Cocklebiddy, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Cocklebiddy is a small roadhouse community located on the Eyre Highway
in Western Australia
. It is the third stop east of Norseman
on the long journey east across the Nullarbor Plain
. The area is noted for its underground cave
s and lakes.
mission station, of which only the stone foundations remain today. The area was thought to be a potential water source and, during World War II
, Army engineers attempted to tap fresh water from the lakes, but it was found that a thin skin of fresh water overlay a vast volume of saline water
.
The Eyre Telegraph Station
, located 49 kilometres (30 mi) south of the settlement, operated from 1897 until 1929. Unlike most others, it remained in a relatively well-preserved state due to its isolation and protection from the Southern Ocean
, and in 1976, when the State Government created the Nuytsland Nature Reserve
, the facility was converted into a wildlife observatory, known as Eyre Bird Observatory
, which opened in 1978. The observatory offers basic camping facilities. Over 230 species of birds have been spotted there.
area, the area consists of little more than a roadhouse
. The current business name of the roadhouse is the Wedgetail Inn and like most other Nullabor establishments has access to satellite television, as well as providing caravan park, and hotel motel facilities.
The Cocklebiddy area is noted for its underground cave
s, the most notable of which is Cocklebiddy cave - a single passage more than 6 km long, of which around 90% is underwater and only accessible via cave diving
. In August 1983, a French team set a world record here for the longest cave dive in the world. In October that year, the French record was beaten by an Australian team when Hugh Morrison of Western Australia pushed another 280 metres beyond where the French had tied off. In 1995 South Australian cave diver Christopher Brown went another 20 metres further again, and in late 2008 much of the cave's more distant regions were explored, mapped (using radio-location "pingers" designed and operated by Ken Smith) and videotaped by Craig Challen and Dr Richard ("Harry") Harris et al. using hi-tech rebreather technologies. Cocklebiddy was recently visited by the Australian comical duo, Hamish and Andy.
A number of five unique species of Restionaceae
a tussock
like plant named Harperia, Loxocarya, Onychosepalum, Platychorda and Tremulinawere exist 15-20 kilometres in a somewhat south westernly direction of Cocklebiddy.
Eyre Highway
The Eyre Highway is a highway linking Western Australia and South Australia via the Nullarbor Plain. Signed as National Highway 1/A1, it forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway network linking Perth and Adelaide. It was named after explorer Edward John Eyre, who was the first to...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It is the third stop east of Norseman
Norseman, Western Australia
Norseman is a town located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, east of Perth and above sea level. It is also the starting point of the Eyre Highway, and the last major town in Western Australia before the South Australian border to the...
on the long journey east across the Nullarbor Plain
Nullarbor Plain
The Nullarbor Plain is part of the area of flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia, located on the Great Australian Bight coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its north. It is the world's largest single piece of limestone, and occupies an area of about...
. The area is noted for its underground cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s and lakes.
History
Cocklebiddy started as an AboriginalIndigenous 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....
mission station, of which only the stone foundations remain today. The area was thought to be a potential water source and, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Army engineers attempted to tap fresh water from the lakes, but it was found that a thin skin of fresh water overlay a vast volume of saline water
Saline water
Saline water is a general term for water that contains a significant concentration of dissolved salts . The concentration is usually expressed in parts per million of salt....
.
The Eyre Telegraph Station
Eyre Telegraph Station
The Eyre Telegraph Station is a building on the remote south-east coast of Western Australia, on the Great Australian Bight. Built in 1897 of local limestone, it is a substantial one-storey structure, with a wide timber-framed verandah and a corrugated iron roof, that housed a telegraph repeater...
, located 49 kilometres (30 mi) south of the settlement, operated from 1897 until 1929. Unlike most others, it remained in a relatively well-preserved state due to its isolation and protection from the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
, and in 1976, when the State Government created the Nuytsland Nature Reserve
Nuytsland Nature Reserve
Nuytsland Nature Reserve is a protected area of Western Australia in the far south eastern part of the state.Nominally located at 32° 18' S 125° 52' E, it has an area of 6,253.44 km², and takes in over 500 kilometers of coastline from Cape Pasley to Red Rocks Point. It was gazetted in 1969...
, the facility was converted into a wildlife observatory, known as Eyre Bird Observatory
Eyre Bird Observatory
Eyre Bird Observatory is an educational, scientific and recreational facility in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve, Western Australia.Cocklebiddy is the nearest locality on the Eyre Highway 49 km to the north....
, which opened in 1978. The observatory offers basic camping facilities. Over 230 species of birds have been spotted there.
Present day
Like other locations in the Nullarbor PlainNullarbor Plain
The Nullarbor Plain is part of the area of flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia, located on the Great Australian Bight coast with the Great Victoria Desert to its north. It is the world's largest single piece of limestone, and occupies an area of about...
area, the area consists of little more than a roadhouse
Roadhouse (facility)
A roadhouse is a commercial establishment typically built on a major road or highway, to service passing travellers. Its meaning varies slightly by country.-USA:...
. The current business name of the roadhouse is the Wedgetail Inn and like most other Nullabor establishments has access to satellite television, as well as providing caravan park, and hotel motel facilities.
The Cocklebiddy area is noted for its underground cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, the most notable of which is Cocklebiddy cave - a single passage more than 6 km long, of which around 90% is underwater and only accessible via cave diving
Cave diving
Cave diving is a type of technical diving in which specialized equipment is used to enable the exploration of caves which are at least partially filled with water. In the United Kingdom it is an extension of the more common sport of caving, and in the United States an extension of the more common...
. In August 1983, a French team set a world record here for the longest cave dive in the world. In October that year, the French record was beaten by an Australian team when Hugh Morrison of Western Australia pushed another 280 metres beyond where the French had tied off. In 1995 South Australian cave diver Christopher Brown went another 20 metres further again, and in late 2008 much of the cave's more distant regions were explored, mapped (using radio-location "pingers" designed and operated by Ken Smith) and videotaped by Craig Challen and Dr Richard ("Harry") Harris et al. using hi-tech rebreather technologies. Cocklebiddy was recently visited by the Australian comical duo, Hamish and Andy.
A number of five unique species of Restionaceae
Restionaceae
Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere.- Description :...
a tussock
Tussock
Tussock most often refers to a small hillock of grassy, or grass-like plant growth, but may also refer to Plants and ecology, Insects.- Plants and ecology :*Tussock *New Zealand tussock grasslands*Serrated Tussock...
like plant named Harperia, Loxocarya, Onychosepalum, Platychorda and Tremulinawere exist 15-20 kilometres in a somewhat south westernly direction of Cocklebiddy.
Further reading
- (1986) Nullarbor locals swim in the salt lake at the bottom of the cave The West AustralianThe West AustralianThe West Australian is the only locally-edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia, and is owned by ASX-listed Seven West Media . The West is published in tabloid format, as is the state's other major newspaper, The Sunday Times, a News Limited publication...
, 5 April 1986, p. 30
External links
- Shire of Dundas - Towns of the Eyre Highway
- Nullarbor Net - Cocklebiddy including local information.
- Eyre Bird Observatory