What is special about Australian caves and karst?

A Royal Society of Tasmania lecture. All welcome.
Andy Spate has been involved in cave and karst science and management for more than 50 years working for CSIRO and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. He now operates in Australia and overseas through his company Optimal Karst Management.
He is the author, or co-author of more than 140 published papers, conference presentations, book chapters and substantive consultancy reports.
This talk reviews the karst areas of Australia in regard to their international and national significance and comments on what Australia’s karst resources offer the nation.