Bend Of Isles I Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, Australia
By Coffee and Cache on 18-May-10. Waypoint GA2111

C&C's contribution to the 10th anniversary of Geocaching in Australia is our most (physically) challenging cache to date.

Bend Of Isles I is the first of two caches placed in a relatively isolated loop in the Yarra river; the other is a GC cache Bend Of Isles II placed a little further along the track.

Some time back we were viewing interesting locations along the Yarra river with Google Earth, when we spotted an unusual patch of green which appeared devoid of trees. My curiosity was aroused, and I was inspired to take a look myself -- at ground level. Fortunately, a little time later Geoson was attending the Clifford Park Scout camp, and while he was engaged in some daredevil billycart racing I took off along a long and undulating path to find out if the location looked the same from the ground as it did from space. When I got there, I found that it did. I've tried to find the reason for the clearing, but have not been able to come up with a definitive answer. It probably has something to do with an old market garden, since that's the name of the track, but that's the best I've been able to come up with. If you figure it out, I'd love to know.

If you take the hike to the cache, you will find yourself in a picturesque but relatively remote location along the Yarra River. Be aware, however, that a considerable hike is involved, so that this cache is probably not everyone's cup of tea (or even coffee). While there is no part of the hike that is particularly difficult and the track is easy to follow, the journey is about 5 km return with quite a few steepish slopes. The GZ is about 90 metres lower than the start, but it goes up and down getting there. If you're a reasonably good walker, you'll probably make it to the cache in 30 minutes or so. If you're fit and have a mountain bike, then you'll make it much faster, but if you're like me, you'd probably have to walk it up most of the slopes. I'd suggest assuming it will take at least an hour and a half, probably 2 hours or more if you decide to go for the GC cache about 600m further on down the track.

The logical place to start is WP1 - S37 43.173 E145 16.672 (You can get all the waypoints from the GC cache referenced above); however, there is no parking there. The best place to park is near the gate to the Clifford Park Scout camp at P1 - S37 43.172 E145 16.739. From there you can walk back down the road and up to the start point, although since walking is allowed in Clifford Park, you can just take a short-cut to the start, but you have to hop over a gate. From the starting point, it's just a matter of following the wide fire trail to within 100m of the cache. Don't try and park near the gate on the turn-off to the left a few hundred metres on the road before the scout camp - you might not get out again (speaking from experience!)

At WP2 (S37 43.170 E145 16.518), you can take the high road or the low road. The low road is a bit easier, but the high road has some nice views. At WP3 (S 37 42.708 E 145 16.249) you can deviate off the road and walk to the top of a small hill for a better view, before continuing on with the track.

I strongly suggest you let someone know where you are going, as I don't think this area is well traversed. Take plenty of water (at least 1L/person) unless you like drinking water from the Yarra. A mobile phone is a sensible precaution, although coverage at the GZ even with NextG is not great. If you think I've overrated the terrain or the warnings, then please let me know. Dogs are not allowed BTW, although if you have a horse, you can ride it here! I would advise attempting this cache on a very hot day or when there is a very high fire danger.

The cache is a 1L screw top container which should not be hard to find if you look for the suspicious pile of sticks at the base of a bush. Please close the lid tightly. Look for a bush with multiple branches sprouting from the base. A little apart from other bushes.  Take a look at the spoiler photo's before you leave.

Spoiler 1 - http://geocaching.com.au/gallery/images/ga2111/662.jpg

Spoiler 2 - http://geocaching.com.au/gallery/images/ga2111/587.jpg

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