Cave divers want to reopen an underwater system in South Australia’s south east previously closed due to governance and safety risks. 

Key points:

  • The cave has been closed due to concerns over handing out permits to dive 
  • The cave’s entrance is narrow and recommended only for experienced divers 
  • It’s part of a push to better advertise the region’s caves and sinkholes

The Three Sisters cave in Tantanoola is one of 32 cave diving sites dotted around the state’s Limestone Coast. 

Its entrance has been covered by a steel lid and padlock for the past four years after the Wattle Range Council deemed there was too much risk to offer dive permits to users. 

Its entrance is just 1 metre from the side of a 100 kilometre per hour road.

The Cave Divers Association of Australia (CDAA) is keen to work with the council to open up the cave and take over the lease to control access to it. 

Some sinkholes, such as the Kilsby Sinkhole, are much more developed for visitors.(ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham)

Association director Grant Pearce said the cave was a fascinating place for divers. 

“The thing that struck me the most was the immense size,” he said. 

“Once you get through this little hole, the enormous size opens up underneath. 

“There’s certainly no indication on the surface that there’s these big huge voids beckoning for visitors to come down.”

Tight squeeze for divers 

The entrance to the cave is narrow and involves navigating a sharp angle before dropping down into a pitch-black cave. 

It is also located right next to Mile Hill Road and has no formal car parking, adding to the risk for entrants. 

Mr Pearce said the association would look to create a new entrance further from the roadside and make it easier for lowering machinery to aid divers, although it would still require moving through the same tight space as before. 

“It’s one of the higher-rated sites, so a cave diver who has an advanced certification would be the only divers allowed into this site,” he said. 

Tank Cave is one of the 32 diving locations in South Australia’s south east.(Supplied: Richard Harris)

“At that level, divers have really good finning techniques, so they can swim over silt and not stir it up and have quite good hovering techniques so they don’t stir up the cave themselves. 

“It’s quite the highest level you can achieve.”

Before its closure, access to the cave was granted by the Wattle Range Council chief executive, Ben Gower.

He said he wanted to take that decision away from his office since he did not know much about cave diving. 

Divers explore Kilsby Sinkhole at night.(Supplied: Ockert Le Roux)

“It was my signature going on it and I’m not a cave diver and I had no way of knowing if someone going in there had the right experience and right qualifications,” Mr Gower said. 

 “That’s why we approached the CDAA to see if there was a better way of ensuring people had the right skills to access the cave.” 

The CDAA also plans to create a “sinkhole trail” around the region, signposting dive spots with information about the large cave networks that lay below the surface.

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