The Cave Divers Association of Australia (CDAA) is a cave diving organisation which was formed in September 1973 to represent the interests of recreational scuba divers who dive in water‐filled caves and sinkholes principally in the Lower South East (now called the Limestone Coast) of South Australia (SA) and secondly in other parts of Australia. Its formation occurred after a series of diving fatalities in waterfilled caves and sinkholes in the Mount Gambier region between 1969 and 1973 and in parallel to a South Australian Government inquiry into these deaths. The CDAA's major achievement has been the dramatic reduction of fatalities via the introduction of a site rating scheme and an associated testing system which was brought in during the mid-1970s. While its major area of operation is in the Limestone Coast region of SA, it administers and supports cave diving activity in other parts of Australia including the Nullarbor Plain and Wellington, New South Wales.
Organisation and purpose
The CDAA is a nationally based organisation without state or territory branches and which is managed on a day-to-day basis by the National Committee – an executive consisting of five directors who are elected bi-annually. It is incorporated in SA as an incorporated association. Its purpose is concerned with fostering ‘the development, advancement, promotion, mapping, education, exploration, conservation, safety and research of underwater caves and related features.’ As dive sites are on either controlled Government or private property, one of the CDAA's key functions is to liaise with landowners to organise access for its members to enter and dive. The CDAA also owns a cave diving site, Tank Cave, which is located near Tantanoola and which was purchased in 2011.
Origins
Background
From the late 1950s onwards, the Lower South East of SA became a popular destination for recreational scuba diving due to the presence of very clear water and easy access to deep water. However, this activity was completely unregulated. From 1969 to 1974, 11 people died at the following four cave diving sites: the Kilsby sinkhole (two fatalities), Piccaninnie Ponds (two fatalities), Alleyns Cave (three fatalities) and The Shaft (four fatalities).
The 1973 South Australian Government inquiry
Immediately following the multiple fatality in The Shaft on 28 May 1973, Des Corcoran, the SA Deputy Premier, announced the appointment of a committee to ‘investigate safety precautions for Scuba Divers in Fresh water Sinkholes and Underwater Caves’ and which consisted of three government officers – L.D. Draper (Chair), R.J. Wight (Secretary), G .C. Cornwall, and three representatives from the SA recreational diving community – D.G. Burchell, P.G. Christopher and R.C. Pulford. In January 1974, the Committee offered five recommendations. Firstly, the creation of a government advisory body to essentially encourage a higher standard of cave diving practice by the recreational diving community; secondly, the publication and distribution of educational material to improve the awareness of cave diving safety; thirdly, the installation of warning signs at sinkhole and cave sites; fourthly, the sealing of Alleyns Cave (also known as the Death Cave) to prevent access and finally, in the case of the failure of the first three recommendations to reduce fatalities, consideration of control by legislative measures. The fifth recommendation suggested measures such as the licensing of instructors, an access permit system and the use of patrol officers to manage sites. In April 1974, the SA Government announced that it would proceed with the recommendations of the committee including the creation of an advisory body.