History:
Bragg, Mawson and Brown, and the early uranium discoveries in South Australia by B.J. Cooper in Tansactions of the Royal Society of south australia reads:
"Uranium mining at Mount Painter took place sporadically from 1911 until 1949. After World War One, development companies returned to the region with Broughon as either Manager or Consultant. After 1926, the Australian Radium Corporation also developed the Paralana Hot Springs as a radioactive health spa in addition to its mining activities. Several patients were attracted. Mawson was involved directly in the effort to develop the Mount Painter uranium from 1923–1927. He visited the area again in 1924 with A.R. Alderman and R.G. Thomas with ‘camels transporting our luggage'. He was back again with student parties in 1929 and later years.
Loading uranium ore at Mount Painter, 1912
In 1944, Mount Painter became the immediate focus of attention when uranium was required for weapons research. Within weeks, the remote and rugged region was made accessible by road construction and by establishment of camps. Despite demonstrating that the uranium occurrences were small, this activity led to Mawson’s last major paper on uranium and cultivated the interest of a new generation of exploration geologists, including R.C.Sprigg, arguably Mawson’s most prominent student.
Uranium exploration companies returned to Mount Painter region in 1967 and constructed the now famous scenic ‘Ridgetop track’. Soon after, the Sprigg family acquired the associated Arkaroola pastoral lease in 1969 and developed it as an eco-tourism resort.
In 2007, a proposal to mine uranium in the Mount Painter region resulted from new exploration that showed that Mount Painter has one of Australia’s largest undeveloped uranium resources."
The Arkaroola Protection Act 2012 was established by the South Australian Government, citing "An Act to provide for the establishment of the Arkaroola Protection Area; to provide for the proper management of the Arkaroola Protection Area and prohibit mining activities in the Arkaroola Protection Area".
Not sure, how the roo has ended - probably tangled in wire!
Mud Maps of the cave.