The Shaft
GPS: -37.99939059732414 140.6777368387972
Last Edited: 6/3/2024, 9:43:52 AM
Description
The Shaft is a Sinkhole near Mt Gambier which has been involved in some high profile accidents in the 1970s and was one of the formative reasons for the creation of the CDAA.
The sinkhole is on private property in a paddock, with a 1 meter hole for entry. The Shaft gets its name from, at around midday, the shaft of light which comes down and hits the bottom of the sinkhole.
The rumour goes that it was discovered by accident, when the farmer's live stock put a leg through the beginnings of the entry hole. They then tried their best to fill the hole, trucking in a lot of rubble in an attempt to close it off. Becoming a fruitless endeavour, they sought the request of a diver to find out the extent of it.
The shallowest part of the sinkhole is at 35 meters. A group of divers from CEGSA mapped the sinkhole during 2003, with the depth they surveyed reaching up to 120 meters.
Access
To dive The Shaft you must be certified to at least Basic Cave level with the CDAA. Also, as the site is on private property, entrance is granted only to approved guides, as per the landowner's request.
Getting in an out of the lake involves the use of a winch or a step ladder, while wearing an appropriate harness.
References
- The Shaft (5L158) - www.cavedivers.com.au
- Cave Site Information | Cave Diving Down Under - www.cavediving.net.au
