Koonalda Cave vandalized
Submitted: Saturday, Dec 24, 2022 at 12:15
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Candace S.
"Earlier this year it was discovered that the
cave had been unlawfully accessed and a section of the delicate finger flutings had been vandalized, with damage scratched across them into the side of the
cave..."
I've looked at several articles, but none indicate the date when the damage was discovered. Nor does there seem to be any guess at when it might have occurred (logically, it must have been since the last authorized visit to the
cave).
The first place I saw this news was on CNN. Here's a link to that article:
Click here
While searching, I also came across this 2020 proposal to have guided tours of the
cave. However, it was rejected in January 2022 (scroll to the bottom to see the final decision).
Koonalda Cave Tourism Proposal
Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Saturday, Dec 24, 2022 at 13:34
Saturday, Dec 24, 2022 at 13:34
I visited
Koonalda cave at Christmas in 1954 as an 8 year old with a group exploring caves. I don't recall the flutings at that time. There were ochre hand prints.
Koonalda Cave 1954
Koonalda Cave 1954
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
AnswerID:
642386
Follow Up By: DesF - Wednesday, Dec 28, 2022 at 15:42
Wednesday, Dec 28, 2022 at 15:42
I climbed down that ladder many years ago on my first trip across. we were in my sisters FC Holden Wagon, was so scary then,
FollowupID:
921957
Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, Dec 28, 2022 at 16:01
Wednesday, Dec 28, 2022 at 16:01
Not that ladder, but maybe a similar one.
We brought that one with us and assembled it nearby (and took it away again afterwards). There are a number of caves on the Nullarbor that need an access ladder due to the collapsed doline entrances.
We actually took a boat down into the
Koonalda cave to explore the lake.
Koonalda Cave 1954
Koonalda Cave 1954
EDIT.... This is not the boat we took into
Koonalda in actual fact, this is another
cave, maybe Nullarbor. The boats were borrowed from the local stations.
Koonalda Cave 1954
For those who have visited the old
Koonalda homestead that is built from railway sleepers, I am pretty sure that this is the
homestead that pre-dated it. The railway sleeper one had not been built yet in 1954.
Koonalda homestead, 1954
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
FollowupID:
921958
Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 at 08:30
Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 at 08:30
Hi Candace,
I generally watch the news every night on TV, and I do not recall seeing this reported on any major news service here in Australia. I was away for about 6 weeks on a remote fishing trip from early July to Mid August so it could have been reported then.
It seems that some people today have very little respect for others. They just feel it is their “right” to do what they want, when and where they want, regardless as to how their actions might effect anyone else.
Macca.
AnswerID:
642392
Reply By: Bill P - Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 at 18:42
Sunday, Dec 25, 2022 at 18:42
Caves still there, so it wasn’t Rio Tinto.
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642397