COCKLEBIDDY

Originally an Aboriginal mission station this small settlement is located on the Eyre Highway 280km from the W.A./S.A. border.

49km from the roadhouse is the Eyre Bird Observatory which opened in 1978. Over 230 species of birds have been sighted. There are camping facilities at the observatory but it is a difficult place to reach.

The Observatory sits on the site used by Edward Eyre  to recuperate during his expedition from the east. Known as Eyre's Sand patch, the party found water here after not finding any other source for the previous 7 days. When the east - west telegraph line went through it was this site again that was used, this time for a repeater station that continued to operate until 1927.

The turn off to the bird observatory in 17 kilometres east of Cocklebiddy. The road in is for 4 wheel drive vehicles only. Although visitors are welcome, fees are charged for entry and also for a pick up service for those who do not have 4x4 vehicles. The observatory can be contacted on (08) 9039 3450.

The district is widely known for its large caves and in 1983 a French team set a record for the longest cave dive in the world. This record was beaten in 1995 by Christopher Brown (an Australian) who went a mere 20 metres further. Many of the caves are filled with crystal clear water and footage taken inside the caves makes it seem as though the divers are floating in air. Originally it was thought that the caves would be a good source of water, but tests showed that under a thin layer of fresh water was a lot of highly saline, and therefore useless - water.

At 6 kilometres long, Cocklebiddy Cave is the longest cave so far discovered in the world..