Have you been considering if you are up to some of the harder Namadgi caches but not sure? Then this is for you! A bit of a taste of hard stuff, but primarily on trail. You will need to venture off trail at each waypoint and for the final ascent to GZ. In all you will be covering a round trip of about 5.5km and I expect the average cacher will complete this in between 2-3 hours. Take plenty of water and a first aid kit and let someone know where you are going. Safe enough to be attempted solo for experienced bushwalkers and those feeling comfortable at heights only. If this is not you then please bring a friend!
There are a limited number of waypoints (5) and the majority of balance work will occur AT the waypoint but also between the final waypoint and GZ. Of course if you plan on investigating all the various outcroppings and other traditional caches in this area then there will also be plenty of balancing going on BETWEEN the waypoints.
So as to the actual instructions….
From the posted coordinates (near the carpark) the first thing you need to do is pick up a cache of equipment (do you see what I did there - clever huh). You will need it at W4 - if it's not there then someone is on the trail ahead of you. For the benefit of possible FTF hunters I'll tell you it's a magnet on a long string. Many cachers goodie bags contain something similar. If you take it you will need to REPLACE it at the end of the outing for the next hunter.
I’d suggest sticking to the ridge trail for as long as possible before diverting to each waypoint. It will take you most of the way you need to go. This will make your progress faster and safer. I'd also strongly recommend marking a waypoint each time you divert from the trail so you can get BACK to the trail. The scrub is quite dense and landmarks are limited in a few places. Although you may only be meters away from the trail it can be completely obscured from view.
A tip on each waypoint:
Posted co-ords: I can see the marker but I’m on the next rock
W2: Has been removed – the directions at the posted co-ords take you directly to W3
W3: Top of the feature – look for the lyrebird feather and check spoiler pic
W4: Equipment required – approach from top, lie on your belly and be VERY GENTLE retrieving
W5: Top of the rock
GZ: The final waypoint will provide two additional waypoints to assist in finding your way. There is no trail but there are plenty of tree highways to help you out – plus these provide a good amount of balance work! Bonus! I managed to find about 6 that helped me. Check the spoiler pics for some additional assistance in finding the right spot. Note that the cache is nestled in a crack and easy to spot once you are in the right position. I have kept the cache fairly low in the crack to be safe. Experienced cachers MAY wish to continue upwards for some fantastic views but be warned this adds half a star to the terrain rating as you need to get back down safely.
Note on terrain: I was wandering between Terrain 3.5 – 4.0 so went with 4 stars to ensure this is not undertaken without thinking about it.