THE KUBLA KHAN PLANNING PROJECT
Abstract
Kubla Khan Cave at Mole Creek in Central Tasmania has been widely said to be of international significance, to be a potential show cave that would number amongst the world's finest and to be undergoing slow degradation under the impact of cavers. All of these statements are probably true.
However, demonstrating these truths is a different matter. The Tasmanian Department of Parks and Wildlife and Heritage and its predecessors have been under pressure to do something about it and to develop a management plan (and better management) for the Kubla Khan Cave State Reserve. The Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association had been both an applier of pressure and a potential supplier of advice.
Limited funds became available under a national Heritage grant to carry out work at Kubla Khan. The level of funding could not have supported a proper and complete consultancy-based study and the Tasmanian Department approached the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for assistance.
Andy Spate was seconded to the Department and was joined by Stefan Eberhard and lan Houshold. Their job was to undertake a resource inventory and an assessment of significance and of past use and impacts and to provide some management directions for the future.
The study concluded that the cave is of international significance, is a potential show cave and has been, and is being degraded by use. Development of Kubla Khan as a tourist cave would incur immense environmental and dollar costs which probably preclude development. As a result far more intensive management of caver use is required if the cave is to maintain its values and various suggestions were made as to future use levels and acceptable practice. The study report was published by the Department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage and a draft management plan for the Kubla Khan State Reserve is presently doing the rounds of the Tasmanian Government departments before being placed on public exhibition.