Falls Entrance (BOP) Omanawa, North Island, New Zealand
By nzkites on 14-Apr-15. Waypoint GC5RF03

Found it

Great cache thanks. We thought hard about what size the tree might be and looked for a likely suspect after coming up blank in our initial search. We popped in some Halloween themed swapables. TFTC.

Snagged this cache after walking down to the falls. Awesome location! Getting on a plane in a few hours to head back to USA. Thanks New Zealand!

Found - Mrs McMike2012 & I live full-time in our caravan travelling around NZ, visiting the places we want to visit & doing the things we want to do and fitting in a bit of Geocaching here & there currently staying in Tauranga for a few days decided to go for a drive to complete some Adventure Labs & see some Waterfalls parked up in the car park at the Omanawa Falls car park & went for walk cache was easily found, log-book completed & returned pleased to add another 'smiley face' to the tally TFTC ... TN:LN:LS #5,625 for Us!

Thanks couldnt sign but pic for proof

Grabbed on the way back to the car, nice new log to sign!A (long, for us) weekend break out at the BoP and a well timed visit it was, with some unseasonably warm spell of weather laying here and there, and we were the Benny Fisheries. We made a steady trip in from Rangitikei on Friday morning and settled for a walk around the base of the Mount as our only plan for the day. Saturday was a day out to Katikati via Omokoroa, and I had some designs on some of the Sidetracked caches in the area with a view to improve my 'porter' status. Sunday was a double waterfall day at Omanawa and Kaiate and that was really nice too. We managed a few Ad Labs to complete and really enjoyed our visit. Thanks to all the COs for their hides and maintenance.

Cache back in place and awaiting the next finder.

Cache replaced today and description updated.

We plan to replace this later today.

Can we get a CO check on this one please? Suspect it is missing based on 3 recent DNFs..

Disabling until we can replace

This was to be our find # 599 with the falls cache to be #600, but alas, we have to log a blue sad face like the others before us. I wish I had checked logs before we came, so we had another cache found before we got here as we really wanted the falls cache to be our 600th, but we will just have to find another epic cache to fit the bill.We located the beautiful specimen in the hint and searched and searched all around it. Nothing to be found here. Suspect with the recent upgrades this may have been removed?

Located the beautiful kawakawa specimen but no cache. There is now a camera right opposite gz and I would not be surprised if they removed the container.

Recently opened track. Had a good look around but suspect cache may have been moved with the new works.

hard but found in the end TFTC

Thanks

**#15,668**
It's been 14 years since we last found a cache by the falls, we didnt know the track was closed, lucky this one was not far from the start so a quick find, that is quite a big tree for a kawakawa, they are usually quite sticky twiggy looking bushes!
TNLN TFTC!

Fun day out with friends and truce we found it

PLEASE NOTE: Geocaching is not permitted during Covid levels 3 and 4.

See [NZ Geocaching Wiki](https://wiki.groundspeak.com/display/GEO/New+Zealand?fbclid=IwAR1WHzfOP0U-Ab7NOjhOujjgETYYHQ8WDY8hPmbZGJEXbiB8QoMoPF4Rc1U) for more info.

Any found logs received during the lockdown will be deleted.

Now NZ has moved to Alert Level 2, Geocaching is allowed but it’s up to each one of us to keep the rest of us safe.

Let's not turn Caching into Catching COVID-19

These are the most important things that you can remember and do:

COVID-19 is still out there. Play it safe.

Keep your distance from other people in public.

If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t. find this cache.

If you have symptoms of cold or flu get advice about being tested.

Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.

Sneeze and cough into your elbow, Sanitise your hands before looking for this cache if possible.

Log online each cache found and keep a record of anyone you meet.

Stay Happy and Safe while caching.

Disabling this one until the lockdown is over. Please stay home and keep your family and the country safe.

Track currently closed. Sneakily jumped the fence with the 20 other people ignoring the sign. Quick, easy find for the kids

Quite surprised at the number of vehicles parked at the end of the track. And also that this cache was over the fence. Funny if they only made the gate higher then they might even be able to enforce the closure. Anyway spotted the correct tree, but it was a little small, so over the fence I go and found another larger one. All good here, thanks

Down from Whangarei to do a few days caching in Tauranga and trying to pick up as many of the solved puzzles as possible from my list. The weather today had improved a lot, but Mrs was still keen on visiting the Tauranga Crossing shopping mall, whilst I went for a drive to pick up some outlying caches on the list.

Headed up Omanawa Rd for a challenge cache that was on the list, but drove past that to get a couple of close trads first. I hadn't noticed the addition to the description about the track being closed, but being as the cache was only just inside the entrance, I jumped the gate anyway and headed for the obvious location.

A nice quick find here then. Signed log and then replaced safe and secure as found. TFTC

Found with the HTS mixed hockey AIMS team while staying at the Ngahutoa lodge

Checked and all ok. You will need to take care with parking here, as the off-road parking is not being maintained and was in a very poor state when we visited. Please note the access road to the falls remains CLOSED.

Find with Celyn18 on 05.09.2018 during our travel in New Zealand, a beautiful country. Tftc

Lovely place. Thx

I w0uld love to have continued along the track to find the disabled cache BUT was not meant to be... nice hide everything in perfect order tftc

Unfortunately I forgot a pencil, so at least send a photo log. Sorry about that horrible quality and thank you for the cache.

Have been here and done the falls walk in summer...hard work but awesome to see. We stopped here on our way through for a weekend drive and thought we'd better tick this one off. Cheers!

Easy to find, a little chiken show where is the cache we don't know yet if we go see the falls...maybe it's too dangerous...
Tftc

Day off and out and about picking up some cache. Took a bit to grab this one as I'm vertically challenge. Lol. Plus trying to avoid the spiders. But retrieve and put back I did with the help of nature's tools. TFTC

We had intended to walk to the end with friends who we keen to repeat a walk they have enjoyed. But the track had a closed sign on it. Then a group emerged who said that the first 20 minutes of the track was fine. So we found the cache and walked far enough along to see three deer at the side of the track before deciding to move on to another area instead.
Thanks.

Nice cache. Easy to find.

TFTC

Dr.Eisenfuß

Tftc!

We checked on this cache today while we were in the area. Unfortunately the falls track is still closed but the cache isn't far past the gateway and is in good order, waiting for the next finder.

A shame the track is closed as it looks to be an interesting walk. Cache is in good condition. Just right for an evening grab. #599. TFTC.

Nice find while driving around the area today.
A shame that the falls are closed.
SL TFTC

TFTC

TFTC

Zara, Etherlord and I are at last on our way home from the Turangi Mega. The trip back to Palmerston North will take three days!
We grabbed the nearby challenge cache and came here to complete the area. Zara was parked right across the driveway but we were only gone for two minutes - a nice esay find.
Alas my queries do not include disabled caches - if I had seen the falls cache I would have had a go at it.

Signed as ZECATS - Zara, Etherlord Clan and the Seagnoid.

It took the Seagnoid and I three days to drive the ~250KM from Palmerston North to Turangi for the Mega.
I wonder how long it'll take us to drive back home given that our post-Mega road trip will be via Tauranga to collect the North Island's only remaining Webcam Cache!

Nice easy cache just beyond the "Thou shalt not pass!" sign. Oops!
the Seagnoid exclaimed "What a cool tree!" - and he was right

Thanks for the hide, signed as ZECATS - Zara, Etherlord Clan and the Seagnoid

I can see my house from here. Well, nearly. Out on a recky with TNXPRO a couple of months ago and had forgotten to log

First time I have ventured this far up Omanawa road. Very picturesque on this sunny afternoon. Thanks for the cache

Have not been up here for a long long time so we decided to take a drive ...didn't realize that the fall were closed ... Any way sneaked in for a quick find and sign thanks NZ kites for a nice we cache

Ehat a nice waterfalls, tftc

Quick find on what was a very busy day for the local waterfalls despite the no go signage.

Quick find at the top of a very long path vanishing into the depths below. The warning sign seems to relate to a barrier well below this GZ.

We checked on this cache today and it's in place and in good condition. There are signs on the road gate saying the track is closed but as the previous finder noted, people are still going down the track and even to the base of the waterfall. This cache is just past the gate and is safe to access but we don't recommend going further at this stage. We will contact the council and update as able.

Out with Battlebarbie and hoping to see the waterfall. The track was closed. But we ducked into check this one out. Made the long fruitless walk down to be greeted by the tall fence closing off the track to the waterfall. It is a long way back uphill. There is little chance of seeing the waterfall unless you are really game. TFTC

MojitoMa and I were hoping to see the waterfalls with the family, but alas the track was closed. We nevertheless decided to check out the area and walked to the fence. The final 100m of the track are blocked off and probably not worth the trip if you're low on time. This cache is just close enough to dart past and get it before getting into the car. Even though the track is closed, plenty of locals attempting to swim in the river. Attaching a cool photo of the changed sign on the gate. TFTC

We are cruising around over the long weekend, picking up caches as we go.

Nice hide, nice spot

TFTC

My boy jumped out of the car to find this one while I found somewhere to park and decide whether we should go down to the other cache as there are signs on gate saying track closed. Anyway I parked up and we ran down the hill to the other cache hopefully we would be back before anyone noticed☺.

Out and about with Davidson clan today getting caches I jumped out and found this cache as they parked the car.
Tftc

Heading over to Tauranga to catch up with friends for the day but of course there has to be a few stops along the way for the odd cache or two. Following a family Christmas its always good to catch up with friends rather than the obligatory relations as they accept you for your foibles where as family just frown.
Not a bad day, managed 12 for the trip and a kayak ride at McLaren Falls to boot.

Managed this as a nice quick find without any problems while Mrs Dragon supervised from the car

Thanks for the placement, Thanks for the cache

Just a quick visit to this after I finished working up the road. Thanks nzkites for a quick easy one at the entry to a lovely spot. Tftc.

Nice quick find, all good and dry, great spot. Took. TB, left Jandal.

A good start to a day of a few finds in the bay. This was a place none of us have been before.
Thanks for the find

Found this one while on a holiday away from our home in Whangamata TFTC

This is a cool cool place to come. If you have the time the night light show is simply stunning

Thank you for bringing us here

Clasic Sunday walk with the kids. The good thing about walking down is that you find a geocach. The good thing about walking up is that all that walking around qualifies you for an ice cream. Tftc

Was lucky to be sent to Tga for the day and for work, so decided to make the most of it and add an hour or two to the morning and get a few caches, going the long way via Rotorua and Te Puke.

Heading home now via one last small detour. I've been here before and went to the end of the track to check out the falls, but didn't have enough time to make our way down to the falls, though that does look like a very fun adventure.

Another car was parked in the carpark with a couple of muggles inside it, so ate my lunch hoping that they would head down to the falls or leave. Unfortunately they didn't do both so decided the best option was to see if I could get to GZ without them seeing. Luck was on my side as I managed to do just that and get the find.

TFTC! cool hide in a cool place

Know these fall well, have walk here a few times and done the cache there a long time ago.

Wow what a beauty of a tree at gz looking forward to seeing the falls

A good hide haven't been here for years.Tftc

Never visited these falls before so we were eager to go for a look. A quick find here on the way past, TFTC!

We came out for a drive this morning, mainly to log the nearby Challenge cache ... so appreciative thank you for another to collect while in the Omanawa area.

It's been a long time since my last visit here but it all looks the same. Except the gate might not have been there then.
Quick find and left a swirly, noisy toy thing.
Time to head down towards the Falls.
TFTC

Out and about enjoying the sunshine while finding a few specific caches towards a challenge we are working on. Quick park and grab here as the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping TFTC

Parked up here and prepared to walk down to the falls. Have never been here before and was surprised to see such a well maintained accessway. The hint was helpful as no longer any phone service and GPS marginal.

Nice drive up here today - very cool but the sun is shining and there are beautiful views. I too remember the old cache here and the walk down to the see the falls - well worth it. Cache all good and didn't take long to spot. TFTC

6.50pm - Just completed 2 caches so on to the third when we realised we had no phone coverage so back tracked to a suitable spot to download and save off line and back to the spot. Didn't take to long to find. Dot day completed so it's homeward bound. SLTFTC

Alright - a nice easy one to warm up. I also relied on the coords not knowing what kawakawa is. Quick find at gz and another smiley. Cheers.

Spending the afternoon in Tauranga and after picking up '15 years of Geocaching' decided we had to come on down the road and get the other two as well.

Aha, we've been here before. There used to be a cache in what used to be the big old tree by the gate. Alas, both the tree and the cache have succumbed. We have also walked down the track to beautiful falls. Awesome and interesting walk. Only one car parked at the entrance and no sign of any muggles anywhere. We had the place to ourselves. Mr S soon made the find, signed and replaced. His new fancy long bendy arm torch made the find easy, as it was getting late and the light was fading.

Thanks nzkites for bringing us back here. Did't have time to walk to the falls but do remember what a beautiful place it was. [^]

Googled Kawakawa before I left home as my aborist skills are almost non existant but didn't need to as the co ord for me was spot on.Wet today so didn't linger too long,would have been nice to relive the walk to the falls as my better half hasn't been there but there is always another day.Thanks guys.

Dot Day... Grabbed the dog for company and headed out into persistent rain... It's raining, it's pouring... I have a handful of caches in mind for todays' adventure, but staying dry will be priority...

I knew how to navigate out to this cache from memory. We visited the caches here two years ago. It's sad to see that the huge pine has gone now. I looked around and noted how clear the area is beneath the trees. I wondered how a cache could be hidden in such an open space, but this one was concealed well. A quick find and dash back to the car to stay dry. TFTC.

Quick find. Did the falls cache some years ago so didn't have to go down the hill today. Tftc

All good . Nice bit of room on the edge of the roadside for the tanker

Yay another find!

Put in some balloons

Found lots today! GraceRMR and I ran down the lane to find this before Dad got here. We did some swaps and carried on running to find the next treasure.

TFTC

Forgot to log this the other night. Busy day with the girls - fancied a trip out to fill in some blanks on the 'caches by months placed'. The girls were off and down the track and had the cache in hand in 2 ticks. Great walk out - thanks for bringing us out here.
TFTC

A nice drive along the country road to this spot. Only two other cars here today. A quick search produced the cache and then we took a walk down the track, passing a couple of nice ladies coming up who assured us, between panting and puffing, that the view was worth the walk. We weren't sure, after watching the Youtube video of the track, but we made it to the railing before one of us, who doesn't like these sort of high steep places, chickened out. Caught a glimpse of the pool and Falls and a couple of guys swimming way down below. Perhaps we'll venture back again another day, but on second thoughts...perhaps not.

(FTF){FTF} 2 in a day loving it! will update when home ----- Yay and another FTF, saw this pop up at the same time as Peers Rd cache and thought while out this way and looks like one easy enough to do with kiwibaby I must go for another FTF after just getting one at Peers Road, After a quick sign and replace there it was a quick u-turn and down the road to get this. Pulled up to the parking area and not a car in sight and didnt see one past me while at Peers road so had high hope on another FTF, Walked down to GZ and was a pretty quick find and another fresh FTF space!! Awesome thank you nzkites for some more caches in the area. Would love to come back here one day and continue the walk down to the falls either when kiwibaby is older or I have some time alone TFTC and super happy with 2 FTF's makes up for missing out on one the other night in the Art cache in town

This entry was edited by kiwimikebop on Saturday, 18 April 2015 at 23:49:59 UTC.

Nice find. TFTC

Another third to find grabbed whilst dodging muggle traffic.

Nice hide.

Decided to go and get the Falls cache to fill in a gap in the challenge cache year list. Onwards!

Thanks for bringing me here today.

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