B&W (V) The news reaches home Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia
By
Geocaching Australia on 20-Aug-10. Waypoint GA2419
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Burke and Wills |
| Container: | Virtual |
| Coordinates: | S37° 47.294' E144° 54.372' (WGS 84) |
| 55H 315632E 5815615N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 16 m |
| Local Government Area: | Melbourne |
/144.9062,-37.788233,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
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 and if possibe yourself with the grandstands of Flemington racecourse 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
Having left Howitt in Menindee, Brahe brought the news of Burke and Wills' deaths to Melbourne on November 4, and the uproar overshadowed the first running of the Melbourne Cup here at at Flemington the next day. (Henceforth it would become "the race that stops a nation".) As soon as the Royal Society's committee met, Victoria Governor Sir Henry Barkley suggested the VEE be renamed the Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition in tribute.
Additonal Information
Source: Paul Dorsey Used with Permission
Logs
Another Burke & Wills cache found. No one at Flemington today. Took required photo
An old photograph with the grand stand showing on the right side of the photo
Sainted at 1040 hours
TFTC and cheers
OldSaint
Sainted at 1040 hours
TFTC and cheers
OldSaint
I traveled back home to SA from Perth for family reasons and decided that Melbourne is only a short hop from Adelaide, so I logged an attendance at the Parkville Mega event and headed over for 5 days in Melbourne. I hired an E bike and had it for 4 days so was able to get around to many places and grab lots of caches as well as biking from the Youth Hostel in North Melbourne to Parkeville which was only a short ride. After checking into the hostel on Thursday i jumped on a tram and headed down to the markets and then jumped off and went for a stroll through a park nearby for another cache. On the saturday of the event myself and 2 other west aussies rode right out to Maribyrnong grabbing gc and gca caches and we stopped by the racecourse to get a gc and i grabbed a photo while here. We rode about 25km on the ebikes. Was great fun and saw lots of sights on the journey. The things you see when riding a bike....much better than having a car. Thanks for the cache Geocaching Australia. still trying to log all my finds from the event.... 
Rated: for Overall Experience
Another B&W to my finds.
Fascinating that the death of B&W could over shadow that horse race. Only extraordinarily crook weather or a war could do it now I reckon.
TFTC GCA
Fascinating that the death of B&W could over shadow that horse race. Only extraordinarily crook weather or a war could do it now I reckon.
TFTC GCA
GCA Find #95
A nice quick drive by today. Was in the area with some time to kill, and thought it was time to do this B&W. There was a few workmen around cleaning and preparing for the up coming races. I parked within 40m of GZ. Really enjoy the B&W series.
Thanks Geocaching Australia. TFTC.
A nice quick drive by today. Was in the area with some time to kill, and thought it was time to do this B&W. There was a few workmen around cleaning and preparing for the up coming races. I parked within 40m of GZ. Really enjoy the B&W series.
Thanks Geocaching Australia. TFTC.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Today we decided to tick off some B&W virtuals and bag ourselves a Dragon Zone trophy. This was one we snapped and we enjoyed our visit to the various locations.
Thanks Geocaching Australia.
Thanks Geocaching Australia.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Passing through and we decided to grab a couple of B&W while here. Grabbed the necessary by the main ate for a different view.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Dropped in to grab this B&W while we were in the area and could not have picked a worst time as there were muggles everywhere.
Another B&W scratched off the list.
Another B&W scratched off the list.
We were surprised at the number of people at Flemington Racecourse when we arrived today. We were able to get to GZ to take the required photo which has been added to the Gallery. Thanks Geocaching Australia for the cache.
#GA334 - 08:00; ay 2 of my B&W expedition in Melbourne. After eight finds and a single DNF on day 1, there were 12 caches left on the list for today. Taking to the geomobile, after a day on foot yesterday, this was the first stop as I headed out towards Flemington and Moonee Ponds for a couple of those outside the inner city precinct. After a couple of stops, I made my way to Flemington, where I was able to drive straight in. Parked the geomobile and met a very helpful member of the event staff named Ian. Ian told me the best spot to park while I got some pictures. I also learned that there was a race meeting later in the day, so I'd picked a really good time to be there. I bumped into another well known figure in these parts, but as usual, he wasn't saying too much (see photo). A friendly wave from Ian on the way out and it was mission accomplished. TFTC Geocaching Australia 
Rated: for Overall Experience
Stopped in during a ride along the Maribyrnong Trail - lots of activity preparing for the spring racing carnival. Nobody objected when I rode in and took in the view from one of the temporary stands on the bend. The racecourse is certainly looking a picture and considerably different from B&Ws time
Rated: for Overall Experience
22:02
If I've gotta go out in the wet wintry night to send a travelling cache on its way, I may as well make it worth my while. A couple more B&W hides not too far from home fit the bill quite nicely.
Thankfully, the rain had petered out, so I could get the necessary photos without a drenching. This was my first stop... I guess I did these bass-ackwards tonight, starting at the aftermath.
GCA#88
If I've gotta go out in the wet wintry night to send a travelling cache on its way, I may as well make it worth my while. A couple more B&W hides not too far from home fit the bill quite nicely.
Thankfully, the rain had petered out, so I could get the necessary photos without a drenching. This was my first stop... I guess I did these bass-ackwards tonight, starting at the aftermath.
GCA#88
Rated: for Overall Experience
Visited here for my last cache of the day, and another B&W to cross off my to-do list. The MS cycle-ride was one nearby (it seemed to be everywhere I went today), and there were a straggle of teens at the racecourse, mostly leaving from some event or other. I nicked in the the ornate Hill Gates to GZ to snap my picture using the GPS's in-built - and generally low-quality - camera (it geotags them with the coordinates if you need to confirm my visit - I simply shrink them to 800x600 before uploading). After this visit, and a shopping trip to Highpoint for some winter geocaching boots, I visited Footscray Park where I failed to find the cache there (along with most it seems...) but took a photo of the other side of the grandstands from there, the more familiar side of the racecourse. 
Caching around Flemmington/Laverton
Thanks for bring me here.
Thanks for bring me here.
Rated: for Overall Experience
In Melbourne for an extra long weekend and headed for this one after a few others up around Moonee Ponds. Sunday afternoon and the place was deserted so no problems grabbing the required photo. Then had a look around inside and grabbed a few more photo's at the finishing post.
Thanks for the continuing history lesson on this series.
Thanks for the continuing history lesson on this series.
Out on a legendary cache run with caching buddy Trailrunning. For the first time, we actually completed the whole list and added a few more on the way home to meet the 50-find cache mark. Started early at 5.45pm all the way till 2am before we went home tired, but happy. 2 DNF's along the way but an awesome run all the same.
Grabbed this one on the way to the other nearby caches. It was dark and with poor lighting conditions, the photo isn't very clear. Hopefully its good and clear enough. TFTC
Grabbed this one on the way to the other nearby caches. It was dark and with poor lighting conditions, the photo isn't very clear. Hopefully its good and clear enough. TFTC
As usual I had planned a night of caching with my good buddy jsmyong55. We had quite a number on the list, and I never thought we would get through them all. We did and then some! The final tally for the night has not yet been realised as there are both Geocaching Australia.com and Geocaching.com caches in the mix, but we both know we both grabbed over 50 caches each. To get jsmoyong55 over the line we detoured from a direct route to his home to get a few more. It was the first time for both of us to get over 50 so we were both pretty pleased with our efforts. This cache was one of those we grabbed. The photo is of poor quality. Sorry.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Had a conference for work here today so took the chance to finally do this one. Cold day here with no one in sight on the lawn areas and in the betting ring. Just a few months before it is packed to the rafters during the spring racing carnival.
Rated: for Overall Experience
257. More interesting history on this series that is really a treat to be doing. Wish I could do the lot. Maybe one day. I went to Flemington once to the races. I was too young to bet but had my friends sister put a dollar on Lozenge (as I'd just read Diary of Adrian Mole) in the first. It won and I got $7 odd back. Should have stopped there as I lost on every other race. Probably cured me of gambling before I started.
TFTC and the bulletin.
TFTC and the bulletin.
Rated: for Overall Experience
We were caching out this way so it was a good chance to visit. Bit quiet here today.
I used to do casual work here in my younger days when 2 jobs were required.
The gardens here are wonderful, but I haven't been here for about 10 years since I was single hanging out at Oaks Day.
The gardens here are wonderful, but I haven't been here for about 10 years since I was single hanging out at Oaks Day.
Squeezed this one in between leaving work and orienteering.
There must have been a function on and I was able to access GZ without a problem.
TFTC
There must have been a function on and I was able to access GZ without a problem.
TFTC
Rated: for Overall Experience
I found this cache with caughtatwork today. This was the easiest cache of all to find today. Thank you.
Found by caughtatwork at 15:00 on 7/11/2010
With the main entrance blocked off for special visitors during the spring racing carnival, this was the closest we could get.
Took nothing, left nothing.
Thanks to everyone involved in the Burke & Wills Project. I've run out in Melbourne now, so longer distances will need to be covered to get some more over the new year.
*Overall Experience: 3*
GAFF 1
With the main entrance blocked off for special visitors during the spring racing carnival, this was the closest we could get.
Took nothing, left nothing.
Thanks to everyone involved in the Burke & Wills Project. I've run out in Melbourne now, so longer distances will need to be covered to get some more over the new year.
*Overall Experience: 3*
GAFF 1
Rated: for Overall Experience
well I think I met the requirements with the attached picture! It has me, my GPS and the Grandstand in it 
I was at Flemington for Oaks Day and I wish my ability to pick a winner was as easy as getting the picture was
Thanks for the cache
I was at Flemington for Oaks Day and I wish my ability to pick a winner was as easy as getting the picture was
Thanks for the cache
Having finished at the Show, I thought we might see how close we could get to this one. The Members Gate was about it and at 18:25, we took the pickie with stand in the background. We wondered if it was through these very gates that the news was brought to Flemington back in 1861.
Took pickie, then left. Thanks for another instalment in this fascinating series Geocaching Australia.
Took pickie, then left. Thanks for another instalment in this fascinating series Geocaching Australia.
This was as close as I could get today, although looking like I was dressed for thespring carnival the gates were closed!! TFTC
Rated: for Overall Experience
Came past here today on the way from another cache.
I wasn't really sure if I would be able to get close to the grandstands, so we parked across the river to get our shot.
I wasn't really sure if I would be able to get close to the grandstands, so we parked across the river to get our shot.
Rated: for Overall Experience
12:30
Continuing in our quest to follow B&W. We couldn’t help but wonder if the fence was in place when the news arrived, but we couldn’t find any date information on the structure.
TFTH
Continuing in our quest to follow B&W. We couldn’t help but wonder if the fence was in place when the news arrived, but we couldn’t find any date information on the structure.
TFTH
Rated: for Overall Experience
Found by The Empire @ 2:40pm
Couldn't get very close to the grandstands but have a pretty good pic anyway!
- M
Couldn't get very close to the grandstands but have a pretty good pic anyway!
- M
Determined to "do this cache properly", I managed to navigate all my way into the grandstand area today. Not sure if I should have been in there, but it was worth it, with a great view over the city from the empty grandstand (see photo). A fun virtual to achieve, quite off the B&W route, but nonetheless still relevant to the overall story.
Tried to get close but with the Sunday market on parking was difficult. Managed to grab a couple of photos that shows we were at least there.
Couldn't get close to the Grandstand today as it was surrounded (on this side anyway) with temporary wire fences. Looks a bit different from your photo too!
