Hidden History 8 - The third zigzag Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia
By
Riblit adopted by Yurt on 12-Feb-05. Waypoint GA0100
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Multi-cache |
| Container: | Regular |
| Coordinates: | S33° 43.550' E151° 4.109' (WGS 84) |
| 56H 321044E 6266567N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 132 m |
| Local Government Area: | The Hornsby |
/151.068483,-33.725833,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Whodunit Difficulty
Recommended (3)
Planned (6)
Watched (6)
Cache Tracker
Mayor
QR Code
Log Count
Rating
ZONE CAUTION:
This cache is in an area marked as a warning area.
Zone Name: Berowra Valley Regional Park (Click here for zone Details)
This may mean the cache is placed in an area where geocaching is not allowed by the land manager.
Please review the details for this zone and act accordingly.
If it is in a geocaching banned area please consider whether you wish to seek this cache.
Geocaching Australia support responsible Geocaching, including the Geocachers' Creed
Please note that any cache you seek is your legal responsibility.
It may also mean that this cache resides near the zone boundary, but is showing as within the zone boundary due to the resolution of our data. If this is the case, then please disregard this warning
Show / Hide Geocache Details
This cache is in an area marked as a warning area.
Zone Name: Berowra Valley Regional Park (Click here for zone Details)
This may mean the cache is placed in an area where geocaching is not allowed by the land manager.
Please review the details for this zone and act accordingly.
If it is in a geocaching banned area please consider whether you wish to seek this cache.
Geocaching Australia support responsible Geocaching, including the Geocachers' Creed
Please note that any cache you seek is your legal responsibility.
It may also mean that this cache resides near the zone boundary, but is showing as within the zone boundary due to the resolution of our data. If this is the case, then please disregard this warning
Show / Hide Geocache Details
Logs
#70
I've visited this area more than once for geocaching. The most recent being for an excellent Wherigo, but even that was over twelve months ago. Parked in a familiar spot and made my way to WP2 confirming the missing info on the sign on the way in (even though this is provided). Everything went like clockwork except the sign at WP6 which as phlphotos mentioned, seems to be missing as well. Regardless, a meaningful GZ was calculated and the appropriate paths found. Without 100% confidence in the GZ coords, I started at the wrong side but soon rectified that issue to get my hands on this unloved cache. SL, flipped through the reading material and re-hid. Great day for a walk. The nearby field brought back some memories of sporting achievements in days gone by. As it turns out, I didn't park in the recommended spot which is where I started looking for my car. But saw the error in my way and headed home for a late lunch.
This cache really deserves more love, so come on - give it a shot - you might even learn something.
Thanks Riblit for placing and Yurt for adopting this cache.
I've visited this area more than once for geocaching. The most recent being for an excellent Wherigo, but even that was over twelve months ago. Parked in a familiar spot and made my way to WP2 confirming the missing info on the sign on the way in (even though this is provided). Everything went like clockwork except the sign at WP6 which as phlphotos mentioned, seems to be missing as well. Regardless, a meaningful GZ was calculated and the appropriate paths found. Without 100% confidence in the GZ coords, I started at the wrong side but soon rectified that issue to get my hands on this unloved cache. SL, flipped through the reading material and re-hid. Great day for a walk. The nearby field brought back some memories of sporting achievements in days gone by. As it turns out, I didn't park in the recommended spot which is where I started looking for my car. But saw the error in my way and headed home for a late lunch.
This cache really deserves more love, so come on - give it a shot - you might even learn something.
Thanks Riblit for placing and Yurt for adopting this cache.
Rated: for Overall Experience
This one was worth the wait and the trip it took a while to get to in the end. As the details for for WP1 are already provided that made an easy start. I already knew the details from WP2 as well from another cache that has the answer, but stopped there anyway, then on to WP3 saw a sign but as I got closer the GPSr told me it was further but then it said I missed it so back I went, vandals had got at the sign and there was paint over the info but could work out the details required. Continue on the WP4 this one was a lot easier to find with the information obtained. Continue onto WP5 there are a couple of signs nearby and the one I needed wasn't the one I read first got that information. Now for WP6 this one proved to be most difficult, where the GPSr wanted me to go there were 3 signs but none of them mentioned the line "the line followed a lower contour to" so widened the search area but still couldn't find the sign. So decided to go with the 5 answers and see what I came up with. This was a nice stroll along the creek and then the road till I reentered the bush and creek then went about trying the combinations and the hint. Made the discovery and signed the log. Thanks for the multi Riblit and for keeping it going Yurt. It made me think of where it could be and drew blood. Had a few people walk passed me while I was on the tracks. On the way back to the car there was a family of ducks in the weir
Rated: for Overall Experience
I know this area quite well having walked the trails many times over the years and also having picked up a GC cache and a couple of Munzees in the vicinity. The faint track I found direct to GZ I hadn’t taken before, but it is a great shortcut which I will store for future reference. When I got to GZ I spotted the cache very quickly but, as there were some muggles close by who wouldn’t budge, I returned later in the car to pick it up. Thanks Yurt.
Rated: for Overall Experience
We'd come here a year ago for another cache and explored the old rail cuttings through the bush. Today we returned with 2 hounds in tow. Yes, you can take dogs into this National Park, but not caches.
We couldn't find WP1 but its information is presented a few times so everything came together, piece by piece.
The track to the final probably was off-limits for the tetrapods so, after taking them home, I drove back for the shorter approach and made the find.
Thanks for reviving this one Yurt.
We couldn't find WP1 but its information is presented a few times so everything came together, piece by piece.
The track to the final probably was off-limits for the tetrapods so, after taking them home, I drove back for the shorter approach and made the find.
Thanks for reviving this one Yurt.
Rated: for Overall Experience
This cache is a good example of "local knowledge" actually being a disadvantage... I took one of geokid7's friends along to introduce him to geocaching. We had a pleasant walk down the path, and the boys were interested in the history shown on the signs (well, mostly - they are only 7 after all). We even remembered to get the Munzee on the bridge. WP4 was a problem, though. I was using geosphere on the iPhone, which doesn't handle waypoints neatly, so when I read that I needed to get a distance off a sign I assumed that it referred to the sign at the entrance to the bush, just past the bridge.
When we got to the end the calculated GZ seemed either very close but inaccessible or quite far away. We decided that the distant location was more likely, so we decided to drive around, particularly as the boys were tired after our earlier Bushwalk to find the CO's new GC cache. Of course, when we got to that location we found that it was house-ful and cache-less, so we abandoned the search.
I EACO, who quickly responded (on his holiday, so thank you!) with my error. Today I had some time with Geokid7, so we parked on the Pennant Hills end and walked down to the correct sign this time. Sigh. We again decided to be lazy and drive around.
When we got to GZ it was obvious where the container was likely to be hidden, and indeed it was in this likely place. I read the information, and found the reference to the CO. We signed the log and left, satisfied. Thanks, Yurt, for restoring this cache.
When we got to the end the calculated GZ seemed either very close but inaccessible or quite far away. We decided that the distant location was more likely, so we decided to drive around, particularly as the boys were tired after our earlier Bushwalk to find the CO's new GC cache. Of course, when we got to that location we found that it was house-ful and cache-less, so we abandoned the search.
I EACO, who quickly responded (on his holiday, so thank you!) with my error. Today I had some time with Geokid7, so we parked on the Pennant Hills end and walked down to the correct sign this time. Sigh. We again decided to be lazy and drive around.
When we got to GZ it was obvious where the container was likely to be hidden, and indeed it was in this likely place. I read the information, and found the reference to the CO. We signed the log and left, satisfied. Thanks, Yurt, for restoring this cache.
Rated: for Overall Experience
I did the GC cache that covers the quarry recently, but of course completely missed the existence of this one at the time. Dropped by this arvo and zipped through some familiar spots before ending up at a new spot.
Cache took a bit of locating - gz and the clue pointed me somewhere else. In the end it was in the most obvious spot though. Thanks Riblit & Yurt, enjoyed my stroll and revisiting the history of this place.
Cache took a bit of locating - gz and the clue pointed me somewhere else. In the end it was in the most obvious spot though. Thanks Riblit & Yurt, enjoyed my stroll and revisiting the history of this place.
That was fun! My first Aussie bush walk highlighted by caching and discovering FTC Munzee accidentally 
Went for this cache after the event, nice little walk on a lovely sunny winter day. Cache itself was in good condition..all in all great experience!
TFTC!
Went for this cache after the event, nice little walk on a lovely sunny winter day. Cache itself was in good condition..all in all great experience! TFTC!
Rated: for Overall Experience
Yay! Having politely prodded Yurt about this one it was only fitting I make the effort to go find it now it has been revamped. After the GCNSW 101 Event in Carlingford Tronador, Zhaomin and I decided to tackle this multi. We promised Zhao her first taste of Aussie bushland, and Tron there would be no mud... at least the former was true
Parking in the south we wandered on the delightful track with only a little mud to the main path and up the WP1. We gathered the clues back across the bridge and all the way to the end reading the signs. As Tron and I plugged numbers into the GPS for the final, Zhaomin spotted a Munzee! I hadnt thought about them due to the weak signal in the valley but it seems Alfyboy had deployed 2 nearby and neither had been logged. So we all scanned the one near WP6 and then headed back to the bridge again to get the other one. FTCs!
Finally it was off to GZ. We took the WP4 turn and while you have to cross a tiny creek down and up a steep bank there is a walking track straight to GZ. It is a little overgrown but not too bad. Tron made the instant discovery at GZ and I got to use the Zalgariath caching stamp Zhaoy got me for my birthday the other week for the first time
Thanks for reviving this excellent cache Yurt! Recommended.
Parking in the south we wandered on the delightful track with only a little mud to the main path and up the WP1. We gathered the clues back across the bridge and all the way to the end reading the signs. As Tron and I plugged numbers into the GPS for the final, Zhaomin spotted a Munzee! I hadnt thought about them due to the weak signal in the valley but it seems Alfyboy had deployed 2 nearby and neither had been logged. So we all scanned the one near WP6 and then headed back to the bridge again to get the other one. FTCs!
Finally it was off to GZ. We took the WP4 turn and while you have to cross a tiny creek down and up a steep bank there is a walking track straight to GZ. It is a little overgrown but not too bad. Tron made the instant discovery at GZ and I got to use the Zalgariath caching stamp Zhaoy got me for my birthday the other week for the first time
Thanks for reviving this excellent cache Yurt! Recommended.
Rated: for Overall Experience
I tagged along with Zal and Zhao Min today after the event. Not really dressed for a walk in the bush I was assured my feet would stay dry. A great team effort with Zal providing the notes on the waypoints and I scribbled down the necessary info, it was not long before we had all that was needed. While at one waypoint Zhao went off exploring stands on a rock and yells out Munzee..... huh???? And yep there was a munzee found totally by accident. Zal and I scramble to find out if there were any more and ....huh? no way .....there was another one right next to the waypoint we'd just come from. So making sure we had all the info for GZ we headed back to retrieve the munzee, which zapped all the power from my phone. Munzee completed we headed off for GZ and the original task at hand. No problem finding the small track over the creek to GZ. No wet feet but I was very careful. this is a great little multi in a wonderful area. Loved the quarry and could imagine how it would have been over a hundred years ago.
Rated: for Overall Experience
19 months unfound
I only by chance saw this pop up on my radar...What's this? Huh....ohh the Riblet cache rehashed by Yurt, cool. As I didn't have my GPSr I was relying on my iPhone for coords finding. I parked in Bellemy St and walked the path in reverse. Found each WP and took down my ABC's. Once I had the GZ coords however, I couldn't find a good track to get there. I tried and then checked with Yurt to make sure I was correct.
I then decided to drive around as the iPhone wasn't showing my the actual GZ area for some reason. I came to the end of the road and walked straight to an area to check. Found cache in the first place I looked. YAY...FTF in the old log book, after the revamped cache
I SL, took the swaggie to move on and replaced cache. Thanx for bringing this back Yurt and for the history lesson about the ZigZag 
I only by chance saw this pop up on my radar...What's this? Huh....ohh the Riblet cache rehashed by Yurt, cool. As I didn't have my GPSr I was relying on my iPhone for coords finding. I parked in Bellemy St and walked the path in reverse. Found each WP and took down my ABC's. Once I had the GZ coords however, I couldn't find a good track to get there. I tried and then checked with Yurt to make sure I was correct.
I then decided to drive around as the iPhone wasn't showing my the actual GZ area for some reason. I came to the end of the road and walked straight to an area to check. Found cache in the first place I looked. YAY...FTF in the old log book, after the revamped cache
I SL, took the swaggie to move on and replaced cache. Thanx for bringing this back Yurt and for the history lesson about the ZigZag Rated: for Overall Experience
With the help of caught@work I have adopted this cache from riblit and work will commence on a new multi to replace the original.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
The CO asked me if I want to adopt this cache. I will see if I can work on some clues and it may be revived.
A quick reminder to the cache owner that the listing has been disabled for some 90 days. Normally at this point we would archive the listing, but we'll allow a little more time to relocate and reactive the listing before heading down that path.
A fascinating adventure into local history that taught me quite a bit about the old railways and quarries in the Thornleigh area. An added bonus was that I met Yurt on site and he explained more about the old cuttings and stonework, etc. (Yurt had previously taken photographs of the area for a historical publication.)
WP1 was pretty straight-forward and soon I was traversing areas where you could hardly believe there had once been railways -- zig zag or otherwise. Very interesting indeed!
Calculated coordinates to GZ proved to be accurate and the cache container was in good shape. Contents were dry. TNLNSL.
Thanks very much to riblit for setting up such an interesting and educational geocaching experience.
WP1 was pretty straight-forward and soon I was traversing areas where you could hardly believe there had once been railways -- zig zag or otherwise. Very interesting indeed!
Calculated coordinates to GZ proved to be accurate and the cache container was in good shape. Contents were dry. TNLNSL.
Thanks very much to riblit for setting up such an interesting and educational geocaching experience.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Hmmm, election night. What else could I possibly do...?
Started this one by public transport and self-locomotion, and was thankful when Dr Matthew arrived by car as I was halfway to GZ. The final location was completely unexpected, otherwise we wouldn't have tried it at night, but once you're there and the GPSr says you're 40m away, there's no turning back
After a few attempts at the approach from different angles we ended up crossing the creek and then taking another way back. Co-ords are pretty good (even with a bit of bouncing around) as it was perfectly visible but it's very unlikely that a muggle would chance upon it.
Thanks for the cache, and the history lesson.
Started this one by public transport and self-locomotion, and was thankful when Dr Matthew arrived by car as I was halfway to GZ. The final location was completely unexpected, otherwise we wouldn't have tried it at night, but once you're there and the GPSr says you're 40m away, there's no turning back
After a few attempts at the approach from different angles we ended up crossing the creek and then taking another way back. Co-ords are pretty good (even with a bit of bouncing around) as it was perfectly visible but it's very unlikely that a muggle would chance upon it.
Thanks for the cache, and the history lesson.
What a great way to spend Christmas Eve. We enjoyed the description and history. I always love trying to follow old railways and roads in the bush. Once we'd worked out the GZ co-ordinates, we followed the bike path a bit too far in the hope that it'd bend around enough in the right direction to take us to the cache! After a short backtrack, we looked around for the typical "cache path" to take us in to GZ but this gets few enough visitors that there is no sign at all in any way or any place (!!!) that any others have ever passed this way.
Took the cassette out of the cache so it wasn't so full and left what I though was an appropriate swap - a tiny steam train. TFTC riblet
Took the cassette out of the cache so it wasn't so full and left what I though was an appropriate swap - a tiny steam train. TFTC riblet
Rated: for Overall Experience
A lot of bush bashing, we may have taken the wrong track, but when we got there we saw no easier way out.
The co-ordinates were spot on, which made itan easy find.
Nanny and Bo
The co-ordinates were spot on, which made itan easy find.
Nanny and Bo
Rated: for Overall Experience
Knowing this area very well we had a fruitless search without a GPS yesterday. Today with the necessary tool (having worked out the coordinates yesterday and putting them into Google Earth) we found this fairly quickly but in a great spot which is unlikely to be spotted by passing walkers. I knew the history fairly well and have tried to follow this old railway line through the bush many times. Funny to see my name on the photocopied information in the cache! I'm interested in similar caches on abandoned railway lines.
Funny this hasn't been logged for a while. Took bouncy ball, left toy binoculars making this one a bit too full! Thanks!
Funny this hasn't been logged for a while. Took bouncy ball, left toy binoculars making this one a bit too full! Thanks!
Rated: for Overall Experience
This was a nice easy multi (once I worked out how to subtract anyway). First answer didn't look right, checked my maths and that made more sense. Then a pleasant stroll down a surprisingly popular path to find the cache. Very pleasant this afternoon just before the rains came. Also carried on up the hill to check out the quarry. Thanks Riblit.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Westleigh Rural Fire Brigade used this as a GPS navigation exercise. Exercise planner could not find it in 20 mins searching, Team 1 could not find it after 15 mins but team 2 found it in 5 mins. Left RFS Frig magnet.
Thanks for the history leason, fasinating stuff. WP1 was not hard and easy walk in to GZ. Felt very exposed looking for the cache but I don't think anyone spotted me. There were heaps of Muggles using the main path though.
Thanks for Taking me there
Took: Bouncey Ball
Left: Monster thing
TFTCSL
Thanks for Taking me there
Took: Bouncey Ball
Left: Monster thing
TFTCSL
Another fascinating piece of history I would never have learned without caching. The cache itself was a very simple find for me as I put my gear down right beside the cache. I spotted a likely spot as I was putting down my pack and, sure enough, there was a cache! Thanks for the lesson Riblit.
found the cache at 5.15pm. Enjoyed walk along to the cache. Vry interest to know about history. Thank you for bring me to be there. No swap. Thank you for organise the cache and hunt.
Enjoyed doing this one, despite the GPSr going all over the place at GZ. Lateral thinking helped find the cache.
Fun. Interesting bit of history so close to home.
Took old chewing gum, left bouncy ball.
TFTC
Took old chewing gum, left bouncy ball.
TFTC
Found at 4:08pm. Found the telegraph pole and could see where the tracks would have been laid crossing the area. Didn't see any evidence of the quarry or track on the way to GZ, but did find an information sign on the nearby track which had an overlay of the current streets and the old tracks. Thanks for the history and the cache Riblit!
Took: toy car
Left: clip on koala
Took: toy car
Left: clip on koala
A zig zag railway on our back door step!? Who would have known? Could see little evidence of any quarrying at gz but did stumble into what must have been the railway cutting on our way out. Crossed the creek on our approach at a non bridged section and almost lost my boot in the very soft and wet sand. A cold and rainy day so did not feel inclined to stop and read your extensive notes on the area and will request a copy to be emailed to us. TNLNSL Thanks for the cache looking forward to reading the notes and working out the significance of the telegraph pole.
Had a bit of a leg in with this one, Ginsie had done the first part before we met up. Took a bit of searching and falling down but the cache was a well earned find. TNLN thanks Riblit
Got this one with C.O.D
good cache but probably better in daylight, nearly gave up looking for this one yet we managed to find it just before we chucked the towl in,
Didn't get to see any Hidden History, will have to come back in the day hours.
good cache but probably better in daylight, nearly gave up looking for this one yet we managed to find it just before we chucked the towl in,
Didn't get to see any Hidden History, will have to come back in the day hours.
Love a bit of history with my cache. Like the Wyoming Wombat, I've also worked for the local council in the past, so knew of this piece of our local history, but had never actually been down here. Thanks Riblit for showing us this little gem. Took small soap thing, left a pencil sharpner.
Wandered around GZ for about 5 minutes before finding this one. Working with the local council certainly helps with history lessons in the area. Knew of the railway but had never visited the quarry and surrounds before. Again the history lesson was great.
TNLN
Thanks Riblit
TNLN
Thanks Riblit
