Cave Divers Association of Australia

The Cave Divers Association of Australia (CDAA) is a cave diving organisation which was formed in September 1973 to represent the interests of recreational scuba divers who dive in water‐filled caves and sinkholes principally in the Lower South East (now called the Limestone Coast) of South Australia (SA) and secondly in other parts of Australia. Its formation occurred after a series of diving fatalities in waterfilled caves and sinkholes in the Mount Gambier region between 1969 and 1973 and in parallel to a South Australian Government inquiry into these deaths. The CDAA’s major achievement has been the dramatic reduction of fatalities via the introduction of a site rating scheme and an associated testing system which was brought in during the mid-1970s. While its major area of operation is in the Limestone Coast region of SA, it administers and supports cave diving activity in other parts of Australia including the Nullarbor Plain and Wellington, New South Wales.

The CDAA is a nationally-based organisation without state or territory branches and which is managed on a day-to-day basis by the National Committee - an executive consisting of five directors who are elected bi-annually. It is incorporated in SA as an incorporated association. Its purpose is concerned with fostering ‘the development, advancement, promotion, mapping, education, exploration, conservation, safety and research of underwater caves and related features.’ As dive sites are on either controlled Government or private property, one of the CDAA's key functions is to liaise with landowners to organise access for its members to enter and dive. The CDAA also owns a cave diving site, Tank Cave, which is located near Tantanoola and which was purchased in 2011.

From the late 1950s onwards, the Lower South East of SA became a popular destination for recreational scuba diving due to the presence of very clear water and easy access to deep water. However, this activity was completely unregulated. From 1969 to 1974, 11 people died at the following four cave diving sites: Kilsbys Sinkhole (two fatalities), Piccaninnie Ponds (two fatalities), Alleyns Cave (three fatalities) and The Shaft (four fatalities).