Norms' Shack Central Plateau, Tasmania, Australia
By
sirius Tas on 04-Dec-08. Waypoint GA1292
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Traditional |
| Container: | Small |
| Coordinates: | S41° 42.127' E146° 27.875' (WGS 84) |
| 55G 455451E 5383158N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 1185 m |
| Local Government Area: | Meander Valley |
/146.464583,-41.702117,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
The second cache placed along the Western Creek Track which will take you onto the edge of the Central Plateau and approx. halfway to Ironstone
Mountain. As you're entering the plateau...please take all necessary precautions and take appropriate clothing as the weather can and will change
very quickly. Access is as per cache Western Creek Falls....simply continue on the same track...where you'll come to the main Western Creek crossing.
Although relatively easy to cross...it is a little obscure...co-ords are S41 41.775 E146 28.153
Pink tape has been added to both sides and there is an orange track marker on the approach or eastern side. The track should be quite easy to follow
.... marked with rock cairns and pink tape. Norm Whiteleys hut should soon be in view. This is a very rustic tin shelter which may not look much to
some....but in inclement weather would seem like the 'Hilton' and very welcome indeed. No doubt this hut has been here for quite a long time and
would have been placed when cattle grazing was prominent.
From here....Ironstone Mountain is quite prominent and the Trig clearly visible...in good weather of course.
Approximate return time will be around 3.5 - 5 hrs.
The cache is a black 200ml sistema with logbook and pencil only.
Enjoy!
Hints
Prager bs ynetvfu ebpx. |
|
Decode |
Logs
Mr T had plans to walk to Ironstone Mountain TP today and set off with Mr T (Triumph Twins) to tackle it.
Made it to this hut, but due to rain and poor visibility, that plan had to be abandoned.
Luckily, all was not lost as he found this cache along the way.
Cache and contents in good condition.
Many thanks Sirius Tas for placing this cache.
Made it to this hut, but due to rain and poor visibility, that plan had to be abandoned.
Luckily, all was not lost as he found this cache along the way.
Cache and contents in good condition.
Many thanks Sirius Tas for placing this cache.
Rated: for Overall Experience
We were on a club walking trip this fine summer's day, coming up via Syds Track. It's a good track up to the plateau and nice open walking once you are up there. Picked up the cairned route and were at Whiteleys Hut in good time for lunch. Reading the hint the cache was not quite where we expected but one of our party located it anyway. It has been found by a few muggles according to the log entries but is in good order. Great location.
Found on day two of our Higlands tour. Great hut & good camping spots.
A credit to the people who look after it. Walked down the Western Creek track for a swim before tea. Next day headed off to Lake Meander. Love this part of the world. Cache was a little damp, but in good condition otherwise. Thanks for the cache sirius Tas.
A credit to the people who look after it. Walked down the Western Creek track for a swim before tea. Next day headed off to Lake Meander. Love this part of the world. Cache was a little damp, but in good condition otherwise. Thanks for the cache sirius Tas.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Beautiful day on the plateau and what a quaint shack! Such a credit to all those who maintain it to such a standard. Loved reading the fabulous history of the hut in the logbooks. Met a nice couple, geocachers-Shazcol but didn't know it at the time. Hope they caught a fish a Lake Ironstone too!
Rated: for Overall Experience
Called in to show Sharon the hut and check the cache after coming down off Ironstone. We met some very friendly people who we chatted with for a while. After they left we checked the cache and turns out they where geocachers "Platypus on ice". They had caught a very nice fish right next to our tent at Lake Ironstone earlier in the day.
Cache was in excellent condition.
Cache was in excellent condition.
After coming down off Ironstone we stopped here in this lovely spot for some photo's and then off down the Western Creek track. We ran into a Tasmanian devil sunning itself on the rocks on the way out not far from the shack. He quickly ran into his little cave hole once he spotted us. Thankfully he looked in pretty good condition.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Huge effort to the Eyrettes once again for making this quite arduous trek. What an amazing experience to camp in the snow too....awseome to say the least. Really glad you had such a great experience...Cheers ST.
I should know better than asking an adventure seeking Eyrette what he would like to do on the weekend by now. Camp in the snow was his request and with Lil Eyre wanting some plaster casts of animal footprints for a scout project we decided to work out an ideal destination. Norm’s Shack was chosen because we read in one of the forums that the hut was one of the warmest huts one the Central Plateau and fortunately it was cosily warm. We had crystal clear weather for our walk up the Western Creek canyon and the Eyrettes were delighted to discover plenty of snow and ice on the approach to the shack. You are right Sirius, the shack is a bit rustic but the Eyrettes were delighted with the compact cosiness of the building. Lil was determined to find the cache in the evening but the intense darkness of the moonless plateau night and the more intense chilliness thwarted her plans. Early morning saw a thick frost that froze the snow solid making plaster casting of the abundant wallaby, possum and ‘Devil footprints easy and while the plaster was setting we explored the nearby plateau. Climbing nearby Ironstone Mt is on the “to do” list but we need to find the other Gauntlet caches first. LEyre found the cache before we even had a chance to turn the GPSr on, using only the hint as her guide so we signed the logs and returned the container to its hidey hole.
The track along Western Creek was the most challenging that we have attempted in our bushwalking careers and I would be hesitant to take inexperienced walkers this way, the going gets technically tough at times as the photos show. We enjoyed the relative shortness of the trip and were truly impressed by the grandeur of the mountain bluffs near the hut and of course we enjoyed the snow. Shame the snow was too icy to make a snow man!
BTW we think that “4 paws” is the alpha dog for negotiating the scree slopes and slippery rocks, he must have performance paws!
Thanks again for another fantastic cache Sirius. These are truly awesome.
The track along Western Creek was the most challenging that we have attempted in our bushwalking careers and I would be hesitant to take inexperienced walkers this way, the going gets technically tough at times as the photos show. We enjoyed the relative shortness of the trip and were truly impressed by the grandeur of the mountain bluffs near the hut and of course we enjoyed the snow. Shame the snow was too icy to make a snow man!
BTW we think that “4 paws” is the alpha dog for negotiating the scree slopes and slippery rocks, he must have performance paws!
Thanks again for another fantastic cache Sirius. These are truly awesome.
Rated: for Overall Experience
this was a great walk and such a rush as geoskid and i had muggles on our backs. . . not literally of course. anyways thanks heaps was a good one.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Enjoyed reaching the plateau, the change in scenery was amazing, was looking forward to getting on top and viewing all of the lakes. The hut soon came into view and we were only about 400 m in front of 3 muggles, so had to find and log quickly, which we did. Checked out the hut which was well set up inside. The muggles soon arrived and had a chat, they were keen fishers who were going to stay 2 nights and fish a few lakes nearby, sounded perfect - something I might do in the future. On to the summit which was clearly visible.
Thanks Sirius.
Thanks Sirius.
The trek to Norm's Shack seemed to take forever (but we did stop for many rest breaks and cooling down along the way). Eventually the plateau was reached. Ack! No tree cover!! Despite the beauty and remoteness of the place the sun was unbearable so the shelter of the shack, when we finally reached it, was very welcome.
Even though it was getting late by the time we'd rested and had a look around (about 6.30pm), we set off for Ironstone (not thinking about other obsessed cachers coming up behind us and stealing the prize... no, not at all...) but had some problems following Sirius' waypoints. They didn't seem the most reasonable way to get to our destination. So we headed back to the shack to avoid blundering around the mountain and marshes in the dark. Spent the night in the shack, which was surprisingly cosy and comfortable, and resolved to find our own way up the mountain next morning.
Forgot to mention that I neglected to write down the coords for this or Western Creek Falls, so both caches were found only by the hints (which were thankfully very good).
Even though it was getting late by the time we'd rested and had a look around (about 6.30pm), we set off for Ironstone (not thinking about other obsessed cachers coming up behind us and stealing the prize... no, not at all...) but had some problems following Sirius' waypoints. They didn't seem the most reasonable way to get to our destination. So we headed back to the shack to avoid blundering around the mountain and marshes in the dark. Spent the night in the shack, which was surprisingly cosy and comfortable, and resolved to find our own way up the mountain next morning.
Forgot to mention that I neglected to write down the coords for this or Western Creek Falls, so both caches were found only by the hints (which were thankfully very good).
Rated: for Overall Experience
Found on the way up to Ironstone Mountain. Obviously a well used hut and would be a warm little haven in bad weather. Good spot to stop for a rest and a cache on the way up.
Thanks Sirius
Thanks Sirius
Rated: for Overall Experience
With the weather still on our side it was easy going from Western Creek Falls to Norms Shack.
From the outside the shack looked pretty shabby but inside it was surprisingly a cosy little self contained hut. It certainly would be a lifesaver if you needed it, and maybe if you shut your eyes it could almost be the Hilton!
Once we arrived at GZ the three of us had the typical desperate scramble racing for the cache and my attempt to take out Neribil with a banana skin backfired totally (you would think I would have learnt by now not to try and beat these guys!) but I haven’t!!! ... so I figure if you can’t beat ‘em then join ‘em and that’s what I did for the next section of the walk up Ironstone Mountain.
Thanks for another great cache sirius
From the outside the shack looked pretty shabby but inside it was surprisingly a cosy little self contained hut. It certainly would be a lifesaver if you needed it, and maybe if you shut your eyes it could almost be the Hilton!
Once we arrived at GZ the three of us had the typical desperate scramble racing for the cache and my attempt to take out Neribil with a banana skin backfired totally (you would think I would have learnt by now not to try and beat these guys!) but I haven’t!!! ... so I figure if you can’t beat ‘em then join ‘em and that’s what I did for the next section of the walk up Ironstone Mountain.
Thanks for another great cache sirius
Rated: for Overall Experience
Having travelled through the gully and onto the plateau the walking was easy.
Spied the hut (which looked quite comfortable) and cache was soon found.
I stayed at a safe distance while the more juvenile members of the troop played "hide the banana"
Not quite sure who won the game, but it was very entertaining as was the whole trip.
Thanks so much Sirius.....another gem.
Spied the hut (which looked quite comfortable) and cache was soon found.
I stayed at a safe distance while the more juvenile members of the troop played "hide the banana"
Not quite sure who won the game, but it was very entertaining as was the whole trip.
Thanks so much Sirius.....another gem.
Once again in the company of 3daygrowth and Redtag we reached Norms shack at the top of the Western creek track. With spot on co-ords the cache was soon in hand making this the second FTF for the trip. Top area to have a break before heading up to claim the final part of the first in the Devils Gauntlet series. Thanks Sirius
Rated: for Overall Experience
