DARK MATTERS: EXPLORATION FOR CONSERVATION

Katrina West’s trip wouldn’t have been possible without the skills of the Western Australia Speleological Group (WASG). For trip leader Rob Susac, Christmas Island isn’t new – and neither is scientific research. In 2006, he accompanied Australian Museum researchers to the island to collect subterranean fauna; he appreciates EDNA’S less invasive method.

“[Caves are] extremely fragile environments,” he says. “When damage is done to them it often invariably can be permanent.”

WASG helps bodies like Parks Australia understand and protect their subterranean ecosystems, part of which includes exploring and mapping.

While West scooped up water samples, Susac and crew combined data from distance-measuring lasers with a smartphone app to create 3D renderings of the caves on the go, and also made old-school sketches – handy when a team member’s phone drowned, taking precious data with it.

WASG discovered a previously unknown cave system, dubbed Ryan’s Ripper Rift, which has deep waters and towering walls of calcite.

“It’s a privilege to be able to visit these places,” Susac says.