Engelbrecht Cave
One of the Limestone Coast's fascinating cave sites. You'll find a viewing platform there and much of Engelbrecht Cave is accessible to divers.
The Cave Divers Association has carried out some survey work of this cave and mapping of underwater passages is complete. In a visitors hut, you'll find maps of this work superimposed on an aerial photograph of the area. There is also a video showing the divers in the western cave network.
Engelbrecht Cave was formed in Gambier Limestone by the process of chemical dissolution. The Limestone itself was formed some 35-45 million years ago. .
At Engelbrecht Cave, the thickness of the Limestone is some 100 metres. The topsoil surrounding the cave is volcanic in origin. Dates of the last eruption vary from 2800 - 26000 years ago. Ground level is 41 metres above sea level and the water level at the viewing platform and throughout the cave system is 12 metres above sea level.
Mr Carl Engelbrecht, a German emigrant, arrived in Australia in 1857. In 1885 he purchased Dr Wehl's old Flour Mill and converted it into a Whiskey Distillery. Mr Engelbrecht used the cave for dumping of waste products 'slimpers' and bottles. There is still much evidence of broken bottles.
In 1964, the City Council invited investigations for tourist potential of the cave. One local diver and three divers from Adelaide, including the well-known Dave Burchell made an exploratory dive. After digging their way through 100 years of rubbish and entering a dark muddy tunnel, a relatively small lake was discovered with a very silty floor, which was only 17 feet deep. Their report to the council – was not suitable for tourist development.
In 1979, there was renewed interest and the Lions Club of Mount Gambier decide to make it their project of beautifying the cave. The cleaning and landscaping took three years and AUD10,000. The finished project was handed back to the council.
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