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Australia is known the world over as a dive location, attracting underwater explorers of all skill levels. For experienced divers, underground caves and sinkholes offer unique experiences beyond the Great Barrier and Ningaloo Reefs.
A world apart
Hidden just beneath the surface of South Australian farms and fields is an unbelievable, underwater world. Sinkholes form caverns and shafts that run hundreds of feet down, and these caves are filled with fresh water and mystery.
Sunlight lances through narrow openings in the ground, piercing the subterranean depths. With the proper training, divers can explore these natural wonders.
This past June, an ABC News article spotlighted two of nearly 60 such caves maintained by the Cave Divers Association of Australia. The Shaft, a two hundred foot sinkhole under the Ashby farm, and Kilsby's Sinkhole, an open limestone cavity on Graham Kilsby's sheep farm.
Learning to cave dive
The Cave Divers Association of Australia is dedicated to the promotion, safety and exploration of underwater caves. In addition to research and mapping, the organization provides specialized training for experienced divers interested in discovering Australia's deep caverns and caves.
Locum tenens doctors looking to explore sites like Kilsby's Sinkhole and The Shaft will need experience with open-water diving. Luckily, Australia is one of the most wonderful places in the world to log dive time.
The association breaks Australia's dive accessible caves into three categories, each with a required certification course. The Deep Cavern Diver training program is an entry-level course that covers the skills and planning processes necessary for tackling caves like Kilsby's and The Shaft.
Other Australian caves require high levels of certification, but locum tenens doctors looking to dive under the Down Under can start with some of the most uniquely spectacular cave dives in the country. Get your dive time in on the coast, but also consider looking for inland, underwater adventures on your next international assignment.