THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF YALLINGUP, CAVE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Kneeling on the floor of Busselton Tourist Bureau one day in October 1977, pouring over a map of the Yallingup Caves with Elery Hamilton-Smith, John Watson, Myles Pearce, Adrian Davey, and others, conversation came around to the need for "another passage/opening/whatever" so that traffic could flow freely around the Yallingup Cave system. There was a bottle neck ... Harney's Pinch ... restricting free flow. Jokes were made. Someone said we needed a set of traffic lights ... when the light burst upon us that with a self guiding system, and the installation of an inter-communication system, guides above and below ... this could happen. And it did!
Naturally it did not happen in five minutes, but it only took three months. We were self guiding on a trial basis by the Christmas holidays. Three guides were permanently stationed at the intercom points and a roving guide saw that people moved quietly along the passage ways.
This was definitely a trial basis, but our guides found it so successful that the trial has gone on forever.
HISTORY OF THE CAVE
One of us is a part-time guide at the caves and has done much research into the history of the cave. This is still ongoing. A full history of the cave is being written by the daughter of Fred Dawson, Mrs Barkle.
The present entrance was known long before the cave was explored. The late Miss Layman told how she and her friends often rode their horses by the entrance doline en route to the beach. They would, presumably, skirt thick underbrush growing in a wide band a little below the entrance, amongst which were deep gullies. It is also probable that others knew of the caves along the coast, especially farmers and trappers, but they could have been more intent on making a living than exploring. Then year 1899 arrived!
The second and third generations of Western Australians had more time on their hands it seems. Mr Jack Rutherford, who was a guide at the cave around 1940, tells how some young men from nearby lit the cave by throwing down the tops of grass trees (known as blackboys) and lighting them. These fronds give a brilliant light for a short time (at one stage Fremantle streets were lit by blackboy gum gas, as an experiment).
The formations closest were readily seen, so it was decided to explore the doline. Some of the men were said to be searching for horses when the sinkhole was found. The relatives of Mr Fred Seymour claim it was he who first became interested in the hole, whilst searching for horses. Mr Rutherford was sure that his uncle, Arthur Smith, took part in the exploration with Ned Dawson, Bill Curtis and Fred Seymour. So the four men assembled ladders, lanterns, binder twine or fishing lines to follow, and proceeded down.
Mr Dawson was a resourceful man and, no doubt, assembled better equipment at a later date, and he also contacted Government Authorities, whereupon within about a year, the cave was opened to the public. Early visitors were issued with a half candle to light the way and magnesium flares were used along the way at vantage points.
Many guides took the visitors through the caves after Mr Dawson eventually stepped down after thirty seven years as the first guide.
A Public Works Department map, drawn in 1904, shows the lines and positions of lights of the first electrical system. The cave has been electrically lit since then and has only been closed for repairs and renewal of the circuits as they failed.
The State Gardens Board had a hotel built next to the present one for the comfort of the many visitors to the Cave, but it was burnt down about 1910, and the present one was constructed in its place by local builders, the Donald family, who cut the timbers locally by a water powered saw mill, now known as the Old Mill.
The entrance to the Cave gained a gable roofed cover with a rain water tank, the only water available in the area. People had to walk about half a mile along "Lovers Walk" and after a two hour visit had to return the same way to Caves House. A visit to an extra cavern "The Plain Cavern" was included but it was discontinued because of lack of stairs and the time and effort required for the modern visitor.
About 1960, to further ease problems with the growing numbers, "Harney's Pinch" was expertly removed and a staircase fitted. The name was drawn from an incident in the twenties when a large man became stuck in the narrow pass. It was Mr Bill Coply, the owner of Caves House and leaseholder of the Cave, who had "Harneys Pinch" opened.
After the hotel changed hands, the Busselton Tourist Bureau (a non-profit organisation run by a committee made up of local business people) in 1966 became the lessees of the Cave and thirty acres of land above the known system. The old Tourist Development Authority arranged that the thirty acres of land be vested in the Busselton Tourist Bureau. A new road in 1968 increased the visitor numbers four fold.
Since then the present roof - a hyperbolic paraboloid - and stone wall was erected, along with the toilets. More recently, after proving that a small kiosk was viable, the new tea rooms were built and new electrical circuits were installed throughout the cave.
These facilities were needed as the numbers grew to the present figure of around 40,000 per year. The self guiding system now in operation was begun about four years ago and this has probably increased the visitor numbers. The record for one day was on Easter Sunday, 1980, with 1,091 paying visitors and, on the Easter Saturday, 1,009 visitors.
An extension to the system adjoining the Arab's Tent area was entered, apparently for the first time about eleven years ago, although this may have been known in the early days. Part of this could be used as tourist caverns in the future. Further extensions to the system will probably be discovered.
The Cave is going through a severe dry cycle at present. It is possible that the supply of rainwater has been lessening over ten years, but it is a fact that virtually no rain water has emerged in the cave for five years and that there is no apparent reversal of this trend. Maybe in another ten years or so, normal conditions will return. The only affect on speleothems noticed has been the loosening of thin white deposits covering large stalactites and ragged ends to straws. This suggests a probable weakening of material in other formations such as shawls. We believe that it is logical that these dry cycles would alter the assessed age of a formation somewhat. There is a possibility that, as the line up of all planets with the sun occurs in 1982, then the dry cycle being experienced now will return every one hundred and seventy nine years.
About 1930, the sides of the pathways were virtually clean compared with their state today. It may be natural to have some dirt about the entrance, but it is certainly not always the case further along. Worn shoe leather over eighty years, along with clothing lint, worn jarrah boardwalks, rubbish carried in by visitors, and some natural dirt kicked about, have all contributed to the damage.
With the advent of full voltage power and a surface water supply, it can be expected that a cleaning programme will be prepared within a reasonable time, as finance permits.
The Amphitheatre, well decorated on the ceiling, has very good acoustics. Over the years many singers and instruments have been heard there. Before the Second World War, local musicians gathered in the cavern to entertain visitors, often at night. Back in 1910, the great Australian singer, Dame Nellie Melba, gave a concert, standing on a stage of flat rocks specially set up for her. The rocks remain to this day, as they were. A piano was let down the steps by ropes for her accompaniment. The piano was not removed. Eventually the glue was loosened in the damp conditions and the piano fell apart - so it was removed in pieces!
For the record, bagpipes were heard, maybe for the first time, at Christmas 1980. No damage occurred!
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Following the excellent survey accomplished by the A.S.F. party, the Tourist Bureau was asked to do several things and to consider many more.
Cleaning: Members of the Community Youth Support Scheme (CYSS) did a sterling job, lifting rubbish from the depths of the cave. This is an important job because many types of rubbish lead to fungi.
Speleologist type tours: With a view to a different approach to caving we considered this, and in 1980 had a special weekend for caving with a caver, Norm Poulter, to the Plain Cavern. The guides feel this should not be attempted again, following some damage This year we used the Crawl, with a guide on duty in that cavern all the time it was used to stop vandalism and fouling.
Guidance was given regarding a small kiosk type building, but as a trial the large apron built onto the toilet block was enclosed and proved very popular with the touring public. The Tourist Bureau committee last year sought a self-supporting loan, through the Shire of Busselton, and with a view to the future, built the beautiful building now on the reserve.
And lighting ... what invaluable assistance was given by the experts gathered in the survey group! How to shade one section and highlight another. Trial and error, but what a difference to the Yallingup cave system! Now a 240 volt supply is being installed at a cost of $17,645. Here again ... use your experts. John Watson helped arrange a meeting in Perth of six Government Departments, and invaluable assistance was given at that meeting in the Board Room of the Department of Tourism.
Management of the cave is directly controlled from the office of the Busselton Tourist Bureau, through its President and Committee.
Six cave guides give their best to everyone. In fact it has been said "you would think you owned the place!" so dedicated are they.
From a very run down cave in 1966 to the well run, easily negotiated cave it is today has required that practically all monies have been ploughed back. An ex-miner from South Africa did much to enhance our walkways and platforms.
An interesting feature has been a tree root over 125 feet on length, thick as a man's arm, which collapsed one day, shattering our idea that it was indestructible. New roots appeared, and again died. Following the A.S.F. survey, doubts were cast that the tree enclosed with the white fence, on the walk to the cave was indeed the same tree that had its roots exposed in the cave. We have since confirmed this. The tree has been in the way of the SEC power line and dozed down. Soon after it was again pushed around with fire control. Happily roots are again threading their way down towards the platform again.
Self Guiding ... its benefits? People may wander at their own leisure, or go through at a rate of knots! No one has to wait for a guided tour. Everyone has their own guide sheet to peruse on their way through and may chat as long as they wish to with a guide, met along the way. The guides all say that it gives them more time with people, and takes pressure from the guided type of tour in Yallingup. All people may listen in their own small group.
"To him that much is given, of him, much is expected. We have so much. Our expectation is much. But, we shall endeavour to care for this gift, sharing the beauties from generation to generation, hoping that the unborn may one day stand and wonder at the magnificence of a glorious shawl ..."