Today we just have a quick post to alert you to some information sessions that are happening over the coming weeks and an update on the merchandise and camping.
Information Sessions
Cairns Info Session – GC9GCPE Saturday 24th October – 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Tasmania Info Session (Hobart) – GC9HD9D Saturday 30th October – 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm
Southside Info Session (Brisbane) – GC9HEBR Sunday 31st October – 11:30am to 12:00am
Gympie Info Session – GC9HH1A Sunday 7th November – 9:30am to 10:00am
Brisbane Info Session – GC9HH1G Sunday 14th November – 9:30am to 10:00am
Toowoomba Info Session – GC9HH1X Sunday 21st November – 9:30am to 10:00am
Northside Info Session (Brisbane) – GC9HH1Y Sunday 28th November – 4:00pm to 4:30pm
Gold Coast Info Session – GC9HH26 Sunday 5th December – 9:30am to 10:00am
We are hoping to get to more locations as the states open up, but this can be a tricky thing to navigate at the moment. If you can and would like to host an information event in your region, please send us an email at admin@cacheqld.com and we can organise something with you.
Townsville Event
Geocaching Townsville are hosting a special event, ‘Come and Try Geocaching’ on Saturday 18th December, at Sheriff Park from 10:00am to 10:30am looking to encourage new players to the game. This event will be featured in the Townsville ‘What’s On’ holiday guide and would be a great place to learn more about geocaching.
Merchandise
We expect the shop to be open for purchasing merchandise only from around mid-November. We will have available a set of four pathtags, two geo-coins (blueprints below), a polo shirt, t-shirts, car flag and a variety of other made to order products.
Camping
There will be camping available at the Mega location, we are finalising some details due to some unforeseen changes to our original plan. As we did with the Dayboro Mega we will have a special post on the website with all the information regarding camping with a predetermined date and time when camping will be available for purchase. This allows people to chat with their buddies and make plans. We anticipate that date will be in December with the shop closed on that day until the nominated time, when everything will become available.
If have any questions and are not able to attend an event please send us an email at admin@cacheqld.com.
Well, aren’t we excited here in Queensland with the return of events to the playing field! Our sincere thanks to the reviewers for working with HQ and alongside the current health requirements by our state government to stay COVID safe. Keep an eye for those little red dots to start reappearing on your caching maps.
This month we are pleased to take a wander through all that the Gold Coast has to offer with Gurthewanderer acting as the tour guide. We also welcome BitternA4 to Kids Caching Corner to share his experience with geocaching. Later this month, on the 15th, we will give you an update on the event news, including the grand opening of the shop to book your campsites and purchase some merchandise.
Geocaching Yugambeh
Jingeri and welcome to The Gold Coast! The whole area has been known as Yugambeh by local people for a thousand years and Jingeri is a common greeting.
More recently it’s known as that 50km Glitter Strip stretching north from the twin Cities of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta to Paradise Point and The Sovereign Mile. A mere hour drive from the heart of Brisbane it offers so much more than incredible beaches and 300 days of sunshine. Here you will find superb suburban parks (with full public facilities), world heritage forests, meandering rivers, magnificent sand islands, coastal cityscapes and humble villages dotted through the hinterland. For the purposes of this article I’ve included parts of Northern NSW to Chinderah, Tomewin and Numinbah as they are easily accessible from The Gold Coast Region.
Major coastal centers include Southport, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin and Coolangatta. Hinterland hubs include Robina, Nerang, Coomera and Mt Tamborine.
The Nerang River meanders through the city as does Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks. The Coomera River offers excellent water sports in the north.
The city is bordered by World Heritage Lamington, Binna Burra and Springbrook National Parks in the south, Mt Nathan, Tamborine skirt the west and Willow Vale in the north. All offering excellent walks and views.
Lucky for people who count geocaching as a hobby there’s a well developed, and growing, list of geocache for people to find ranging from suburban geo-trails to more challenging walks and tree climbs (thanks monkey maker). The Gold Coast is home to the famous cache ‘Rocket’ GC6WXYP – yet to register a find since it’s placement on 11/11/2016 (also thanks monkey maker). It also hosts the oldest running geocache in Queensland GC131 Bravo Hotel (130 favorites).
There are 1134 active geocache within a 40km radius of Surfers Paradise with enough variety to satisfy even the keenest cache enthusiast.
While ‘The Goldie’ is best known for its beaches and city life in caching terms it’s the hinterland and it’s outstanding National Parks that command attention for variety of DT and natural beauty. Isn’t this what most caching enthusiasts are really about?
The Wreck of The Stinson
If you are into physical challenge, a sense of history and abundant natural beauty this series is an excellent balance of all. The Stinson was an Australian Airlines flight that crashed into the Lamington National Park on 19th February 1937. While the authorities were searching for the wreck along the NSW coast Bernard O’Reilly of The Lamingotn Guest House went searching in the thick forest for signs of the vanished plane. His correct assumption was that the aircraft had failed to clear the mountains along the NSW/Qld border. He hiked into the bush 9 days after the it went missing, camped overnight and found two survivors the next day. Bernard O’Reilly is a hero!
This trek will take a day of difficult walking if you hike up from Christmas Creek Road. You’ll be rewarded with 4 traditionals, 2 multis and an earthcache with rare DT combinations.
GC139YK Smurfin’ Pig in the middle – Traditional GC139YH Smurfin’ Christmas Creek – Traditional GC3M72F J.G. Westray – Multi GC64MNA Larapinta Falls – Earthcache GC4EE4W Stinson Crash Site – Multi GC15YHA Stinson – Traditional GC17MHH Point Lookout – Traditional If you are really brave and have time to do an overnight you can visit Herbz famous yet rarely visited earthcache GC666G5 Running Creek Falls – 7 visits in 5 years.
Binna Burra, The Border Track and Herbz Challenge – Our Backyard
The Binna Burra arm of the Lamington National Park has a range of much more accessible and equally rewarding cache. There are approximately 27 active cache within the park (depending on how you count them!). All are quite findable but require varying amount of time to find. You could easily spend a day to search for GC6TJGZ Herbz Garden (multi) – but why not bring some gear and spend the night at The Rat-A-Tat Hut? A mostly flat 24km round trip for which you’ll need sound navigation skills. But you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views and some pretty neat cache. Here are some nice ones dotted along the border track: GC121B9 Worendo – traditional GC7E314 Echo Point – multi GC4XBXY – Wanugara Lookout – multi GC1PAQF – Way-Gawn – traditional
Of course, there’s the famous cache DT 5/5 GC 3FGJF Herbz Challenge –Our Backyard! Just eighteen finders in 8.5 years and no wonder… To find this cache you need to collect clues from 10 other cache dotted around the Gold Coast Hinterland in simply amazing (and challenging) locations. It took the first finder a month to complete, which is still a record I believe (well done Fangsoki). But wait – there’s more. To locate the final co-ordinates, you need to solve a specially designed Sudoku! It’s one of only three 5/5 cache within the 40km radius. Another is the currently disabled Egg Rock GC28R3W (another Herbz creation! I’ve been assured it is still findable) and the third is by the irrepressible EJ on South Stradbroke Island GC7EHNE – Easy for Some. For this you need a watercraft
Water Craft
We have a small but impressive list of watercraft only accessible cache on The Goldie. From the South there’s the Advancetown Amble series of three on Hinze Dam – GC8DKER.
There are 11 cache accessible on The Broadwater – five traditionals on the southern tip of South Stradbroke Island, three on Wave Break Island (including one placed in 2008 – GC18JEV) and three on Goat Island.
You can craft over to Couran Cove for some caching adventure on South Stradbroke Island. There’s a single cache titled Gilligan’s Island – GC6YJ8B – which is a fun find. Although I found the island a little creepy. It’s on the Coomera River, access by Brittany Drive Reserve.
You can ‘Float your Boat’ down the Coomera River from Jabiru Island Park and pick up 6 cache in the ‘Float Your Boat’ trail. Beginning with GC36G43 by the incorrigible Herbz!
Geotrails
In this category I’ve identified trails that have a minimum of six cache in the series. I’ve identified the first in the trail – and leave the rest up to you. All of them are interesting and fun for a variety of reasons.
I’ve already shown you the Float your boat series, here are 10 more:
Patience and Karma GC5HQD6 by D&Mocha. Six traditionals. Each one of these cache contains a field puzzle which you must unlock to sign the log. The walk can be completed in about a 3 hour round trip. P-Y-S-H-W-L GC5RWNM by PigWig2. Six traditionals plus a bonus. This series is at the base of Tambourine Mountain. It is challenging! With many steep hills. Walk it from the mountain down or from Wongawallan up. Either way you’ll be treated to some lovely views and a beautiful creek crossing. Leave a full day. Herbz Nature Trail GC50VZM. By Herbz Twelve traditionals in Coomabah wetland. It’s an easy walk. You’ll see kangaroos, plenty of lizards and if you are lucky koalas. Return is about 3 hours. Gold Coast Power Trail GC33KPX by Herbz You will need a watercraft to do the whole series. 22 traditionals which will take you a day to complete all if you want to get a little wet! Ashmore Amble GC2H6PC by Aussie Liahona. An easy walk around suburban Ashmore. Takes about 2 hours to find the 6 cache. Emerald Lakes GC2WEFN by Aussie Liahona. Showing off an interesting bit of lakeside suburbia. Will take about 3 hours on foot. Better on cycle. Beautiful Burleigh GC7NDQ9 by Auswanderers. A great series of 10 cache on the foreshore at Burleigh heads. You can be sure Auswanderers provide challenging hides as well. Some you will find immediately some you will need to scratch your head for a while. Paradise Series – Tranquility by Crew 153. While not strictly a trail this series is worth a mention because it takes in many beautiful parts of the Gold Coast. Collect the clues from 6 cache to find the final. Worongary Wandering GC88RX3 by Gurthewanderer. Five traditionals and a multi which will take you on a circuit of San Fernando Drive and perhaps one of the best views of the Gold Coast. It’s about 2 hours return but there’s a very long and steep hill to traverse. Puzzle Trail GC78X5J by Aussie Liahona. A series of 8 cache at Tweed Heads West, each with a puzzle inside to solve before you can sign the log.
I do apologize to any CO’s if I have missed any. I’ve been as thorough as I can when I put this together.
The following is not meant to be a comprehensive list – just some favorites. Someone else might compile a completely different list! I’ve just picked some titles and chosen a few cache in this category that I think are worthy of a visit.
Tree Climbs GC64MZ7 – Year of the Monkey by Monkey Maker. No find since August 2017. I have seen it but it’s very high and treacherous! GC6V529 – Harvest a cache near Brickworks by EJ. This took me 2 visits to find. GC88RX3 – Worongary Wandering: Yp Ya Tree by Gurthewanderer. You’ll need to decipher the coordinates first. GC60RA8 – A Tribute by Monkey Maker. Yea decipher the coordinates that’s hard enough. But when you do… we’ll you’ll have to see for yourself. A regular size up a tree shouldn’t be too difficult right? Ha ha haaaaa… 19 finds in 5 years! GC8BANH – Cowboys Lasso by LizBeth1998. Yes, good luck with this one on your own. Better to come in a group.
Multis GCKKYV – Cookout at Delta Bravo by sid knee. Fun walk around Coolangatta North Head. GC4KR4K – The Cougals West by Herbz. This is a challenging walk but very rewarding. GC34ERX – Stroll Down Memory Lane by Gurthewanderer GCGA6C – Comet Spit by Team Astro. This one requires a drive once solved. I found it to be quite a fun one to solve.
Virtual GC892AY – Surfers Paradise by EJ. Of course you need to come here to see the heart of it all! GC88ZVT – Feed the Lorries by Barbbowman. GC891JZ – Turtles at Cook Island by 4Ando. This virtual has a T of 5.
Most Favorited GCNJ6W – Pam & Dan & Us by Angel Dust. Traditional 142 Favorites GC131 – Bravo Hotel by sid knee. Traditional 130 Favorites GC3VWCD – Wheel of Fortune by Aussi Liahona Traditional 117 favorites GC1R2D6 – Natural Bridge by funkymunkyzone Earthcache 95 favorites
Unknown GC4JPTQ – Dolphin Code by agap2. GC5M2QB – Welcome To Gold Coast by endeavor3 GC4YRNF – Clear as Mud! By Gurthewanderer GC5P1CA – Mmm… Pi by monkey maker GC65KX6 – Eight legged beasts from the forbidden planet by radnoski GC5F36A – Dawn of the Alien Vampire Space Pirate Apocalypse by radnoski
Earth Cache GC1R2CX – BurleighBoulders by funkymunkyzone GC1R2D3 – Tweed Caldera by funkymunkyzone. This is at Best of All Lookout! GC24JED – Nyah Nyah! Purlingbrook Falls by Humulus
Letterbox GC8Q09H – Homestead Letterbox by Aussie Liahona GC757C1 – Message to EJ by Gurthewanderer GC6AVG7 – Yazz by GazaCGC5AHPP – #27 by monkey maker, a nice little walk in a suburban forest
Highly Recommended GC1EVPY – Dead Reckonings Treasure by Tenkae. A three waypoint multi that will take you to the bottom of an abandoned mine. Awesome!! GC1D10W – Geotalk XoE – Down The Back by Zactyl. You need to listen to the podcast Geotalk XoE cache episodes 31, 32 & 33, get the coordinates from another cache then walk a long way down the back creek. If you love waterfalls it’s worth it.
Auswanderers Love Fest! The Auswanderers really know how to construct a cache. Good luck with finding these! GC7TXP5 – Trail or trial. Do you like a challenge? GC7KZHP – GCCC goes Bananas GC8BGDA – Cat chat, nah very well constructed GC8BGD6 – Deadwood again well-constructed and concealed. GC2DRFM – Lacking Liquidity – Cache flow #1 GC8J7BH – Lizards Gizzards
Nottinghamers Love Fest Notinghamers takes pride in concealment. Here’s a few of his gems! GC44F9B – Rest a while. Excellent concealment GC48ZY7 – Show me the Mudgey. GC2JPHP – Waterbirds Delight. Stumped many GC6H14C – Explorers Secret. GC5R0WW – River Tree Park GC4724K – Standing Stones
Thanks for reading this article. Hopefully I’ve spurred some of you to take a break on The Good Old Goldie, search for some of our cache and mostly enjoy our amazing outdoors.
Kindness Shaun McGurgan AKA: Gurthewanderer I AM GUR
SEMIK made time to catch up and chat with a young cacher, BitternA4 who is 11 years old and caches with his Dad, brother and her.
S: How did you choose your geocaching name, BitternA4? BA4: I have always loved steam trains and wanted the name “Mallard” [which is a famous steam engine] but since it was already taken I chose Bittern [another famous steam engine] and that was taken. I decided “Bittern” probably sounded like a better name so I added the [engine] class “A4” to get “BitternA4”
S: How long have you been geocaching?
BA4: Over a year. Dad says since May 2019
S: What is your favourite part of geocaching?
BA4: The ones in the trees. I like climbing trees!
S: What is your favourite type of cache? BA4: I have only ever found Traditionals.
S: Do you have a favourite cache? BA4: The one in the plane! Dad says: You mean the one where the bird scared me half to death? BA4: yes! That one! [ACT GCHDKP]
S: Have you been to any events? BA4: Yes! The camping ones at the same place. S: Kilkivan? At the showgrounds? BA4: Yes those! [We attended two events held in Kilkivan, QLD this year: 2019-2020 New Year Cacheup GC8E7YV and the un-official event held during school holidays in July]
S: Have you met other geocachers? BA4: Yes. S: Who do you remember most? BA4: Your friends. The ones that went all over Australia and go travelling a lot. S: Liz and Bruce? BA4: Yes, them!
S: Can you describe something that happened while geocaching that was funny/surprising or mind-blowing? BA4: [looks at his Dad and smiles really big] It was night time and we were looking for a cache on a plane and Dad went to the front and this bird came flying out of a hole as fast as it could and it scared Dad half to death!
S: Can you remember any place you went while geocaching? BA4: The giant cache S: Why do you remember it? BA4: Because it was so big I could climb into it. So I did! [Rumble in the Jungle GC88BHY]
S: If you we’re trying to tell someone about geocaching, what would you tell them? BA4: This is the hardest question. S: Think of a friend you have not told about geocaching, picture them and what you would say. BA4: It’s a nice way to get out and about and have some fun during the day. You get to find odd spots and it’s really cool to see nature. And people can be really creative and figure out how to use nature to hide stuff.
Us Queenslander’s definitely have a love of paddling down our rivers and creeks collecting caches. If you search through the Terrain filter on your preferred geocaching app you see plenty of caches pop up in the T4.5-5 range along various creeks and rivers in the South East corner.
Plenty of trails for a longer adventure or a just the quick stand-alone cache. Many, many occasions of a group floating kayak squad out and about on a grand adventure. Often there will be call out on Facebook group with an open invitation to join a group attack, this can be a great way to get yourself out meeting people, getting some exercise and of course collecting smiles.
Not only do Queenslanders love caching on the water, but it seems we are also a little fond of cleaning up our waterways with quite a few water based CITO’s organised in the past years. Of course anytime out on the kayak is a good time to collect any floating rubbish and dispose of it thoughtfully back on land.
Here are a few waterways with trails: Sunshine Coast: Muru-kutchi Trail, Eenie Creek, Paynter’s Peaceful Paddle, Cooroibah Creek, Cooloothin Creek Brisbane Region: Four Mile Creek, Jackson Creek, Nudgee Creek, Pine River, Lake Kurwongbah, Lake Samsonvale, Lake Manchester, Lake Wivenhoe Gold Coast: Coombabah Creek, South Stradbroke Island, Wave Break Island
Of course it should be no surprise that we also have water based Geo-Art! (Yes, we do have an abundance of art). Both of these current offerings are from 4Andos. Probably helps that they have a JetSki, but all are accessible by kayak or boat.
Fish and Cache: Is a series of 24 challenging puzzles forming up to create, of course, a fish! Located in and around the islands to the north of the Gold Coast, you will need to have not only your paddling skills going, but you will find yourself walking some beautiful sandy beaches. Keep your eyes out some local wildlife as well, with mentions of sighting whales, crabs, stingrays.
Dark Side of the Cache: Is a visually stunning series of 110 caches in the shape of Darth Vader’s helmet based at Lake Somerset. These are land based caches, however you will need a watercraft to access them all. The puzzle are sure to delight any Star Wars fans, and of course we all know that May the 4th is Star Wars day, so what better time than now to start to solve these creative puzzles.
How do you pronounce Dayboro?
This question, recently asked by ambassadors Peter & Cat (pprass), quickly had the committee divided … was it:
We couldn’t agree so we took the question to the locals!
With just over 50 replies here is what we learnt … With a respectable 6 votes we have the pronunciation ‘Day-bo-rah’ – sounding like the name Deborah.
With a few votes each we heard: DaybOrO, Day-ber-ahh, Day-bro, Day-burra, Day-bore, Day-borough, and Day-bowrow! Getting only one vote each, are these two gems (and our personal favourites!) Dee-Town, and Da town a yesta-year!
However, the clear winner coming in with a combined 27 votes (over 50% of the total) is ‘day-bra’ or the very similar ‘day-bruh’.
Mystery solved! Thanks for the great question pprass!
Who do you go geocaching with? My Dad.
What do you like best about geocaching? I like to go kayaking and climbing trees. Let’s talk about kayaking (because that happens to match this month’s theme…)!
Do you have your own kayak? At first, I went in Dads kayak but when I turned 10, I got my own kayak that is green and white.
What was your first kayaking cache like? It was on a creek and we (Dad and I) found it not long from where we started to kayak. We found it on a tree branch and at first I couldn’t see it and I told Dad “ I want to find it myself” and the next moment I found the cache!
Where else have you kayaked? Dad and I have been to a lake and on a couple of rivers and creeks. We have explored hidden pathways off the side of creeks. After one really long kayak we found hidden door in a tree!
Any other fun kayaking adventures? One time Dads friends came and kayaked with us but the funny thing was that we had to dress up! It was really cool to see what the other people had dressed up as. When we stopped at the island and we were coming back on our kayaks we had to push it on the water, but the funniest thing is that two people fell in the water. They couldn’t get back in so they pushed the kayak back to the ledge then did it again, they were finally successful!
Adult Bit: Kayaking L Plates was put out by JACS Team as a great location for first time paddlers. She discovered the spot of course by a nearby cache, but also as a place to test her new kayak and give both her son and his cousin their first kayaking paddle in a safe space. This is designed to be an easy find with no need to exit the craft (see middle pic).
“I was impressed by how unbelievably clear the water is! Many small lillies growing around was extra nice. It’s relatively shallow, protected, serene place – actually ideal for learning to paddle! Being competent in the kayak though, I slowly cruised along, drinking in the surrounds (and picking up a few floating plastics). As I got closer, I spent longer than is normal looking into the water at the rocks and logs below. Did I mention how clear the water is?Another thoroughly enjoyable paddle geocache – one I’d also recommend for those new to the kayaking game. Thanks for this little waterborne adventure, JACS Team :)”
Captain Terror – 8/19
Each month in the lead up to the main event we are running a little contest for you to collect code words. These will come in handy – so don’t leave it until the minute to solve.
Last month we ran a CITO contest where you just had to email the committee letting us know the most unusual thing you’ve found on a CITO. We received serval entries and using a random generator the winner is … Waz and Vik, who found koala’s during a CITO they attended here in Petrie. Congratulations they won the 2020 CITO trackable.
Find the first code word once you have solved the crossword. Save each code word as they will be required at the Dayboro Event!!!
8(5)9(4)2(2)4(3)2(1)2(8)7(4)3(1)9(9)9(4)8(8)6(1)
What’s Next
On the 15th we will be sharing with you the latest information from the Committee as we nudge ever so closer to April 2021! We will also be sharing the rest of our amazing Ambassador team. Talk about what we got up to for Blue Switch Day and a feature on Queensland first geocache.
Cache QLD - Townsville GC9BVWD 