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Golden Bay and Nelson

Spitalls System (Tākaka Valley)

Info · exploration

Information only: this cave is dived by a small group of New Zealand cave divers and expeditions, and we know no dive centre, guide or club that takes visitors.

Source: Dive Pacific – Discovering cave diving in New Zealand ↗
  • CertificationFull cave
  • SpecialExperienced divers
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Now at Spitalls System (Tākaka Valley)

Status
Closed

The dive

A cave system in the Tākaka Valley karst, where dry passages and sumps alternate. In 2019 two divers connected Cottage Cave and Totara Cave in a two-hour dive.

Prone to flooding: can only be explored in the right conditions.
Source: Dive Pacific – Discovering cave diving in New Zealand ↗
Profile and sections

A cave system in the Tākaka Valley karst, where dry passages and sumps alternate. In 2019 two divers connected Cottage Cave and Totara Cave in a two-hour dive.

Martyn Farr and Kieran McKay were the first cave divers here. With over 12 km of passage it is New Zealand's tenth longest cave, and in November 2019 the New Zealand cave-diving community held its first rescue exercise here, led by Richard Harris.

Practical: the landowners explore the system themselves; there is no access for visitors.

Source: Dive Pacific – Discovering cave diving in New Zealand ↗
Depth and profile
Over 12 km of passage with sumps · depth not published
Configuration
Expedition dive with dry caving between the sumps. Configuration: estimate.
Who can dive where
  • CaveAt least Full cave
  • Whole caveConfigurations: Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
  • Whole caveConfiguration unknown — research beforehand · doesn't decide who may dive
  • Whole caveExperienced divers only · doesn't decide who may dive
Dry sections / haulingExperienced diversDepends on water level or swellPermission needed

This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.

Source: Dive Pacific – Discovering cave diving in New Zealand ↗

How to get there

Location not public: on private land in the Tākaka Valley karst.

On private land: the owners explore the dry sections in summer and call in cave divers for the flooded parts. Only at their invitation.

Around Spitalls System (Tākaka Valley)

FillsNo fill station known nearby
Other sites4

No provider in Golden Bay and Nelson yet

The caves here are listed as information only: we don't know a dive centre, guide or club yet that takes visitors, so you can't plan a trip here yet. Do you know one, or are you one? Let us know.

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Sources, sharing and disclaimer

Sources

Source: Dive Pacific – Discovering cave diving in New Zealand ↗

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Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training. Compiled from web research (Oct 2026): Dive Pacific (an account from New Zealand's cave-diving community), Te Ara (the Encyclopedia of New Zealand), Wikipedia, Advanced Diver Magazine (Pearse Resurgence, 2007), the Department of Conservation (DOC), Heart of Biking and Health New Zealand (Christchurch chamber). Every cave is listed as information: we know no provider that takes visitors. Te Waikoropupū Springs is closed. Only the Riuwaka Resurgence has a pin (Wikipedia). ~ = estimate, ask = not confirmed.