Caving itself is quite exciting, demanding and at times in some caves one needs courage that is usually given with silent endurance. Drawing underground alone in complete silence for many hours with only a dim light to work by with all the hazards that involves, is by far more exciting and demanding, both physically and emotionally than normal open air landscape work.

In caving, even a minor incident can potentially develop into a life threatening situation. Caving in wild caves you need to take care that you don't lose your way, fall down a vertical shaft, be trapped by rockfall, wedged tight in a restricted section, or in wet caves caught by rising flood waters. Part of caving is spending hours of exhaustive climbing over enormous rock piles and crawling through endless claustrophobic tunnels one after another requiring lots of effort and painful contortions of the human body.

While traversing caves is hot work, sitting still to work in caves creates another aspect of care not to be taken lightly. By staying still to draw in the caves for long periods, you cool down dramatically, hypothermia is a very real threat to life and no self respected caver would ever overlook this possibility. I need to work fast and come out every few hours. If this is not possible I take photographs and work from my studio using these photographs, my memory and field notes from quick sketches.

To reach some of these magnificent caves usually involves quite a lot of organisation and lots of driving. Permission is needed from the areas, be it through Parks Management, Aboriginal Communities, or private landowners to enter most of the caves. I am a member of Cave Exploration Group SA Inc. Through this organisation I have completed at least ten expeditions to the Nullarbor, several to Abercrombie, Wombeyan, Jenolan and Yarrangbilly areas of NSW. Other places include Mole Creek in Tasmania, Buchan Caves in Victoria, Northern Flinders Rangers, Naracoorte and Mt. Gambier in South Australia. Gregory National Park in the Northern Territory and the Kimberleys in Western Australia.

Finally, a highlight of caving experiences, I took part in a recovery expedition to the Nullarbor with the Western Australian Museum to retrieve mega fauna remains previously found by renown cavers from the Cave Exploration Group of SA and the Victorian Speleological Association of Victoria. I am a member of International Society of Speleological Art, Leeds, England, Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association Inc. and the Australian Speleological Federation.

For the moment I will continue with my cave art, it's exciting and different, it's a challenge I cannot refuse, it's so physical while the experience 'taps' straight into one's emotions. Caving is so unforgiving, nothing is hidden, all fears and anxieties come to the surface for all to see. As most cavers would agree the adrenalin created by caving is very addictive and the reward - it offers landscapes like no other that only a few get the chance to experience.

©Peter Ackroyd

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