Proceedings Of UNDER WAY 2003 2nd – 8th January 2003 Bunbury, Western Australia 24th Biennial Conference of the Australian Speleological Federation Incorporating 3rd Australian Cave History Seminar 6th Australian Karst Studies Seminar UNDER WAY 2003 Proceedings 24th Biennial Conference of the Australian Speleological Federation Incorporating 3rd Australian Cave History Seminar 6th Australian Karst Studies Seminar Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, Western Australia UNDER WAY 2003 – 24th Biennial Conference of the ASF Page 1 The Under WAy conference thanks all its sponsors and supporters for their willing assistance and support PRINCIPAL SPONSORS SPONSORS NETWORK Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd PACKAGING DARLOT GOLD MINE SUPPORTERS Cape Mentelle Vineyards Fremantle Arts Centre Press Paddy Pallin Cape to Cape Publishing Jaycar Electronics Snowgum Condello’s Liquor Stores Margaret River Beverages Swan Brewery Epson Mountain Designs Bunbury Vertical – climbing & caving harnesses OFFICIAL AIRLINE: QANTAS Contributors to ‘Margaret River Made’ raffle The Berry Farm The Candy Cow Cape Lavender Margaret River Chocolate Company Margaret River Fudge Factory Margaret Riviera The Melting Pot Glass Studio Olio Bello Stellar Ridge Estate Page 2 UNDER WAY 2003 – 24th Biennial Conference of the ASF Thank You - from the Organising Committee We had wonderful support from all of our sponsors – we couldn’t have done it without you. We thank in particular, our principal sponsors: § MainPeak – John Mustard § CaveWorks – Robyn McBeath § Ngilgi Cave – Liam Kinsella § CALM – Anne Wood § Devils Lair Winery – Manny Loucas Additional thanks to all other sponsors, supporters and contributors. For those who helped with or/at the conference, we wish to thank, in order of appearance: § Wayne Jefferies for his assistance posting our website information. § Michael Whitworth for helping us set up at the school. § June MacLucas, Chris and Ray Gibbons for the art show set-up and handling. § Greg Thomas for speleosports logistics and lots of other help. § Darren Brooks for helping during the conference. § Dennis Sarson for his input in co-judging the photographic competition. § Eve Taylor, Melissa Dolman, Cathy Brown and Grace Matts for reading papers for absent presenters. § Liam and Jenny Kinsella, Neil Taylor, Anne Wood, Tracey Robbins, Rob Klok, Jane Scott, Robyn McBeath and Stefan Eberhard for giving up their Sunday to help us with the bus trip. § Bob Kershaw for his rapid data entry of the Survey Stakes data. § Paddy Morris for lending us, bringing (and working on) the climbing wall for the speleosports. § Arthur Clarke for his photographic expertise. Finally we wish to express our appreciation to the management and staff of Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, for all their help in running the conference. · · · · · · · · · · · · · Published in Perth, 2004, by the Australian Speleological Federation Incorporated. ã Copyright 2004. All individual submissions in this publication are Copyright by the respective authors or organisations, unless otherwise acknowledged. ã Copyright 2004. All other parts of this publication are Copyright by the Australian Speleological Federation Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publishers or the authors concerned. UNDER WAY 2003 – 24th Biennial Conference of the ASF Page 3 Photos Around the Conference Clockwise from top left: Welcome BBQ; Auditorium crowd; Bus trip participants; Discussion outside Ngilgi Cave; Lunch in the dining room; ASF meeting; Display of poster presentations. Page 4 UNDER WAY 2003 – 24th Biennial Conference of the ASF Contents Presentations are listed alphabetically by Author’s surname Conference Timetable ................................................................................................................... 7 Profiles of Presenters.................................................................................................................... 10 Official Opening - Brian O’Brien .................................................................................................. 16 Karst Studies Presentations Dune Subsystems of the Swan Coastal Plain – Lex Bastian ............................................................... 31 Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis Update, the Yanchep Cave Area, WA – Lex Bastian..................... 36 Water Loss in Caves of the Yanchep Region – Lex Bastian................................................................ 45 A Little Plane, a Big Plain and Very Many Feet; The Finding Of Thylacoleo – Ken Boland ................. 52 Cave Fauna & Cave Ecosystems in Southern China – Arthur Clarke**............................................... 55 New Troglobitic Cave Fauna Species in Tasmania, including Apparent Species Varieties of the Southern Cave Harvestman: Hickmanoxyomma cavaticum – Arthur Clarke**.............................. 56 Documentation and Ground Exploration of Nullarbor Karst – Paul Devine .......................................... 57 Anchialine Systems in Australia – Why are they so interesting? – Dr Bill Humphreys** ...................... 62 An Eclectic Review of Subterranean Biology in Australian Waters – Dr Bill Humphreys**................... 63 Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge – Stefan Eberhard**......... 65 Environmental Hydrology and Stygofauna in the Jewel Cave Karst System – Stefan Eberhard**....... 65 Carbon Dioxide and Climate in Jewel Cave – Stefan Eberhard & Neville Michie**.............................. 66 Recent Advances in Radiogenic Isotope Mass Spectrometry: Implications for Reduced Environmental Impact of Speleothem Paleoenvironmental Studies – Dr John Hellstrom**.......... 67 New Discoveries of Articulated Well-Preserved Megafauna from Nullarbor Caves – Dr John Long**....................................................................................... 68 Arthropod Ecology of Bat Cave, Naracoorte, SA – Timothy Moulds .................................................... 69 Troglobitic Spiders of the Nullarbor Plain – Norman Poulter OAM....................................................... 74 Troglobitic Spiders of Research Cave 6N-327 – Norman Poulter OAM............................................... 83 Underwater Helictites from the Nullarbor – Jill Rowling ....................................................................... 86 Cave Aragonites of New South Wales – Jill Rowling ........................................................................... 94 Surface Tufa Deposits of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge – Jane Scott................................................ 106 Caves under your House – Paul Tholen .............................................................................................. 108 Karst Features in Pleistocene Dune Limestones, San Salvador and New Providence Islands, the Bahamas – Susan White & Nicholas White ........................................................................... 110 Presenter Photographs ........................................................................................................................ 121 General Presentations Protecting the Intellectual Property in Cave Site Locations – Sandra Boulter...................................... 122 Labyrinth Cave Survey – Michael Bradley ........................................................................................... 127 Inside Karst (slide show) – Andrew Eavis** ......................................................................................... 130 Solution Pipes and How to Make Them – Ken Grimes ........................................................................ 131 Syngenetic Karst in Australia: A Review – Ken Grimes ....................................................................... 138 Cave Diving Exploration in Western Australia – Paul Hosie................................................................. 149 Cave Diving Exploration of Australia’s Top End – Paul Hosie.............................................................. 153 The ASF’s Web-based Karst Index Database – A Brief Update – Michael Lake ................................. 157 Cave Rights Revisited – Norman Poulter OAM.................................................................................... 160 Caving for “Pink Puffers” and “Blue Bloaters” – Garry K Smith ............................................................ 164 Pilchers Mountain Caves – Garry K Smith ........................................................................................... 174 Walkway Technology – Neil Taylor** ................................................................................................... 182 Karst Abuse in Western Australia – Rauleigh Webb ............................................................................ 183 Where are the Cave Conservation Projects in Australia? - Rauleigh Webb......................................... 187 Managing Caves and People in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, WA – Anne Wood................ 190 UNDER WAY 2003 – 24th Biennial Conference of the ASF Page 5 Contents Cave Photography – Getting Started – David Wools-Cobb.................................................................. 195 Cave Photography – Getting Good Photos – David Wools-Cobb ........................................................ 199 Presenter Photographs ........................................................................................................................ 203 Cave History Presentations