Cave Clan
 Modern Cave Clan Logo. | |
| Formation | 1986 [1] |
|---|---|
| Website | http://www.caveclan.org |
The Cave Clan is a primarily Australian group dedicated to urban exploration.
History
The Cave Clan was founded on January 26 (Australia Day), 1986 by three Melbourne teenagers, Woody, Dougo and Sloth.[1] The trio had started exploring together during the summer of 1985-1986.[2]
Alf Sadlier, a worker for the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW), is often cited as an inspiration to the Cave Clan's founders. During construction on Melbourne’s drains in the 1940s and 1950s, Sadlier would leave his name and the date in tar paint before the last section of tunnel was put in place. After Sadlier was mentioned in an article in Melbourne’s The Herald Sun [citation needed] his sister wrote to the Cave Clan explaining that her brother was in fact a "builder of drains", and not an explorer.
Membership and Activities
Cave Clan members explore natural or artificial tunnels and caves, along with rooftops and abandoned buildings. Their most frequent activities involve exploring underground stormwater drains, bunkers tunnels and forts.[3] Each chapter of the Cave Clan has its favorite locations with each city having a different history and therefore different types of locations to explore. For example in Sydney, sites the Cave Clan explore include an underground ex-naval oil reservoir in Sydney.[4].
Members of the Cave Clan come from various backgrounds including tradesmen, computer geeks, shop owners, teachers, government workers, writers, students, scientists, and mechanics [5] with the Cave Clan acting as a uniting group for people who are interested in urban exploration in Australia. Amongst other things, members are attracted by the appeal of getting into places that no one else gets into.[6]
Safety issues
The Cave Clan does not advocate going into drains when it is raining, exploring alone, or removing a manhole from beneath if the above location is unknown. The golden rule of the Cave Clan is, "When it rains, no drains!". [7]
Controversy
As with urban exploration-related topics, by entering into locations or drains without permission, the members of the Cave Clan can be described as "recreational trespassers". In 2005 it was revealed that the NSW State Government had asked for the Cave Clan's help in finding tunnels that could become terrorist targets.[8]
Death & Injury
A coroner investigating the death of two graffiti artists in a Sydney stormwater drain last year has recommended police investigate a group known as the Sydney Cave Clan.
Holly Legge, 21, and Dwaine Larossa, 25, drowned after being dragged almost a kilometre by floodwaters rushing through a Maroubra stormwater drain in January, 2008.
The pair had climbed down a manhole with their friend, 27-year-old Michael Malinowski, who was swept into Lurline Bay, where he was rescued by locals on surfboards.
Mr Malinowski said the trio was drinking alcohol and spraying graffiti when they first heard the booming sound of the water come towards them.
The coronial inquest heard he learnt about the drain on the Cave Clan's website.
Delivering his findings into the deaths today, deputy state coroner Hugh Dillon said he was concerned about the counter-cultural message by the group, which he said consisted of "shadowy characters".
He said he would recommend to police that they investigate the group and shut the website down after it was revealed that it publicised the drain and encouraged risk-taking activity.
Coroner Dillon said the victims were too young to understand the dangers and Sydney Water should warn people about stormwater drains.
He also recommended that police patrol the entrances to the drain.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/29/2611473.htm?section=justin
Graffiti
The Cave Clan officially distances itself from graffiti, despite the historical practice of tagging. Drain tagging is discouraged, especially in historically significant areas. There are clear examples, however, of the Cave Clan members using graffiti.[9][10] The group also accepts leaving details of an expedition in a plain section of the drain, tunnel or cavity to mark the place and time. They also put up stickers, mostly above ground for promotional purposes.
Cultural References
The Cave Clan is the subject & title of a song released on the Mick Thomas album Spin! Spin! Spin!
See also
References
- ^ a b "Cave Clan". StreetStories. 2004. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
- ^ John Jurgensen. "Urban Explorers Are Picture of Stealth. The Nation; bulldog ed. 20 May 2001, pg. A1
- ^ Live News Exclusive - Drunk Vandals or Intrepid Explorers?"[1]", Retrieved on 8 April 2008.
- ^ BBC News Online: Subterranean Sydney, World: From Our Own Correspondent, February 16, 2002
- ^ About the Cave Clan and What We Do, "About the Cave Clan and What We Do ", Retrieved on April 07, 2008.
- ^ BBC News Online: Subterranean Sydney, World: From Our Own Correspondent, February 16, 2002
- ^ "Safety". 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
- ^ Cave Clan's Fortress, "Cave Clan's Fortress - smh.com.au", Retrieved on April 07, 2008.
- ^ Heathcote, Christopher (2000-09-00). "Discovering Graffiti". Art Monthly Australia. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Richardson, Owen (2006-02-11). "Stencil Graffiti Capital: Melbourne". The Age. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
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