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Fauna of a granite cave: first data from Britannia Creek Cave (3GP10-48), Wesburn, Victoria, Australia

- Iannello, Silvana, Greenslade, Penelope, Palmer, Grant

  • Authors: Iannello, Silvana , Greenslade, Penelope , Palmer, Grant
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Helictite - Journal of Australasian Speleological Research Vol. 43, no. (2017), p. 1-13
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  • Reviewed:
  • Description: There are few studies in Australia on the fauna of granite caves. Britannia Creek Cave is a granite cave heavily used for recreation yet it has never been mapped nor has the cave fauna been documented. We present here the cave system showing eight ecological zones, A to H, which we mapped, each with different light and moisture characteristics. The faunal diversity and composition in each zone is reported using data recorded from three surveys conducted in April, August and October 2015. For all fauna observed, the zone in which it occurred was noted. Taxa were identified to species level or to genus or family where species was unknown. The composition of fauna assemblages was investigated using Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS). Three taxa, the Raphidophoridae (cave crickets), Keroplatidae (glowworms) and Araneae (spiders), were most abundant and occurred in all eight zones. Known cave dwellers, such as Arachnocampa (Campara) gippslandensis (glowworm) were observed in small isolated clusters in three zones, C, E and H. The highest number of taxa (7) were present in the transition zone B, followed by zone A (6) and a dark zone F (6). Fewest taxa (2) were present in transition zone D. Because there are few publications on the biology of granite caves in Australia, our data can contribute to determining future conservation and land management priorities, especially in regard to recreational use which we also recorded.

The abode of malevolent spirits and creatures - Caves in Victorian Aboriginal social organization

- Clark, Ian

  • Authors: Clark, Ian
  • Date: 2007
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Helictite Vol. 40, no. 1 (2007), p. 3-10
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: A study of Aboriginal associations with Victorian caves finds that there is a rich cultural heritage associated with caves. This association has been found to be rich and varied in which caves and sink holes featured prominently in the lives of Aboriginal people - they were often the abodes of malevolent creatures and spirits and some were associated with important ancestral heroes, traditional harming practices, and some were important in the after death movement of souls to their resting places. Aboriginal names for caves, where known, are discussed.
  • Description: C1
  • Description: 2003005213
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