Family funerals aren't really my thing, especially when the deceased is some great-aunt or uncle thrice removed. Truth be told, I’m not even sure whether today’s one, Aubrey, was an uncle or an aunt. No matter, for it was after the service when we were awkwardly mingling outside that the shrivelled old man in a long dark coat and big black hat approached me.
“Ah, there you are,” he said, his rasping voice almost a whisper.
I looked around, hoping he was addressing someone else nearby, but no such luck. “Yep, here I am,” I said. “Do I know you?”
“No, but I was hoping you’d attend today. I hear you’re into that high-tech treasure-hunting game.”
“Treasure hunting? I think you have the wrong, oh wait, do you mean geocaching?”
“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard it called.”
“It’s not really treasure hunting, the caches are mostly just logbooks and perhaps a bunch of plastic toys for the kids to swap.”
The man nodded. “So how would you like to hunt some real treasure?”
“Huh?”
“Did you know one of your ancestors was a renowned bushranger?”
“Well I’ve heard the stories, of course, but never paid them much heed.”
“Perhaps it’s time you did. It’s said he amassed quite a fortune in gold coins and gems during the late eighteen hundreds but all he left were some cryptic clues to its whereabouts.” He handed me a tattered brown envelope. “It’s all in here. If you can make sense of it and find the treasure, you can keep it for yourself or share it amongst friends.”
“What about you?”
“It’s likely I’ll be the next guest of honour at one of these gatherings so no, all I want is to be sure it goes to someone who might be able to unravel the mystery. You are the chosen one.”
“But,” I started to say, but he’d already turned and disappeared amongst the other mourners.
Upon arriving home I opened the envelope, extracting a ragged old parchment bearing an illustrated map. I immediately scanned it into my computer lest it turn to dust in my hands, then checked the envelope for anything else but no, it was just the map. I stared at it, scratching my head, but nothing leapt out at me. The only labelled feature was The Middle Sea but there are no Middle Seas anywhere in Australia, I'm sure. Could it mean the Mediterranean? No, silly thought, a bushranger from the 1800s would hardly be stashing his gold in the Greek Isles.
Nothing made sense, except, well, years ago I did a SeaEegles cache on a headland with a loop trail similar to that on the parchment. I opened the caching map and, while the cache I was thinking of is no longer there, the lay of the land looked remarkably similar. Going back through my notes, I'd taken heaps of photos that day, including some of caves that might just match the illustrations on the map. I even had coordinates for them!
So here's the deal. Because I'm a sharing and caring kind of guy, or maybe it's just because I'm no good at field puzzles, I've created this page so my fellow cachers can help in the treasure hunt. If you find the loot that's great, and feel free to sample some, but leave enough for those who follow.
Clicking on the map will open a magnified version of it and, if you look closely, you might even spot some extra pointers. Or perhaps not, maybe they're just ant droppings in my scanner. At the listed coordinates you'll find the keystone telling you how to use what you find at the other waypoints. A camera and/or notebook will be useful, as will a printout of the magnified map. Good luck in your hunt, leave no stone unturned, especially the flat ones, and enjoy the views over The Middle Sea while you're up there.
Note: There's a bus stop nearby in Wattle Crescent (route 58) but services are infrequent so check the timetables first.
The cache should take about an hour to complete, or perhaps a little longer if you linger to take in the awesome views along the way.
Congratulations to crash2079, the first to find the loot!
