The Heart of the Matter - Victoria Mandurang South, Victoria, Australia
By EuDes on 01-Sep-13. Waypoint GA6419

Cache Details

Difficulty:
Terrain:
Type: Virtual
Container: Virtual
Coordinates: S36° 51.250' E144° 16.867' (WGS 84)
  55H 257597E 5917854N (UTM)
Elevation: 292 m
Local Government Area: Greater Bendigo

Map

Whodunit Geocache
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Rating

Description

One of a series of virtual cache visits to the centre of Australia, its states and mainland territories.

The thing I really like about the Geocaching Australia site is that it allows 'unusual' caches that aren't permitted on the International site.  A recent GCA find that had me confused for a while got me thinking about a series that gets to the heart of our great nation and brings a smile(y) to those who find it.

 

The rules of the caches in this series are simple  find the cache, log your find.  That's it.

 

So, let's go.

 

Centre of Victoria

According to the Geoscience Australia website, the centre of Victoria might be considered to be located at the posted co-ordinates on the steps of the Mandurang Uniting Church approximately 10km south-south-east of Bendigo.  No longer in use, the church sits on the site that corresponds with centroid calculations from several different organisations, including Geoscience Australia, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), and the Department of Geospatial Science, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

 

The Google Maps view of the centre of Victoria looks something like this: 

The centre of Victoria 

 

Position on SJ55-01 Bendigo 1:250 000 and 7724 Bendigo 1:100 000 scale maps. 

 

If you decide to journey to any of the locations in this series, please remember:

  • 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 — 'private' means exactly that!
  • Do not risk your life to log a find on any of the caches in this series.

Hints

Purpx gur qvssvphygl naq greenva engvatf
ROT 13: ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Decode

Logs

22-Sep-24
This one is close to home for me and rather than park outside some bewildered locals place i went to the official plaque and survey mark. TFTC.

Today i decided to tackle some virtual type caches around town. i usually prefer physical caches but i have had a really enjoyable time finding trig points, virtuals, and history ones today.
 
24-Jun-22
I've been closer than some and further than others but thanks for the virtual visit to this beautiful state. Good to know where this centre is. Clapping
 
13-Mar-22
This is a fun little aspirational series. We will add these to the list of places to attempt to visit in the future, although a few will be pretty difficult.

Wonder if this person realises this is on their property? On checking through the logs we discovered a competitor plaque in Bendigo, so that is two place to visit.
 
07-Nov-20
I have been to this spot numerous times. Perhaps 3 physical caches over the years.
Thanks Eudes
 
07-Nov-20
Often visiting this centre and hope to do so again not virtually. Thanks EuDes ClappingClapping
 
28-May-20
At least this one is on land. thanks for the virtual tour Smile
 
This is the last of our virtual holiday for now ,hopefully we can return and visit here Clan Minotaur
 
13-May-20
Looking through caches that I could possibly find without leaving the comfort of my own home and these popped up. It was great fun visiting the centers Australia. I hope this is a correct way of logging these caches (Virtually visiting). If you are not happy with this method of logging, please let me know so I delete my logs. TFTC's Very Happy
 
16-Oct-19
Out and about caching in the Bendigo area and this cache was on our target list. Made our way to the published coordinates and then to the coordinates in a previous log to find the marker. Took the required photo in between showers. TFTC
 
20-Oct-18
Visited whilst in the area.
Very easy to locate (Family friendly) with parking available.
This is literally a 'Drive To' GeoCache. ClappingMr. Green

SMES website has named this geolocale [MANDURANG PM 182].

https://maps.land.vic.gov.au/lassi/SmesUI.jsp

UTM: E258681.807 N5921310.520
Latitude: -36° 49' 23.9544"
Longitude: 144° 17' 39.7100"
 
18-Aug-18
We were heading out of Bendigo to find The Tardis (GA0620) but missed a turnoff and continued on to this location instead.
As mentioned by C@W, the actual Center of Victoria is at the coordinates I have listed above. There's a survey marker and a plaque to signify it, too.


 
06-Jan-18
Such an interesting cache, great idea. Thank you for taking me to the centre of Victoria. I would never have thought Bendigo would be the centre of Victoria. Thanks for the Virtual.
 
04-Jun-17
This is one state where I have been very close to the centre of it and it is the most accessible one I have encountered in this series so far. Thanks for this series that I can do in the comfort of my home on a winters day when I am unwell. TFTC EuDes

 
12-May-17
Another interesting virtual. TFTV Used previous finder's coords to locate.
 
26-Jun-16
Found by caughtatwork today.
We arrived at the posted co-ordinates to only find a private home and no church in site. The residents arrived by we were sitting in the car and were able to direct us to the appropriate location. It seems that they might have this happen a few times.
The actual location of the geodetic marker and plaque are some 3.6kms in a northerly direction from the posted co-ordinates at S36 49.400 E144 17.661
A photo is attached to the log with the proof of feet and GPS at the geodetic marker.
Thanks for this cache here today, although a co-ordinate update is in order.
*Overal Experience: 4*
GAFF 1
 
26-Jun-16
I found this cache today with caughtatwork and Lady caughtatwork. Very cold here today.
 
27-Jun-15
ok, virtually not sure this really counts since I'm sitting at Tom flood virtually browsing over to a place I've visited many times.
 
28-Apr-15
Having recently got to the heart of the matter in our home state we thought it would be disrespectful not to do the virtual grand tour so to speak. However, as we're that way inclined & just love pouring over maps and fiddling with coordinates we gave ourselves the additional task of determining how close we've physically managed to get to these virtual locations over the years. We were quite surprised with the results as all 9 were well within the 100Km range.
For Victoria we have travelled the Calder Hwy from Bendigo on several occasions which placed us approx 4.7Km from our target. However we plan to return to Bendigo in 6 weeks with caches as our target so will no doubt reduce that distance. TFTV EuDes.
 
13-Jun-14
Have travelled within Victoria a few times and hope to again soon, virtually travelling now
TFTC
 
09-Apr-14
I have also visited and logged the GC cache at this location previously. The church is a nice, old stone building. Good virtual cache. Very Happy
 
09-Nov-13
Like Romax we have visited this location many times for caches and in fact the elusive UBD Challenge has its coordinates posted here. I was out visiting the area today and managed a photo of the plaque and marker. Now to decide whether to log the others or wait until I get there.

TFTC EuDes
 
22-Oct-13

I haven't travelled very extensively through Victoria -- only visited Melbourne several times -- so make no pretense about visiting 'the heart' of the state. This is as close as I've ever got!

Thanks to EuDes for the Virtual.
 
04-Oct-13
Another of the heart of the matter caches that you simply need to find the cache page? Logged as found. Did the virtual search consulted Google Earth and enjoyed the virtual realm. What a really good idea for a series. TFTC

 
29-Sep-13
Well that is an interesting journey. I am all for new adventures and this one is unusual to say the least. Amazing really what you can see on Google Earth!
Thanks for the great idea, loved it.
 
29-Sep-13
It is interesting that there are five mathematical models listed on the Geoscience Australia website for determining the centre of Australia (and these locations are spread quite widely), yet there is only one (not disclosed) method for each of the states and territories. We wondered what the spread might be like if the five models were applied to Victoria (we assume much less than for some other states given the shape of Victoria). This is certainly an unusual series of caches but, as the cache owner states, GA permits unusual caches. We have actually driven along the road and past this point during a trip to cache in Bendigo last month. We also visited the nearby plaque which marks the centre point of Victoria (presumably calculated by a different method) because there was a physical cache very close to the plaque. Thanks for a different type of cache EuDes.
 
27-Sep-13
Ah! The Golden Triangle - I may have virtually been here; just a virtual observation.
TFTC and cheers
OldSaint.
 
27-Sep-13
Haven't been near here in reality, but have visited now, virtually. Thanks.
 
27-Sep-13
Another of the heart of the matter caches that you simply need to find the cache page? Logged as found
 
09-Sep-13
Well I've found this virtual cache page .. so I guess by the difficulty and terrain rating I can now log it. So I shall.

My old home State and the only one in this series I've actually physically been past! TFTC!
 
08-Sep-13
768. Another in the series that I've been to really really. Come this way most years.

TFTC and the yabbie.
 
02-Sep-13
Found by Roma and Max.
During our time geocaching we have found 3 caches at this central Vic GZ and we believe another one preceded our time, certainly a popular geo destination.
There is currently an active cache of another flavour close to the marker.
Back in February 2006 another 2 were hidden almost simultaneously with only one managing to get reviewed and published although we found both during our search at that time and we did get an entry in the failed ones log book before it was removed.
Google Earth isn't very accurate with the actual location of the geodetic marker and plaque which are some 3.5kms in a northerly direction from the posted co-ordinates at S36 49.400 E144 17.661 or just use GC3A47X numbers for GZ.
A very worthy destination for a geocache.
 
01-Sep-13
Please enjoy. Very Happy