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INTRODUCTION

  1. After discussion at the second conference on Cave Tourism and Management (Hobart, May 1977), it was resolved that the Australian Speleological Federation should be asked to form a Commission, which would act to arrange future conferences and other related matters. This request was submitted to the next meeting of the Federation in January 1978, and the commission was duly established with the following terms of reference:
    (i) to convene future conferences on Cave Tourism and Management, with other appropriate bodies where desirable;
    (ii) as requested by such conferences or by individual management authorities, carry out other functions which may assist to develop the standard of cave tourism and management in Australia.
  2. The present conference speaks for itself. It has the widest representation of the conference series to date. We are grateful to the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service for their support and involvement. From within the Federation, several members of the Cave Exploration Group of South Australia, particularly Ed Bailey and Graham Pilkington, have played a major part.
  3. Also pursuant to a resolution of the Hobart conference, a Cave Management Newsletter has been established and circulated. Thanks are due to the National Parks Service of Victoria for their assistance in printing both issues to date. Comments on the Newsletter are welcome. The first issue included a summary of Cave Classification proposals to date, again as requested by the Hobart conference.
  4. At the request of the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Environment, a management plan has been prepared for the Yallingup Cave, which is under the management control of the Busselton Tourist Bureau. Also, in conjunction with the Federation's Commission on conservation, a resource management study of the Nullarbor Plain has been undertaken for the Environment Protection Authority of Western Australia. The first report of this study has been submitted and the second is currently in the final stages of preparation. Roy Skinner, co-convenor of the Commission, has also prepared a report for the National Parks and Wildlife Service of Tasmania on proposals for development at Mole Creek.
  5. Several other activities of the Federation have a close relationship to the work of the Commission. The Conservation Commission has prepared several proposals for submission to land management authorities, including one on Wyanbene Cave, New South Wales and a major submission to the Western Australian Environment Protection Authority on the Kimberley region. The report of the National Heritage Commission study on evaluation of caves and karst is in its final stages. Nick White and Elery Hamilton-Smith presented a paper on this study to the International Speleological Congress in Sheffield (September 1977); John Watson and Elery Hamilton-Smith have submitted a paper on cave and karst management to the forthcoming International Conference on Indian Ocean Studies (Perth, August 1979); Elery Hamilton-Smith has been commissioned by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to prepare a resource paper on Caves and Karst as one element in the World Conservation Strategy.
  6. At the Federation's meeting in Perth (January 1979), a report on the commission's activities was presented. Some concern was expressed that the involvement of the commission in tasks such as the preparation of management plans was making excessive demands of some members' time. It was felt that although there was no intention to turn the Federation or its commission into a professional consultation service, at least some payment should be sought for members of working groups engaged on such projects so that the members of working groups could more readily be recruited on the basis of real expertise rather than merely their availability of time. Thus, it was resolved that:
    This meeting views favourably the concept that whenever the Federation provides professional advice on karst or cave management to land management authorities, then the costing of such advice should include a reasonable recompense for the time spent by study team members.
  7. We look forward to the Fourth conference (venue to be decided) and to any further involvement in planning for the future of Australia's caves.

Elery Hamilton-Smith April 1979

RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONFERENCE

  1. This Conference recommends that where cave classification is adopted as a management strategy, then the following principles should be observed:
    1. That the purpose of a classification system is to enable the optimal use and protection of cave resources in a positive way;
    2. That classification should take account of the place any specific karst area and/or features occupies within the total national estate;
    3. That the applications of any classification system should be integrated with overall management planning and action and in the first instance should be confined to caves subject to on-site management;
    4. That cave classification should be carried out by a work group on which relevant interests are represented;
    5. That having introduced a classification system for a managed area, on-going mechanisms for new classification, changed classifications and review of the classification should be adopted;
    6. That a classification category (or sub-category) of any particular karst area or feature should be based on stated criteria rather than a subjective assessment, to provide a baseline for review when required, as knowledge, use and demand change;
    7. That it should be relatively easy to change the classification of a cave to a higher level of protection, even if difficult to reclassify towards a lower level of protection;
    8. That classification of caves will complement and be interrelated with surface management.

      The number of categories, criteria for particular categories, and the on-site management of a classification should be as simple as possible, consistent with the objectives of the scheme.

      Accordingly, the following basic classification system is suggested for adoption throughout Australia:

      1. LIMITED ACCESS*
          1.1 REFERENCE
          1.2 CONSERVATION
          1.3 DANGEROUS
          1.4 TEMPORARY LIMITATION (UNDER REVIEW)
      2. WILD (AND UNCLASSIFIED)
      3. PUBLIC ACCESS
          3.1 ADVENTURE
          3.2 SHOW
       * Footnote: That the actual terminology is still subject to change.

      A committee will be formed consisting of Graeme Worboys, Adrian Davey and Clyde Stiff to prepared an explanatory and guideline document on the cave classifications system for circulation in the Cave Management Newsletter prior to the next Conference and for further discussion at that Conference.

    1. that this conference draws the attention of management authorities to the need for appropriate regulation to control cave reserves;
    2. those authorities which already have such regulations be encouraged to make a copy available for publication in the Cave Management Newsletter as a way of sharing these with other Authorities;
    3. that Andrew Skinner be asked to prepare a review of present regulations and guidelines for the drafting of future regulations with a view to introducing greater consistency between States.
  3. That the Australian Speleological Federation be asked to take an active role in pressing for the establishment of the proposed Katherine Karst National Park.
  4. That this Conference asks that the Australian Speleological Federation should as a matter of principle express its congratulations to those governments taking initiatives to ensure the better management of karst resources.
  5. That the Cave Management Newsletter will continue, and will include reports from management authorities on technical developments, action programmes, news of staff changes and appointments together with reports of activities undertaken by the Commission. That the Cave Management Newsletter should be mailed to both head office of management authorities and to on-site managers as well as other interested bodies.
  6. That Miles Pierce be invited to undertake a study of cave lighting practices in Australia and propose suggested guidelines for cave lighting for consideration at the next Conference.
  7. In the light of the issues raised by John Dunkley's paper at the present Conference that those interested be encouraged to continue discussion of these issues through the Newsletter and at the next Conference.
  8. That this conference records its appreciation of the participation by Les Kermode and Margaret and David Williams from New Zealand and notes that this now establishes the Conference as an Australasian event.
  9. That the Third Australian Conference on Cave Tourism and Management record its appreciation to members of the Cave Exploration Group of South Australia and officers of the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service for their efforts in organising the Conference. Particular thanks are conveyed to Messrs Bruce Allen, Ed Bailey, Peter Macrow, Phill Menhennet, Graham Pilkington and Tony Robinson.
  10. That the Fourth Australasian Conference on Cave Tourism and Management will be held in 1981 at Yallingup Caves in Western Australia organised by the Busselton Tourist Bureau and local speleological groups.