Cave Mania 2005 Proceedings Downunder at Dover 25th Biennial Conference of The Australian Speleological Federation 2nd–9th January 2005 Edited by Albert Goede and Stephen Bunton 25TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPELEOLOGICAL FEDERATION Cave Mania 2005 Cave Mania 2005 Proceedings Contents From the Conference Convenor Karstcare – Stephen Bunton 1 Cavers Looking after Caves and Karst David Wools-Cobb 29 Rodney Dillon’s Welcome to Country Stephen Bunton 2 The Tsingy de Bemaraha Pinnacle Karst of Western Madagascar Opening Address Arthur Clarke 32 By the Honourable William Cox AC RFD ED, Governor of Tasmania 3 Karstic Phenomena in the Keynote Address Namakabroud Area of Northern Iran Speleo Mercenaries – Hakimi Asiabar, S., Khakzad, A., Caving in the Age of Globalisation Bahar Firoozi, Kh. and Tabatabaie, H., 33 Alan Warild 5 Poster: A New Hydrogeological Map Presentation: of the Mole Creek Karst System Cave Biology for Biology Teachers Rolan Eberhard 37 Stephen Bunton 9 Tasmanian Caves and Karst – An Overview of Cave Areas and the Looking Forward, Looking Back Invertebrate Cave Fauna in Tasmania Ian Houshold 38 Arthur Clarke 10 Tasmania’s Cold Caves: Bioluminescent Glow-Worms: an Island of Alpine Karst Is there a Difference between Cave and Rainforest Populations? Kevin Kiernan 40 David Merritt, Niu Changying, Poster: Claire Baker and Glenn Graham 11 Thermokarst at Marine Plain, East Antarctica Poster: Kevin Kiernan, Anne McConnell Arthropod Ecology in a Bat Maternity Cave and Eric Colhoun 49 Timothy Moulds 13 Synthesising Stalactite Morphology Karst and Subterranean Wetlands Damian P. Marrick and Julia M. James 50 – Opportunities for Recognition Poster: of these Environments in Australia Landscape Evolution of the Jay Anderson 14 Naracoorte Karst Area in the Late Cainozoic Susan White and John Webb 51 Karst Management in WA – an Overview of the Current Situation A Brief History of Surveying Jay Anderson 20 the Bullita Cave System Bob Kershaw 53 Poster: The Destruction of Exploration and Surveying the Harman Valley, Victoria in Lechuguilla Cave 2002 - 2004 Ken Grimes and Reto Zollinger 28 Jenny and Gary Whitby 59 25TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPELEOLOGICAL FEDERATION Cave Mania 2005 Lava Caves of the Big Island, Hawaii Bullita Cave System Aerial Photo Jenny and Gary Whitby 60 Bob Kershaw 96 Lechuguilla – an Eight Day Expedition The ASF’s National Karst Index Database – David Wools-Cobb 61 an Overview of the Updating Features Karst in the West Kimberley – Mike Lake 97 an Overview and Update Video Seminar: Ross and Jay Anderson 64 Digital Photography– Its Limitations and Ways Around them in the Cave Environment Poster: An Update on the Exploration Angus R. Macoun 97 of the Nullarbor Karst Workshop: Ken Boland 69 Digital Imaging for Cave Photography Phil Maynard 98 Poster and Interactive Workshop: Is It a Cave and How Long Is It? Workshop: John Dunkley 70 Fine Tuning Your SRT Rig Alan Warild 99 Madagascar Mystery - a documentary film featuring the Tsingy de Bemaraha Karst of Fourth International Cave Art Exhibition, Western Madagascar Dover, Tasmania Nicolas Gabriel 74 June MacLucas 102 Early Maps of Tuglow Caves – Speleosports the Bracewell Collection Stephen Bunton 105 John Dunkley 75 Cavemaniacs’ Dinner Poster: Stephen Bunton 107 “Very Interesting, Very Beautiful… and Full of ASF Awards 2005 Curiosities”: some historical material relating to caves at Mole Creek John Dunkley 108 Rolan Eberhard & Ian Houshold 81 Photo Competition Awards 110 ‘Fast’ Karst – an Introduction to Cavemania Fieldtrips Tasmanian Cave Tourism in Stephen Bunton 111 the years 1840 - 1950 Cavemania Participants 112 Nic Haygarth and Arthur Clarke 87 Problems of Surveying the Bullita Cave System – the Longest Cave in Australia Bob Kershaw 92 25TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPELEOLOGICAL FEDERATION Cave Mania 2005 Published in Hobart November 2005 by CaveMania PO Box 198 • North Hobart • Tasmania 7002 for The Australian Speleological Federation Inc PO Box 388 • Broadway NSW 2007 ABN 15 169 919 964 CaveMania 2005 Downunder at Dover Proceedings of the 25th Biennial Conference of the Australian Speleological Federation Inc. Printed by The Xerox Shop • 118 Bathurst Street •Hobart © 2005. All individual submissions in this publication are copyright by the respective authors and/or organisations. All rights reserved. No part of this publication is to be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publishers or the authors concerned. Front Cover: Tyrolean traverse in Vallina Cave, Spain Photo by Ignacio “Nacho” Rafael. Back Cover: Jenny Whitby on a lava tongue in the Olaa section of Kazumura Cave, Hawaii. Photo by Gary Whitby PHOTO: JULIA JAMES 25TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPELEOLOGICAL FEDERATION Cave Mania 2005 FROM THE CONFERENCE CONVENOR Stephen Bunton It is vital that the cavers of Australia belong to a viable national body and for almost fifty years the ASF has been that body. To maintain such an organisation requires an enormous amount of work by quite a number of very dedicated individu- als. In the past I have felt unable to commit myself to such tasks. Besides the everyday endeavours necessary to maintain ASF, the two major entities which provide the lifeblood for our organisation are the newsletter, Caves Australia and the biennial conferences. When it became Tasmania’s turn to host the 25th Biennial Conference of ASF, I realised that here was something that could be done to serve the cavers of Australia. There is no doubt that organising such an event as this requires a great amount of work and I am indebted to the following people for their assistance. Primarily Arthur Clarke was the other driving force. Having been to previous conferences more often and more recently than myself, he was able to advise me on the culture of these events, the necessary protocols, expectations and meeting schedules. He also organised the Photo Competition rules and entries as well as liaising with Rodney Dillon and the overseas visitors including chasing up their abstracts and papers. During the conference he played host to numerous people who stayed at his place in Francistown. Robyn Claire, his partner, offered sage advice on many occasions and ensured that the Artshow and Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Exhibitions became a reality. June MacLucas was the organiser of the Artshow and PHOTO: JOE SYDNEY PHOTO: was assisted tirelessly by her husband George. Steve Phipps The Convenor, Stephen Bunton, welcomes His Excellency The was and still is, a most meticulous and diligent treasurer. Dean Governor of Tasmania, William Cox, at Dover District High School. Morgan ably maintained the website. Albert Goede helped organise the abstracts, programme of papers and assisted in would like to thank sincerely our sponsors for their support editing these proceedings. Greg Middleton helped with the and generosity. In particular I mention Aardvark Adventures proofreading. for the abseil of the Gordon Dam which was a highlight for It was decided to hold the conference in Dover because, many cavers, Anvers Confectionary who provided their su- besides offering the special old-world charm of regional perb truffles, Cadbury-Schweppes for the chocolate so well Australia it was closer to the Hastings and Ida Bay caves and known to cavers, Cascade Brewery for that other essential this made the running of fieldtrips easier. Tasmania’s tourism conference ingredient: beer, Events Tasmania for financial industry is endowed with a number of high-profile conference support, The Hastings Experience for the Newdegate Cave venues but holding our event in Dover was much cheaper and tours, adventure cave tours and the BBQ facilities at Hastings in many ways more suitable. CaveMania would not have been Thermal Pool, Lark Distillery for thank yous for the present- such a success without the use of Dover District High School ers, Mountain Designs for prizes for the Photo Competition, and I would like to thank the Principal, Peter d’Plesse, for al- Nick McKim, Greens MHA for Franklin for his donation, lowing us to use the school and for the generosity and support Qantas for discounted airfares, Snowgum for prizes for the of his staff; cleaner Alanna Hudson and IT teacher Trevor Speleosports and stationary and Walch Optics for the prize Henwood. Mike Foley and Denise Young of Far South Wilder- for the Photographer of the Year. ness Backpackers Inc. accommodated and fed the majority of Since moving to Tasmania in 1986, I have become very CaveMania participants. Mick Williams ably transported most proud of my adopted home and the lifestyle I enjoy. There- of us around the various venues. Esperance Multi-Purpose fore I was very happy to show off these aspects of my life to all Centre lent us their data projector and screen. Australian cavers. It is no surprise that the thing I missed most, CaveMania provided an ideal opportunity to showcase vari- when I moved to Hobart, was the long-standing friendships ous Australian and Tasmanian products and services and so I I had made in Sydney. CaveMania was a great opportunity 25TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPELEOLOGICAL FEDERATION 1 Cave Mania 2005 FROM THE CONFERENCE CONVENOR STEPHEN BUNTON for me to catch up with old friends and rekindle relation- me when I said it would be a good time. As is turned out, it ships. CaveMania also introduced me to many new friends was great and so were they! and put names to the faces that I read about in Australian I would like to thank those members of Southern Tasma- cave literature. nian Caverneers who could not be persuaded to attend the I would also like to say thanks to the many people who conference but were willing to run fieldtrips, most notably stepped up on the spur or the moment to help in the day to Ric Tunney, Janine McKinnon and Phil Rowsell. They believe day running of the conference, the self-starters, those with that caving is to be done and not just talked about.