An early 20th century scam involving a promise of diamonds and gold, faux investors, fake letters and a quirky typewriter – all centred on what locals call a "bloody big hole".

Nestled among gumtrees on the side of a hill in a national park east of Canberra is a gaping hole that was once at the centre of one of Australia’s most elaborate fraud schemes.

The geological formation known as the Big Hole is 100 metres deep and 35 metres wide.

Located in Deua National Park, it is thought to have formed about 50 million years ago when the roof of a cave collapsed.

  • AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space
    10·
    5 months ago

    He once rescued a lyrebird he thought was trapped down the hole, using a canvas bag and a net, but has since seen lyrebirds “hop and flitter” up the edges of the hole, where they evidently enjoy living.

    So, in other words, he once annoyed a lyrebird

    • tauOPMEnglish
      6·
      5 months ago

      Yes, it’s amusing to think of him going to what have been a fair effort to catch a lyrebird all to find it probably went straight back down the hole after it’d been lugged up to the top.

  • tauOPMEnglish
    3·
    5 months ago

    It is indeed a surprisingly big hole, worth the short walk if you’re in the area with some time for sightseeing.

    • bestusername
      4·
      5 months ago

      I was in Deua a few years ago as part of 4x4 convoy and had no idea this hole existed, so annoyed, unlikely to get down there again for years.