Cave Diving

South Australia's cave diving takes place mainly in the many water-filled caves and sinkholes located on the Limestone Coast.  The Nullarbor Plain is famous for having some of the longest caves in the world, however the Limestone Coast has more than 500 known features, over a hundred of which contain crystal clear water.  The most popular cave diving sites in the region include Piccaninnie Ponds, Ewens Ponds, Tank Cave, Kilsbys Hole, The Shaft, Little Blue Lake and The Pines.

Some cave and sinkholes support aquatic life including both rare and common species of fish, a huge range of flowering plants and algae, eels, freshwater tortoises, crayfish and other crustaceans. Saltwater fish can be found in Ewens Pond as they swim upstream into fresh water to rid themselves of parasites. 

Freshwater cave and sinkhole diving is a specialist skill requiring specific instruction and meticulous preparation with the right equipment. The Cave Divers Association of Australia  categorises dive sites on four different levels based on their level of technical difficulty. These categories are Cavern, Sinkhole, Cave and Penetration. To dive in a site of a particular rating you need to be trained and certified to that level by the Cave Divers Association. In addition, some sites require prior experience in other locations of the same rating before access can be granted. For further information see the Cave Divers website.

Cave Diving Safety
Cave Diving is defined as the diving of water-filled passages or caverns using SCUBA or other supplied breathing apparatus, and guidelines.

Anyone attempting cave diving should be properly trained and certified by a body such as the Cave Divers Association of Australia. Safety Guidelines for cave diving are contained in the ASF Cave Diving - Code of Practice (1988). For more information see the Cave Divers Association website.