Waihohonu Museum (Central Plateau) Traditional Geocache

This cache has been archived.

TheCoddiwompler: I am regretfully archiving this cache since there's been no response from nor action by the cache owner within the time frame requested in the last reviewer note.

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Hidden : 12/30/2009
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Another Adventure cache on the Plateau

Waihohonu hut is one of TKs favourite spots in the Tongariro National Park.. less than 90 mins easy walk from SH1 South of Turangi.

Be wary of leaving valuables in your car as sadly the carpark is littered with little piles of shattered car window glass.

Please leave your mark ONLY in the log DO NOT deface the hut as it is a category one historic site and has been recently repaired and display items added.

When TK was a smaller kitten there were many many more carved plaques adorning the fireplace wall in the hut including a magnificent hand carved propeller which sat on the mantlepiece. It was carved by an ex airforce pilot and was almost as wide as the fireplace. Sad that these relics have disappeared. The hut also used to have HUGE rats .. one of which crept into the foot of TKs kapok scratcher..... half asleep TK thought it was her real cat Sooty EEEEKKKK .. it wasnt.. Glad those "relics" have disappeared.



HISTORY OF THE OLD WAIHOHONU HUT:

This hut was completed in 1904 by the Tourist and Health Resorts Department for park visitors and tourists travelling by coach from Waiouru or Tokaanu. Intensive tourist use dropped off in 1908 with the opening of the Main Trunk railway on the other side of the park. It was nevertheless used by early skiing parties and was the base for the first alpine skiing epxediition in July 1913 by William Mead and Bernard Drake - the founding members of the Ruapehu Ski club. Its use ended in 1968, when it was replaced by a new Waihohonu hut.

After 1979 the then Tongariro National Park Board discouraged its overnight use. It has been maintained as an unused historic hut since then. Historic themes are mountain recreation, and tourism. This is the oldest example of a typical early two-room mountain hut in New Zealand. It employs the innovative, and possibly unique use of pumice infill for insulation. It is also an attractive vernacular building on a splendid site.
More than one hundred walked in to Waihohonu to be part of the centennial celebrations for the hut and opening of new displays paid for by Tongariro Natural History Society. Crowds gathered at Waihohonu in March 2004 to witness the opening of the new displays installed by Tongariro Natural History Society. This was the first hut built in Tongariro National Park, oldest exisiting mountain hut in New Zealand and oldest existing building erected by the Tourist and Health Resorts Department.

It was the base for the first recreational skiing in New Zealand. It was in active use for over 60 years and remains standing on its original site. The hut was registered as a category one historic place by the Historic Places Trust in 1993. Future management The hut will be maintained to protect its historic fabric and minimise deterioration. A conservation plan (Cochran 1991) has been prepared to guide its management. It contains more information about the hut. new interpretive displays were installed both inside and outside the hut to mark the centennial of its construction.

The cache is a small 100ml systema inside a TK camo bag. Please bring your own pen.

Please follow the:

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx vafvqr gur zntavsvprag Orrpu gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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