NULLARBOR

A description of the Nullarbor karst by Dave Gillieson and Andy Spate.

A link to some information about the Archaeology of Koonalda Cave

Click here for the Nullarbor Karst Project Outline - 2006-2007

Click here for an April 07 article from the Kalgoorlie Miner about the Nullarbor Project

Audio from a recent interview (15th May 2007) of Paul Hosie (WASG President) with ABC Radio regarding recent work conducted on the Nullarbor. Download Here!

Photographs from the January 1997 WASG Nullarbor Expedition

Click here for the first Photo page of the WASG 1997 Nullarbor Expedition                             Click here for the second Photo page of the WASG 1997 Nullarbor Expedition
The expedition visited a number of the deep caves of the Nullarbor attempting to measure the size of wall scallops at the current water level. Unfortunately this was not possible as there are no wall scallops at water level or just below it to measure :-).

However not all was lost - surface velocity experiments were conducted in the deep caves and the results of this will be correlated with previous work. One of the shallow caves was doubled in length and surveyed. Additionally the survey of Stegamite Cave was completed. Minor extensions were also achieved in a number of other caves.

Assessment of the collapes at both Weebubbie and Pannikin Plain Cave were undertaken with the permission of DOLA and CALM respectively. Reports will be forwarded to the appropriate departments and released here in time.

The expedition also visited a number of the decorated caves of the Nullarbor searching for further examples of stegamites from previously unrecorded sites. The photographic record shows some of the more unusual formations seen.

Expedition members were Rauleigh Webb, John Cugley, Adam Minchin (all WASG members) and Damian Grindley (Chelsea SS & CEGSA).

Photographs from the Easter 1997 WASG Nullarbor Expedition

Click here for the Photo page of the WASG Easter 1997 Nullarbor Expedition Expedition members were Rauleigh Webb, Veronica Weber and Clive Rippon.

Halite Decorations from Nullarbor Caves

A number of caves on the Nullarbor Plain contain halite decorations. Here are a few photographs of some of the more delicate halite "flowers" and stalactites. Click here for the Halite Photo page
You can also see a few of the pics on The Virtual Cave which also has info on a number of cave formation types.

"Coffee and Cream" Deposits from Nullarbor Caves

A number of caves on the Nullarbor Plain contain deposits that are known as "Coffee and Cream". These deposits consist of a very dark brown powder adjacent/mixed with a very white powder to create the "Coffee and Cream". The origin of the powders has been determined to result from roof fretting.

Here are a few photographs of some "Coffee and Cream". Click here for the Coffee and Cream Photo page

Stegamites from Nullarbor Caves

Here are a few photos of a "new" (1991) speleothem from the Nullarbor called Stegamites ( Webb 1991).

Quick characteristics of Stegamites. They look like ridges in floors or a vertical cave shield (They are always vertical.). Only known from the Nullarbor (7 caves to date) and possibly one cave in the Kimberley (Bill Humphreys pers. comms.). All Nullarbor stegamites are in black calite. The black material is as yet unknown. Click here for the Stegamites Photo page
You can also see a few of the pics on The Virtual Cave which also has info on a number of cave formation types.

Gypsum Speleothems from Nullarbor Caves

A number of caves on the Nullarbor Plain contain gypsum speleothems. A gypsum stalactite was first identified by Steve Appleyard on a WASG trip to Kelly Cave. His description was published in The Western Caver in 1983?. Since that time a number of caves have been found that contain large numbers of gypsum speleothems. Here is the first of a number of gypsum photos from the Nullarbor. Click here for the Gypsum Photo page