GOW: Stairway To The Beach Gellibrand Lower, Victoria, Australia
By farmverb on 10-Feb-13. Waypoint GC45PTY

Unable to continue to maintain, therefore, only option is to archive. Cache recovered, the location is now free.

With an offer to head back to an area that I first visited in the 60's when a group of young families camped on the lagoon in Princetown for many years before the development that you see today.
My very good caching buddies the suscoe's invited me to accompany them starting very early with the weather not the best, not heavy rain rather a mishel, enough to wet the windscreen and not much more.
Later in the day the sun came out and it ended up very warm.
Again I have never been to this location before and the view is spectacular and the path down is very well maintained.
We got our exercise wandering down to hunt for this fellah, so decided not to tackle all those steps and We have seen anchors before.Nicely hidden again.
Thanks farmverb for placing this guy.

Suscoe and our good mate Bushfire headed out bright and early this morning for an adventure to the near south west of the Western District.
The day started out cool and overcast with the occasional drizzle keeping the windscreen damp.
Gradually the cloud thinned a bit and we had sunshine at times too.
Temperatures ranged from 12 degrees on the higher slopes o fthe Otways and it ended up at 22 degrees around the Colac area on the long drive home.
We travelled a fair way today and we surprised with the speedo total when we got home.

Thanks to farmverb for this hide.
We have discovered that we are dealing with a very clever team with these hide.
Took a little while but finally found this one and we smiled.

Tftc sl cache in good order found with chambos jombo4x4 and lizzy4x4

A quick find with Alcan4x4, Jumbo4x4 and Lizzy4x4.
T4TC

On our way along the Great Ocean Road from Forrest to Port Fairy.

On a road trip from the ACT thru northern Victoria, to South Australia then back through Victoria (great Ocean road) and caching along the way. Whatever cache we happened to pass and I was in the mood we stopped to find and log. Some easier some harder:-) TFTC
Spent time looking for this one,no one about. Finally found, very clever, not in the usual material that one may expect to find a nano. Voted.

Found at 12:19 PM GAFF2.
After reading a log that said that it was not at the typical location and where GZ pointed - we started to think a bit more sneakily - which btw we shouldn't have had to do given that it was a simple 1.5/1.5 rated cache
We met an American couple who went right down to the bottom and found the anchors - so we just asked them to show us some photos of the anchors and - wow! No need to go down now [:o)]
Thanks farmverb.

Nope, not this one

No luck with this one today. I looked in the two obvious spots but there was nothing to see. I ventured out a little further but still with no luck.

I hope it's still there. My thanks to farmverb for placing it.

Found together with Schlauchen during our 3 weeks vacation in Australia.

My southernmost cache ever which also reminds me one of the best beaches we visited in Australia. Furthermore the cache was hidden in a good way but I was lucky enough to discover it pretty quickly. Then we try to understand how it coull be there and I have mt theory, well done farmverb.
The we walked the 366 steps down to the beach.

TFTC and greetings from Italy.

#3623 16:05

Found it together with ravestorm on vacation in Australia!

Looking at the statistics after returning to Europe, I can confirm that this is currently my most southerly cache found. That's nice because not only this cache reminds us of a FANTASTIC beach, but also because the cache is nicely made.

Our two muggle friends were stunned and also ravestorm and me couldn't hide our surprise about such a lovely hide. Basically there were only two hiding possibilities, but it still took us a second because the nano is not hidden in the classical way. It was ravestorm who found it, I wonder how long I would have searched if I was alone.

Then we followed the stairs down to the beach and it's so great down there! I loved it, best beach in Australia! Our muggle friend Annie sweared, going back up the stairs, "never again", "never again" - let's see when this "never" is exactly .

Tftc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Logged on my Huawei Ascend Mate 7 phone using c:geo
13. Oktober 2016 16:03

After stopping at the snow at Beech Forest, we decided to head home via the long way. Pulling up at GZ, it was absolutely freezing and drizzle rain!!! Out of the car, pull on our coats and headed on the short walk to the steps. The GPS just didnt want to settle down sending us in circles. Then it started to really rain, great!! Keep searching, suddenly geo hubby calls out found it. Signed the log and placed it back just as the rain stopped. Thanks for the cache farmverb, and bringing us to a place that we havent been to in years.

wasn't where I thought it would be. but was a good find in a sneaky location

After arriving at Port Campbell last night we were up and about early to meet the lovely local caching team farmverb at the 12 Apostle visitor centre. After being reunited with my favourite TB Purity the Unicorn and a warm coffee and good chat it was now time to do some exploring of the area and find some caches.

After doing a few of the CO's hides this morning I think I was starting to get used to the style, no problems finding this one today. Due to the inclement weather we didn't venture down to the bottom although Dad would have liked to see the anchor if the conditions would have allowed.

TFTC farmverb

Our current visit to Australia had been in the planning for over a year with the very significant help and advice from friends who live in Melbourne. The original plan was for a 2 month visit, but as things progressed we just couldn't help extending our trip to the full 90 days allowed on our visas - after all it's a big country and so much to see and do, especially with our favourite pastimes being birding, hiking and of course geocaching! We are currently on the first section of our journey, which started with our arrival at Perth airport followed by a day cycling around Rottnest Island before travelling on to Adelaide where we met up with our friends. We then continued on to spend some time on Kangaroo Island. We are currently on route to Melbourne via Goolwa, Strathalbyn, Coorong, Mount Gambier, Cape Bridgewater, the Grampians National Park, Port Campbell, Cape Otway (where we are heading to at present) and Lorne, cramming in as much as possible on route. From Melbourne we head to Tasmania for a few days, then back to Melbourne before setting off to Sydney via Wilson’s Promontory, Lakes Entrance, Mallacoota, Pambula Beach, Thredbo, Canberra and Fitzroy Falls. After a visit to Sydney we will travel on to the Gold Coast, then after spending a few days in the nearby mountainous birding hotspots, followed by an overnight trip to Fraser Island, we will fly from Brisbane to Cairns, visiting yet more good birding sites. We will then drive up to Cape Tribulation before heading back south again to Port Douglas and a day out on the Great Barrier Reef. We then return to Cairns for the flight to Alice Springs, where we will hire a 4x4 camper and set off for a week on the circuit to and from Kings Canyon and Ayers Rock. We then fly to Darwin from where we will spend the last two weeks of our holiday making our way to Broome via Kakadu, Cooinda, Katherine Gorge, Kununarra, Lake Argyle, Emma Gorge, the Bungle Bungle’s and Fitzroy Crossing. Our last two nights in Australia will be spent in Broome before we fly back to Perth, from where we will connect with the flight all the way back home to Zimbabwe via South Africa. We already know we can't wait to return!

After the previous logs we were not at all optimistic about finding this cache, but after only a brief search we got lucky and stumbled upon the very well hidden cache. Now for some exercise down the steps to the beach and back again! Thanks so much for the cache!

My GPS said I was right on it, but couldn't find it!

Had a bit of trouble with this little one. Thanks anyway.

Routine visit - cache OK

While on a roadtrip to Warrnambool along the Great Ocean Road we stopped for a break and to enjoy the great views from this location.
I had attempted a FTF on this cache when it was first published, but had no joy then.
This time, despite a lengthy search for this cache by several of us, no smilie could be claimed today either.
Thanks for the hunt, farmverb. As Bushfire often says, I'll definitely have to go back to caching school .

routine check visit. replaced the log.

We are sure the cash is lost. We were looking for everywhere without succese.

First looked at the wrong side, then could grab it without any problems. By the way, the log is almost full.

TFTC!

#173 09.11.2015 14:28

Looked on wrong side but then found by Peter.
TFTC farmverb

After The Gable we went on the wreck beach. Unfortunately it was raining.

TFTC

Quite a few people coming and going here today. Photos attached. Thanks.

Fail at the first attempt but, after 365 steps down and 365 steps back up (and a quick check of the cache description), it was a quick find. Thanks - another fantastic spot which we really enjoyed.

Found on our walk from Moonlight Head to Princetown. This very nicely hidden cache eluded us for a while, before Enzo found it. Respect, this was a great hide. TNLNSL TFTC

Sneaky little hide tftc

Sneaky little hide tftc

We counted 382 steps! Walked from the Gables carparK and down to see the anchor on the beach. Thanks farmverb!

About to log a DNF and one last look revealed itself. Tricky little blighter! #151. TFTC With Weebindi. Great spot. Not doing the steps today! Very rough seas.

10 minutes to find. Clever.

Here with some international visitors today, and I eventually located the cache. TFTC, a nice one!

Cache integredy is OK.

What an ingenious little hide. Thanks again

Tftc

Love this part of the GOR. The beach with its relics is truly unique. Try to get here at low tide and you will be pleasantly surprised. Stairs are well worth doing. Another sneaky hide farmverb. TFTC LS. A favourite for the location.

No good! pretty sure we got the GZ right as the steps were right there. Searched around for a good 45 minutes between Muggle dodging but to no avail, hoping that some recent track clearing hasn't caused it to go missing. Still a great place to visit, life isn't all about the caches is it....well???

This entry was edited by Mark&Kelly on Thursday, 12 March 2015 at 05:47:07 UTC.

On our [trip around the world](http://www.hoppundweg.piekar.de/) we came to Australia as well. We started in Tasmania, rented a campervan in Melbourne and went up the Eastcoast to Cairns. Then we drove all the way to the Red Centre. We finished in Darwin. We searched many caches and found almost every cache we searched for . Thanks to all the owners of these caches. Now, 2 years later, we recognized, we will never be able to log every cache seperately... So: Sorry for this standard logtext and thanks for one of the caches, which accompanied us on our journey.

Gemeinsam mit smellfooth und silli1310 hier vorbeigekommen. Vor dem Abstieg über die 366 Stufen (kam mir mehr vor) noch die Dose gesucht. Hat allerdings etwas gedauert bis wir sie endlich hatten. TFTC.

After the success on the plattform we went to the stairs to going down on the beach. 366 steps were not enoughto stop us. Before we looked the awesome waves we searched for the cache, which we found quickly.

Thankfully the ipad coordinates were spot on and bkj97 nailed it in less than a minute. Decided time was against us for the leap year stepathon. T4TCSL LBH

Could have been tricky. Whew. TFTCSL

A nice clever hide farmverb, a great walk along the beach. Thank you for the cache.

Went for a walk down to see the two anchors and picked this one up on the way back. This was a very clever hide, plus the view of the sea was amazing. Tftc.

TFTC very clever hide. No pen or LRT with me today but enjoyed the hunt.

Found it. Nice cache.

Maintenance visit - integredy OK

On our way past on the GOW we stopped here for a breather and sign the log.
The GPSr took us to a slightly different spot but it took only a couple of minutes to quickly scan through the most potential hides in the area, and the container was soon revealed.

We were on the roll towards Devils Kitchen campsite so did not stay and go down to the beach but continued on the track through the woods and hills towards our dinner and sleep.
All good here! TFTC, Farmweb!

Edit: Dipping another TB.

This entry was edited by tdimdad on Sunday, 30 November 2014 at 09:55:31 UTC.

Good cache. We enjoyed the stairs! And the views. TFTC and greetings from cyprus

Tftc

Searched for a long period but couldnt find it.

Was about to leave when the last glimpse revealed the location…

Cache is OK

The Cache hasn't gone for a wander and am happy with accuracy of the posted co-ords.

Will visit within the next few days. Two DNFs and advice Parks Victoria have been having fun here; perhaps the cache is somewhere between destroyed by Parks Vic or a DNF.

thanks for your DNF logs - farmverb

Had a few of us looking with no success. I'm thinking maybe the sign has recently been upgraded.

Could not find

A nice quick one to find while we wait for the second lot of scouts to finish their leg of the GOW relay in a day. TFTC.

Came from the gables car park was a great walk avoided the stairs as we've been there before TFTC

We have been here before and walked to both anchors. We were thankful the find didn't require that much effort today. SL TFTC

After a long walk from the Gables we found the area but didn't track the cache, Lots of muggles around. Decided to come back another day & do Devils kitchen and others.

First a cache, then down and up again.

TFTC
gawe46

Nice weekend so did a maintenance outing to check our caches.

Cache is OK

Today we drove the Great Ocean Road and had a stop here.
TFTC

Found it wish we had a pen to sign it!

#545 for us, found on the return journey from Port Campbell.

We'd been down at Port Campbell for juc_jr to compete in the SLSC's 'Apostles Plunge' swim, which he did with much success, winning his agegroup and being 4th out of the water overall. Today's plan was to find some surf on the way home, but lack of swell and a strong onshore wind put paid to that. The alternate plan was to cache our way home and to explore some of the side tracks we usually zoom past.

I'd wanted to go down to Moonlight Head for ages and today was the day....caches were a bonus.

Unfortunately, we timed our visit at high tide on a rough day, so we couldn't get too far from the bottom of the 6,589,456 steps. The walk down and back up was worth it though, as it's a truly spectacular spot.

While catching our breath at the top, we commenced the hunt. Knowing the type of devious hides this series had produced before, we started with the obvious spots and once they were exhausted the less obvious. Finally, an ah-ha moment and here it was.

By now we (I!!!) was fully recovered from the stairs, so hopefully the writing isn't too spidery.

Thanks for the cache farmverb.

This entry was edited by juc_cacher on Sunday, 19 January 2014 at 09:47:16 UTC.

No joy with this one

On holiday with occasional breaks for caching. Thanks for sharing interesting locations.
Nice hide technique...
... nickleth + 1

Road trip a few days from Ballarat to Melbourne, via Warrnambool to make a great ocean road! Really nice ride I had a great time! thanks for the cache, Beenasse from France

Yeah nice place

Quick visit - cache in correct place and log dry.

Regarding the log entries of more than 366 steps counted down to the beach: the GOW was constructed by Parks Victoria and is maintained by this Government Dept.

All Parks Vic maps, brochures et al indicate "366 steps to the beach". Replacement maps recently installed by them still show 366 steps. Also, sign posting hasn't been updated. Maybe Parks Vic in their maintenance etc have added extra steps and are yet to update publications.

To be fair to cachers following and/or viewing Parks Vic publications, I will believe the description should reflect their published information.

Very cold windy afyernoon. A shorter look than usual due to the weather, but no luck.

Again the cool and wet conditions were not encouraging for this little expedition. Maybe recent track-works have increased the number of steps as it has only re-opened in the last few months. The call to have lunch was stronger that the desire to keep searching in the wet. Maybe I missed the obvious but I did find a pair of reading glasses in the grass.

Found on a Duke of Edinburgh trip doing the Great Ocean Walk with a fabulous group of GeoKids. Sneaky hide that one!
Went down the stairs to the beach, decided the tide was a bit too high and rough, and came back up. Counted both ways - we all got 379 stairs, not 366!
TFTC!

Here I actually thought you'd counted the stairs until I saw the sign and found the cache at the top of them. If ltr means tweezers it makes sence with getting the log out, if it means liter of water for walking back up the stairs that makes sense as well, call me an 'old' young person cos I have no clue other wise! As reluctant as I am knowing I'll have to walk back up the 366 stairs, my dog loves the beach so down we go. Such a peaceful day today. Theres 379stairs by the way. Thanks

Re co-ord doubts.

Today, one GPS was spot on to the cache's published co-ords. The other two were spot on the "S" co-ord and well inside a 5M accuracy of the hide.

With the effort to determine initial cache co-ords for publication and now a second confirmation by a "maintenance note" of the published co-ords; we all should believe the published co-ords.

Thanks cachers.

I feel I need to respond to today's comments.

With respect "sup8" to your co-ord comments. I will be rechecking again this weekend and will edit if found incorrect.

Nobody is perfefct, if I have erred I will publish new edited co-ords.

Initially it was published from several visits and averaging (all inside 5M and the only variant the third decimal point) from two GPS devices (both garmin satellite software enabled).

Following the recent DNF logs; with these two units plus a dakota, placed it well inside unit accuracies

This weekend I will recheck the co-ords using the three GPS devices (all garmin satellite software based) I own and post a note; or, if wrong, edit published co-ords. A recent visit with these devices were all-well within instrument accuracy.

thanks "sup8" for instilling doubt re co-ords and requiring owner re confirmation

farmverb

FTF. Very rare for me. I found posted cords about 6m out.
S 38 45.285
E 143 12.932 are the cords i got placing gps right on GZ and averaging 46 readings.

Then . Did the steps...... all 366 of them.... both down then up......

Visited the GZ today.

The original cache is still where it was initially placed and the co-ordinates are within the accuracy of the two seperate GPS's used to check today.

Good Luck from FarmVerb

Decided to try this one today as it still hadn't been found. Drove 300km round-trip thinking it would be a quick "walk-by" once I got there, but I was in for a surprise. The 1,5 terrain involved some tricky driving, and the 1,5 difficulty was a nano in what my GZ pointed to as dense vegetation. Had to eventually leave empty-handed for the long drive home.
Regardless, thanks for bringing me out here, farmverb - it's a great area with stunning views, and I enjoyed the walk down (and up) the 366 stairs.

A second DNF!!!

I "WILL BE" visting the cache on Sat20Apr13 to confirm the co-ords and that the cache is in place.

Re the comments regarding ratings and difficulty: This cache is placed primarily for walkers doing the Great Ocean Walk (GOW) and the GOW was used as the basic criteria for a "beside-the-track-as-a-walk-by" for folks doing this walk. With this being relevant to the objective of the cache, the ratings should perhaps be rated easier.

regards FarmVerb

This one was tricky, and eluded me today. I'll sleep on it a bit and try again another time.

Published