Labyrinth. Rating:Updated 22nd June 2003

This drain was discovered the day of the 2003 Golden Torch Awards, the Queen's birthday week end. It was discovered completely by accident. We had almost no indication what so ever that there would be a drain in the location we found it. We were simply looking for a place to park.

Map of drain system with points of interest marked
Note: The map is not accurate and is drawn from estimates of where features are in relation to above ground.

Labyrinth was one of those very happy accidental discoveries. Looking for a place to park we noticed a very big deep canal right by the side of the road. Hunting around we could see it disappeared under the road into a sizeable tunnel. Getting down into the open canal of the drain was hard. After a couple of tries we managed it without killing ourselves.

Looking up the canal to the drain entrance

As we got closer, we could see the entrance in the distance.

We walked up the canal to the drain entrance. This drain was big, very big, at least 4 metres high at least, maybe five. It was a strange combination of both red brick and concrete. I think the concrete would have been laid over the red brick to protect it from water damage. Mongo was justifiably proud of this discovery! So was I At last I'd found a big impressive drain. What's more, the drain ceiling seemed to have some sort of electrical feature running along it.

Looking back out of the entrance.

Big, impressive, well covered in graffiti. With an almost immediate shape change from redbrick arch to square concrete, still big enough to drive a bus through. Note the ceiling fittings.

The shape change. Note the three electrical cable ducts running along the wall of the drain. We were barely 50 metres into the drain and already we were seeing some very promising features.

Mongo is a big lad, so this drain looks smaller than it is. You could easily drive a bus down here. Note the brackets along the left wall for another set of cables. Also, it looks as though it was not completed all that long ago.

The first set of cables disappear into the wall of the drain. Note that there are pipes and brackets in place for an extra set of cables..

Orange pipes. Possibly gas, water or telecommunications.

Big ass tunnel.

The second set of cables enter the tunnel. This picture gives a good sense of scale to it. This reminded me a lot of some railway tunnels I have been in.

Now if you did not know this was a drain you would have sworn it was an unfinished railway tunnel.

Past the cables we encounter a vent and light.

I ponder what's up there.

Coming to the triple split.

We took the passage on the right first. It reminds me a lot of the side passage in Herc's Pillars or the corridor in Sloth's. But the floor is perfectly flat so it is an easy walk.

The Corridor eventually shrinks, but only to lead up this small ramp.........

Into this big huge red brick section. Mongo was standing next to that graffiti in the picture above this one.

This red brick arch was also about 4 metres high. It was really unexpected to come across this short section of large tunnel. But more shape changes were to come.

At the end of the red brick arch was yet another shape change, this time to a concrete corridor section. Local kids had obviously been here before us.

Concrete corridor

Concrete corridor, approaching a feature we called 'the bath'

'The Bath' itself heralded yet another shape change. This time to bluestone walls topped with brick and capped with concrete. Amazing! I'd never seen a drain like this before.

This section of the drain reminded me so much of the Catacombs of Paris hat we originally were going to call this drain the Catacombs. But later decided on Labyrinth.

The Catacomb like tunnel soon lowered then went through this brick arch into yet another concrete corridor section.

This is me standing at the junction between the shape changes, wearing my old RAAF jacket. Already I considered this to be a world class drain. But even more features and shape changes were to come.

We reached another split with a corrugated iron ceiling, red brick walls and concrete floor. Completely bizarre. We took the left tunnel because we could see light down it.

The concrete floor gave way to natural rock, and we found these two little archways between the tunnels.

Then rock walls and, rock floor and corrugated concrete ceiling. Ahead you can see a short section of RCP to the exit.

But just before that is a short section of concrete arch, very similar to 'Gets Bigger' drain.

Finally, the second exit to this drain. We rested for a while before heading back in.

More detail of that bit of concrete arch. Here the floor changes from concrete to bare rock. Parts of that ceiling were still lined with cardboard.

Bare rock floor.

Mongo points out a very nasty bit of rusted corrugated iron to avoid. The ceiling here got down to about 6 ft.

Those little arches again.

Mongo, jammed into tight spaces.

The tunnel here was all bare rock apart from the ceiling. The walk was hard going. It also got quite low.

Finally, the tunnel becomes this low 4 Ft bastard of a thing to walk in that we could not see the end of. This is a skateboard job. We headed back on down the tunnel system to the main junction again.

Back through the Catacomb like section.

Back through the big red brick arch section.

Back through the corridor like section.

Then we went up the two RCPs

These soon joined up in a junction chamber which had a metal ceiling!

And this strange ladder that was really a ladder for a change instead of step irons. Lots of kids been here before.

The next chamber was also big, with lots of beer bottles, burnt matches and graffiti about. There was also a 1.5 metre change in level of the drain here. It was easy to climb though de to some weird steps. Note the beet bottles on the I beam.

More of the chamber

Dire warnings.

Some other explorers were here before us. It turns out I know Nodge, he explained that he is from Melbourne, and has relatives here. This is the first and only drain he ever explored, when he was 13.

The nice manhole we popped out of. The drain continues on about 75 metres from here to an opening in a creek. I don't have a photo of that as I neglected to take one.

Once again well feel it is prudent to warn you that this web site is not intended to encourage you to explore drains. The exploration of drains by inexperienced people may lead to death and injury.

Do NOT enter drains. Read this warning!

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