THE PLACEMENT OF CAVE NAMES ON PUBLIC MAPS
INTRODUCTION
The vandalism of caves is an ever increasing problem for land management authorities. It is a problem to which they must address themselves if the cave resource as we know it is to survive the increasing pressures of the general public.
Caves are a fragile non-renewable resource which once vandalised cannot be "repaired". The unique nature of this resource dictates management policies that do not necessarily apply to other natural features. It is these policies that will decide the fate of many caves throughout Australia and so it is vital that management policy decisions consider the many aspects of cave conservation.
In this regard the placement of a cave's name and a symbol indicating its location, on a map available to the general public, may play a significant role in the visitation rate to that cave. Depending on the fragility of a particular cave, the visitation rate can be linked to the amount of vandalism taking place in that cave. Hence the decision to place a cave's name and location on a publicly available map is one that requires careful deliberation.
I wish to discuss here the situation regarding names on publicly available maps in Western Australia and then outline several proposals which will assist to various degrees, the conservation of our unique resource, the caves.
THE CURRENT SITUATION
At present, topographical and geological maps available to the general public indicate the name and location of a number of very sensitive Western Australian cave sites.
Already many of the caves in question are under considerable pressure from the general public. A visitor study conducted at Giants and Golgotha Caves in January 1982, concluded that over 2900 and 2200 persons visit Giants and Golgotha Caves, respectively, each year (Webb, 1982). Such visitation rates place these caves in a high risk category to become extensively vandalised. Nearby, Calgardup Cave has already undergone such extensive vandalism that it must be classed as the cave containing the most broken formation in Australia. This situation can easily occur again. It only takes one vandal a very short period of time to destroy forever what has taken nature thousands of years to produce.
The possible future tourist caves in the south-west of W.A. were examined in a paper presented to the 4th Australasian Conference on Cave Tourism and Management (Webb, 1981). The conclusions drawn from this examination were that very few known caves in the south-west of W.A. are suitable for tourist development and that those that are, are currently suffering at the hands of vandals. For example, Golgotha and Moondyne Caves fall into this category. Hence the need to conserve these caves for the future.
SPECIAL EXAMPLES
1. Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge
As discussed above.
Calgardup Cave
Already heavily vandalised but contains some areas of fine formations.
One newly discovered section has been gated to protect the very delicate
formations. This gate is very vulnerable due to the very soft limestone
in which it is constructed.
Tunnel Cave
Contains some good decoration but can handle reasonable visitation.
Museum Cave
Entrance "slope" has caused minor accidents in the past. The cave contains
some areas of good decoration.
Crustacea Cave
Very small cave with very crumbly "roof'. May be dangerous to inexperienced
visitors.
Bride Cave
Large vertical entrance drop of 12 to 35m. Can only be entered
with equipment. The formation in the cave is generally large and
has been vandalised by graffiti. Numerous accidents due to poor equipment
or inexperience.
Kangaroo Pot
Vertical entrance drop of 12m. Can only be descended with equipment.
Cave is very small containing only minor formations.
Giants Cave
Old tourist cave. Many of the old staircases (early 1900s) are rotting
and dangerous. The entrance slope is particularly loose and was the site
of an accident in July 1977, when two children received head injuries (Williamson,
1977). Formations in the cave have been vandalised but many fine
areas of decoration remain.
Golgotha Cave
Old tourist cave. Many of the old staircases (early 1900s) are rotting
and dangerous. The cave contains a great deal of very good decoration that
is slowly becoming vandalised as visitation increases.
Skittle Cave
Small cave with unstable entrance slope.
Blue Rocks Caves
Vertical caves with no horizontal development. All require equipment
to enter.
Dingo Hole
Vertical entrance - solution pipe 6m. Rockpile slopes within the cave.
A crawl leads to a recently discovered area with good formation.
Nannup Cave
Contains good decoration but also contains a large amount of graffiti.
Adjacent to the significant palaeontological site of Devil's Lair which
is locked for its protection.
Soil Shute Cave
Unstable sandy entrance - small cave.
Crystal Cave
Extensively vandalised in the 1900s. Now contains two locked sections
to protect an area of formation that is of world standing. Some unlocked
sections also contain excellent decoration. The first gate of the locked
sections has been broken into on several occasions.
Arumvale Cave
Contains a very unstable entrance "slope" that requires equipment to
negotiate. Several accidents and near misses have occurred on this
entrance slope to experienced speleologists. A sign is in place warning
intending visitors of this hazard. The cave contains a very muddy stream
passage.
Connelly Cave
Vertical entrance - a solution pipe 15m requiring equipment. Extensive
stream cave over 1 km in length. Possibility of getting lost in the downstream
section if inexperienced.
Deepdene Cave
Decoration of large proportions. Contains historical graffiti.
Easter Cave
Locked cave with vertical solution pipe entrance 10m requiring equipment.
At 7.65km in length this cave is the third longest in Australia. Also
extremely heavily decorated. Much of the formation is of a delicate nature.
Water table maze cave requiring swimming in places. Very easy to get lost.
The cave has been broken into on one occasion resulting in minor damage.
Moondyne Cave
Ex tourist cave, still contains many fine decorations. Locked but has
been broken into on several occasions resulting in minor damage and graffiti.
Blackboy Hollow Cave
Ex-tourist cave, containing many fine decorations. Vertical entrance
6m requiring equipment. Site of a rescue of an inexperienced caver. Once
protected by its remote location this cave is now easily accessible due
to a nearby housing estate.
Rainbow Cave
Not a true cave as it does not extend past the daylight zone. Heavily
visited.
Wallcliffe Cave
Ex tourist cave. Small but well decorated with some vandalism.
Strongs Cave
Locked cave. Original gate broken into on many occasions. Newer metal
gate also broken into. Now a second gate has been installed. Loose rocks
on entrance slope, site of one accident. Stream cave containing excellent
decorations including the longest straw stalactite (22' 6") in the world.
Labyrinth
Vertical entrance 12m requiring equipment. Water table maze cave about
2km in length. As the name suggests, one is easily lost in the cave. Locked
- never broken into as it is difficult to find in the thick bush.
2. Yanchep Caves
In general, the caves are poorly decorated and very small. The caves
are easy to find and hence several are badly vandalised. Mambibby and Cauliflower
Caves are in this category. Road Cave contains some decorations but these
are becoming vandalised due to heavy visitation.
3. Eneabba/Jurien
Drovers Cave
Locked cave. Extremely badly vandalised. Once had the potential of a
tourist cave. Broken into on innumerable occasions. Suffered due to poor
management.
Weelawadji Cave
Locked cave. Very well decorated for this region. Contains two populations
of bats. Large amount of invertebrate fauna sustained by the bat populations.
Broken into on several occasions - damage resulting to the cave.
Aiyennu Cave
100 solution pipe entrances. Vertical entrances 25m + requires equipment.
Cave consists of one main chamber.
Beekeepers Cave or Uniwa Cave
Very unstable rockpile entrance. Contains several sumps depending on
the time of year. Very muddy cave to 1.4km in length.
Stockyard Cave
Contains active stream depending on the time of year. Very muddy cave
to 800m in length. Several crawls in rockpile.
4. Nullarbor
Cocklebiddy Cave
Contains large lake. Longest cave dive in the world - about 3.5km.
Weebubbie Cave
Contains deep lake to 50m. Is the water supply for the Eucla
townsite. Heavily visited. Contains a bat colony (see Nullarbor Study,
1978).
Nardji Cave
Well decorated. Under pressure from a private tour operator.
DISCUSSION
I have outlined above the need for cave conservation, but how is the removal of cave names from public maps going to improve cave protection? The visitor study conducted for Giants and Golgotha Caves (Webb, 1982) clearly indicates that a significant proportion (20% at Giants and 13% at Golgotha) of visitors found the cave indirectly from a map or a friend had shown them the cave after they had found it from the map.
The removal of the location of the caves from these maps will undoubtedly reduce the visitor numbers to these and other caves. Such a reduction in visitor numbers can only reduce the probability of vandalism occurring in these caves. Furthermore where certain caves place in danger the inexperienced who find them, the incidence of accidents can only be reduced by removing the caves location from public maps.
An example of such a cave is Bride Cave (see above for details) where several "rescues" have been performed. In one instance a person fell 12m from the top of the cave entrance, to land amongst rocks, but received only minor cuts and bruises (Graves, 1981). Will it take a death to facilitate positive action to reduce the possibility of such an accident occurring? I hope not.
Overall, the removal of non tourist cave names and locations from public maps can only assist in the protection of our very precious, limited, non-renewable, cave resources as well as reduce the danger of inexperienced persons having accidents.
The W.A. Working Group on Cave Protection and Management firmly believes that all named caves and their locations should be removed from all maps available to the general public. To date, mapping authorities have declined to agree stating that if a natural feature exists then it should appear on a map. The Working Group do not believe that such reasoning is always in the best interest of the natural feature involved or of the general public who may find it.
However, if mapping authorities will not remove cave names and locations from public maps then two alternative possibilities exist which will assist to some degree.
The first is to remove the name of the cave while maintaining the word "cave" and an appropriate symbol. This will have the effect of disguising significant sites amongst minor insignificant sites, thus frustrating the would be vandal.
The second alternative is even more preferable, and that is to have only a symbol to indicate a cave with the legend indicating that the symbol refers to a "Karst Feature". This will produce an even greater disguise for the many significant caves that are presently at risk.
The W.A. Working Group seeks the support of this conference by endorsing its efforts to effect the removal of cave names from publicly available maps.
REFERENCES
GRAVES, D. (1981): Margaret River - Rescue Report. The Western Caver, 20(4):95-96.
WATSON, J. (1983): Cave Conservation in Western Australia - Working Group on Cave Management and Protection, Proceedings 5th Australasian Conference on Cave Tourism and Management Buchan, April, 1983.
WEBB, R. (1981): Wild Cave Management in the South West of Western Australia - Our Future Tourist Caves, in Proceedings of the 4th Australasian Conference on Cave Tourism and Management, Yallingup, September, 1981.
WEBB, R. (1982): Development and Management Plan for Giants and Golgotha Caves prepared for Augusta Margaret River Tourist Bureau. Perth.
WILLIAMSON, K. (1977): Children injured in cave collapse. The Western Caver 17(2): 38.