B&W (V) A camel caravan Stony Crossing, New South Wales, Australia
By
Geocaching Australia on 20-Aug-10. Waypoint GA2334
Cache Details
Difficulty: | |
Terrain: | |
Type: | Burke and Wills |
Container: | Virtual |
Coordinates: | S35° 2.348' E143° 32.768' (WGS 84) |
54H 732254E 6119653N (UTM) | |
Elevation: | 65 m |
Local Government Area: | Murray River |
Description
This is a special Burke & Wills cache listed on Geocaching Australia.
This cache requires you to visit a Burke & Wills historical location and take a photo as described along with your GPS receiver and if possible yourself in the picture. Once you have logged this cache as a find, you are required to load your picture to your log to validate your find.
Validating Your Log
Take a picture of your GPS receiver showing the same co-ordinates as the cache page (plus or minus 100 meters) and attach it to your online log.
Important Information
The Burke Wills Historical Society notes: "The actual route Burke and Wills followed once they left Camp 78 is unknown and one of the most intensely debated issues. Wills' map and some of his journals containing astronomical observations have been lost. Because the journals have never been transcribed, it means the expedition's track north of the Diamantina, through the gibber rises, confused sand dunes and extensive claypans, is a matter for conjecture."
Travel in Outback Australia can be extremely hazardous. Plan your trip with care and seek and follow local advice on what precautions to take. Be aware of private property restrictions. Do not risk your life to log this geocache.
About This Location
The camels caused a great deal of trouble for their handlers. Ludwig Becker was lifted bodily off the ground by one that managed to get its teeth into the seat of his trousers. Even an experienced cameleer like Dost Mahomet was later permanently disabled when another similarly lifted and shook him. The explorers seem to have been unable to stop them from wandering at night, and many morning hours were wasted mustering them. Specially made camel shoes, to help the animals traverse stony ground, soon proved virtually impossible to fit.
Overall, however, the camels performed well, though HistoryHouse.com cited another source as insisting they "were wilful and mischievous, disappearing from time to time with varying levels of success ... However, the real problem was that the camels were half pissed, that is to say, drunk. The expedition had taken some 60 gallons of rum for the camels, which, according to Landells, 'revived' them when they were tired and hungry. However, other members of the party took to 'reviving' themselves, and Burke went berserk when he found out."
At one point, thinking their camels exhausted, the party allowed them to slip out of sight. The camels then kicked up their heels and ran all night, causing Wills to note dryly that "they were not quite so much done up as they appeared to be".
Additonal Information
Source: Paul Dorsey Used with Permission
Logs
A pretty bleak spot for a camp, or squabbles with camels.
TFTC GCA.
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 some piccies taken and then moved on to the next one.
TFTC !!
We are currently touring New South Wales with our geovan in tow, using geocaching as a guide. We have visited many amazing locations through geocaching and today our journey took us past this virtual B&W (V) A Camel Caravan. Required pic has been added to the gallery.
Many thanks Geocaching Australia for publishing this cache for our enjoyment and adding to our geocaching experience today.
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 We were one of the lucky teams to receive a pathtag from Geocaching Australia for publishing a "Geocacher Cache" - thanks Geocaching Australia.
We are on our way to the Alexandra Event which is happening on the eighteenth to the nineteenth of November 2017 hope to see you there.
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This lengthy log is because we are currently working towards a trophy for "I write treatises for a living" - Average 150 or more words per valid dragonZone geocache find log or did not find log excluding geocaches that you own. Slowly getting there.
The first of (quite)a few B&W caches and with no real traffic around at this one, I stood close to GZ and grabbed a couple of photos. Amazing to think what the area would have been like when B&W and their party came through the area.
Great series...and pleased to grab a few more.
Parked up at the side of the road to grab a picture of our GPSr.