Sydney University Speleological Society

Trip Supervisors

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

What is a SUSS Trip Supervisor (TS)

The Trip Supervisor is an experienced caver who is responsible for the health and safety of all participants on any given trip. They are not necessarily the organiser of the trip (Trip Organiser/ TO) although sometimes, people may be in both positions.

The TS has ultimate control over any given trip and will decide when it is safe or unsafe to cave and advise participants of anything they may be required to do or not do in order to keep a trip running safely.

Why do we need them?

Without Trip supervisors, SUSS can’t run any trips. It’s that simple and really important for everyone who comes caving with us regularly to consider their involvement as a potential TS for SUSS as without them we can’t go caving!

How does someone become a SUSS TS

SUSS has an internal training system in place to ensure that all of our trip supervisors are experienced and highly trained to safely lead a caving trip.

I would suggest following a pathway similar to this:

Attend a bunch of caving trips in a variety of areas as a participant. This is how you gain confidence, skill and knowledge of caves and caving techniques such as how to move through a cave safely, reading maps, abseiling, rigging etc…
Once you feel confident as a caver its time to download the SUSS Trip Supervisor form/s and start bringing it along with you on trips. The forms are simply a list of tasks where you will need to prove competence to an existing SUSS TS. Some of the tasks are merely a conversation whilst others will need to be observed out in the field. Recently, we have created a two-tier system as we know being relatively new to single rope technique (SRT) can be a daunting experience. We now have a horizontal TS for purely horizontal trips (caving/ canyoning/ bushwalking etc..) and a vertical TS for all levels of adventure!
In addition to regular trips SUSS will run training days, these are the perfect time to bring your form along and show off all of your new skills or practice some new ones whilst getting a TS to assess and sign you off as competent.
You will need a First Aid certificate to at least the level of Provide First Aid (HLTAID003, this used to be called ‘senior first aid’)
Once everything is done, its time to send your form to the committee so that the Safety Officer and SUSS Executive can assess your case and approve your status as a SUSS Trip Supervisor!

Still have questions?

If you have any questions about how to become a SUSS TS you can have a chat to any of the current trip supervisors or the safety officer for more information!

FAQs

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

What on earth is caving (i.e. what have I gotten myself into)? What are the caves like?

Caving (known in some countries as spelunking, potholing or caverneering) is the exploration of underground passages, tunnels, caverns and shafts. There is high diversity in the caves and caving areas visited by SUSS around Sydney. Some caves are warm, some cooler. Some caves are dusty, some muddy. Some caves consist of large passages you can walk through, others are more suited to crawling.

Isn’t caving dangerous?

Accidents and injuries are uncommon in SUSS. By far the most dangerous part of any caving trip is the drive there and back! All SUSS trips will have an approved Trip Supervisor who is an experienced caver with a current first aid certificate. Your Trip Leader will always carry a full first aid kit and a complete rope rescue kit (on trips where abseiling is required). Safety is never compromised on any SUSS trip.

Do I have to be a university student to join SUSS?

No you don’t. Everyone can join SUSS! All you need is an access card, which provides you all kind of discounts and ensures we get club funds to run events for you, this can be easily applied for here.

Will the caves have paths and hand rails?

No! These are wild, natural caves rather than tourist caves.

Can I take my camera?

Yes if you want to. Our trip leaders regularly take photos they will be happy to share with you.

You can find a list of trips and events on our online trip list. If you want to come on a trip, MAKE SURE YOU LET THE TRIP LEADER KNOW so that they can make arrangements. It is helpful to let the Trip Leader know the following in your email:

Full name
Member or non-member (include Next of Kin contact details if you are a nonmember)
Your telephone number
Which trip you want to join AND which days you’ll be there
If you need a lift OR if you can offer others a lift (including how many people you can take, the suburb you’re leaving from and what time you’ll be leaving)
Any club gear you will need to borrow for the trip (e.g. helmet, headlamp, camping gear)  How much caving experience you have
Any injuries/medical conditions (e.g. asthma, dodgy knee, allergic to bees - this information is private and only used to choose the best caves to visit)

Can I come on a trip without being a member and then decide whether I want to join?

Sure! There is a $30 trip fee from non-members to cover your insurance and gear. This can be handed to the trip supervisor at the end of your trip, and if you come for anymore than 3 trips, you will be automatically registered as a member for free.

I missed the O-Week/Beginner trips!!!!

Many new members fear that they will miss out on special beginner orientation or training at the start of the year, but fear not! Beginners are welcome on all trips at any time of the year and we welcome new faces at any time. Don’t be scared of signing up – on most trips we have people with little or no caving experience. Our Trip Leaders will arrange for you to do activities that should be within your level of ability. So unless the trip list says that experience is required, just sign up for any trip and let the Trip Leader know you haven’t done much caving before. Bring a friend and have a ball together!

What do I need to bring? What gear do I need?

Clothes that can get muddy or damaged, knee pads and batteries for the headlights. A helpful checklist of basic caving equipment and camping equipment can be found under “What to pack” here.

How do I get to caves if I don’t have a car?

Trip Organisers arrange carpooling for all trips.

How much will it cost?

Generally the only costs for members are your share of the petrol and whatever groceries you bring! At some caving areas, such as Jenolan, there is a small fee for accommodation. Non-members are usually welcome on trips, however are asked to pay a $30 non-member fee to cover insurance and gear usage.

Where will we stay?

It depends on the caving area you are visiting. Mostly we will be camping. Check out the caving areas section of the website for specific information.

Do I need special training?

SUSS trips require no previous training and are beginner-friendly unless the trip list specifies otherwise.

How can I get involved?

Besides coming along to any of our awesome trips, throughout the year we have general meetings (GMs), which members and non-members alike are invited to attend. GMs are typically held during semester somewhere on campus and are advertised on the triplist. Watch out for email/Facebook notifications sent out beforehand for more information. These meetings are a great time to meet your fellow SUSSlings, find out what trips SUSS has been on, and ask any burning questions you have about caving. We also have a presentation of special trips that SUSS members have recently been on (awesome slideshow included). After the GM we generally head to the pub, which is a great time to chat to the other members and be regaled with yarns caving and non-caving related. There are also exciting opportunities for you to learn and practise your technical skills (e.g. abseiling) on our field days, or to meet fellow members at our other get-togethers. And if you have an idea for a great trip or training day, let one of the committee members know (email suss-com@caves.org.au)!

SRT Training

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

SUSS regularly runs SRT (single rope technique) training days. These days can include:

abseiling tuition
learning to ascend ropes by prusiking or mechanical ascenders
switching from descending to ascending and vice versa
rigging

Training days are suitable for absolute beginners through to those with more experience, the day is catered to the ability of the participants.

You can register on the Trip List page of the website.

You will be able to borrow some equipment from the club but may need to bring some of your own, contact the trip organiser for more information.

The training days take place at various locations around Sydney and run for one day, typically they start around 9am and finish around 3pm. Specific times and locations will be posted for each trip.

We don't just go caving

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

This page needs to be completed

Caving Areas

Sat, 22 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

SUSS visits caving areas all over NSW and regularly runs trips to Tasmania and New Zealand. Below is a list of some of the areas we visit regularly along with what to expect on a typical trip to these areas.

Cooleman Caves

Cooleman Caves are located within the Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains. The majority of these caves are active rivers with many exploration prospects.

Jenolan

SUSS visits Jenolan at least once a month. There is a great range of trips possible; so it is a great destination for beginners and repeat trips!

Tuglow

Tuglow is an exciting caving area with beautiful camping beside the Kowmung River. Undoubtedly best streamway cave in NSW, with a great swimming hole (fantastic in summer!), complete with platypus.

Wombeyan

Beautiful marble caves in the Southern Highlands. Excellent formations and lots of kangaroos.

Yarrangobilly (‘Yagby’)

For many, there is no argument; Yarrangobilly is the best caving area in NSW. So why don't we go there more often? Because it's so far away!

Miscellaneous

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

University of Sydney Documents

Becoming a Trip Leader Documents

Library

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The Sydney University Speleological Society Library and Archives are vast. We have now merged our collection with the Australian Speleological Federation Library/Museum as a major holding library. Welcome to the combined online catalogue. Feel free to browse the collections and download our non-sensitive material.

If you are unable to locate your item of interest, would like to donate material such as books, journals and papers to the library or old caving equipment etc. to the museum section please contact the SUSS Librarian at:

suss.librarian@gmail.com

See the SUSS / ASF Library Catalogue›

Cave Diving

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Cave diving is underwater diving in caves filled with water. The first Australian cave divers were Sydney University cavers in the early 1950s. They explored tourist caves using homemade gear including garden hoses, waterproofed car headlights and hand-pumped bellows.

The ASF Cave Diving Group formed in 2000 to facilitate the exchange of information between these cave diving groups and is the representative body for ASF cave divers in Australia. The main activities are exploration and supporting the many areas of cave related sciences.

Since then cave diving has become more regulated with cave divers being required to hold specialised qualifications by a recognised cave diving training agency such as TDI, IANTD, CDAA or a recognised international training agency. SUSS divers are regulated by the current ASF Cave Diving code of practice and several other cave diving requirements such as those listed on permits.

SUSS has a number of qualified cave divers who regularly dive in caves in NSW exploring new leads and mapping otherwise unknown areas of cave. SUSS has a team of cave divers who are currently exploring the underground river of Mammoth cave in Jenolan, details of their expeditions were reported in the Australian Geographic magazine in 2017.

SUSS does not offer training in cave diving, cave diving is only undertaken by qualified individuals with the relevant permits.

Press

Your first trip

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Caving is a great way to meet new people and try something different. Also called spelunking, speleology or potholing; caving involves exploring underground passages, caverns and shafts. It can involve walking, climbing and crawling in a variety of caves, some dry, some wet, some dusty, some muddy, some warm and some cold. Some caves have beautiful features and others are more sporty. Luckily SUSS runs trips to all these kind of caves.

What does an average trip look like?

Friday Evening

Head to the caving area, picking up groceries and dinner on the way. If you are getting a ride from another SUSS member they will likely pick you up from a convenient train station. When you arrive, set up your tent or claim a bunk if you are at Jenolan. The rest of the evening is usually spent getting to know others on the trip.

Saturday

Breakfast is followed by a discussion with the trip leaders as to what caves we will be visiting and allocating groups. If it is your first caving trip then the trip leader will let you know which group you will join, which ensures you are in a group appropriate to your ability and experience. Once you have been on a few trips you will have more choice as to which caves you would like to explore.

After being assigned to a group it is time to gear up for the day including packing your lunch. Your trip leader will check you have packed everything you need for the day.

We tend to set off to the caves around 9.30am and will be underground for between 4 and 8 hours so make sure your lunch is suitable for eating in a cave.

After an exciting day in the caves it is back to the campsite/hut for dinner and depending on the campsite, a shower.

Sunday

Breakfast, then decide on groups for the day and gear up including lunch. Leaving for the caves around 9am, we tend to get back to the campsite/hut around 4pm to pack up or clean the hut then head home.

What to pack

Mandatory

A spare torch and batteries (all cavers must have TWO independent light sources for every trip, with batteries in each)
If you borrow a torch from SUSS you must bring AT LEAST 8 AA batteries to use in it. (Preferably alkaline).
Important to have
Overalls or long-sleeved shirt and pants that can get damaged
Clothing to wear under overalls (usually thermals)
Footwear (gumboots, dairy boots, volleys or any footwear that can get damaged and has good grip)
Gloves (cotton with latex/rubber covering is best)
A water bottle for the cave (min. 600mL, preferably 1L)
A sturdy, cheap lunchbox or other container for lunch that can get knocked around
Nice to have
Kneepads (elbow pads are recommended if you bruise easily)
Socks (preferably not cotton)
A camera if you have one (shockproof and waterproof) – remember to bring spare batteries and a waterproof bag/case if you are doing wet caves or canyons
First aid kit – Your Trip Leader has a current first aid certificate and will be carrying a full first aid kit, however you may wish to bring a personal kit with band-aids, bandages, headache tablets, etc
Camping Equipment
Tent (available to borrow from SUSS if you don’t have one)
Sleeping mat (available to borrow from SUSS if you don’t have one)
Sleeping bag (available to borrow from SUSS if you don’t have one)
Raincoat
Personal stove (or cook on the campfire)
Camp chair
Cooking and eating utensils and crockery
Water bottle
Food and water
Torch for around the campsite
Towel If you are not sure where to get any of these items, ask the trip organiser.

Top Tips For Your First Trip

You can borrow helmets, headlamps and caving packs from SUSS
Buy any food and alcohol on the way there as there are no shops nearby
You won’t have ANY phone signal or internet while away
Bring sunblock for the walk to the cave
Outside of the city is a lot colder than in it, bring plenty of layers to keep warm
Insect repellant is a good idea when camping
Check out the caving areas page of the website for more information on what to expect in the location you are visiting

Publications

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The Society has various books, maps and Bulletins available for sale. Please contact the SUSS Librarian for purchases, or come to a general meeting and pick them up.

The caves of Jenolan 3. The Southern Limestone (2021)

Description, history, route guides, maps for the southern limestone caves of Jenolan - ORDER HERE
Member Price: $20 + 6.50 postage
Non-Member Price: $20 + 6.50 postage

Mammoth Cave Compendium (2020)

Description, history, route guides, maps for Mammoth Cave, compiled from SUSS Mammoth BULL articles - PDF HERE
Member Price: $NA
Non-Member Price: $NA

AUSTRALIAN CAVE DIVING New South Wales (2018)

A full colour 288 page book containing diving history, trip reports and maps. Illustrated with 254 photos including 58 historical photos from the 1950’s.
Member Price: $60 + $18 postage and packaging
Non-Member Price: $60 + $18 postage and packaging

Sydney University Speleological Society

Trip Supervisors

What is a SUSS Trip Supervisor (TS)

Why do we need them?

How does someone become a SUSS TS

Still have questions?

FAQs

What on earth is caving (i.e. what have I gotten myself into)? What are the caves like?

Isn’t caving dangerous?

Do I have to be a university student to join SUSS?

Will the caves have paths and hand rails?

Can I take my camera?

What trips are on? How do I sign up for trips?

Can I come on a trip without being a member and then decide whether I want to join?

I missed the O-Week/Beginner trips!!!!

What do I need to bring? What gear do I need?

How do I get to caves if I don’t have a car?

How much will it cost?

Where will we stay?

Do I need special training?

How can I get involved?

SRT Training

We don't just go caving

This page needs to be completed

Caving Areas

Cooleman Caves

Jenolan

Tuglow

Wombeyan

Yarrangobilly (‘Yagby’)

Miscellaneous

University of Sydney Documents

Becoming a Trip Leader Documents

Other Documents

Sponsors

Library

Cave Diving

Press

Your first trip

What does an average trip look like?

Friday Evening

Saturday

Sunday

What to pack

Mandatory

Important to have

Nice to have

Camping Equipment

Top Tips For Your First Trip

Publications

The caves of Jenolan 3. The Southern Limestone (2021)

Mammoth Cave Compendium (2020)

AUSTRALIAN CAVE DIVING New South Wales (2018)