The mysteries under the flooded quarry near Smith's Gap

Tim the Yowie Man investigates the myth behind the old flooded quarry near Smith's Gap on Bungendore Road in New South Wales.

Transcript

00:00On some hot days, more locals flock to this flooded quarry at Smith's Gap than to the local Bungendore Pool.

00:08People come here to fish, swim and just float around.

00:12But what really lurks in the murky depths of the quarry,

00:16gravel from which was used for much of the 20th century on local roads?

00:21Well, there's a well-known local myth that a bulldozer was inadvertently left behind when the quarry closed,

00:29with it slowly disappearing underwater, flowing into the pit from a nearby drainage line.

00:40Cave diver Bruce Stewart thought he'd find out what was really at the bottom of the quarry,

00:45so one afternoon he donned his scuba gear and dived in.

00:50On his 35-minute exploratory dive over the entirety of the 8-10 metre deep quarry,

00:55Bruce found several items including a rusting bicycle,

01:00twisted pieces of metal,

01:03old drums

01:05and discarded signs.

01:14But most definitely, no bulldozer.

01:18So I think we can safely say the myth of the submerged bulldozer here at the Smith's Gap quarry is busted.