The hole truth

May 28, 2011 7:25 PM

I remember seeing a picture (I think in National Geographic) of a gigantic hole -- in Australia, I am virtually certain. It was naturally occurring, not a mine, and very deep and mysterious. Now there is only a giant pit in my memory, and fear of a growing sinkhole called dementia -- can't find it anywhere. Am I just imagining this hole?
posted by Clyde Mnestra to Science & Nature (20 answers total)

I think you may be referring to this.
posted by 4ster at 7:27 PM on May 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: 4ster, thanks -- but I recall this from well before that bad boy appeared.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 7:30 PM on May 28, 2011

I think you mean Mexico's Cave of Swallows. It's used in a few movies.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:37 PM on May 28, 2011

Could you be thinking of Wolfe Creek Crater?

Official park website is here.
posted by Hot buttered sockpuppets at 7:38 PM on May 28, 2011

Response by poster: The concept is like the Cave of Swallows, but broader, and I distinctly place it in Australia. I guess I will start looking for assisted living tomorrow.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 7:52 PM on May 28, 2011

Are you thinking of the Umpherston Sinkhole in Mount Gambier? pic
posted by Paragon at 8:02 PM on May 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Centralia, not Australia.
posted by cdadog at 8:12 PM on May 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Paragon, I'm not -- but I did see that while googling for the thing I'm recalling. Just dark rock, as I recall.

cdadog, neat, but the thing was dormant. And below the equator.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 8:21 PM on May 28, 2011

Although upon further review, that particular pic is actually " The Gates of Hell" in Turkmenistan.
posted by cdadog at 8:23 PM on May 28, 2011

Was there water in it, or was it dry at the bottom?
posted by KathrynT at 8:40 PM on May 28, 2011

Harwood's Hole? Another pic.
(This is in NZ, not Australia)
posted by prenominal at 10:26 PM on May 28, 2011

There are sinkholes along the Great Australian Bight ...
posted by GeeEmm at 12:07 AM on May 29, 2011

Response by poster: You've all been very kind. Nothing has hit the mark, and I am increasingly inclined to chalk this up to a brain burp. I am now worried that I never played strip cribbage with LBJ, and that no one else knows what I mean when I say "stribbage."
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 9:40 AM on May 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

What about Minyé Cave/Sinkhole in Papua New Guinea, it was the inspiration for the movie Sanctum, which featured tons of Aussies, and often gets lumped with Australia.
posted by furtive at 1:34 PM on May 29, 2011

There's a huge natural crater or hole in the earth in China. I saw a film at the Banff Mountain Film Fest a few years ago in which 3 guys BASE jumped into it, from a line they had strung across the top. There were stairs and/or pathways leading down into the hole, and it was very verdant. Apologies, but I can't recall any other details. I'll see you in assisted living,CM.
posted by lulu68 at 2:42 PM on May 29, 2011

The type of cave you're looking for is generally called a karst, and the type of entry is either called a sinkhole or doline. This may assist your googling.
posted by dhartung at 3:54 PM on May 29, 2011

Any chance it was in Arizona instead of Australia?
posted by taramosalata at 7:52 PM on May 29, 2011

Or the world's deepest cave, Krubera in Abkhazia, Georgia, as covered in National Geographic, May 2005?
posted by taramosalata at 8:03 PM on May 29, 2011

There is a large sinkhole that recently opened in Guatemala...
posted by squasher at 9:20 PM on May 29, 2011

Clyde Mnestra: please update this thread if you eventually find the answer!
posted by taramosalata at 4:54 PM on June 3, 2011