Meet the site
Hancocks Cave is a large freshwater cenote on Pedra Branca Dairying land that the CDAA lists as Cave-rated but currently closed. Its listing is one of the more detailed for a closed site. Access is through a 1 m-diameter solution tube about 7 m long, followed by a free drop of 9 m into the water, where the initial depth below the entry is about 15 m.
The cavity is bell-shaped, about 60 m long and 35 m wide, with a maximum depth of about 37 m. At the north-west end major roof steps and boulder collapses extend to more than 20 m; the south-east end contains swim-throughs and a low silty chamber. The lower chamber has 'extremely milky white silt' and, according to the listing, would suit sidemount access. A fixed line circuit of about 185 m runs around the feature, with a jump into the lower chamber.
Put together, that describes an impressive site – a big dark bell with collapse features, swim-throughs and a white-silt lower chamber, reached by a genuinely awkward vertical entry. The same owner's Hann's Cave is also closed. The row is included for completeness and because Hancocks has potential to return if access arrangements are renegotiated. If it does, expect it to suit CDAA Cave divers with strong vertical-access skills, with the lower chamber better left to sidemount-configured Advanced divers. Closed-site information can date quickly, so confirm details with the CDAA before relying on them. When open, allow extra time for rigging and for lowering cylinders through the tube, and plan how to recover an injured diver up the free drop.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Hancocks Cave is recorded as Sinkhole/Cenote in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves. The listed access is shore. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- Overhead environments
- Ask whether the plan stays entirely in open water. A wreck or cave listing is not permission or training to enter.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Hancocks Cave suitable for my certification?
The record lists Cave/Cavern certification. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Hancocks Cave through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Not documented
Location
A large bell-shaped freshwater cenote (about 60 x 35 m, 37 m deep) entered through a 7 m solution tube and 9 m free drop; currently closed.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
cavedivers.com.aucavedivers.com.auRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.