Josh Richards is an Adelaide-based exploration cave diver and founder of the Soggy Wombats, and in his presentation on the Tech Stage at the GO Diving Show in September, titled Pixels and Passages, he’ll be focusing on an underwater cave survey and photogrammetry in South Sulawesi.
After 20 years toggling between military and civilian scuba diving, he finally realised the ocean is full of big bitey things and decided that squeezing into underwater caves was a much safer way to spend his time. Just a month after his cave-diving course, Josh discovered the Englebrecht’s East Extension running under the city of Mount Gambier, and spent the next two years surveying and mapping it with the support of the Soggy Wombats team.
Since then Josh’s scientific approach to cave exploration (and his relentless dedication to looking into literally every single hole ‘just to be sure’) has led to even greater cave discoveries, including doubling the length of Iddlebiddy Cave in 2023, and finding the Crazy Wombat Tunnel in Pines earlier this year.
The GO Diving Show ANZ
This annual event, taking place this year on 6-7 September at the Sydney Showground at the Olympic Park, is aimed at showcasing the very best of our underwater world to everyone from raw novices who are either contemplating getting into diving, or have completed their entry-level courses, to advanced divers, right through to technical divers and veteran CCR divers.
There are an array of stages – the Main Stage, the Photo Stage, the Australia/New Zealand Stage, the Inspiration Stage and the Tech Stage – that will play host to dozens of speakers from around the world, as well as a host of interactive features to suit young and old, from VR diving experiences, a demonstration pool, a trydive pool, and much more.
Surrounding the stages and features will be a broad range of exhibitors, from tourist boards and tour operators to resorts, liveaboards, training agencies, retailers, manufacturers, and conservation organisations.
Get your tickets now!
Tickets for the GO Diving Show ANZ are on sale now, and you can take advantage of the 2-for-1 earlybird offer until 9 September – you and your buddy/friend/partner/spouse can visit for just $12, and kids 16 and under get in for free, making it the perfect family day out. There is plenty of parking on-site and the venue is easy to get to with plenty of transport options, so get the dates in your diary now and prepare for an epic weekend celebrating all forms of diving.
