NEWSLETTER

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jessie French
STYLISTS: Hannah Brooks and Ana Vaz

The Cave Clan is an increasingly organised group of people who, puzzlingly, enjoy exploring the complex system of cold, dark and wet storm water drains and tunnels that run underneath our cities. Founded in Melbourne in 1985 by three teenagers—Woody, Doug and Sloth—the Clan has since expanded with chapters throughout Australia and the rest of the world.

We were lucky enough to have a willing member of the Cave Clan take us and our gang of models on a tour of some of the friendlier drains around town, and also managed to speak to Doug, the guy who started it all and, incidentally, who came up with their awesome logo.

Vice: It’s really cold and bleak down there. What’s the appeal?

Doug: It’s pretty incredible what you can come across. For instance, there are tunnels that run under most of Melbourne’s CBD and connect important sites and buildings. It’s impossible to gain access now with the existing alarm system but we got in there once or twice many years ago.

How has the Cave Clan changed since the 80s?

Obviously the Internet has made a huge difference. When we started exploring, we were really chartering new territory. Now, each new member is given a map showing the location of every entrance. In the beginning we would communicate with other members by leaving written messages on the drain walls. Eventually though we set up a PO Box so people could contact us by mail. We used to publish a zine called Il Draino too, which was effective before everything went online.

Do you all get together and have drain parties?

Actually, yeah. Once a year we hold the Clannies—which is kind of a play on the Logies awards night—and Cave Clan members from all over get together in one of our biggest tunnels and we present awards and have a massive party. Other than that though it’s a fairly solitary sport.

There are rumours that you guys have strange rituals, like the one about you removing the fingers of people who divulge too much about the Clan. Bullshit I presume?

You know it.

Left to right—Tom K: Freshjive t-shirt, The King Is Dead shorts, vintage jacket from Shag, Converse sneakers, stylist’s own scarf, model’s own sunglasses. Ayla: Mossimo jeans, B Vintage t-shirt, Afends cap, Converse sneakers, stylist’s own bumbag and denim jacket. Khi: Afends t-shirt, The King Is Dead shorts, vintage jacket from Shag. Mia: Calvin Klein jeans, Hypnosis Reversal t-shirt, Dragon sunglasses, Converse sneakers, stylist’s own scarf and hat. Tom M: Mooks t-shirt, Calvin Klein jeans, stylist’s own suspenders, Converse sneakers. Jethro: Extinct jeans, LRG hoodie, Dekline sneakers, stylist’s own necklace and head torch. Johnny: The King Is Dead shirt, Extinct jeans, stylist’s own suspenders, jacket and sunglasses

Johnny: Extinct jeans, Extinct hoodie, stylist’s own scarf

Mia: Calvin Klein jeans, Hypnosis Reversal t-shirt, Converse sneakers

Left to right – Mia: Claude Maus leggings, The King Is Dead shirt, Calvin Klein jacket, stylist’s own compass earring. Tom K: Calvin Klein jeans, Extinct shirt, Extinct cardigan, Converse sneakers. Ayla: Extinct t-shirt, lace tights from Shag, Claude Maus blazer, Converse sneakers. Jethro: Extinct jeans, Hypnosis Reversal t-shirt, vintage raincoat from Shag, Dekline sneakers. Johnny: Hypnosis Reversal t-shirt, Claude Maus shirt, Extinct jeans, Converse sneakers, stylist’s own scarf. Tom M: Calvin Klein jeans, Extinct shirt, Extinct hoodie, vintage jacket from Shag, Converse sneakers

Jethro: Extinct jeans, Hypnosis Reversal t-shirt, vintage raincoat from Shag, Dekline sneakers Mia: Claude Maus leggings, The King Is Dead shirt, Calvin Klein jacket, stylist’s own compass earring

Jethro: vintage raincoat from Shag. Ayla: lace tights from Shag. Tom M: Extinct hoodie. Mia: Claude Maus leggings, stylist’s own bustier and compass earring. Tom K: Calvin Klein jeans, Extinct shirt, stylist’s own chains

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