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Catalyst: Feb 21

This week on Catalyst: On The Road the team are in Western Australia, visiting Kalgoorlie, Webubbie, Mundrabilla and Eucla.

2013-02-19_0007This week on Catalyst: On The Road the team are in Western Australia, visiting Kalgoorlie, Webubbie, Mundrabilla and Eucla.

Having delved into the science of big mining in Kalgoorlie, our trio continue their transcontinental roadtrip by teeing off on the Eyre Highway. But they’re not here just to play the longest golf course in the world. Anja Taylor is thrilled to be joining a team of passionate cave divers at Weebubbie on the Nullarbor.

It’s thought that millions of years ago, when the climate was wetter, rainwater seeped into the limestone and carved out the underwater caverns and passageways that exist on the Nullarbor today. Karst geomorphologist Ian Lewis – an expert in how underground cave systems form – and sports scientist Peter Buzzacott, have spent years diving, exploring and researching the origins of the caves below the Nullarbor. In this spectacular report, Anja, Derek and Simon take in the majesty of Weebubbie and hear new theories about the creation of the caves and look for undiscovered species living there.

While Anja is submerged, Derek and Simon provide a special treat for students normally schooled online by Kalgoorlie’s School of the Air. The roadhouse at Mundrabilla is more than a thousand kilometres from both Perth and Adelaide, so right in the middle of not very much. Two young girls gather a few of their school of the air classmates from far and wide for a rare up-close maths and science lesson with the guys.

As they head towards South Australia, armed with a bottle of vinegar, the trio scale the Eucla sandhills to prove their limestone composition.

8pm Thursday, 21 February ABC1.

4 Responses

  1. Yeah, me three. I gave it a second go last week but watching them trying to drop synchronised watermelons from a tower for 5 minutes has now freed up half an hour for me on Thursday evenings.

    I’m fine with the program concept but it’s on at the wrong time and poss wrong channel.

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