ADVENTURE TOURS AT NARACOORTE

B. D. CLARK

Over the past ten years visitor activity at the Naracoorte Caves has shown two general trends.

'Show' cave visitation is decreasing - while 'wild' cave visitation is increasing; both trends being regarded as undesirable.

To reverse these trends two specific management strategies have been implemented:

Public reaction to these tours has exceeded expectations and the potential for future expansion is high.

Some conflict between recreational cavers and the full potential of adventure tours must be resolved before further development of this concept at Naracoorte.

During the last ten years visitation to Naracoorte Caves showed two general patterns:

  1. The day visitor who arrives by car or coach, sees two of the three show caves, has a cup of coffee and leaves after a 1½ - 3 hour stay.
  2. The 'weekend caver' who arrives on Friday night, leaves on Sunday, wants to see everything - especially the best - and naturally enough wants to see it all on the same weekend.

Regrettably, management of the caves and access approval has been irregular and without documented guidelines. The 'weekend caver' generally got what he asked for with the result that too many of the wrong people were getting into the wrong caves for the wrong reasons.

From these two patterns certain trends could be predicted fairly reliably.

  1. day visitation rates will drop because we are an 'old product' - nothing new is happening so there's nothing new to see.
  2. 'weekend caver' numbers will increase because anyone can get in with very few questions asked. The Naracoorte Caves are regarded by many as little more than a subterranean playground.

Neither trend will be simple to turn around. However, with the release of a draft management plan in 1986 came the opportunity to introduce some initial changes. Although funding to re-draft and publish the final management plan is not yet available, management of the caves has been very closely aligned with the recommendations of that first draft released for public comment. The draft plan recommends the adoption of a report on cave classification by Davey et al, in 1981 and each of the 26 known caves within the Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park has been classified accordingly.

Access to special purpose caves is now more rigidly controlled with recreational caving being directed to those caves classified as adventure and wild.

The 'subterranean playground' trend is now dying - slowly and painfully maybe, but, it is dying.

Another issue raised in the draft plan was the possibility of operating guided tours - for inexperienced people - through the adventure caves. This suggestion was seen as one way of overcoming the 'old product' trend and the Naracoorte Adventure Tours were quietly introduced during Easter 1986, just to test the water, so to speak.

These first tentative tours were offered at $3/head for a one hour crawl into Blackberry Cave (part only). A minimum group size was set at 4 and a maximum was set at 10. Participants provided their own overalls, boots and torches and for their $3 got a guide, a hardhat and very dirty! Prior to entering the cave the guide briefed the group on appropriate behaviour to protect themselves from the cave and the cave from themselves. During the tour the guide pointed out features of interest and explained how they were formed, discussed cave navigation and safety while endeavouring to impart some understanding of the cave environment.

After each tour the guide and the participants were informally surveyed to gauge the potential of the idea.

In general, it was found that:

  1. the price was too cheap!
  2. unless asked, the guide was wasting energy giving technical information. Participants were too excited to take it in.
  3. respect for the cave environment was enhanced.
  4. a 'sense of achievement' was felt and most participants wanted more of a challenge and were prepared to pay more for it.
  5. the dirtier they got - the more they thought they'd had their money's worth.

With all this in mind we offered the following tours during September school holidays. Blackberry Cave was offered on the same basis but priced at $5/head and Stick Cave (also $5/head) was offered as an alternative or an extra for those who wanted more. The price was about right, the guide saved some breath and all scheduled tours - plus extras - were profitable and highly successful. Except that most participants still wanted more.

Other than a poster display near the ticket office, promotion of the Adventure Tours had been solely by word of mouth. After September, when word started to get around a bit more, we were no longer an 'old product' -with something now happening at Naracoorte the media took an interest. Numerous radio, television and newspaper interviews about the Adventure Tours have generated a renewed interest in the caves in general.

Media exposure generated widespread interest in Adventure Tours and by December 1986 advance bookings from as far as Adelaide and Melbourne were not uncommon. Still the potential for Adventure Tours at Naracoorte was not yet fully explored.

In January 1987 more challenging excursions to some of the wild caves and (parts only) caves of outstanding natural value were offered at $15/head (minimum 4 - maximum 6) for a 2 hour tour. This offer was made only to people who had participated to the guides satisfaction in tours to Blackberry and Stick adventure caves.

While these 'standard'(?) Adventure Tours have been successful and continue to operate as required, during Easter 1987 "The Adventure Tour for Everyone" was tried in Tomatoe Cave. Steel steps were hastily installed, a 'safe' pathway prepared and the cave lit with candles. Five tours/day - limited to 20 persons/tour were scheduled, but demand was such that 6 to 7 tours of 25 to 30 persons was what eventuated. A very successful exercise.

There is still scope to extend the Adventure Tour programme at Naracoorte, however a potential conflict must first be addressed and satisfactorily concluded.

Excursions to special purpose reference caves (part only) where parties under strict supervision by a guide could be directed away from specified areas would greatly enhance the concept without putting the special feature of that cave at risk.

However, the 'weekend caver' still reeling in shock will most certainly want to know why such novices are permitted entry to areas where they, experienced, responsible 'speleologists' that they are, are not?

Reference

DAVEY, Adrian, WORBOYS, Graeme AND STIFF, Clyde (1982) Report on cave classification, Cave Management in Australia IV, pp 11-18 [in error as Worboys, Davey & Stiff]