must be balanced by sustainability considerations and our karst sites in the present day that will help ensure by how the decision will impact on those people who their sustainability? We must always consider, and are, or should be, connected to the site – site strive to act on, the power of connection when advocates. Without long-term sustainability and making management decisions. We must not be without site advocates and custodians the economic governed solely by economic rationale. Decisions future of any karst site is limited.
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Figure 2: Barry Richard cooks the Australia Day breakfast BBQ at Jenolan It is crucial that staff is connected to their worksite in well placed as advocates for karst values; and engaged order that they care for and protect the site in their staff are often also volunteers. For example the day-to-day actions. On a daily basis it is staff who will Jenolan Caves staff (and ex-staff) are members of the notice when something is amiss and in the long term Jenolan Rural Fire Service, serve on the committee of it is staff who can observe changes over time. the Jenolan Caves Historical & Preservation Society; Connected staff will act on issues as they arise. But volunteer their time on Weedbusting Weekends; more than that - passionate, knowledgeable staff organise the Jubilee Cave Restoration Project; deliver above and beyond their job descriptions. contribute to the Jenolan Caves Show Cave Survey They can influence site visitors through their and work with other speleos to survey the wild caves interpretation of the caves, karst and reserve; they are on the reserve.
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Figure 3: Many Jenolan staff are members of the Rural Fire Service So how can managers ensure their staff are strongly if staff are to fully connect to the site. Without these connected to the site? An obvious starting point is to many will see their job as a stepping stone to ensure best practice training in karst geology, site something better, rather than a future career path and history and interpretation. It is also important that a current passion. staff have a sound understanding of the heritage Where possible, on-site accommodation has the values of the entire reserve, so familiarisations should benefit of allowing staff a deeper insight into the be included in training schedules. individual species, ecosystems and natural cycles, There are other important factors which contribute to which contribute to the heritage values of the reserve. staff engagement and connection. Fair and equitable It also fosters connections between staff, which in treatment, recognition and celebration of staff turn contributes to staff well-being. contributions and a sense of job security are all crucial
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Figure 4: Grant Commins in Coronet Cave As with staff, managers also need to build a deep valued by the greater community will eventually and connection to the resource they control; natural inevitably lose its economic viability. resource managers need to be hands-on managers. A connected manager is an advocate for their site – Not only does a sense of connection have the same one with a powerful voice. A connected manager benefits to be seen with connected staff, but it also understands that the best way to protect the site (and prevents an unbalanced view of the bottom line its future economic stability) is to build connections developing. Managers who are distant from the site, between the site and as many other advocates as in any sense of the word, are less likely to advocate possible. A connected manager is not threatened by for its heritage values and more likely to concentrate the connections others have to the site; they on the career enhancing benefits of economic understand that their karst site is actually enhanced by rationalism. It is perhaps no surprise that our these connections. economically fixated governments are favouring this management style, but in the long term it is not a financially viable option. A resource which is not
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Figure 5: Richard and Stephen Kennedy picking up some tips from John Callaghan In Aboriginal and other indigenous cultures the elders as mentors to current management and staff. We are respected and highly valued for their experience should include them in our social gatherings and and wisdom. In our current culture the opposite is celebrations wherever possible. often the case. In a world where technology is Our tourism and commercial partners also need to advancing so swiftly and knowledge appears to be so feel connected to our sites if they are to deliver the easily attained, the role of the elders is frequently best possible outcomes for us. Respect and warmth overlooked or dismissed. Their knowledge is of welcome, familiarisation visits and invites to special frequently seen as out of date; their wisdom events all contribute to building a connection between undervalued. But if we hope to learn from history our partners and our sites. Connected partners are and utilise the full scope of expertise when making like roving ambassadors for the values of our sites. decisions for our sites we need to value our elders – When they begin to understand, appreciate and even retired staff and previous managers - for their long share our values they can instil a minimal impact ethic connections to our sites, and we need to heed their in our visitors before they even arrive. They can also advice. This is not to say that we should always be in be advocates for our sites in difficult times. As agreement, but it does mean that when weighing up commercial operators they may have access to options we should include their opinions in the powerbrokers that managers of government owned decision making process. We should encourage their sites do not. participation on advisory committees and their roles
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Figure 6: IEC Oceania tour in Orient Cave, Jenolan Along with good commercial relations, good and becoming involved in community initiatives. A neighbourhood relations also bring a range of rewards card which offers discounts to returning benefits. Community members are often volunteers locals or a great site café can also enhance in organisations that help protect karst reserves relationships between your site and the local including bush regeneration, rural fire services and community. clubs which provide support for special events, such Like traditional custodians, cavers will likely have a as Rotary and Lions clubs. It is also worth significant depth and breadth of knowledge of your considering involving local garden clubs in your site. site. Significant contributions made by cavers include Gardeners are often quite competitive, so having two exploration, surveying, making connections, asset groups looking after different garden areas could be protection, reportage of changes in fauna, flora, even better value! Voluntourism initiatives can hydrology, and cave conditions and, both as stretch your neighbourhood beyond the seas by individuals and through speleological associations, emotionally connecting local and foreign youth, the karst advocacy. Clearly they are very important assets leaders of the future, with your site. for your site and, as such, you should encourage Locals can often provide a degree of asset protection, connections between the site and the cave merely by being observant when passing through or community. Strengthen ties by sharing facilities, passing by. They are also a source of excellent word being welcoming and encouraging interactions of mouth recommendations and return visitation between cavers, staff and visitors. Encourage your through bringing visiting friends and relatives to guides to include aspects of local caving endeavours favoured sites. You can help them to connect more in their interpretation. strongly by assisting with fundraising for local causes
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Figure 7: Four Jenolan guides caving with other members of Sydney University Speleological Society As Tilden Freeman said “Through understanding Exceptional and authentic experiences which include appreciation; through appreciation protection”. best-practice, engaging, entertaining and informative Scientific interest in your system should be sought interpretation can build these connections in just one after and strongly encouraged. If scientists are visit. If connections are built, through a well- investigating aspects of your karst you should presented environment; genuine, caring customer engineer opportunities for staff to work with these service and interactive interpretation, visitors will be scientists and assist where possible. In addition create inspired to protect your site; even one-off visitors can chances for staff workshops and seminars in order to become site advocates. build your staff knowledge base. There will be an Of course, return visitors will continue to build advantageous flow-on not just to staff but also to stronger connections, so return visitation should be your site visitors. The science at your site can provide encouraged. Some passionate visitors will continue to a valuable point of difference between your site and return without much effort on your part; by providing other karst areas, but only if it is interpreted meaningful experiences which enrich visitors’ lives effectively. and refreshing the interpretive experiences on offer Given the many attractions and distractions available on a regular basis, you can provide strong incentives to fill our leisure time you may only get one chance to for others to return. build connections between your site and site visitors.
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Figure 8: Catering to the youth market; Breaking the Boundaries tour, Jenolan To build connections through return visitation challenges and games successfully for millennia to managers need to ensure they are catering to all their pass on knowledge from generation to generation. market segments from children to adults and not Children not only grow into advocates for sites which forgetting that frequently overlooked market - youth. hold a place in their hearts from childhood, they are Our traditional custodians understood the importance also very good at educating and influencing their of age-appropriate learning. They utilised storytelling, significant adults. The future resides in our children.
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Figure 9: Junior Explorers children’s activity, Jenolan Connections between our sites and their staff, visitors, goodwill which encourage the search for a win-win management and community are clearly important. situation if disputes occur. However they are not the only powerful connections Both staff and managers need to be protective of we need to forge if our sites are to receive maximum their site, but not territorial. If we agree that to build benefit. Connections between people are also crucial. connections with others is a good thing for the site, Connections between staff contribute to staff well- then we must be inclusive. When all stakeholders not being, which lowers stress levels and improves only feel connected to the site, but feel that their Workplace Health and Safety outcomes. They create contribution and connection is valued, great things informal opportunities for sharing ideas and can happen. knowledge. They also strengthen commitment to the To ensure this inclusiveness occurs, staff need to site. show their passion for the site and be protective of it, Connections between staff are more easily maintained but also share it with generosity and treat visitors as in a well-informed, fair and secure workplace. Social individuals. They should respect and understand the events can help build camaraderie. When staff live on needs of tourism partners and ensure they feel part of or near the site it becomes easier for social the team. Good relations will be obvious to the connections to be built. visitors they bring to your site, who will then be confident in their own welcome. Trust will encourage Social events also strengthen connections between initiatives to be considered and ensure they get an management and staff, as do acknowledgement of airing. As with connections between staff and contributions, opportunities for staff development management, if partners’ personal connections with and celebrations of achievements. Connections staff and management are strong any issues will be between staff and management build trust and more easily resolved.
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Figure 10: David Hay, as James Wiburd, discusses the Binoomea Cut with Bill Mark at a Jenolan Historic Weekend Opportunities should be provided for previous staff capable and willing source of volunteers and can serve to return to site. This allows for the passing on of to strengthen minimal impact practices, a major facet knowledge and connects present staff to their of which is giving something back to the heritage. Likewise, staff and community should be environment. encouraged to build connections through An example is the Jubilee Cave Restoration Project, participation in community organisations including the initiative of a Jenolan guide (ex) who has worked bushcare and rural fire services and through the with a number of caving clubs, a few guides and many opportunity for local community to utilise the site, on TAFE students to remove over 6.5 tonnes (so far) of occasion, for ceremony and celebration. The builders’ debris from the cave, where it had been connections built in this way are more valuable than dumped on flowstone and other crystal. As this any income which may be received for the hire of the debris was not on the route of the tour it was, of site to valued community organisations. necessity, never going to be a priority for cave Connections between staff and cavers should be maintenance. Volunteers can focus on worthwhile actively encouraged as they connect your staff to the projects that do not connect directly to the financial wider speleo community and their vast knowledge needs of management, but contribute significantly to base. Caving experience and caving connections also karst preservation. increase guides’ job satisfaction and make for more Similar connections between staff and scientists can informed interpretation. Another valuable aspect of increase the odds of developing innovative solutions guide-caver connectedness is that it creates access to a to management issues.
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Figure 11: Connecting traditional custodians to staff and visitors, Yarrangobilly Caves While traditional custodians will always maintain their and also to traditional culture. “Through connections to the land, it is important that we do not interpretation understanding; through understanding overlook the importance of connections between appreciation; through appreciation protection”. Your traditional custodians and staff, or traditional cave site can be a bridge for building connections and custodians and visitors. Managers should create goodwill between people. opportunities for staff and custodians to meet, to take Connections across sites, such as those fostered by part in ceremony together, to tell stories, to share and ACKMA, can lead to fresh perspectives, fresh learn from each other. Karst sites will benefit solutions and innovation through sharing of enormously when traditional custodians and staff experience and knowledge. They also build custodians are given the opportunity to build professional advocacy. The sense of belonging to meaningful relationships and genuine respect through something bigger, along with exposure to a range of understanding and shared vision. perspectives, can encourage innovation and Likewise visitors will enjoy learning from traditional development. Professional associations also provide custodians, building their own connections to the site strength of numbers when advocacy is required.
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Figure 12: ACKMA builds connections across karst sites which benefit all For sites under one agency their shared heritage can sustainable management is also based on three lead to valuable connections through staff exchanges, precepts – development which takes into account training assistance and resource sharing. Rather than people, place and profit. In both cases it is seeing each other as competitors they can support connections which preserve our precious sites for the each other to achieve better outcomes for both. future. Personal connections make achieving these outcomes Conclusion far more likely than personal competitiveness. Even between similar sites under different agencies, Traditional Caring for Country is based on building connection and friendly competition can lead to connections to the land through presence on the land; better outcomes. Each site can benefit from exposure performing ceremony for the land and passing on to different ways of doing things and from shared knowledge through storytelling, music and dance in promotion and advocacy. Friendly competition can an age and gender appropriate manner. encourage best practice operations. To Care for Country in the modern era we also need Another exciting possibility when connections are to build connections by being physically and sought and welcomed between karst sites is the emotionally present on our sites, sharing age- chance of developing mentoring connections between appropriate knowledge and inspiration through the strong and the small, the established and the targeted interpretive activities and ensuring developing sites. In such connections we can share opportunities are available for others to connect to knowledge and perhaps resources to help protect the the site in meaningful ways. more vulnerable karst sites, not just in Australasia but Rebuilding an emotional connection to our natural also in the developing world. We can encourage best and cultural heritage is the sustainable way into the environmental practice and advocate not just for future. We must aim for, balance and respect the vulnerable sites, but for vulnerable people. triple bottom line – people, planet, profit – in equal The traditional model of Caring for Country seems to measure if we hope to maintain our sites for future me to have been based on three major precepts – generations. To do this we need to nurture the presence on land, performance of ceremony and connections between people and place, and passing on of knowledge. These three forces built strengthen the connections between the people who strong connections to land and protected that land. Care for Country. In the modern era the best practice model of ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 116
Dedication In memory of John Callaghan, Jenolan guide and custodian, who instinctively understood the positive power of connection and generously shared his knowledge through storytelling and ceremony
References Tilden, Freeman (1957). Interpreting our Heritage . University of North Carolina Press.
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Geotourism in the Limestone Coast of South Australia, an explorative study of interpretation Nina Birss Bachelor of Nature Tourism Honours at La Trobe University, Bendigo. Email: [email protected] Abstract numerous show caves on display in every state, yet there is very little tourism involved in other karst This paper is based on my Bachelor of Nature features or the greater landscape in which these show Tourism honour’s thesis completed last year. This caves are situated. study had two research aims: firstly to explore and identify the current relationship between the This research consisted of two aims; limestone geology of the region and its tourism. To 1. To explore and identify the current address this aim, data from previous literature and relationship between the limestone geology of current tourism resources were used, and it was found the region and its tourism. that there was a strong relationship between the location of surface karst features and the location of 2. To identify and explore how geology as a significant tourism developments. The second aim of science, is used in the interpretation associated this study was to explore how geology as a science, is with the limestone coast. used in the interpretation associated with the The research, as an explorative study, was guided by limestone coast. This aim was explored using four three themes that were identified in the literature: case studies in the tourism region; Engelbrechts Cave, these were geology, tourism and interpretation. These Blue Lake (Aquifer Tours), Tantanoola Cave (Parks three themes provided structure and boundaries to South Australia) and the Naracoorte Caves National the research. The research setting was the South East Park (Parks South Australia). Each case provided a corner of South Australia, an area which has a different approach to the research and presentation of significant tourism industry known for its limestone interpretation. Three key recommendations from this geology and caves. There were four data sets collected thesis were the need to strengthen the relationships for this study these were; analysis of current literature, between science and interpretation; keeping tourism interviews with guides, owners and managers, and interpretation up to date in light of scientific personal observation of guided tours and tourism, research, increasing the links between geology and and the collection of tourism print and web resources. tourism on a broad scale; providing interpretation which focuses not only on individual sites but also the Research Aim One: To explore and identify landscape as a whole, and exploring the possibilities the current relationship between the between public and private collaboration on limestone geology of the region and its interpretative resources, training for guides and tourism. tourism presentation. This research aim was addressed through two Introduction research questions; To begin this paper I would like to mention why I A. How are geological features promoted chose to spend a year researching geology, tourism throughout the Limestone Coast tourism and interpretation. Most of it grew from a strong region? personal interest in caving, but also a University field trip (…and subsequent assignment) which identified B. How many similarities are there between and explored karst features and landscapes. As an geologically significant sites, and significant excited caver I was interested to learn that most of tourism developments? what makes karst special cannot be seen, yet the To address this aim, documents and websites from surface features and underground caverns tell an Parks South Australia and the South Australian incredible story of what is going on. This first brought tourism commission were searched for the use of the me to question, where is the karst tourism? Where is terms ‘geology’, ‘limestone’ and/or ‘karst’. These two the interpretation on the incredible story just under organisations were found to play a key role in the our feet? From the literature addressing cave and tourism and promotion of the region. karst tourism in Australia, it appeared that we have
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Significant tourism, promotion and interpretation of by 'geological focused tourism': the Naracoorte Caves geological sites was determined in an objective way by National Park, Canunda National Park, Tantanoola the researcher’s perspective, strongly supported and Caves Conservation Park, Ewens Ponds Conservation guided through the data collected. Although geology Park, Piccinini Ponds Conservation Park, Beachport was found to be mentioned at, or about, many of the Conservation Park, and Penambol Conservation Park sites throughout the Limestone Coast region, the (Figure 1). By contrast, the South Australian Tourism significance of geology was usually described as part Commission promoted five regions where significant of the main attraction, over other aspects such as bird links to the geology could be identified: Mount life, flora and fauna, or recreational opportunities. For Gambier, Naracoorte, Nelson, Tantanoola and Port example, Parks South Australia presented the McDonnell. following seven park areas which could be identified
Figure 1: The Limestone Coast Tourism Region. Areas of geological interest identified from Parks South Australia shown in purple spots, areas of 20+ karst features, as identified by Grimes et al. (1999) shown in orange squares, and key tourism townships are labelled (Source: Adapted from The South Australian Tourism Commission, 2013). The recognition of significant karst features is work concentration of karst features occurring around that has been done by a handful of authors (Grimes, Naracoorte and an area stretching from Mount 1997; Grimes et al ., 1999; and White, 2005). Grimes et Gambier to Tantanoola and South to the Coast al . (1999) identified many karst sites throughout the (Figure 2). Limestone Coast region, and demonstrated a
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Figure 2: Location of karst features in the Mount Gambier region, red box outlining approximate boundary of the ‘limestone coast’ tourism region (Source: Grimes et al., 1999). Although never explicitly stated in any of the B. How is science and geology interpreted in the collected data, there are numerous similarities Limestone Coast? between the location of tourism promotion and The second research aim carried the weight of the concentrated areas of karst development as identified thesis. To address this research aim, four case studies by Grimes et al . (1999). Overall there were four were used: Aquifer Tours at Mount Gambier's Blue recurring areas that were presented through the Lake; Englebrechts Cave in Mount Gambier; collected data as being areas of major geological Tantanoola Cave at Tantanoola; and the Naracoorte attractions for the tourism region; Mount Gambier, Caves National Park. This research focused on the Naracoorte, Tantanoola and the coastal region use of face-to-face interpretation provided on guided surrounding Nelson and Port McDonnell (Figure 1). tours, and these four cases represent a selection of Research Aim Two: To identify and explore tourism available in the Limestone Coast Region. It is how geology as a science, is used in the acknowledged that there is extensive print and web interpretation associated with the limestone material that could have been analysed here and is a coast topic worthy of future research. The second research aim was addressed through two The data for these particular questions were drawn research questions: from my own observations as a participant on the tours and supported through subsequent interviews A. How do tour guides, managers and owners of with tour guides and managers. My thesis provides a tourism sites engage with science and the detailed summary of each tour describing the way in geology of the region? which interpretation was presented. Common themes
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and styles were identified from these observations in information and content, whilst the last two - relation to each of the above research questions. language and theory/fact - were specific to the presentation of scientific information or geological A. Influences on Engagement with Geology concepts. and Science Adaptability was discussed through the ability of Through discussions with managers and owners it guides to be responsive to their audience, the focus of was apparent that there were regularly occurring the tour, or the particular interests of the visitors. themes that influenced interpretation. These Guides saw this as a key requirement of their job and influences were identified into four categories; is also what sets them apart from other interpretative funding, organisational size, ongoing research or resources such as movies, mobile phone applications, participation, and use of the site by special interest voice recorded tours and audio tours. groups. Funding was a key influence on the level of resource development for guides throughout all sites. Passion was used to describe their job, a sense of pride This was often discussed in association with other associated with where they worked, or the importance difficulties such as political situations, local council they perceived their job in having. This related to how employee’s, media reports or included aspects of how they presented the site to their visitors. the local community was involved in supporting the Personality was used to describe collectively the site. It became apparent that influences on the communication strategies that the guides could use to processes for engagement of tour guides may also be engage with their audience. This included aspects the size of the organisation, as the larger the such as humour, storytelling, and the use of creative organisation the more structure and effort was placed language or analogies. onto developing these interpretative resources. Larger organisations require more staff, and the use of Language encompassed the way in which guides interpretative resources and training allows for guides communicated larger abstract concepts and their use to have a similar knowledge base and allow for of terminology and analogies throughout this. consistency between tours. Another influence Although the overall information and broad concepts identified was the use of the site for ongoing research remained the same the language and terminology used and the involvement of groups such as the Cave to communicate these were dependent on the Divers Association of Australia and those conducting audience it was presented to. research at the Naracoorte Caves National Park. Tour guides were conscious of not presenting Generally this cross organisational use of caves made scientific information as fact , although certain guides and managers feel like they were playing a information that was irrefutable was presented as fact. much more important role in interpreting information When explaining different concepts some guides for their visitors. Guides were appreciative of this would refer to previous theories in their discussion to inclusion and connection, providing their job with justify why the current theory was accepted, or detail more enthusiasm. why further research needs to be conducted. Two of these influences; ongoing research and It should be noted that both the tourism guides and organisation size, were never discussed explicitly in providers were aware of the research I was the interviews. The involvement of special interest conducting and this may have influenced the tours groups was discussed briefly as a recurring response and tourism that I was shown. to interview questions associated with the topic of ‘guide training’. These three influences developed Summary from underlying idea’s and themes that were Throughout some of the interviews it was suggested identified after further analysis. Links between these that guides may be the dominant source of influences were found throughout the documents and information for visitors who are interested in learning interview responses. more about a topic. This referred not only to their B. The presentation and interpretation of own knowledge base, but also to the direction they science and geology in the Limestone Coast could provide to visitors about where to conduct their own research. Guides were viewed as being adaptive From interviews with tour guides, managers and the in a way that non-face-to-face interpretation could not observations of tours, five themes were identified match; their adaptability allowed them to pass on a which related to methods or styles of presentation. range of information tailored to their specific Three of these themes - adaptability, passion and audience. This underlying theme was found to be personality - were related to the presentation of all adopted in the analysis of the combined data sets.
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Although documents were the largest and most geology is just as evident outside of parks and diverse data set analysed for this study, the reserves as it is inside. information that could be interpreted in the space of a Related to the first recommendation, the best single tour far outweighed that of any single non-face- opportunities for increasing engagement to-face resource. In addition, most of the detailed between science and tourism already exist, with interpretative resources only covered one topic whilst Parks South Australia providing irregular but tour guides were able to draw on information and ongoing workshops and presentations for their stories from a range of both topics and sites. guides. There are numerous tourism providers Conclusion: Recommendations and Future outside the parks department who could also Research Opportunities benefit from inclusion in this initiative, and if Parks South Australia were willing to extend an Strengthening the connections and opportunities invitation, this may overcome challenges of between science and tourism limited time, resources and funding experienced Due to the similarities between outcomes, I by non-government tourism providers. An would like to address some of the strategies important aspect of the current training White (1999) proposed for the use of science in programs was their ability to cater for a large karst management and interpretation. White’s and varied audience. Musser (2012) has also 1999 paper reflected on the nature of scientific suggested that an interpretative tour that went in theory as a “constantly changing pattern of depth and elaborated on specific aspects of hypotheses, theories and facts” (White, 1999, p. science or cave tourism could be developed to 2) and that interpretation is more fixed in its address this need. Additionally, one off topic- nature. As such, her key recommendations were: focused tours may represent a unique to address the hindrances between the adoption opportunity for engaging and increasing of new theories, over continuation of the old; visitation from the local community and public. address issues around communication; and Interpretation in this way should focus on telling fifty overcome challenges of limited time, resources million years’ worth of stories rather than a single story and funding. The findings of this study about a fifty million year old cave. suggested that links between ongoing researchers, cave guides, managers, Increasing the links between geology and organisations and special interest groups such as tourism on a broad scale caving and dive clubs promoted engagement Geology, geological processes and scientific with science. Although this study was unable to understanding were reoccurring topics identify signs of a detrimental effect from lack throughout the interpretation and tourism of engagement, guides and managers often investigated in this study. Interpretation for discussed numerous benefits where special these topics was displayed through a diverse interest groups and researchers were regularly range of methods and styles, and communicated involved. through diagrams, maps, metaphors, stories and Engagement with science should be facilitated to ensure the presentation of information and facts. A key that interpretation and tourism is relevant and up to feature identified by this study was the lack of date. interpretation and information available on the Limestone Coast landscape as a whole Sharing of Public and Private Resources geological region. Each site provided Parks South Australia plays a large role in interpretation on the significance of the managing our protected areas. They are geological process to local features, with some involved in the land ownership, management, also providing links as to how the site was tourism, and interpretation of numerous sites influenced by and a part of the larger landscape. throughout the Limestone Coast region. Yet very little interpretation was available which However there are numerous private tourism addressed the region as a whole. operators outside the Parks system in the Additionally this study supported what Joyce Limestone Coast region. Geology may be one of (2010) identified, that there is still a lack of the few nature tourism attractions that can be geologists present throughout tourism and found both inside and outside these protected interpretation. However, the opportunity that areas. As such the Limestone Coast represents an area where tourism and interpretation of ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 122
Parks South Australia’s training provides may be Acknowledgements doing enough to overcome this imbalance. I would like to say a big thank you to Dr. Ruth Tourism providers should consider working Lawrence and Dr. Lesley Hodgson for their collaboratively to develop an interpretative strategy where supervision and guidance throughout the year. I each site has the ability to tell its own story and also would also like to thank the Naracoorte Caves contribute towards a ‘chapter’ in the story of the wider National Park for their generosity and Englebrechts landscape. Cave, Aquifer Tours and Tantanoola Cave for their participation in the study. References Grimes, K. G. (1997). Karst and Caves of the Otway Basin (Southeast South Australia and Western Victoria) . ACKMA Journal, 29(1) , 5. Grimes, K. G., Mott, K., & White, S. (1999). The Gambier Karst Province. Paper presented at the 13th Australian Conference on Cave and Karst Management, Mount Gambier. Joyce, B. (2010). Australia's Geoheritage: History of Study, A New Inventory of Geosites and Applications to Geotourism and Geoparks . Geoheritage, 2, 17. Musser, A. (2012). Off the Track with Bones and Stones: Bringing Jenolan Caves' Past to Life . ACKMA Journal, 89 , pp. 10-12. The South Australian Tourism Commission. (2013). Limestone Coast Visitor Guide. South Australia: The South Australian Tourism Commission. White, S. (1999). Interpretation and it's Relation To Science in Karst Management. Paper presented at the Paper presented at the Proceedings of the eleventh Australian Cave and Karst Management Conference, Mount Gambier. White, S. (2005). Karst and Landscape Evolution in parts of the Gambier Karst Province, Southeast South Australia and Western Victoria, Australia. (Doctor of Philosophy), La Trobe, Bundoora.
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Southern Bentwing Bats Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii at Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia Research, Conservation, Interpretation Steve Bourne Director Operations Naracoorte Lucindale Council Email: [email protected] Abstract invertebrates and land use of the region and each project contributes to the information presented on Bat Cave, in Naracoorte Caves National Park, is one guided tours. of only two known maternity caves for the Southern Bentwing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii, hence site This paper summarises 20 years of research and protection is essential for the long-term survival of presentation of Bat Cave, Naracoorte. the species. The park is a major regional tourism site, Introduction attracting over 40,000 visitors each year, providing an excellent opportunity for raising awareness of bats. Bat Cave at Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Many years’ research has been completed at the park, Australia, is one of only two known maternity sites contributing important information to our for the Southern Bentwing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii understanding of the species. bassanii. Although the park is best known for extensive fossil deposits of Pleistocene Megafauna The Department for Environment and Heritage that led to inscription on the World Heritage list in installed infrared camera technology on a permanent 1994, bats also feature prominently in the park’s basis into Bat Cave at Naracoorte Caves in 1995, research, management strategies and interpretation. thereby developing an excellent non-intrusive wildlife experience. The innovation has been well received by The Bat Cave population is one of the most studied visitors to the park and advances in technology have bat populations in Australia, yet paradoxically, many allowed several upgrades, greatly improving the gaps remain in our knowledge. In particular, the quality of presentations. population decline that occurred sometime between the 1960s and 2000; how large this decline has been Importantly, the Bat Observation Centre provides a and causes for it, remain elusive despite considerable forum for the presentation of research that has been research effort. Technological advances are assisting undertaken at the park. Apart from the bats in population monitoring, but flaws remain in how themselves, researchers have also investigated these data are collected.
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Figure 1: Aerial view of Bat Cave, Naracoorte 2011. Visitors to the park prior to the 1960’s often accessed taken many different angles. Many questions visitors Bat Cave although it appears it was never part of the ask are ones that researchers are trying to determine structured visitor program. This no doubt caused as well, such as “how many bats live in the cave?” considerable disturbance to the bats although there is Integration of this research into the interpretation little mention of the bats themselves in most keeps the product current and relevant. accounts. Evening guided tours commenced in 1985 Bat Cave is a well-protected site with restricted access, where visitors were taken to the entrance of Bat Cave with no easy means for unauthorised access and pest during the summer months to witness the exit flight. control programs in place to minimise feral animals In 1995, four infrared cameras were installed in Bat such as cats and rats. Greater conservation issues exist Cave and visitors could view real time images with no beyond the park for the Southern Bentwing Bats with disturbance to the bats. Advances in technology have over 50 known wintering caves, many on private land. since allowed several upgrades and the Bat The Friends of Naracoorte Caves group embarked on Observation Centre remains a major component of a project to restore two wintering sites and develop a the guided tour program. brochure to raise awareness of bats and their Interpretation in the Bat Observation Centre involves requirements. interpreting behaviours observed and provides the Research, conservation and interpretation of bats are perfect forum for disseminating research. Bat Cave is closely linked at Naracoorte Caves. This paper one of the most studied bat sites in Australia (Bourne, summarises the research and conservation efforts 2010 and Bourne, 2010a) and investigations have undertaken on and near the park.
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Figure 2: Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii Determining the population of Southern In our studies at Naracoorte, three different methods Bentwing Bats were utilised in our attempts to count the number of bats. The first was use a mask to look at various small Early accounts of Bat Cave from when the sections of the exit flight from below the cave entrance. Naracoorte Caves were first visited by Europeans in The mask was designed to allow only a view of the mid 1800s remarkably largely ignore the bats, even approximately 1% of the whole and we simply counted after the first on site manager was engaged in 1885. the number of bats seen though that space. The second park manager, William Redden successfully brought guano mining under control The second was the familiar mark-recapture system. This (Hamilton-Smith, 1998) but made little comment on proved problematic as we found evidence that there was the numbers of bats. This means we have little idea of some kind of social organisation which led to at least numbers prior to a count by Dwyer and Hamilton- some bats roosting and flying in more-or-less stable Smith in 1963-64 (Dwyer & Hamilton-Smith, 1965). clusters. They estimated the population to be 100-200,000 The third was to both measure the roof area covered by based on a mark recapture project and by estimating the juvenile animals and count the number of individuals the number of pups on the cave ceiling. The original per square foot over a number of sample areas. The total data has been lost, but the process of data collection estimate of juveniles which resulted were then used as the was described by Hamilton-Smith in a note to the basis for estimating the whole, using the gender/age author as a contribution to a workshop held at the composition which we had found in catching large 2008 Australasian Bat Society conference. numbers of bats for banding purposes.
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Figure 3: Harp trap set up in Bat cave during the 1960s bat banding project. This count seems to have set the population base, approach and strategies in place to minimise stress to which interestingly increased about 50,000 per decade the bats. Some individuals were observed in chambers in population estimates used in interpretive and at Blackberry Cave, where they had not previously promotional material until 2000, when the number been seen nor since. Apart from the disruption, the was 400,000. One grossly exaggerated claim of dispersal greatly reduced the accuracy of the count. 750,000 was even used of a park guide in the mid Annual video counts by Grant and Reardon from 1970s. 2001 to 2004 placed the population in the vicinity of The Action Plan for Australian Bats (Duncan et al., 30-33,000 in January, just before the season’s pups 1999) states “the number of bats currently using the commence flights outside the cave, with a substantial Naracoorte Bat Cave (100,000-200,000 in December) decline to 22-25,000 recorded in 2008 and 2009. is similar to estimates from the 1960s”. No counts or Although time consuming, this method is quite even an estimate using any scientific methodology accurate, but only provided a snapshot on one or two were used to substantiate this claim. Counts nights per year. commenced the following year highlight the value of The Bat Cave colony along with that at Starlight Cave, long term population monitoring. Warrnambool, Victoria, was elevated to a subspecies Reardon et al. undertook a count using mark- of Miniopterus schreibersii following genetic recapture methodology in 2000 and the population investigations (Cardinal & Christidis, 2000, Appleton was estimated to be 35-76,000 (Reardon, 2001). The et al., 2004). The severe population reduction and program was quite disruptive to the bats, with elevating the colonies to the subspecies Miniopterus individuals and small groups not returning to Bat schreibersii bassanii led to the listing of the sub species Cave after a night’s feeding. This was despite a careful as critically endangered under the EPBC Act 1999.
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Figure 4: Adult female bat with pup, in amongst the cluster. Thermal Imaging of the camera is such that a bat’s body heat is detectable against relatively cooler backgrounds. The In 2008, the author and Terry Reardon from the continuous flight motion of the bat allows each South Australian Museum learnt that Doug Mills of individual bat to be tracked from frame to frame the New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service had using the bat’s instantaneous motion vector to predict a thermal imaging camera and had software to count and detect its position in the next frame (Sabol & bats. We brought Doug to Naracoorte and conducted Melton, 2008). a trial. We were quickly convinced that this technology was what we were looking for, a system Two cameras, Photon 320 30Hz NYSC were that could be easily set up, and once calibrated, could purchased, one with a 19 mm wide angle and the provide accurate counts that did not require days of other with a 35 mm lens. We purchased the highest laborious counting. resolution cameras that the US Military allow to be exported from the US and waited over five months The technology we are using was developed by the for them to be delivered. The paperwork was US military for missile tracking. It was adapted for bat substantial to say the least and I imagine that Terry counting by Bruce Sabol and Eddie Menton of the US and I were the subjects of a thorough investigation! Army Engineer and Research Development Center The cameras record onto NTSC video cameras with and is called the Thermal Target Tracker (T3) System. mini DV tapes. Thermal infrared is a passive sensing technique that takes “heat pictures” by measuring heat radiated by objects. No illumination is required and the resolution
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Figure 5: Thermal imaging cameras set up at Bat Cave. Cool objects are dark and warmer objects lighter with bats at Bat Cave during summer will include the entire more accurate counts gained with greater contrast South Australian population. It is now known between background and the objects being counted. however, that all bats do not return to Bat Cave, with To cool the background, hessian was used and soaked up to several thousand bats found in what have with water prior to the count. This gave an almost traditionally been called “wintering sites” over black background against which the bats appear quite summer (Chris Grant pers. comm.). Regular counts white. This has been replaced with a permanent by Lear (2012) demonstrated that nightly counts colourbond sheet which produces the same effect. might vary by more than 10,000, meaning large numbers of bats do not return to Bat Cave each night Although we now had the technology to undertake and utilise other sites during summer. This questions regular counts, it still required substantial effort to set the validity of Bat Cave counts as an accurate up, record and analyse the data. A request from a population census. Fulbright Scholar from the United States provided the opportunity we needed, someone dedicated to When the counts were undertaken in 1965 by Dwyer utilising the equipment for 12 months. Kristen Lear and Hamilton-Smith, the district had been through a completed over 50 counts during 2011-2012, with the number of extremely good seasons; in fact 1964 was highest population count 40,464 in mid February the wettest year on record (880 mm) for Naracoorte. 2012 (Lear, 2012). After this project was completed, Good wet seasons would produce an abundance of the Friends of Naracoorte Caves continued with food and the entire population could be supported regular counts from 2013-2015. Population counts living in Bat Cave. The 2008 count followed a number have generally been within the range of 33-37,000 at of dry seasons with 2006 the driest year (234mm) on the season peak when juveniles commence flying. record. It is speculative, but it is possible food resources are substantially lower in the dry periods Southern Bentwing Bats only breed at two sites, Bat and male and non-breeding females may use caves Cave at Naracoorte and Starlight Cave at elsewhere to enable breeding females to utilise Warrnambool. It was reported in 1965 (Dwyer & resources closer to Bat Cave. This will be discussed Hamilton-Smith, 1965) that unlike other species of further under determining foraging habitat. Miniopterus , males return to the maternity site over the summer months. This has not been tested since and it has been assumed that if this is the case, a count of ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 129
There is now the capacity to count bats easily and Australia (CEGSA) in 1999. Their teams were only accurately as they leave Bat Cave but there are able to locate approximately 12,200 bats in their limitations with these data. survey conducted over several weekends and made • several recommendations on how further surveys More comprehensive surveys of caves over could be conducted (Mott & Aslin, 2000). One was to summer are required to determine if all bats are survey all known sites over a single day, to reduce the in Bat Cave. chances of bats moving from one cave to another • Further improvements from a total species overnight, to either be missed completely or counted population census would be improved if the twice. We also tentatively explored the idea of same technique could be implemented at surveying Victorian caves as well, as they suggested, Starlight Cave at Warrnambool, but given its but lack of knowledge on sites and availability of location and accessibility appears unlikely. people made this impossible. Accessing Starlight involves a climbing down a cliff, traversing a rocky shoreline accessible only The Department of Environment and Heritage at low tide and climbing back up the cliff into (DEH) coordinated a survey on 6 June 2009. the cave. Members of the Friends of Naracoorte Caves and Cave Exploration Group of South Australia Although we cannot be sure of what percentage of (CEGSA) joined DEH staff with 30 people in six the population is being counted at Bat Cave, accurate teams involved on the day. Surveyors were briefed counts are nevertheless important. Bat Cave is the prior to the count on minimising disturbance, safety, largest maternity site and an understanding of annual and provided maps and guidelines on how to estimate recruitment levels is valuable information. cluster sizes to ensure a degree on consistency. An Winter surveys estimate of 100 bats per square foot (30cm x30cm) was used. Where large clusters are found, each team A survey of wintering caves was undertaken by member was encouraged to independently estimate members of the Cave Exploration Group of South the cluster size and estimates were averaged.
Figure 6: A cluster of torpid bats.
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The survey was also used to gather; restoration activities. Robertson Cave had previously • had an artificial entrance closed in an attempt to Photographs of cave entrances. restore what was thought to be a maternity site • Evidence of feral animals. Cats in particular are (Baudinette et al., 1994), and many more caves were predators of bats in caves. They leave tell-tale identified as requiring restorative conservation works. evidence as they generally eat the entire bat except the wings. Unfortunately, the 2009 survey was no more • Evidence of people using caves, such as the successful at locating what we estimated the total remains of light sources, new graffiti or damage population to be, with only 13,700 bats located. to the cave. Glencoe West Cave had over 5,000 with five other caves with 1,000 or more. Bats were seen in a further • Presence of absence of guano and whether this 13 caves of the 40 visited on the day. A number were was fresh or old, determined by white fungus not visited as landowners refused access and some that grows on old fungus. others have been blocked in recent years. None of the This information was collated by and became the sea caves could be accessed due to high seas so it was basis of classifying for on-ground protection and likely that more bats were in the region but not found.
Figure 7: The winter bat counts attracted the media. Here two volunteers are interviewed by ABC radio – an excellent way to raise awareness of the bats. The 2010 survey included Victorian caves, but despite extremely labour intensive and even with the use of the significant increase in effort, just 14,900 bats were thermal cameras, finding all of the bats in even a small found. An even more determined effort in 2012, cave is a very difficult task. Although more than 50 probably aided by improved experience in surveyors, caves in South Australia have been documented as counted 15,300 bats in South Australian caves with wintering sites, it is likely this is a serious under around 5,000 located in Victorian caves. estimate and many sites are not known. This was recently demonstrated when bats were found in a Wintering surveys are of limited value as a population small cave opened during quarry operations. census, but is useful to determine caves important to the species and the level of use of each site. It is ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 131
Chemical investigations Determining foraging habitat After the population counts of 2000 and the Tracking bats to their feeding grounds is difficult; observations of invertebrate decline, research into they fly fast, at night and cover vast distances. In possible causes commenced. One line of investigation 2004, a small project was supported by DEH to was pesticide residues. The Australian Government gather some information on where Southern Analytical Laboratories tested guano samples for Bentwing Bats went to forage. The work formed part residues, with two compounds of interest, DDE and of the PhD studies of Chris Grant who developed methamidophos detected. Although DDE was used and coordinated the project (Grant, 2004). Limited as a pesticide in its own right, residues are usually the data was collected which suggested bats tended to result of metabolic breakdown of the more widely follow the vegetation along the Caves Range with one used DDT (Mispagel et al., 2003, Mispagel et al., 2004, bat tracked on consecutive nights to its feeding Allinson et al., 2006). Use of DDT was banned in grounds over vineyards approximately 15 kilometres 1987 in Australia, with residues clearly demonstrating from Bat Cave. its persistence in biological systems. I submitted a grant application on behalf of the Twenty bats were sacrificed to allow analysis of Friends of Naracoorte Caves in 2008 which was chemical loading. Analyses were undertaken at Deakin successful, receiving $16,500 from the World Wide University, the Australian Government Laboratories Fund for Nature through the Threatened Species and the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Network. As usual, Terry Reardon from the South Japan. Methamidophos was not detected in tissue Australian Museum offered huge support and greatly samples however, low DDE residues were detected in assisted with the implementation of the project, which most samples. aimed to build on the data gathered in 2004. Ultimately, we hope to identify and conserve habitat A study was also funded to investigate the chemical required by bats for foraging. usage across the South East of South Australia. This project was severely hampered by the lack of Two sessions of radio tracking were completed in cooperation by chemical suppliers (MacDougal, December 2009 and February 2010. We used Holohil 2004). She identified a total of 123 pesticide products transmitters, imported from Canada. The transmitters currently used within major land uses of the region, used are necessarily tiny, weighing just 0.43 grams. An and frighteningly, a small percentage of users not adult bat is 15-16 grams so it equates to less that 3% aware of OH&S requirements relevant to their use of of the bat’s body weight. Transmitters were attached pesticide products! by trimming the fur and using glue. Each transmitter has a slightly different frequency signal to enable The southeast region of South Australia is largely identification of each bat. They operate for up to 21 cleared, with less than 13% of native vegetation days but drop off before that. It is not a cheap remaining (Croft et al., 1999). The majority of land exercise as the transmitters were $200 each and the clearing took place prior to 1960, but there has been plane hire $320 per hour, with the pilot David an intensification of land use since then. Pesticide use McTernan providing his time free of charge. appears to be declining, especially amongst viticulturists as knowledge and awareness (and financial costs) increases.
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Figure 8: Chris Grant (left) and Terry Reardon attaching a transmitter to a bat.
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Figure 9: A tiny transmitter attached to a bat. The tracking sounds simple but in reality is not. The The first two nights of tracking we assigned one plan is that as a bat with a transmitter emerges from ground crew to a bat. The third night we assigned two Bat Cave, it will be detected by a receiver at the cave ground crews to each bat, meaning we could only entrance. A crew in a plane flying above is notified, track two bats from the ground. From tests we who determines which direction the bat has travelled. conducted prior to tracking, we found we had a range Once located, the plane crew provide directions to a of approximately five to six kilometres from the ground crew and they follow the bat. The plane crew plane. While bats are close to Bat Cave, they are then tries to locate another bat and repeats the reasonably easily located. As they venture further the process with another ground crew. A number of distance the plane has to cover greatly increases and issues were encountered; the chance of locating them diminishes. • Bats don’t follow roads making the task of We used Ozi Explorer software on laptops in the following in a vehicle difficult. plane to maintain current location of the plane, direct • Transmitters have a limited range (although ground crews and record waypoints when we passed 15km is suggested by the supplier) over a bat. This collected data on the direction each • Once a bat is lost by the ground crew the plane bat travelled and was coupled with data from ground has to relocate and provide new directions. crews.
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Figure 10: The plane’s flight path for one night’s tracking. Hardly any wonder we all became disorientated! The data set is always going to be small when tracking pointing to more subtle cyclical changes (Bellati et al., a small number of individuals. We tried a different 2003). A more comprehensive investigation by strategy in February 2010, tracking an individual bat Moulds (2006) investigated population cycles related with the plane for as long as we could. Intriguingly, to bat habitation of the cave. He found patterns in this bat left the cave at the same time on consecutive populations related to presence and absence of bats nights, flew the same path and at the conclusion of and confirmed Bellati’s findings that no species had two hours tracking, was in the same location 42km been lost, although the once common cockroaches from Bat Cave. Unfortunately, a storm prevented a are now rare. Moulds (2005) highlights that a third night’s tracking. It is tantalising to think that declining or absent bat population poses a threat to bats find a favoured feeding ground so far from the guanophilic invertebrate faunas that rely on a cave and will fly vast distances to reach this and that it continuous and predictable source of guano. The is not random. removal of guano likewise reduces habitat and compaction by unnecessary visits also destroys Invertebrate Studies microhabitat. The exact relationship between bats and The observed decline in guanophilic invertebrate invertebrate fauna warrants further investigation to abundance also precipitated investigations in this understand what role invertebrates play in lifting direction. The first species list for Bat Cave was temperature and humidity in maternity sites through generated by Hamilton-Smith (Hamilton-Smith, contributing to the composting process. Hamilton- 1967). His observations in 2000 are particularly Smith (2008) posed the question “One of the issues is relevant given his long term knowledge of the site clearly that with the severely reduced populations today, the (Hamilton-Smith, 2000). A study by Bellati temperatures and humidity which once prevailed can no longer determined all elements of the community still exist be attained. Have we reached a point of no return?” This is a even though there had been a drastic decline, possibly serious issue for this species.
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Figure 11: Tim Moulds with field assistant during his PhD research, 2004. Bat Cave Conservation around the cave and a flight path for bats to vegetation. Radio tracking observations by Grant One significant threat to this species is access to (2004) and repeated in 2009/10 suggests the bats tend wintering caves and disturbance while in torpor (Kerr to follow vegetation when moving to feeding areas. & Bonifacio, 2009). Several caves known to be used by bats have been filled in by landowners and access Joanna Bat Cave was also cleaned as part of the to other compromised by rubbish. The Friends of Australian Government Envirofund project, with the Naracoorte Caves cleaned out Cave Park Cave in July majority of work completed by a Green Corps team. 2004, removing 15 200 litre drums of metal and glass Approximately 30 tonnes of rubbish, primarily wire from the cave, as well as a car. A corridor of native and other assorted metal was removed from the cave. vegetation was established around the cave entrance Removing a tank blocking the entrance to the cave and to Mosquito Creek about 300 metres from the proved rather challenging but the entrance is now cave. This corridor contributes to a larger project completely free of restriction. In keeping with the linking areas of remnant vegetation along the Caves aims of the project, the metal was recycled. Range and it is hoped this will provide protection
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Figure 12: Green Corps team cleaning rubbish out of Joanna Bat Cave
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Figure 13: Joanna Bat Cave free of rubbish. It is interesting to note Hamilton-Smith regularly Investigations were undertaken by Dr David observed thousands of bats in this cave in the 1960s McLelland from the Adelaide Zoo. A permit was (from notes with bat banding records), yet in recent secured and ten bats, all males, were caught and sent years no more than 30 had been seen at once. to Adelaide for analysis. The initial analyses identified Although human access was possible around the tank, parasites were responsible for the majority of ulcers it appeared to prevent bats from regularly using the with one attributed to a pox virus. This is particularly cave. Just a few weeks after the tank was removed in significant as pox viruses, as far as we could October 2004, several hundred bats were seen in the determine, had not been previously found in bats cave. (McLelland et al., 2009). Samples were submitted to the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Victoria, Such a good result for conservation would not have Gribbles Laboratory and to a parasitologist Dr Ian been achieved without cooperative landowners. Beveridge at Melbourne University. Disease outbreak David and Dr Wayne Boardman from the Adelaide In September 2009, one of the Naracoorte Caves Site Zoo, Celia Dickason from PIRSA and Terry Reardon Interpreters reported seeing something that appeared from the South Australian Museum undertook further to be an ulcer on an adult bat via the infrared investigations at Naracoorte. Rather that euthanasia, cameras. A visit was made into the cave for a closer operations were conducted under anaesthesia - a inspection to determine whether this was a single particularly delicate exercise! We trapped 125 bats and occurrence or something more sinister. The cave visit operated on 18. Interestingly, ulcers were more raised serious concerns as over 50% of the bats prevalent on male bats with females generally inspected had white raised ulcers 1-2mm across, all on pregnant and healthy. Very pleasingly, the percentage bare skin. I contacted people who had previously of bats with ulcers was much less and they were been involved with the December 2008 investigation generally less severe than were observed a month into lesions found on pups and received an excellent earlier. The majority of ulcers were determined to be a response. Ten bats were caught and sent to Adelaide nematode parasite Riouxgolvania beveridgei , which was for emergency testing. described in 1965 from specimens found in Miniopterus in Queensland (Bain & Chahoud, 1979). ACKMA Cave and Karst Management in Australasia 21 Naracoorte Caves , South Australia , 201 5 138
Figure 14: Celia Dickason and David McLelland operating to remove ulcers from bats for analysis.
Figure 15: The delicate surgery.
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These investigations were generously supported by Breeding seasons from 2009 to 2014 have been more PIRSA who treated the outbreak as a biosecurity risk. favourable and recruitment appears to have been The support from Adelaide Zoo vets, testing more successful. The counts however, do not indicate laboratories and universities was outstanding and an any significant increase in numbers. It would appear excellent network has been established should the the species is particularly susceptible to dry need arise again. conditions, as they rely on cave water for drinking in the cave, particularly while lactating (Codd et al., 1999) In 2006, pup mortality was high with the dry season and surface water to produce a healthy insect suggested as the cause (Bourne & Hamilton-Smith, population as a food source. 2007). The 2008 season saw similar mortality but some pups had lesions as well as malnutrition.
Figure 16: Bat pup with severe lesions and injuries. The cause for such severe injuries has yet to be determined, and only observed in 2008.
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Figure 17: Dying pups on the cave floor, December 2008. National Recovery Plan for the Southern 6. Compile and maintain databases to aid in the Bent-wing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii management of the subspecies. bassanii 7. Establish a long term monitoring program for the A draft recovery plan was released in early 2015 Southern Bent-wing Bat. (Lumsden & Jemison, 2015). The specific objectives 8. Facilitate and promote community interest, of this recovery plan are to: understanding and participation. 1. Develop techniques to accurately estimate the 9. Provide direction and guidance to the recovery of the population size at the maternity sites and undertake Southern Bent-wing Bat and review the success of this regular assessments of population numbers to Recovery Plan. thoroughly document population trends. Research at Naracoorte Caves National Park over the 2. Determine the main cause/s of the recent decline in past 15 years has sought to build our knowledge of numbers of Southern Bent-wing Bats, and develop this subspecies of Miniopterus schreibersii , and has targeted, rapid management responses. attempted to address, or at least start addressing some 3. Protect the maternity sites and other key non-breeding of the objectives in the recovery plan. The lack of sites. progress highlights the challenges in studying a fast flying, nocturnal, cave dwelling animal. At the time of 4. Protect and enhance foraging habitat around the writing, two students have commenced PhD projects maternity sites and key non-breeding sites. and it is to be hoped this is the start of a coordinated 5. Clarify the taxonomic status, distribution and and concentrated effort to further increase our population structure of the Southern Bent-wing Bat. understanding of Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii.
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Figure 18: Composite image used for promotion of bat tours at Naracoorte Caves. References Allinson, G., Mispagel, C., Kajiwara, N., Anan, Y., Hashimoto, J., Laurenson, L., Allinson, M. and Tanabe, S. (2006). Organochlorine and trace metal residues in adult southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) in southeastern Australia . Chemosphere 64 :1464-1471. Appleton, B. R., J. A. McKenzie, and L. Christidis. (2004). Molecular systematics and biogeography of the bent-wing bat complex Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31:431- 439. Bain, O. and Chabaud, A.G. (1979) Sur les Muspiceidae (Nematoda-Dorylaimina). Annule de Parasitologie. Baudinette, R. V., Wells, R. T., Sanderson, K. L., and Clark, B. (1994). Microclimatic conditions in maternity caves of the bent-wing bat, Miniopterus schreibersii: an attempted restoration of a former maternity site. Wildlife Research 21 :607-619. Bellati, J., Austin, A.D., and Stevens, N.B. (2003). Arthropod diversity of a guano and non-guano cave at the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area, South Australia. Records of the South Australian Museum Monograph Series 7, 257-265. Bourne, S.J. and Hamilton-Smith, E. (2007). Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii and climate change. The Australian Bat Society Newsletter 28 :67-69. Bourne, S.J. (2010) Bat Research at Naracoorte. Journal of the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association. No. 78. Bourne, S.J. (2010a). Bat research at Naracoorte. The Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 34, 24-29. Cardinal, B. R., and L. Christidis. (2000). Mitochondrial DNA and morphology reveal three geographically distinct lineages of the large bentwing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 48 :1-19.
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Codd, J. R., B. Clark, and K. J. Sanderson. (1999). Drinking by the common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii and calcium in cave water. Bat Research News 40 :9-10. Croft, T., Carruthers, S., Possingham, H. and Inns, B. (1999). Biodiversity Plan for the South East of South Australia. Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs. Duncan, A., Baker, G. B. and Montgomery, N. (1999). The Action Plan for Australian Bats . Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia, Canberra, ACT. Dwyer, P. D., and Hamilton-Smith, E. (1965). Breeding caves and maternity colonies of the bent-winged bat in south-eastern Australia. Helictite 4:3-21. Grant, C. (2004). Radiotracking of Miniopterus schreibersii at Naracoorte, South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage, Mt Gambier. Hamilton-Smith, E. (1967). The Arthropoda of Australian caves . Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 6, 103- 118. Hamilton-Smith, E. (1998). Much ado about very little: bat (Miniopterus shreibersii) guano mining at Naracoorte, South Australia . Australian Zoologist 30(4). Hamilton-Smith, E. (2008). Miniopterus bassanii : Some comments on its endangered status. Unpublished note. Hamilton-Smith, E. (2000). Report on current changes in biodiversity of the Bat cave, Naracoorte World Heritage Area. Report to Department for Environment and Heritage. Kerr, G.D. and Bonifacio, R.S. (2009). Regional Action Plan for the Southern Bent-wing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii in the South East of South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage. Lear, K. (2012). An American in Australia: Monitoring the maternity colony of Southern Bentwing Bats (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) at Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia. Journal of the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association. No. 86. Lumsden, L. F. and Jemison, M.L. (2015). National Recovery Plan for the Southern Bent-wing Bat Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii. Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) East Melbourne. MacDougal, S. (2004). Toward the conservation of Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii: An investigation into the patters of pesticide use in the lower south east region of South Australia. Unpublished honours thesis, Deakin University, Victoria. McLelland, D.J., Boardman, W., Bourne, S., Dickason C., Kessell, A., Hyatt, A., Middleton, D., Beveridge, I., Clark, P. and Reardon, T. (2009). Investigation of Nodular Skin Disease and Pup Mortality in Southern Bentwing Bats (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) at Naracoorte Caves, South Australia. Wildlife Disease Association. Mispagel, C., Allison, G. and Allinson, M. (2003). Pesticide residues in the Southern Bent-winged Bat. Report to Department for Environment and Heritage. Mispagel, C., Allison, M., Allinson, G., Iseki, N., Grant, C., and Morita, M. (2004). DDT and metabolite residues in the southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) of south-eastern Australia. Chemosphere 55 :997-1003. Mott, K., and Aslin, F. (2000). Distribution of Miniopterus schreibersii in wintering sites throughout the south east of South Australia. Project 7/82. National Parks Foundation of South Australia. Moulds, T. (2005). Guanophilic invertebrate ecology and conservation in caves. Proceedings of the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Conference, Westport, New Zealand. Moulds, T. (2006). The seasonality, diversity and ecology of caverniculous guano dependent ecosystems in southern Australia . Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Adelaide, South Australia . Reardon, T.B. (2001). Population size estimates and conservation of the Southern bentwing bat (Miniopterus bassanii) in South Australia . Report to Wildlife Conservation Fund Committee. Sabol, B.M. & Melton, R.E. (2008) Users Guide: The Thermal Target Tracker (T3) System (version 1.0) for Censusing Bats in Flight.
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Abstracts only Putting a Little cave in a Big perspective: Suggested walking trail concepts and signage for Tantanoola Cave in its surrounding landscape setting Ian D Lewis (CEGSA) and Jake Manser (DEWNR) Email: [email protected] Tantanoola Tourist Cave is a surprise, located in a small roadside cliff in an unexpected location. This beautiful cave is small but its strong claims to fame are its excellent condition, a richness of abundant decoration, great photography, ease of access (no steps, allowing wheelchair access), short walking distances and its local history.
However, it is far more unique than that. The cave shares its location with another quite different but equally individual and striking cave, Tantanoola Lake Cave. Both caves are in a small ridge of dolomite, a strong pink rock in total contrast to the Gambier and Naracoorte creamy non-mineralised fossiliferous limestone sheets that contain approximately 1000 recorded caves and karst features across the region.
At Tantanoola, the limestone has been heated and injected with mineralised fluids from a nearby volcanic range – simmered, cooked and then baked. The colours, shapes and relationships of the two caves give insights into their formation, development and conversion by the effects of volcanism. New insights into these processes are exciting!
Many visitors nowadays want to understand the ‘big picture’ and this increasingly includes geology and landscape – now being referred to as ‘Geotourism’. The evidence in each cave provides major clues to the story of the surrounding landscape. This provides interpreters with the opportunity to present a far wider and more varied environmental story than the interior of the Tourist cave alone.
The ridge containing the two caves has a circular walkway giving views across the region. One of the Tantanoola Guides, Jake Manser, has been developing appropriate track signs for the walk explaining the broader story of the landscape seen by the viewer. These allow visitors not only to understand the setting of the caves, the dolomite and the volcanoes, but to see the region in a much wider perspective.
The walk and its interpretive signs therefore are intended to become a significant part of the Tantanoola experience. Jake’s signs will be shown and discussion encouraged. A small, beautiful, peaceful cave has a large and powerful regional story to tell! The contribution of 60 years of CEGSA exploration, discovery, mapping and science to the Naracoorte and Tantanoola Caves Ian D Lewis (CEGSA) and Jake Manser (DEWNR) Email: [email protected] Organised speleology began here in 1955 with the formation of the Cave Exploration Group of South Australia (CEGSA) in Adelaide and the South East as an affiliate organisation of the South Australian Museum and the University of Adelaide. CEGSA was fostered by a number of researchers and academics from both institutions. This is significant because it set in place a series of aims, objectives and standards which have provided a guide to CEGSA, its members and activities in the 60 years since.
A particularly strong ethic of cave mapping was begun from the start. Major CEGSA maps of Blanche Cave, Tantanoola Lake Cave, Kelly Hill Cave and other caves significant to the State were made in the mid-to-late 1950’s and are still being used today. Thus a large and strong database was established which set standards for those of us who came along later with further survey work. Scientific research being undertaken now is still able to use these maps for environmental, biological, palaeontological, geological, conservation and management assessments half a century after the maps were made!
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Speleological contributions to Naracoorte beyond maps have covered bat research, electrical resistance and seismic tests, Radio Direction Finding relating caves to surface features and several publications – CEGSA’s Cave Reference Book (1976) and the public ‘Discover Naracoorte Caves’ book which sold 5000 copies over 20 years, now followed by a well-presented National Parks booklet.
In recent years, CEGSA has been broadening its interaction with other societies and agencies, moving from exploration and recording to contributing to future management of what are now recognised as rare features with particular values and characteristics. Speleological contributions to Naracoorte are now shared across university groups and cavers, such as the decade-long program of Latrobe University Environment students undertaking annual cave study assignments. Recent studies of all the CEGSA maps has explained their geology, location, genesis and development, impossible if a research team had to undertake mapping that occurred over a 50 year period!
But it’s not all CEGSA now. CEGSA is working with university and Scout groups with the specific aim of educating modern care and conservation ethics, cave leadership and cooperation by working together rather than speleologists proceeding in different directions unrelated to a common goal as in the past.
If time permits, a demonstration of a new on-line tool will be shown where caves are being detected in the Naracoorte and Mount Gambier areas! Why ACKMA? The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to cave and karst management Dan Cove Email: [email protected] The management of any natural resource or protected area is a complex matter. Decision-making is likely to have long term implications upon the resource, and may potentially lead to change that is undesirable and irreversible. Karst areas and the complex cave systems they contain are amongst the most complex natural areas to manage. Human use of karst areas for recreation, particularly involving mass tourism though also encompassing scientific activities and caving, can pose extreme challenges in sustainable management whilst also offering excellent opportunities for broad public education and scientific advancement. Successful long term management requires integration of current scientific understanding and the furthering of underlying scientific knowledge regarding natural karts system practices and understanding of the effects of human activity including development within cave systems. Additionally, it requires understanding of the cultural importance of karst landscapes to indigenous peoples and of the demands of cultural heritage preservation. It requires integration of the social sciences and of the role of cave based tourism within the recreation opportunity spectrum. It requires taking an effective approach to on site interpretation, as well as embracing opportunities for outreach and educational possibilities. Finally, sustainable management requires a pragmatic approach to financial sustainability, recognising the real cost of natural resource protection and that the achievement of this objective requires responsible business planning and management of financial resources. Given that it is exceptionally unlikely that this diverse skillset will be possessed by an individual, the existence of a supportive multi-disciplinary organisation such as ACKMA is a vital component in achieving broad management objectives. As a support network and repository of experience and real examples from a range of karst areas, ACKMA can assist in providing current and future management of Australasian and International cave and karst sites with the tools and knowledge required to guide information long term sustainable decision making.
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Whither ACKMA? Andy Spate and Steve Bourne Email: [email protected] ; [email protected] Whither … lose vigour or vitality or freshness or importance, decline, languish, decay … Oxford English Dictionary
ACKMA was created in 1987 from the Cave Tourism and Management Conferences initiated by the Australian Speleological Federation (ASF) that ran from 1973 and 1979. In 1981 the Sixth Cave Tourism and Management Conference was organised by the Augusta Margaret River Tourism Association under the aegis of the late Keith Tritton with little or no input from the ASF. The Fifth conference in 1983 was in the Buchan region again with little ASF input. The Sixth and Eighth conferences were held in New Zealand. In 1987 Andy Spate organised the Seventh Cave Tourism and Management Conference without any support from the ASF. It would seem that ASF had small input into the conferences after 1979.
Elery Hamilton-Smith and Andy Spate realised in 1986 (or before) that ASF had little to offer cave guides, cave managers and cave scientists (rather than ASF speleologists and cavers) and promoted the idea of a separate organisation. The Australasian Cave Management Association (ACMA) was duly formed at Yarrangobilly in May 1987 at the Seventh Conference – only to have its name changed two years later to the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association (ACKMA) – recognising that there are more than just caves involved.
In the early years of ACKMA we lifted the standard of cave guiding/interpretation and management dramatically. But this seems to have declined in recent decades in many sites – with some very notable exceptions such as Jenolan, Waitomo and Capricorn Caverns.
We are now in 2015 – 28 years later. We have had a wonderfully successful and comprehensive Journal under the editorships of Kent Henderson and Steve Bourne; many successful biennial conferences; amazing AGMs (a substantial proportion of the membership went to Mulu for the AGM in 2010) and the overseas memberships in South Korea, Canada, the UK, Ireland, the USA, Bermuda, South Africa and Ireland are evidence of ACKMA’s success. A few ACKMA useful consultancies … Successful involvement overseas in Bermuda, Slovakia and South Korea at ISCA Congresses and elsewhere ... Guide training … Scientific meetings … Websites … The ACKMA DVD … ACKMA members on international committees …
We have been effective and are recognised as such internationally. BUT: we have a static/declining membership, amongst other organisational issues. We also see how the autonomous site manager position is now being increasingly buried in bureaucracy in a system that views show caves as cash cows that pour visitors in one end and money out the other. Is this what the public wants? Is this what we want to deliver?
SO: Where do we go from here?
We present a history of ACKMA and discuss its successes (are there any failures?) and ask for debate and ideas on how to make our own Association better and more effective.
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Conference acknowledgements and introduction Welcome to the Conference It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 21 st ACKMA Conference at Naracoorte, South Australia. I’ve enjoyed seeing the registrations come in and as they did to think about each delegate I know and to look forward to meeting those I don’t.
The conference program showcases sites of high significance on national and international levels, namely the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area (the Australian Fossil Mammal Site – Naracoorte [AFMS]) and the Bool Lagoon and Piccannie Ponds Ramsar Sites). Along with others there is much to interest conference attendees. Most of the places we’ll visit are administered by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), a State government agency.
In 1999 the 13 th ACKMA conference was based out of Mt Gambier and field excursions visited sites to which we will return this time. The program is designed so those of you who were at the 13 th conference will see what has occurred in the intervening years and for those of you who haven’t been to them before – you will learn interesting natural and cultural histories. There are management challenges and successes to hear about.
By 1999 Naracoorte Caves National Park had been listed on the World Heritage register for five years along with its sister site, Riversleigh in North Queensland, so the developments at Naracoorte Caves were quite new. Three specific things stay very clearly with me – the excitement of site staff who had recently seen bats drinking from stalactites in Bat Cave (viewed from the Bat Observation Centre via the infrared cameras in the maternity cave below); the interpretive display in the Park’s Visitor Centre, the Wonambi Fossil Centre and watching the palaeo research team and listening to Professor Rod Wells at the fossil bed in Victoria Fossil Cave. The bats can still be seen, via the same mechanisms, to drink that way; the Wonambi Fossil Centre continues to please and Flinders University based paleontological research continues in various ways. The fossil story, how it lead to the listing of Naracoorte Caves as a site of international significance and associated research endeavours will be presented early in the conference by Professor Rod Wells and student-turned-colleague Dr Liz Reed.
A year ago a Federal government grant enabled DEWNR to establish the position of Executive Officer (EO) World Heritage responsible for helping ensure the Department’s World Heritage obligations are met. One such obligation is to encourage ‘community’ to engage in their World Heritage site and this is achieved through the input of the Interagency-community Reference Group. EO Dr Amy Macken will explain.
Bool and Hacks Lagoons, 20km south of Naracoorte, and Piccannie Ponds on the south coast were declared Ramsar sites in 1985 and 2010 respectively. An important purchase in 2009 brought the Sand Cave Block into the reserve system. Lying adjacent to the Robertson Cave Block the addition adds a lovely cave to the existing suite. DEWNR staff will join us at these sites and explain their significance and the considerable conservation effort that is maintained at each site.
I wish to say a most sincere thank you to Ken Grimes for his contribution again to the field guide. Once more his geological expertise will help delegates decipher the karst and volcanic landscapes. The paper presentations cover a range of topics and together with informative outings, excellent food catered by the Naracoorte Caves Café, some nice local wines and good company I am sure this will be another memorable ACKMA Conference.
Deborah Craven-Carden, Conference Convenor Naracoorte, May 2015
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Acknowledgements - Support for the conference The conference has not had the benefit of any sponsors or the backing of a government agency, although DEWNR staff assisted throughout. We are grateful for the following individuals and organisations for their assistance.
Decima McTernan, Snr Guide NCNP; Amy Macken, WH EO, NCNP; Ros Jones, Team Leader Caves Café; Phoebe McArthur and Jacqui Secker, Caves Café cooks; Brian Robins, District Ranger; Peter Tucker, Woodland Ecologist; Steve Clark, Wetland Ecologist; Tim Collins, Regional Manager – SE Region
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Conference Photo, Naracoorte, South Australia (Steve Bourne. photo)
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List of delegates 49. Barry Richard 50. Robyn Richard (alphabetically arranged) 51. Regina Roach
1. John Ash 52. Chester Shaw
2. Ann Augusteyn 53. Dave Smith
3. Nina Birss 54. Andy Spate
4. Steven Bourne 55. Dirk Stoffels
5. Lisa Brooks 56. Robert Tahi
6. John Brush 57. Carl Taylor
7. David Butler 58. Mary Trayes
8. Dale Calnin 59. Rauleigh Webb
9. Deborah Carden 60. Samantha Webb
10. Peter Chandler 61. Katrina Wills 11. Judy Christensen 12. Brian Clark 13. Marjorie Coggan 14. Daniel Cove 15. Pat Culberg 16. Tony Culberg, OAM 17. Kirsty Dixon 18. Judith Dixon 19. Brett Farquarson 20. Lesley Farquarson 21. Josh Fisher 22. Grant Gartrell 23. David Gillieson 24. Ken Grimes 25. Rosemary Hatfull 26. Nick Heath 27. Amanda Hinton 28. David Holdsworth 29. Julie Holdsworth 30. Cameron James 31. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Julia James 32. Sasa Kennedy 33. Ian Lewis 34. Moira Lipyeat 35. Catherine Loder 36. Prof. Richard Mackay, AM 37. Dr Amy Macken 38. Greg Martin 39. Ted Matthews 40. Savannah McGuirk 41. Dr Timothy Moulds 42. Kevin Mott 43. Dr. Anne Musser 44. Lily Petrovic 45. Miles Pierce 46. Rhonwen Pierce 47. Graham Pilkington 48. Cathie Plowman
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