B&W (T) The Camp at Balranald. Balranald, New South Wales, Australia
By
Black Bunny on 20-Aug-10. Waypoint GA2260
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Burke and Wills |
| Container: | Micro |
| Coordinates: | S34° 38.500' E143° 33.647' (WGS 84) |
| 54H 734717E 6163710N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 65 m |
| Local Government Area: | Balranald |
/143.560783,-34.641667,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
Burke and Wills (Traditional): Balranald.
p>
Burke and Wills:
The expedition left Swan Hill after being feted like heroes, and arrived here on September 17. Its leaders had by now recognised the wisdom in proceeding more lightly, so the party dumped containers of lime juice, bags of sugar and rice and heavy tools. Burke also discharged a number of men (3), among them the foreman Ferguson, although not as many as he would have liked.
"Our journey so far has been very satisfactory," Wills wrote to his mother. "We are most fortunate as regards the season, for there has been more rain this winter than has been known for the last four or five years. In fact, it seems probable that we shall finish our work in a much shorter period than was anticipated, very likely in 10 or 12 months."
You will find copies of 2 despatches, sent by Burke from Balranald, in this cache. Please read them, but leave them there for the next person.
About this location:
Balranald dates back to the late 1840s, when the area's Commissioner for Crown Lands, George James McDonald, arrived at what was then just a tiny outpost and named it after his hometown in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.
The Burke and Wills expedition crossed the Murrumbidgee River at Balranald at the same location that Sturt crossed some 25 years earlier, on its journey to cross Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
When you get there, look up at the large dead branch on the road side of the tree. You might see a huge old nail, about 18 feet up. The locals say it dates from Burke and Wills' era.
Hints
Ufatvat |
|
Decode |
Logs
had a good look at GZ and went through logs. Given one picture in a log and the hint we're fairly sure this one is gone.
It is a long time since I have found a Burke & Wills cache. I was eaten by mosquitoes after being eaten by ants at the last cache. Time to move on from this beautiful area. TFTC
Found on the Great Western County Hunt. This was not quite where the co-ordinates led me but a paf sent me in the right direction. Tftc
Took a few minutes but soon in hand and signed. Found another cache about 40 mtrs away but unidentified.
Found this one with TG47 after a phone call to Fitzy and Minniek who put us on the right track. Thanks for this series Black Bunny, so full of history. 
Signd log. 
Signd log. Rated: for Overall Experience
We stopped and picked up this Trad today as we came through town. Great spot for a camp
Rated: for Overall Experience
Travelling from Wentworth to Balranald today with fitzy_1965 and albida33 whilst on our Outback NSW caching holiday.
As I'm travelling with previous finders, they confirmed that it was missing so it has been replaced.
As I'm travelling with previous finders, they confirmed that it was missing so it has been replaced.
Rated: for Overall Experience
on the way to Perth, detours and found and signed the log as EV and thanks for the cache and hide
a quick easy find. had the geodaughter with me who still can't grasp the concept that there are no toys in a micro.
A very quick find as Mr Shifter spotted it from the car. Another find in the series we helped put out in the Cameron Corner district.
Passing through Balranald on our way home after a ski trip to Perisher. We drove across from Perth via Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra to visit friends along the way. Our trip home is a little more direct with only one detour to Canberra to drop a couple of people off at the airport. It took us four days to complete the trip home with two of us driving and stops along the way to sleep at various towns. I managed to pick up a number of caches along the way over and only two on the return trip, both being Burke and Wills caches as I have not found any of this type before. The cache led us on a merry dance before I relied on instincts and spotted the container. many thanks Black Bunny for the cache, it made an enjoyable stop and rest from the driving.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Found after doing a circuit, about five metres off GZ. TFTC Black Bunny.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Located by baby&Mrs gopher at 1650. Found about 7 metres from gz. Tnx Black Bunny
GCA 1857. Found during a run around this area with Albida33.
Very happy with the number of GCA Trigs, CORS and Trads plus a few B&W's caches we managed this trip. Quick find and then moved on to the next one.
TFTC !!
Very happy with the number of GCA Trigs, CORS and Trads plus a few B&W's caches we managed this trip. Quick find and then moved on to the next one.
TFTC !!
Rated: for Overall Experience
#GA1409 - 08:20; Collected this one to kick off Day two of the Alice Mega Road Trip with Sol de lune. After a couple of DNFs on previous visits, it was nice to be able to collect this cache today in its new container and location, which should keep it above the high water mark too! TFTC Black Bunny 
Rated: for Overall Experience
This cache has been disabled for more than 90 days, so we'll archive this to stop it turning up in the search lists. If the owner can confirm the cache is in place the listing be be reactivated by placing an unarchived log against it.
Dropped by here today with Sol de lune on our way to the Melbourne Mega to drop off a new cache for the CO. Much to our surprise, the river was a couple of metres higher than it was on our last visit only a couple of weeks ago! Oh well, next time 
No luck on this one today. Next time through perhaps..... 
Rated: for Overall Experience
Heading home from an epic caching run in SA - stopped by to have a quick look for this one but its clearly gone - I had previous finders with me !
Maybe next time !
Maybe next time !
Rated: for Overall Experience
Sadly this cache was not found, despite having a reasonable poke about the tree. The visit was worth it for us though, as there was about seven red chickens scratching around the area near the river, totally freerange!
We did enjoy reading the information boards and just being in the vicinity of a Burke and Wills event.
We did enjoy reading the information boards and just being in the vicinity of a Burke and Wills event.
Dropped in on the way through to SA.
All good today but a very chilly morning.
All good today but a very chilly morning.
My second Bourke & Wills cache in town.
This one was a quick find, so close to the road. I looked for the nail in the tree, but my short sighted eyes weren’t up to spotting it .
This one was a quick find, so close to the road. I looked for the nail in the tree, but my short sighted eyes weren’t up to spotting it
.Followed by little terrier dog. Cache in plain sight, signed and covered it over.
Have enjoyed the B&W caches and this was another one grabbed on a trip to, and around South Australia with Albida. Took a minute or two to uncover it, but all was good. Cache is looking good.
Thanks BB......
Thanks BB......
Rated: for Overall Experience
A lovely setting, though the river level seems to be down a bit at the moment. Hope that the cache is above the flood line this time! I'm camped at the caravan park just up river a little, which is probably more comfortable than what Burke & Wills had.
TNLN - Thanks Black Bunny!
TNLN - Thanks Black Bunny!
Grabbed this cache on the last morning of our drive back home to Canberra after Christmas in Perth. TFTC. Avoided the gaze of the nearby gent working hard at cutting up a couple of large fallen trees.
This is a top location in this town 
, a nicely found cache - TFTC / TFTH / SL
, a nicely found cache - TFTC / TFTH / SLRated: for Overall Experience
Found this morning whilst heading to Adelaide to see Dad. Love caches with some history or with a History sign nearby. I have spent a few trips following Capt Sturt and his journeys but this is now the most southerly one. Will have to read up about his earlier trip.
Thanks Acko and She who must be Obeyed
Left Frog Travel Frog
Thanks Acko and She who must be Obeyed
Left Frog Travel Frog
The problems mentioned in the previous log were not evident today - quite dry under foot and easy to get about. However there is still ample evidence of the flood - debris is banked up in many places and sandbags are still in place along the river side of many properties. The easy access allowed us to make a thorough search and the cache was located, in good condition, within a couple of minutes. The views down by the river this morning were superb - the colours in the tree trunks, the river and the banks were magnificent. TFTC
Didn't bring me wellies, so had to let this one go today. Talked to the owner of the nearby house, who was inspecting his sandbags as the water is now starting to seep through them. He said the peak is expected to arrive on Thursday (today is Sunday) and he is assuming that his garden will go under water. Up until now the water has never come past his sandbag line.
Rated: for Overall Experience
It seems ages ago I was past here and the water as at the old tree. This time after a freshly replaced cache, it was a quick grab.
Thanks
Albida
Thanks
Albida
With the cache owner doing a maintenace check after the floods washed this one away.
Rated: for Overall Experience
After last summer's rains had washed this one away, we came searching for some evidence of the cache. After wandering the banks and finding nothing we have replaced the container with a 200ml sistema above flood level.
Unfortunately this one is under water ! I have a photo I'll post when I can. Albida.
WanderingAus wandered by on day 164 of our annual Climatic Refugee trip, heading West towards home, and made an extremely quick and easy GAFF 0 find.
My find No 3187, LCC, TNLNSL.
*Recommended* *Overall Experience: 4*
T4TH Black Bunny
Keith
My find No 3187, LCC, TNLNSL.
*Recommended* *Overall Experience: 4*
T4TH Black Bunny
Keith
Rated: for Overall Experience
Found at 11:15 while on a caching trip from Adelaide to Wollongong. Out first B&W cache, which we found most enjoyable and educational. A healthy flow of water in the river too. SL. TFTC.
Rated: for Overall Experience
What an amazing location, so peaceful around here. Loved some of the houses with river frontage, but they must be worried with the river so high. ANother couple of metres and the cache would be drowning! We really enjoyed this one, in particular reading the letters from Burke. Many thanks to Black Bunny for another amazing B&W cache - cheers!
Rated: for Overall Experience
We walked around from the virtual B&W Balranald.
A comfortable stroll but we were running late to get to Mildura for the night.
We sat on the near by fallen caching furniture and read the cache notes so all could hear.
The kids love a big box but MrsSam likes a good read. We got both.
Thanks
A comfortable stroll but we were running late to get to Mildura for the night.
We sat on the near by fallen caching furniture and read the cache notes so all could hear.
The kids love a big box but MrsSam likes a good read. We got both.
Thanks
Rated: for Overall Experience
A long drive today from the ACT to SA and delighted to see everything so green and the river up watering the poor old red gums. Nice to see a sizable cache on what otherwise was a day of smalls and micros. Thanks for the history, and my first B&W cache - now I understand the camel on the GCA banner. Thanks BB.
130. It's been raining all the way across the Hay Plain, so it was a treat to stop so close to the river. The History is an added bonus. The hide is fairly obvious and on a, by the looks of it, well worn track.
TFTC and the efforts to prepare this series.
TFTC and the efforts to prepare this series.
Rated: for Overall Experience
woot *ftf* with CazBol and Anon E. Mouse. Great location, very peaceful well-stocked cache.
Thanks GCA, BB and all for a very educational exercise.
Thanks GCA, BB and all for a very educational exercise.
Rated: for Overall Experience
