Cave Exploration in South Australia

Abstract

A REMARKABLE series of discoveries made in the course of cave exploration in South Australia is described by the Adelaide correspondent of The Times in the issue of January 16. The caves are situated in the Nullarbour Plain, which itself is not the least remarkable feature in the geography of South Australia. It is a treeless expanse of some 38,000 square miles in extent, which has made a deep impression even on the imagination of the aborigines; for it figures prominently in their legendary lore, one belief being that it is the home of an immense serpent, which devours human beings who enter its province. At different times a number of attempts have been made to explore the caves of the Plain, but without marked success. The present expedition was carried out by a party of nine, of whom the leader was Capt. Maitland Thompson of Port Lincoln. It started from Ceduna in November last. A number of caves were examined, of which the most impressive was the Koonalda Cave, situated sixty miles from Eucla. The entrance was in an almost vertical shaft and was reached by ladder. Passing through a chamber eight hundred feet in circumference, the exploring party penetrated for more than half a mile to a narrow passage leading to a subterranean well fifty feet in diameter; while another tunnel was followed to a distance of 2,400 ft. from the entrance until the passage forked and further progress was blocked by water. An interesting piece of evidence of previous penetration was found near the well in the form of an impression in the sand of the foot of an aboriginal.