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CAVING SAFELY

We want you to have safe and enjoyable caving trips. This depends on good preparation, understanding the difficulties of the cave, and having a team that is capable of mastering all the challenges of the cave.

Caves come in a huge variety of different types, from easy horizontal walking passages to massive vertical systems with huge pitches, waterfalls, narrow abrasive rifts, crawls, and squeezes. Acquiring the expertise to master these harder caves requires time and a high level of fitness, and the way to achieve this is by gaining as much experience as possible in progressively harder caves.

Local caving clubs - the six "groups" that make up NZSS - are specialists in their own caving areas, and can help with landowner contacts, cave entrance locations, equipment hire, and advise what gear to take.

SAFE CAVING

Ensure you are safe while caving, as well as when walking to the cave.

CAVE LEADERSHIP

Learn about leading caving trips and download the leadership guide.

HARWOOD'S HOLE

Safety guidelines, practices and downloadable information for the Hardwoods hole area.

PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE CAVES

Learn about 30 caves that are open to the public, mostly free of charge and close to road access.

SAFE CAVING

PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE

Make sure you have contacted the property owner and got permission to visit. Have the right gear and level of experience required for the cave. The best way to do this is to go with other experienced cavers and by going on club trips organised by your local caving group. Make sure that a contact person knows where you are going and when you are expected back.

RESPECT WILDLIFE AND FARM ANIMALS

It is fine to photograph eels, fish, spiders, wētā, or kura you find in caves – but leave them alone. Similarly when crossing farm paddocks to or from a cave entrance avoid spooking farm animals. Leave all farm gates as you found them. Also be aware of electric fences, as the current may conduct through wet caving overalls or metal hardware!

BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS

By “others” we mean not only other cave users but also landowners in particular. Treat all private property with due respect.  Leave things inside and outside the cave as you would want to find them.

CAVE LEADERSHIP

NZSS has a short guide on good cave leadership which you can find via the link below. There can be more than one ‘leader’ on a trip, and it is a hallmark of New Zealand cavers that they take care of each other on a trip to make it challenging but enjoyable for all.

FITNESS & COMPETENCE

Assess whether your party’s fitness, competence, and gear is suitable for the cave. You may have to tell people that the trip is not appropriate for them.

CONTACT PERSON

Make sure you have a contact person who knows where you are going, when you are expected out, and what to do if you do not make contact by the pre-arranged time.

LAND PERMISSION

Ensure you have permission to enter the cave if it is required. Permission is almost always required for caves on private land, and generally not for public land administered by the Department of Conservation, except for small number of caves that require permits.

PREPARE

Get as much knowledge as you can about the cave beforehand: what obstacles and hazards there are, what gear is required, and how long the trip is likely to take.
Do you know how to find the entrance, and can you find the way back overland in the dark?

Cave Leadership Info | Download

HARWOOD HOLE

Harwood’s hole has had many rescues and call-outs in recent years. This is mainly caused by inexperienced parties getting lost in the cave or trying to return on the steep, ill-defined path. There have also been incidents caused by gear failure, or by people getting to the bottom of the shaft and realising they were completely out of their depth. You need experienced cavers who know the cave to be sure of a safe and enjoyable trip.
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Neither the local caving club nor NZSS provides a guiding service through Harwood Hole.

Please refer to the Department of Conservation guidelines.

Harwood Hole | External link

CAVING

CODES OF PRACTICE

ABOUT NZSS

NEW ZEALAND SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Exploring and protecting caves

NZSS is the national speleological body in New Zealand, representing its members in all matters of speleology, and promoting the conservation of caves and karst.

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