Beachside
Rating: - Tidal

This drain is Tidal. Check the tide here if authorised to enter the drain.

This drain has two entrances, one in the middle of a natorious suburb, the other under a pier by the beach. This drain has a few surprises in it, not the least of which is the section upstream of the entrance. It's a large drain, with a high ceiling. The upstream end of the tunnel is easy to explore but the downstream end steadily got deeper as we waded into the tidal water at the end of the drain.

Drain Report

1. Entrance. The drain was entered from a small footbridge in the canal upstream from the inland entrance. From there we proceeded downstream towards a road underpass before the actual drain itself.

The tunnel proceeds roughly south west to it's exit right near a jetty. However it can be under a bit of water at high tide. The upstream end of it is square in shape with enough room to walk upright. The floor slopes towards it's center lightly so it's easy on the feet. We recommend old shoes for the exit. Ideally you should explore the downstream end at low tide.

2. Just inside entrance. This entrance to the tunnel reveals a surprise. Just in from the entrance is a second tunnel running north then back east. It gets a slight bit higher and is of rectangular concrete construction, similar to Maze, Blade's and Dungeon. We often look for coins in the sand here.

3. Large main tunnel. This tunnel is big, with plenty of room to stand up in. We were initally worried as we heard the sound of trams rolling around above the tunnel as it passes under some of the main roads. Along the sides of the tunnel small ledges run which are useful for keeping your feet dry where the water gets deeper. Watch for the mud, the stuff's slipperier than Teflon.

The small waterfall. Looking downstream above, upstream below

Leaking water pipes

Main tunnel

4. Exit. The exit to this drain is at under a jetty in the bay. This is where I took my photo of water polloution shown on my water safety pages. The water here is waist deep most times so you either have to wait for low tide or swim it. There's plenty of head room so you have no fear of being drowned or inundated. However there is all sorts of rocks and crap on the bottom of the drain to be wary of. I figured if I must enter the drain here, to do so just after low tide, as water is entering the drain. That way the clearer water in it will be floating in, not drifting out.

The pier exit. Note the beam over the bottom of the drain. It trips up explorers.

5. Town hall side tunnel. This small tunnel runs off of the open canal section of the drain. It's short and low. It starts from beside a factory close to the library. I have yet to explore it. For some reason the people in the factory here are paranoid about people in drains.

6. Upstream tunnel. The big side tunnel from the entrance here extends north in a pair of big curves, the first to the left, the second to the right. You will spot a round grid type manhole on the right hand side of the drain in between the two curves. This manhole is located on a small side street (hence the sound of cars heard from below). The manhole is actually in an on street car parking spot so it may be used to enter the tunnel, preferably not used to exit the tunnel.

7. RCP section. The upstream tunnel extends for quite a while to the east. It comes to a wide section, slightly lower than the main tunnel before continuing east. Eventually the tunnel changes into a RCP, lower than the main tunnel. There is a manhole here but as it exits into a main street so we decided to avoid using it. Just before the RCP section we found a small side gutterbox pipe which let us out of the drain. On one occasion while exiting the drain some explorers discovered that a milk bar owner likes to place a sign on the lid of the gutterbox advertising newspapers. They popped the manhole, knocking over the sign and causing much surprise and confusion for the milk bar owner.

This tunnel contains a collection of interesting graffiti. As it is not well known there is not normally people down here but be aware that I've come across vagrants (which are harmless and we suggest you chat with them and share your lunch/snacks/other edible stuff with them) and other unrepeatable people (which we recommend you avoid full stop).

While visiting This tunnel with Emor I happened to spot a $20 note lying in the drain. We looked for more money but didn't find any. It might be worth checking some of the gutterboxes along here.

The second time we visited This tunnel it was at the evening of a particularly hot day. We waded in even though the water was above deep and really stinky. The tide was also going out. The drain was full of stinky brown polluted crap. With hopes high to spot some dosh, we forged on into the drain.

As soon as we could we climbed onto the ledges and wandered forward, looking into the river of muck flowing past at increasing speed. Some way down Emor looked up the tunnel and said; "What the f$%^! is that!"

Coming down the drain was a tree, yeah a tree! A Christmas tree 'all covered in lights'.

We watched the tree disappear down the drain past us in awe. I stared, goggle eyed as it disappeared into the darkness. We wandered onwards till a point that Emor had to step past a side pipe. He threw my can across the stream towards me, it bounced off the wall and into the river of muck. I rather stupidly jumped into the water and ran after it. I wasn't worried about being swept away now, I was more worried about the germs.

We walked up on the sides of the tunnel all the way up to the mini-falls at the red brick section, an ever faster river of slime and muck passing us by. It was full of bottles, cans, plastic, at least a dozen tennis balls and all sorts of other crap. I was expecting it all to end at the high tide mark but when we rounded the corner and saw the entrance of the tunnel we could see more of the stuff pouring down the canal. It was so thick that you couldn't even see your shoe toe when it was only ankle deep.

We were eager to get out of the muck so we exited to walk back to the beach to wash off.

Warning, do NOT enter drains! Drains are full of pathogens, germs and microbes. Serious illness may result through exploring drains. Exploring some drains may also be much like watching re-runs of I dream of genie, exciting at first, but quickly becomes boring and dated.

Do NOT enter drains. Read this warning!

		Best Viewed at
Site Map		About this site

Important warning: This site is intended for viewing pleasure, do not attempt any of these activities

©Copyright notice © This entire site is copyrighted 1997 - 2006. No image or text may be reproduced, edited, copied, stored in any off-line storage device, or placed on any another website at any time, without written permission from Panic!, web site owner.