One of the best and most thrilling ways for us to explore and understand geology with no social or environmental impacts is to venture underground into old shafts and adits. The fascination and excitement is reminiscent of the great Indiana Jones! Not for the faint hearted, these workings have the potential for rock falls, hidden openings underfoot, bad air, and wild animals. It is therefore paramount all our Geologist are appropriately trained in all safety aspects such as first aid, mines rescue, ropes safety, and caving!
We treat these old workings with a great deal of respect; have the appropriate safety gear, ropes harnesses, and gas monitors: only personnel with many years of underground mining experience are permitted.
A recently opened adit, built in the late 1980’s was found to have suffered significant damage. Fallen wooden props and broken timbers litter the floor of the tunnel, with tonnes of soft eroded broken rock on top. Further in the darkness, it becomes hard to see where the tunnel wall had collapsed into an old mining void, and without due care, a single misstep could end in a fall over 40meters!
We feel privileged to (very carefully) step back into history, and judiciously document these old mines with photos, videos, sampling, and geological mapping. That way their legacy can live on, and everyone can get to enjoy the excitement of the discovery along with us from the comfort of their own home!
Victoria is scattered full of these hidden tunnels! These old mines can be fraught with danger not fully realized by the inexperienced: we implore anyone who makes such a discovery not to enter unless adequately trained and experienced and appropriate permissions have been sought.
