Roach Central Hervey Range, Queensland, Australia
By
Geobrett and BelKen on 20-Jul-10. Waypoint GA2311
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Traditional |
| Container: | Regular |
| Coordinates: | S19° 20.341' E146° 27.884' (WGS 84) |
| 55K 443777E 7861573N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 286 m |
| Local Government Area: | Townsville City |
/146.464733,-19.339017,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
A Walk in the hills.
When walking through the hills we sat at this spot and were eating some cake when Brett noticed that there were a lot of cockroaches in the rocks. We thought they may have been waiting for a train. Since the tracks have been lifted we then surmised they may have to change to the bus. The tearooms used to provide a tour with an 11 seater bus through this section of track.
There are many ways to the cache. Walk from the tearooms to the hill above and make your way down to the old reserve(Abseiling equipment may help. It is steep). Go up to the gate west of the tearooms and walk 3klm to the cache through two tunnels(In the first tunnel look out for bat poo). Walk 13klm up the rail reserve from Lynam(It would make for a premium tropical walk if only the powers that be could make up their minds).
Or if you have a high clearance vehicle(4WD) drive to within 800 metres of the cache for an easy afternoon stroll.
Suggested Route.
Turn of Herveys Range Rd at S19 21.296 E146 27.699 (Pages Rd)
Turn left down track at S19 21.052 E146 27.944
Pass through creek (Stop here and pick up another cache Foot Spa)and climb hill to a parking location at S19 20.825 E146 27.809
The image shows the walking track from the suggested parking location
Follow walk path to railway reserve and follow reserve. Go through the tunnel.(Or over it if you really want. Bring a torch) On the other side look right for a spectacular view.
The cache is located at the base of a large rock which requires a bit of a scramble up from the reserve. The location was chosen to protect the cache in the event of bushfire.
There can be walkers along the track but most times you will have the views to your self.
Enjoy.
Hints
Haqre gung ovt cvyr bs ebpxf ng gur onfr bs gur ovt oebja bar.Ovt oebja ebpx gung vf. |
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Decode |
Logs
Found with Cosmonaut97 and Isopeda while tracking down the GC Tunnel series . A great walk in and a handsome reward . Thanks Belken
isopeda found this cache - thanks for climbing. everyone was feeling rather relaxed after our morning tea break. signed log as CSI. TFTC.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Staying in Townsville for a week and nice to see some GCA caches to find. Wow what a great journey to this cache. Parked at the creek and walked in through the tunnel, what an amazing exerience. The tunnel is a must see, continued on to the 2nd tunnel which has caved in after finding the cache.
Many thanks BelKen for publishing this cache and adding to our geocaching experience. A memorable cache.
Tassie Trekkers are now a locationless geocache we have published a 'Geocacher cache' - Travelling Trekkers GA10932 - so if you spot us in your area sign our log book and receive a code word to earn yourself a
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Rode the ghost train out to the GZ. Plenty of smoke haze around 
Rated: for Overall Experience
Exploring the tunnels today and searching for a spot to hide an ammo can and literally stepped on this one in a great spot.
Magnificent views and interesting history.
Too good not to be listed on geocaching.com
Magnificent views and interesting history.
Too good not to be listed on geocaching.com
Rated: for Overall Experience
Continued from "Foot Spa" - I'd parked at the turn off (S19 21.052 E146 27.944) as the track down was pretty rough even for a 4WD. I headed further along the track to the T-junction which is probably the suggested parking spot. At this point I didn't know which way to go so turned right - the track here was washed out but I went past it right to the power stanchion which had great views but was the end of the track. I was wondering if the other track was the way and headed off that way not that hopeful. But after 100m I found myself on the old Greenvale line.
From there I walked to the tunnel which is about 500m long. I didn't need my light until the middle and then not for long. Headed out of the tunnel to GZ and climbed up to make the find. Another nice and dry cache. Signed and replaced it all just enjoying the spot.
It was pretty hot and humid (being February in Townsville) but I thought I could see another tunnel ahead - I love old abandoned railways especially tunnels. Walked to the tunnel ( 19° 20.247'S 146° 28.049'E)- it looks like a quad bike track here - but it appeared there had been a rock fall and I couldn't get through. It was only a short tunnel but was full of water. There was a quad track around to the right so I followed that and found what had happened. The tunnel itself hadn't collapsed - they are very stable - but a rock slide from above had blocked the entrance.
I pushed on with the grass getting thicker - I could see another tunnel so I walked as far as that. 19° 20.161'S 146° 28.222'E Another different style of tunnel - walked through it, it's not as long as the first one and came out into very long grass. Then I could see right to Townsville - this must be the first tunnel going up the ranges. 19° 20.038'S 146° 28.342'E
I turned back at this point and enjoyed the walk to the car - I shone my phone light in the long tunnel and there were literally (and I mean that literally) thousands of tiny bats flying around in there. So that was the smell. Only took me 40 minutes to walk back to the car. One of the best cache expeditions I've done. Hard to believe Townsville geocachers don't do this.
Thanks!!
From there I walked to the tunnel which is about 500m long. I didn't need my light until the middle and then not for long. Headed out of the tunnel to GZ and climbed up to make the find. Another nice and dry cache. Signed and replaced it all just enjoying the spot.
It was pretty hot and humid (being February in Townsville) but I thought I could see another tunnel ahead - I love old abandoned railways especially tunnels. Walked to the tunnel ( 19° 20.247'S 146° 28.049'E)- it looks like a quad bike track here - but it appeared there had been a rock fall and I couldn't get through. It was only a short tunnel but was full of water. There was a quad track around to the right so I followed that and found what had happened. The tunnel itself hadn't collapsed - they are very stable - but a rock slide from above had blocked the entrance.
I pushed on with the grass getting thicker - I could see another tunnel so I walked as far as that. 19° 20.161'S 146° 28.222'E Another different style of tunnel - walked through it, it's not as long as the first one and came out into very long grass. Then I could see right to Townsville - this must be the first tunnel going up the ranges. 19° 20.038'S 146° 28.342'E
I turned back at this point and enjoyed the walk to the car - I shone my phone light in the long tunnel and there were literally (and I mean that literally) thousands of tiny bats flying around in there. So that was the smell. Only took me 40 minutes to walk back to the car. One of the best cache expeditions I've done. Hard to believe Townsville geocachers don't do this.
Thanks!!
Rated: for Overall Experience
Champs and one monkey took a drive up to High Range today while the little monkey went shopping with Grandma.
After foot spa, we continued down the track, but unfortunately, the Cache Ranger could not get us to where we were going. (Should have bought the 4X4 version), Should have walked from here, but decided to go back to the tea rooms and follow the railway, but we never did find the start of the trail.
Will return with mountain bikes and a proper GPS.
After foot spa, we continued down the track, but unfortunately, the Cache Ranger could not get us to where we were going. (Should have bought the 4X4 version), Should have walked from here, but decided to go back to the tea rooms and follow the railway, but we never did find the start of the trail.
Will return with mountain bikes and a proper GPS.
A wonderful walk in the sun with fantastic views looking down the valley towards Townsville.
SL TFTC TNLN
Thx Belken
SL TFTC TNLN
Thx BelkenI had been wanting to find this cache since it was published and I finally got the chance today, 2 years later Townsville is my favourite place to go for a break but I had never had the appropriate transport to get up this way and find these caches. A huge thanks to BelKen for offering to take me and for placing the caches.
I really enjoyed the drive up the range and we stopped off at a few lookouts (caches) on the way before heading into the bush along a track that's used for electricity line maintenance mostly I think. Not far and we parked and headed up a track that's now getting a bit overgrown. I had brought my torch so had no trouble following along through the tunnel of the old railway - wow! Pretty amazing construction through very hard-looking rock.
But I really loved the cutting at GZ, both for the sheer magnitude of the engineering task and also the amazing views all the way to the ocean. It was an absolutely perfect day with a cloudless sky and a lovely breeze, made even better by the great company.
Brilliant cache
Townsville is my favourite place to go for a break but I had never had the appropriate transport to get up this way and find these caches. A huge thanks to BelKen for offering to take me and for placing the caches.I really enjoyed the drive up the range and we stopped off at a few lookouts (caches) on the way before heading into the bush along a track that's used for electricity line maintenance mostly I think. Not far and we parked and headed up a track that's now getting a bit overgrown. I had brought my torch so had no trouble following along through the tunnel of the old railway - wow! Pretty amazing construction through very hard-looking rock.
But I really loved the cutting at GZ, both for the sheer magnitude of the engineering task and also the amazing views all the way to the ocean. It was an absolutely perfect day with a cloudless sky and a lovely breeze, made even better by the great company.
Brilliant cache
Rated: for Overall Experience
Revisited cache after a 10 month break. A few fires have been through here and I thought it best come check. The track in is showing a lot of wear after last years wet and cyclone. Shifted a few trees out of the way and built a couple of rock bridges to get across the creek.
The cache is in excellent condition thanks to the ammo tin and an excellent hidey-hole. I have left a couple of photos for anyone to check out. With teh grass gone it is an excellent time to walk the rail corridor and see the amount of work that went into building this line.
Opposite the coffee house at Herveys Range there is a bloke that hires those 4 wheelers. I did notice a lot of tracks coming down over the tunnel and onto the rail corridor. So maybe hiring one of these is the go.
The cache is in excellent condition thanks to the ammo tin and an excellent hidey-hole. I have left a couple of photos for anyone to check out. With teh grass gone it is an excellent time to walk the rail corridor and see the amount of work that went into building this line.
Opposite the coffee house at Herveys Range there is a bloke that hires those 4 wheelers. I did notice a lot of tracks coming down over the tunnel and onto the rail corridor. So maybe hiring one of these is the go.
BelKen drove Gwiber and I up to the area so that we could do their GCA caches.
Had a pleasant walk in the rain from where the car was parked and walked through hundreds of bats in the tunnel before taking in the sights on the other side. Took a few shots of the waterfalls either side of the old rail line before clambering up to where the cache is located. A quick find later and I had BelKen's FTF prize in hand.
Thanks for showing me the area and placing the cache here.
The walk back out was in a heavier shower but it made the walk more pleasant as it cooled us down a bit.
Had a pleasant walk in the rain from where the car was parked and walked through hundreds of bats in the tunnel before taking in the sights on the other side. Took a few shots of the waterfalls either side of the old rail line before clambering up to where the cache is located. A quick find later and I had BelKen's FTF prize in hand.
Thanks for showing me the area and placing the cache here.
The walk back out was in a heavier shower but it made the walk more pleasant as it cooled us down a bit.
Rated: for Overall Experience
