Blanche Cave
Encyclopedia
Blanche Cave, previously known as "The Big Cave", "The Old Cave" and "Mosquito Plains Cave", is one of 26 caves to be found in the Naracoorte Caves National Park
, a World Heritage listed site. Blanche Cave was the first of the caves to be discovered in the Naracoorte
area, having been discovered by the European settlers in 1845, and can be accessed by the public through guided tours of the site. The cave contains a number of features, including, at one time, the mummified remains of an indigenous
man – remains that were stolen twice in 1861 and never returned. The location has been the site for a number of events, such as, in the early days, annual New Years parties and, much more recently, it was featured as part of the Olympic torch relay
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
.
Blanche Cave, along with the nearby Victoria Fossil Cave, was added to the South Australia
n State Heritage Register in 1984.
manager, is surmised to be the first European to see the cave when he found sheep that had gone missing within it, presumably having been driven there by the members of the indigenous population. The first detailed recording of the cave occurred 13 years later in March, 1858, when Reverend Julian Woods
wrote about his experiences at the site in the South Australian Register
. He described the entrance of the cave in poetical terms, comparing it to a cathedral
.
After its discovery, access to the cave remained unrestricted, and this led to a degree of deterioration, especially in the entrance chamber. 21 years after Woods described the scene, an unnamed journalist visited the cave. He had previously read Woods' account, and described how the site had deteriorated through human action.
The correspondent continued his account by requesting that a guardian should be appointed by the Government or Tourist Board. Indeed, as the correspondent noted, this was likely to occur, and in 1885 the land incorporating Blanche Cave was given over to the South Australian Forest Board as part of a program to plant marketable trees in the region. The Board employed a forester for the area, and the forester was given the additional responsibilities of looking after Blanche Cave, improving its appearance, and providing guided tours of the site. While the first forester only stayed for 18 months, the second, William Reddan, was to remain involved in the site for many years. Reddan did much to "beautify" the surroundings of the cave, growing fern
s and ornamental tree
s, and he was involved in the installation of coloured electric lights in 1915. That same year responsibility for the caves was handed over to the Tourist Bureau, and Reddan resigned from the Woods and Forest Department (as it was then known) to take up a position with the new management. Reddan remained associated with the site until he retired in 1919.
The cave has long been employed as a venue for special events – as far back as the 1860s the cave was being used for candlelit New Year's Eve
parties, and the remains of the old benches can still be seen near the entrance. More recently, the site saw the passage and handover of the Olympic Torch
in the torch relay
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
, during which the cave was lit by over 1000 candles, while other recent events have included a 2003 production of Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream
.
, or placed his shooting much nearer to the cave itself. However, this account of his death fails to address the state of the body: Woods described it as being "dried and shriveled", only slightly decayed, and stated that it had been there for many years without decomposition. In addition, the man appears to have died under an active flowstone
, which caused parts of his body to become covered in limestone, leading Woods to describe him as being in an "almost petrified" state. It is suggested that both processes would take many years, placing his death some time prior to 1845.
Woods included the body in his account of the cave that was published in 1858. Three years later, in 1861, the body was stolen from the cave by Thomas Craig, a showman
known for exhibiting "stuffed crocodile
s". He carried the body in a bundle from Penola
to Mount Gambier
, where he rented a room. However, one of the maids inspected the bundle, which he had described as carrying a harp, and discovered the remains. After the police seized the body, Craig reappeared, and chose to sue the State Government of South Australia for depriving him of his property. The resulting court case was heard in Adelaide
, and in the end Craig was granted one farthing in damages, instead of the 500 pounds which he had requested.
The Commissioner of Crown Lands
ordered that the remains be returned to the cave, only this time to be protected by iron bars, in spite of a call to have them moved to the Adelaide Museum
. The suggestion that the remains needed to be housed in a museum for their protection proved to be prophetic, as Craig hid in the cave while the bars were being attached. After the workmen had departed, Craig removed the bars and stole the body once more. The remains were later described as being on display by Craig in Sydney
, (along with the stuffed crocodiles). From there they were next reported as having been sold at an auction in London
in 1866, but it is unclear as to where his body went after that, in spite of unsubstantiated rumours that the remains were sighted in America around 1914.
Subsequent to its disappearance, the site where the body had been found and the bars attached became known as the "Lost Exhibit".
The deterioration that had been noted in 1879 has been, to some extent, reversed. Even at the time, the correspondent noted that "the restorative action of nature is very rapid", and that the scars were being healed. However, the planting of pine trees prevented water from percolating through the cave, limiting its restoration and, indeed, causing further deterioration of the decorations. Fortunately, the removal of these trees in the late 1980s have permitted rejuvenation to continue.
Naracoorte Caves National Park
Naracoorte Caves is a national park near Naracoorte in the Limestone Coast tourism region in the south-east of South Australia . It was officially recognised in 1994 for its extensive fossil record when the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List, along with Riversleigh...
, a World Heritage listed site. Blanche Cave was the first of the caves to be discovered in the Naracoorte
Naracoorte, South Australia
Naracoorte is a town in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, approximately 336 kilometres south east of Adelaide and 100 kilometres north of Mount Gambier on the Riddoch Highway .-History:...
area, having been discovered by the European settlers in 1845, and can be accessed by the public through guided tours of the site. The cave contains a number of features, including, at one time, the mummified remains of an indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
man – remains that were stolen twice in 1861 and never returned. The location has been the site for a number of events, such as, in the early days, annual New Years parties and, much more recently, it was featured as part of the Olympic torch relay
Olympic Flame
The Olympic Flame or Olympic Torch is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lie in ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the 1928...
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Blanche Cave, along with the nearby Victoria Fossil Cave, was added to the South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n State Heritage Register in 1984.
History
Blanche Cave was discovered by European settlers in approximately 1845 by the local pastoralists – Benjamin Sanders, a local stationStation (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
manager, is surmised to be the first European to see the cave when he found sheep that had gone missing within it, presumably having been driven there by the members of the indigenous population. The first detailed recording of the cave occurred 13 years later in March, 1858, when Reverend Julian Woods
Julian Tenison Woods
Julian Edmund Tenison Woods was an English Roman Catholic priest and geologist, active in Australia. With Saint Mary MacKillop, he helped to found the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart at Penola in 1866....
wrote about his experiences at the site in the South Australian Register
South Australian Register
The Register, originally the South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, was the first South Australian newspaper. It was first published in London in June 1836 and folded almost a century later in February 1931....
. He described the entrance of the cave in poetical terms, comparing it to a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
.
After its discovery, access to the cave remained unrestricted, and this led to a degree of deterioration, especially in the entrance chamber. 21 years after Woods described the scene, an unnamed journalist visited the cave. He had previously read Woods' account, and described how the site had deteriorated through human action.
The correspondent continued his account by requesting that a guardian should be appointed by the Government or Tourist Board. Indeed, as the correspondent noted, this was likely to occur, and in 1885 the land incorporating Blanche Cave was given over to the South Australian Forest Board as part of a program to plant marketable trees in the region. The Board employed a forester for the area, and the forester was given the additional responsibilities of looking after Blanche Cave, improving its appearance, and providing guided tours of the site. While the first forester only stayed for 18 months, the second, William Reddan, was to remain involved in the site for many years. Reddan did much to "beautify" the surroundings of the cave, growing fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s and ornamental tree
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
s, and he was involved in the installation of coloured electric lights in 1915. That same year responsibility for the caves was handed over to the Tourist Bureau, and Reddan resigned from the Woods and Forest Department (as it was then known) to take up a position with the new management. Reddan remained associated with the site until he retired in 1919.
The cave has long been employed as a venue for special events – as far back as the 1860s the cave was being used for candlelit New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
parties, and the remains of the old benches can still be seen near the entrance. More recently, the site saw the passage and handover of the Olympic Torch
Olympic Flame
The Olympic Flame or Olympic Torch is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lie in ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the 1928...
in the torch relay
Torch relay
Torch relay may refer to:*The carrying of the Olympic Torch**Any of the Olympic torch relays*Pan American Torch, a torch relay associated with the Panamerican Games*Asian Games Torch, a torch relay associated with the Asian Games...
for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, during which the cave was lit by over 1000 candles, while other recent events have included a 2003 production of Shakespeare's
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
.
Calcified body
Not long after the cave was discovered, early explorers found the body of an indigenous man within. Although his origins are unclear, it was believed that he had entered the cave after becoming injured, making his way to a rock ledge where he died, "in the position of one asleep". Woods related one theory of how he arrived at that position, describing how a group of settlers formed a party to avenge the death of the sheep and the killing of one of their number. The party shot many of the indigenous people living in the region, one of whom, Woods surmises, was fatally wounded but managed to make his way into the cave to hide, and, sadly, to die. Variations of this account described how the man was shot near HynamHynam, South Australia
Hynam is a settlement in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Hynam had a population of 295....
, or placed his shooting much nearer to the cave itself. However, this account of his death fails to address the state of the body: Woods described it as being "dried and shriveled", only slightly decayed, and stated that it had been there for many years without decomposition. In addition, the man appears to have died under an active flowstone
Flowstone
Flowstones are composed of sheetlike deposits of calcite formed where water flows down the walls or along the floors of a cave. They are typically found in "solution", or limestone caves, where they are the most common speleothem. However, they may form in any type of cave where water enters that...
, which caused parts of his body to become covered in limestone, leading Woods to describe him as being in an "almost petrified" state. It is suggested that both processes would take many years, placing his death some time prior to 1845.
Woods included the body in his account of the cave that was published in 1858. Three years later, in 1861, the body was stolen from the cave by Thomas Craig, a showman
Showman
Showman can have a variety of meanings, usually by context and depending on the country.- Australia :Travelling showmen are people who run amusement and side show equipment at regional shows, state capital shows, events and festivals throughout Australia...
known for exhibiting "stuffed crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s". He carried the body in a bundle from Penola
Penola, South Australia
Penola is located 388 km south east of Adelaide and is in the heart of one of South Australia's most productive wine growing areas. Coonawarra lies just to the north and is renowned for the quality of its red wines...
to Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier, South Australia
Mount Gambier is the largest regional city in South Australia located approximately 450 kilometres south of the capital Adelaide and just 17 kilometres from the Victorian border....
, where he rented a room. However, one of the maids inspected the bundle, which he had described as carrying a harp, and discovered the remains. After the police seized the body, Craig reappeared, and chose to sue the State Government of South Australia for depriving him of his property. The resulting court case was heard in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, and in the end Craig was granted one farthing in damages, instead of the 500 pounds which he had requested.
The Commissioner of Crown Lands
Commissioner of Crown Lands (Australia)
The Commissioner of Crown Lands was a government official who was appointed to administer crown land in the various Australian colonies....
ordered that the remains be returned to the cave, only this time to be protected by iron bars, in spite of a call to have them moved to the Adelaide Museum
South Australian Museum
The South Australian Museum is a museum in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1856. It occupies a complex of buildings on North Terrace in the cultural precinct of the Adelaide Parklands.-History:...
. The suggestion that the remains needed to be housed in a museum for their protection proved to be prophetic, as Craig hid in the cave while the bars were being attached. After the workmen had departed, Craig removed the bars and stole the body once more. The remains were later described as being on display by Craig in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, (along with the stuffed crocodiles). From there they were next reported as having been sold at an auction in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1866, but it is unclear as to where his body went after that, in spite of unsubstantiated rumours that the remains were sighted in America around 1914.
Subsequent to its disappearance, the site where the body had been found and the bars attached became known as the "Lost Exhibit".
Description
The cave consists of three chambers. The entrance chamber, located at the south-eastern end of the site, contains the old wooden tables and benches. The second, or middle, chamber has two "windows" – holes in the roof that permit light to enter the space – located at either end of the chamber, and which provide two of the three possible entrances to the cave. This area also contains a number of dry columns. The third chamber is also the largest, and is where the "Lost Exhibit" is located. It contains the remains of a bat guano quarry, (the "Devil's Pit"), and a structure known as the "Post Office".The deterioration that had been noted in 1879 has been, to some extent, reversed. Even at the time, the correspondent noted that "the restorative action of nature is very rapid", and that the scars were being healed. However, the planting of pine trees prevented water from percolating through the cave, limiting its restoration and, indeed, causing further deterioration of the decorations. Fortunately, the removal of these trees in the late 1980s have permitted rejuvenation to continue.
External links
- Blanche Cave: A majestic giant, Naracoorte Caves National Park. National Parks and Wildlife ServiceNational Parks and Wildlife Service (South Australia)The National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Department for Environment and Heritage - the main government conservation agency in South Australia, Australia....