2 days ago
Incredible discovery hidden beneath major Aussie tourist highway
Beneath the dusty stretch of highway frequented by tourists heading to the Top End, a hidden world has come to light.
Deep underground, in pitch-black layers of porous limestone rock, hundreds of metres beneath the surface, scientists have found a thriving ecosystem filled with strange, blind creatures. Known as stygofauna, that may hold the key to protecting Australia's groundwater for generations to come.
These tiny animals live in water-filled cracks and pockets within underground limestone aquifers (rock formations that store water). They've adapted to total darkness over millions of years, often losing their eyesight and developing unusual features to survive in cold, low-oxygen conditions.
Though smaller than a grain of rice, stygofauna play a surprisingly big role. They help keep groundwater clean by feeding on bacteria and breaking down organic matter, acting like a natural filtration system deep below the surface. In simple terms, they're nature's underground clean-up crew, quietly recycling the water many Australians rely on, CSIRO Senior Research Scientist Dr Paul McInerney told Yahoo News.
It's not the first discovery of stygofauna in general, but it does highlight the need for careful groundwater management in that region, McInerney explained. In a new report, he said that by researching these communities, we can better understand groundwater ecosystems, assess aquatic health and how human activity affects our water.
The creatures were found in the Beetaloo Sub-basin in the Northern Territory — a region rich in gas reserves and the subject of ongoing development interest. Scientists sampled water from 33 bores, using fine mesh nets, environmental DNA (eDNA) testing, and specialist video cameras that can record footage up to 200 metres underground.
"We used a specialist bore-hole video camera that shines a light in front of the lens and lowered it into the well using a cable. This allowed us to record footage up to 200m below the surface," McInerney said. "In some wells, there were no visible stygofauna. However, the eDNA analysis of water samples revealed the presence of stygofauna."
The study found unique combinations of species in different locations, highlighting just how localised and potentially fragile these ecosystems are. Among the stygofauna found were tiny, translucent creatures, including one resembling a prawn.
Populations of the shrimp-like species Parisia unguis found in the Beetaloo Sub-basin were genetically different from one another, meaning the groups living in different bores don't mix much and are likely isolated from each other. That matters because it shows just how fragile and localised these underground ecosystems are. If each population of Parisia unguis is isolated, then damage to even one bore or area could wipe out a unique genetic group that doesn't exist anywhere else.
The Beetaloo Sub-basin in the Northern Territory is currently a major focus of gas exploration and development. While full-scale commercial production hasn't commenced yet, significant activities are underway by companies such as Empire Energy, Tamboran Resources and Santos.
Recently, there have been ongoing protests against gas exploration and fracking in the Beetaloo Sub-basin. Traditional owners, including members of the Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation, have voiced strong opposition, citing concerns over environmental impacts, threats to sacred sites, and inadequate consultation processes. Environmental groups and activists have also joined these protests, highlighting potential risks to groundwater and climate implications
McInerney said the CSIRO's research did not directly investigate the impact of gas drilling or mining. However, he said any activity that disrupts aquifers could put these creatures, and the delicate ecosystems they support, at risk. "Any activities that change the physical or chemical condition of aquifers in the Beetaloo Sub-basin may threaten the persistence and distribution of stygofauna species," he said.
In other words, disturbing the water table through drilling, pollution, or overuse could damage or even wipe out entire populations of creatures we barely understand.
One of the most compelling reasons to care about these hidden ecosystems is how little we know about them — and how much we could lose before we ever get the chance to study them. Scientists say stygofauna could one day act as indicators of pollution or aquifer stress, but we're not there yet.
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The latest research has laid the groundwork for bigger questions, and possibly more focused conservation. "There is potential for new projects to expand the known distribution of NT stygofauna and to improve our understanding of their ecology," McInerney said.
"Results of these and other CSIRO studies are important for informing appropriate policy and management responses to development proposals."
Though invisible to most of us, stygofauna exist across Australia — not just in the NT — and are found anywhere aquifers offer the right balance of pore space, water flow and nutrient conditions.
Understanding them helps us to support agriculture, industry, and even our drinking water.
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