SideTracked - Upper Ferntree Gully Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia
By ahomburg on 04-Jul-22. Waypoint GC9WVXW

Thanks for a nice multi.

Today was a day when we chose to get SideTracked with ilook4geo but not distracted. So we concentrated on these caches and were happy to log each cache that was found. This find was to remove the blue smiley face from some years ago. It was not a difficult one to locate today. Thanks go to ahomburg for placing this cache.

Happy to add another SideTracked cache to our list of finds. All good here and after signing the log along with goingplaces2, we were soon on our way to the next target. TFTC.

More medical appointments to attend so made the most of if by completing this cache and earning a smiley. Thank for placing the cache for us to find. Just managed before the rain hit.

GT37 had medical appts over this way today. We had to wait for some time between them so headed out and grabbed this cache before the heavens bucketed down and wrecked our plans. Thanks for placing this cache for all to enjoy.

Today's plan is to pick up some East Melbourne SideTracked caches. WP1 visited, clue spotted and GZ in hand I headed to the correct spot. Approaching GZ my GPS was jumping a little so after a bit of a look I referred to previous logs. One gave me enough of a hint to put me in the correct place and the very robust container was quickly spotted. As is always the case I found a much easier path out than I did in! Thanks for placing.

We were driving past and it seemed a little rude not to stop and pickup another SideTracked cache. Parking not quite legally, we dodged the prickly bushes, and thankfully made a quick find.Thanks ahomburg for placing this cache.

Finally, I had a chance to find this one, I've known the solution for a while now but haven't had the opportunity to claim it. TFTC

Back to avenge my DNF for this cache! Better equipped, with my walking pole for balance, and a better time I braved the prickly bushes again and followed the coordinates and hint. Thankfully I found! It had fallen off the fence again. I replaced using the same stick mentioned by previous finder, but a bit further along (about 59cm) behind a small bush. It blends so well with background anyway. Another Sidetracked added to my tally! Thanks ahomberg.

Despite a pretty long search I came up empty handed this evening. I like some others started searching too close to the road. I tried two ways to access GZ, but gave up after it started getting too dark to see clearly. Ill try another day!

Found at 11:17The coords had me too close to the road today but found quickly once I looked a little further afield. The container is only held in place with a stick so may need some more robust attachment to keep it in place.Thanks ahomburg for the cache

Another sidetracked cache to nab.I had solved this one a while ago but never swung by to grab the final. The search at GZ took a little longer than it should have as I was too far across (fell for the wrong geotrail)!A big thanks goes to ahomburg for taking the time to add SideTracked - Upper Ferntree Gully to the geocaching map for us all to find and enjoy.----------------------------------------------------------Nominations for the **2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards** are now open and will close on **17 April 2024**. Nominate your favourite caches [here](https://forms.gle/Ktb6LZvtAJDX5iCb6/).Join us for a sausage sizzle as we announce all the shortlisted nominees at Cherry Lake on 21 April 2024. Log your will attend at [GCAK9V2](https://coord.info/GCAK9V2/).

Good spot! Though not a lot of you realise there is another geocache there, and for some reason, its not shown on maps, yet its still there in the street light in the parking space. Message me, and Ill show you when I am available.

Headed to GZ after grabbing the co-ordinates and was met by a muggle? Waited for a little bit and realised, nope, no muggle. After some quick introductions we set to work and then I think I found it was music to my ears. Tftc and for the help from my caching buddy.

Was out caching and on a stroll in my new neighbourhood. Decided to walk a circuit and came back for this one after working out the coords. It was getting kind of dark when I passed a stranger who I thought was waiting for an uber. Turns out he was more friend than stranger, and was a fellow cacher. Thanks for the help and the chat BenLinus815!

Too long between SideTrackeds!We came to this area for an ice cream with Roaming Howie, but by the time we left it was getting a bit late for a multi.Back today to collect our 100th Mister Doctor Cache, so before going to the Ferntree Gully Library we made a stop to claim our 33rd SideTracked cache (not including two that have been archived).TFTC ahomburg.

Thanks AHomburg for a tricky hide.Missed it by a few metres the first time and god a little spiky, but re-grouped and adjusted my positioning a little, TFTC.

Thanks to ahomburg for this Side Tracked multi.We had a couple of friendly creatures greet us at GZ.All good here today.

Finally found this one.TFTC!

What a glorious day it promised to be... maybe a touch too warm for an ideal caching day but far too good to stay inside. With many caches calling, I decided to venture over to the *City of Knox*... I only had 12 more caches to find to qualify for ** 100 Finds in the Knox LGA Challenge **... and today was going to be the day!On to my third *SideTracked* cache for the day... all done by car even though they would be better done by train . Found the required "red words", plugged them in and came up with a location for the cache. Hmm, that will be a bit of a walk... looks like my "ice cream" lunch was going to be a bit delayed. As it turned out, it was delayed by more that I expected... I made hard work of finding the cache... but I got there in the end.Thanks **ahomburg** for putting this cache out and adding to the *SideTracked* series here in Australia.

A nice and easy find tonight on the way home from work, having worked out the puzzle a while back. TFTC.

This one proved tricky with sunglasses on and some time pressure. But I took my time had some lunch, changed glasses, and the container was quickly at hand.

No luck for me today. My thanks to ahomburg for placing and maintaining it.

After attending an event at Boronia Library I wanted to find a few more caches before I went to work this evening. As I am attracted to SideTracked caches and ice-cream shops this seemed to be an obvious cache to target.
First I visited the nearby ice-cream shop to enjoy my favourite flavours and then I proceeded to the train station carpark to find the required information to unlock the final location.
A short drive and walk to GZ resulted in me finding the cache, after a little search.
Thank you ahomburg for this SideTracked cache.

**19/08/2023, 21:26:00**
**Find #5444**
**Multi Find #456**

I was at an event nearby and having arrived early, I walked over to the posted co-ords to try and work out what was required. It was quite obvious as I approached the start what information needed to be supplied to the co-ord checker. I soon had the co-ords for GZ but as it was another 500m further on, had to leave the find until the end of the event.

**Thank-you to ahomburg for placing this geocache**

After attending the Cache Crawl event and finishing my ice cream, I made my way over this way. With the information collected, it wasn't exactly a short walk away so I opted to drive. At GZ after a bit of a scramble I found the cache.

Thank you for the cache here ahomburg

*Found on the 19 Aug 2023 @ 9:25 pm.*
*Cache find # 14979.*

After the last of the cache crawl events that covered the day, I headed over to this one with Mark.
We made our way up to GZ the hard way and hunted around, shortly after, Mark come up with the goods.

**Thanks to ahomburg for keeping the game going by placing this cache.**

TFTC all in perfect condition. Now up the mountain I go

Nice stroll from the station

On a multi mission and side tracked again! Chose a good time of day to park look and go find. Found on second approach. TFTC and the pics and the info!

I didn’t see any goats at GZ today. My 14th Sidetracked cache. Thank you ahomburg for placing and maintaining SideTracked - Upper Ferntree Gully for us to find today.

With the SideTracked series becoming more popular in our local area we decided to go and find some while in the Ferntree/Upper Ferntree Gully area. After finding what we needed at the posted co-ords we made our way to GZ. With the GPS leading us in the wrong direction once there, we ditched the GPS and decided to expand our search radius. After coming up empty handed, we had one last region to look that we hadn't covered yet. After narrowing in, we came up with the nicely camoflauged cache! Ttfc ahomburg

We found this cache today on a quick 3 Cache Midday Jaunt Around Ferntree Gully. This one was not originally on the list for today but we just happened to notice it on the map as we left one cache on route to the next. A quick confirmation as the opening waypoint and then we made use of an access point to park in for a couple of minutes to allow a quick grab of the cache. Our 236th Ahomburg cache find and our second in this particular spot. Thanks from D & HA B-A

Find number 12075 at 9:35:22 am on Tuesday the 13 June 2023
Out doing some chores today, was passing by and so I just had to stop for a geocache
Having spotted the code words very quickly, the GZ was decoded and off I trundled. Arriving at GZ the search was a bit longer and I finally spotted a very elusive hide.
**Thanks for placing this cache ahomburg**

---
Have you logged your will attend for the “Cachemas In July” event?
More details are available at: [GCA7WT4](https://coord.info/GCA7WT4)

If you are looking for some new caches to find, explore the nominees for the 2022 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards.
The Geocaching List is available [here](https://coord.info/BMC8QYR)!

Found it! A busy evening tonight after work. Haircuts, caches and dinner. This was on the way home so we stopped by to try turning a frown into a smile. At GZ, it started at the beginning and methodically worked my way along and yay, I found the cache. I must have been distracted last time and missed. Not sure how!? TFTC SL

Did not find it! went out to find a cache for switch day but no success here. Looked and looked along the wire fence but no cache. Mind you it was dark and I was on using the phone torch. Maybe a goat has eaten it. I gave up as it started to pour rain. Another day. Anyway TFTC

After a false start, when I misunderstood the instructions, I attended at the posted coords and gathered the information needed.
Armed with the coords for GZ, I went to the scene and spent several minutes searching before locating the container. All in good condition here.
Thanks ahomburg.

Found with 999Hunter & 999Huntress.
TFTC

Found with 999Hunter & 999HK.
Thanks

I had previously solved this one, but didn't see an easy car park nearby abd I was heading the wrong way anyway. As such left it for another day.

Off on a family outing to spend a few hours together going sonething, and I selected this area to collect a few geocaches as it looked interesting.

Son2 found this one quickly while I was looking in the other direction.

Thanks for the cache A Homburg
Hunter

Today was another wet day, but we continued with the hunt for caches in the sidetracked series with ilook4geo. We were happy with the success rate, although there were a couple of DNF's. This was one of the DNF's as it was raining too much to be out there searching at the time we were there. Maybe another time.

This side-tracked cache was a bit different to the usual. I worked out the location of GZ, and set off to make the find. This green chap was found without any drama.

A brief stop on my train trip from Belgrave to Ringwood.
Thanks for the cache ahomburg.

Out on my own today after coming back from bushwalk with my club. Love this historical busy railway station. Picked up the easy clue and entered into checker. Back to the car and with a short drive and walk the cache was in hand. Thanks ahomburg for the cache

Couldn't find and hint wasn't helpful, there was nothing attached to the fence.

Recently I was talking to a fellow cacher nOwOrries about the prevalence of sidetracked park and grab quick to find caches and encouraged to find some more.

I was surprised that this one was a little different as a multi.

Luckily I have a small car and I was able to park on the small driveway space.
Sadly I did not see the goats however I like the idea that the council have animals to help with the bush management.

A quick scan for scary wiggly creatures and with the all clear I made my way to GZ.

The cache was in excellent condition and log book signed.

Thanks ahomburg for a different side track experience.

I had visited this station whilst doing the nearby FTG Advebyure Lab but completely forgot to get the information for this cache at the time so after my 1000 Steps climb I stopped by to get it today. Off to GZ where after a short search the cache was spotted and logged. TFTC

Found this one today whilst out on a walk. Container at gz was tricky to find but got there eventually! Tftc!

We found the info we needed and calculated our GZ.
Later in the day, we found ourselves in the right area to make the find.
We recalled having been here once before for something else. We also liked the nifty little container.
Thanks ahomburg for this 'SideTracked' cache.
Chiefton!!!

While on my way to the MEGA event in Whittlesea, I had the opportunity to get in a few extra days of caching beforehand. This got me to go to areas I would not have normally seen and to some awesome caches. Today I arranged to meet up with Snickersallan and we would do some caches around the area, fill in some grid spaces and look at some labs. We had fun chasing multi’s, although a couple did not work out even when the checker agreed with us. We got in a few caches around this area before we had to head back to a dinner event I had organised.

I put in the two words into the checker and I got a congrats message back. It was then we headed off to sign the log. This one we managed to get in between the rain showers, just wait ten minutes and the sun will be back. Thanks for the cache and with the log signed and cache replaced as found we moved onto the next one in the area. A nice and different cache , not sure why it does not have a favourite point, hmm ok I will give it one.

Visiting from Qld for the Whittlesea Mega and picking up a few districts in the mean time.
Thanks ahomburg for the hide, always wanted to visit Ferntree Gully, quaint friendly place

Out and about today with Bernspagette.. had to get this cache today as parking at Upper Gully station on a weekday could be difficult. Arriving at the station the code words were soon discovered so we made our way to the GZ not too far away. Once there, it wasn’t long before Bernspagette had the cache in hand. Thanks ahomburg for placing the cache.

SideTracked find 126.
The multi part gave no problems and then it was off to GZ. So far , and still most of the SideTracked caches to find on this line. Oh well, it was exercise. At GZ I initially searched the wrong fence, which shows how unobservant I was at first, but then I saw my mistake and found the cache. The cache and log were good, but my GPS showed seven metres. Perhaps cache creep. Then it was back to the station to catch the train to Ringwood and the next SideTracked cache. TFTC ahomburg.

An early finish to athletics today so we made our way to this. Clue sorted and a nice stroll to GZ for a quick find.

Thanks to ahomburg for the fun and the adventure.

I’m out here today killing time because I’m getting my car detailed up the road getting ready to be sold thank you for placing this has been a really nice little walk

GPS was jumping about at first, then settled to make a quick find. Cache is no longer attached to the fence, just lying next to it.

A bit of an afternoon drizzle meant we had the area to ourselves today. Got the coords and parked about 100m away to walk to GZ. Seemed like lots of options for hiding a micro but being methodical helped as well as the fact the container was bigger than a bison! Unfortunately the cable tie securing it has snapped and we didn't have a spare on us. TFTC

Found with CMDYork. Quite a rainy day so we had to be a little careful. Nice quick find however, TFTC!

Found with yhtacmck
Quick find in the precipitation
TFTC

I was on a mission to get to 8000 today, and this was the one. I had solved it at home and a quick drive and short walk soon had the cache in hand and signef Thanks For The Cache .... appropriate as we have a few sidetracked hides as well. Find # 8000

19:28
After the first celebration of Freddy's birthday, and pulling out massive quantities of forget-me-nots, it was back to looking for Tupperware in the bush.

By the time we'd finished a couple of multis and the most fun Adventure Lab that had just been published in Gembrook, n0w0rries and I had missed the lunch celebration, and the weather didn't look like improving, so we started slowly towards home.

I can vouch for the coffee at the bakery.

So why not add to the tally of SideTracked finds?

Nearly back out of the hills, but one more stop.

Glad we could get the words we needed without getting out of the car, as it was a bit moist out there. Fortunately, we had a lull in the precipitation that we could take advantage of for a short search.

Thanks, ahomburg

#6373

It seems as though most of the caches we found today were hidden by cachers that we shared breakfast with.

Choo choo. Thanks for cooking my brekkie Bro.

I have really enjoyed all of these SideTracked series caches. As someone who didn't have a car when I first came to Melbourne, I had to exclusively rely on using public transport to get around. I will more of these would have been around when I first came, but I am glad they are there now for future cachers.

With this one being so close to home, I knew I would eventually get around to coming out to find this one. The information at the posted coordinates was quickly obtained, I knew made the shortish walk over to GZ. However, that is where my struggle began. My phone GPS was bouncing around abit, but eventually settled on the incorrect beacon. After spending too much time search around the incorrect beacon, I then checked the terrain rating and realised, I was definitely, looking in the wrong area. I then started looking at the correct beacon, but I then still struggled.

I continued to search and search, expanded the radius, when eventually through process of elimination the cache was found. Whew! You made me work for this one ahomburg!

Thanks for the fun tonight and TFTC.

Cache Maintenance Status:

The cache container was in great shape, the attachment mechanism still seemed strong. The logbook was clean and dry with plenty of room for future cache finders to sign.

This one I had a lot of problems at the start thinking that the hint was for the start waypoint and so I spent a good 10 minutes searching exactly where the hint said but found nothing so I just left it and mentioned it to OHC when I saw her next.
Well, didn't I look stupid when she told me what I was looking for. Oh, those words. That was when I had the realisation that the hint although it was perfect for the start point it was also perfect for GZ.
So today I headed back out and parked in the car park again which was quite busy with trucks and workmen today and got the GZ quite easily this time.
I brought the scooter so I didn't need to do any strenuous walking for a few hundred metres each way and luckily a very short search at GZ had the cache in hand.
Thanks ahomburg for the cache, the adventure, the hunt and the fun.

Manage to solve this one quite quickly.
Parked about 400m away from gz and made my way there. A muggle was approaching so I pretended to be on the phone. Once he passed I set about searching.
The hint helped but didn’t help. Thankfully I found the cache in the second place I looked.

Thanks for bringing me here today by placing this cache, ahomburg

----------------------------------------------------------
Big things are continuing to happen! *Are you joining the fun again in 2022?*
[**THE**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
[**WHITTLESEA**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
[**EVENT 2022**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
19th / 20th November 2022 – GC8EW40 – Whittlesea – Victoria
----------------------------------------------------------

Was chatting to the CO on Saturday about why I hadn't found this one yet . . . I was saving it for a day I needed to go towards the many challenges I'm currently working on - and most of these are by the same CO!! I really liked this concept for a multi - just a bit different. I found this in my work clothes at a time of the day when many cars are driving past - I must've looked a treat; half way up a bank, fossicking through the grass!

Found 9:26 am
A Sunday morning short run as I was bored at home, and having done a few of the series was keen to add another. This was the most scenic one in the series so far and like the container used here, very robust. Like how this one was done.

TFTC ahomburg

A medical procedure in the morning meant I needed to relax in the afternoon and not overdo it. I translated that to only finding caches within proximity of home - this one was firmly in the category and perfect for a sunny walk with the golden retriever to collect the clues then retrieve the cache without too much trouble. tftc

In town to visit My Mum so a few hours catch up with My caching Buddy Omegan1971 was organised.

Natgirl used to work at the Maxi supermarket in Upper gully for some time.

Thanks ahomburg for the cache.

Found by Omegaman1971

Catching up for lunch and a few smiles on the map with my buddy Rebel Acts.

After doing the required work , we made our way to Gz. This is a place I know very well and spend lots of time with my geo pup

Cheers mate for the cache.

We had no problems collecting the clue but locating the cache was a issue. The drizzle was becoming a little heavier and the spot where started to search was a few metres from where we found the container. But all good in the end. Thanks to ahomburg for the cache.

##Published - thanks for contributing to Geocaching with this Listing.##

> *Interested in finding out a whole lot more about Geocaching?
Why not visit the geocaching travelling educational exhibition [**GPS Adventure Maze**](https://coord.info/GC9N1CX) appearing at Whittlesea on 19th and 20th November 2022.*

*FTF*
When the notification came through for this cache I was sidetracked by other duties. I did however manage to find the pertinent information to get the OK from the checker.
Fast forward an hour and a half, and the FTF in UFTG still seemed to be up for grabs.
After the youths were dropped to their group, I headed south and found a very nice container and a pristine log sheet.
TFTC and for adding to the SideTracked series ahomburg