White Swan Quartz Mine Kurting, Victoria, Australia
By billywillysillydilly on 05-Apr-10. Waypoint GC2679G

Unfortunately this cache will need to be archived. I've made many visits and replaced this cache several times over the past six years. I really can't work out why this cache goes missing as often as it does.

Up for the weekend with Fergzter. We managed to find the log book but the container had gone walk about. Thanks for the cache.

Found in the company of LionJRB on the Wedderburn Event weekend. We did locate the logbook out in the open today. However the container seems to be long gone. We very carefully added our name to the log and replaced back where our GPS suggested the GZ was in a more sheltered location. I would suggest that prospectors might have gotten to the cache as there looks to be recent diggings in the old mine site. Many thanks to Billywillysillydilly for the hide.

Firstoff 3 Negatives

1. 2 Potato Chips In The Caghe.
2. 3 Nuts In The Cache
3. Cache Was Found In Open Without The Lid on.
4. No Pen so I couldn't sign.

I eventually found the lid and put it back on the cache.

Not Owners Fault But Atleast People Shouldn't Leave Food In Caches As it might attract wildlife and become mouldy.

But Afterall a good cache and nice location.

Took Nothing Left Nothing

Cheers

-Team Campion

Never been this far out in this area. It is a lovely place to look around. TFTC

The grandparents are in town so we left the geokids with them and set out for a day of caching in a location that isn't geokid friendly. This was the first one for the day and the geokids would have loved it, with a nice easy path to follow from the car park. It was a nice quick find. TFTC

Found at 10.00am. We were on our way over to Mt Kooyoora with our Queensland relatives, so couldn't resist finding this one on our way. A perfect day for an off track bushwalk.
TNLN
Thanks
K&M

I had thought of chasing this cache a couple of days ago on foot from the nor-east
I'm glad I didn't though and went after the caches around Mount Koorooya instead.
Yesterday I found out that you can drive to this cache [:o]
So this morning, that is what I did

OK !! So there was a short walk involved to get to the mine, but it was an easy stroll

At GZ, there was the cache
Easy find !!

So easy that I am sure many muggles have found it too
Their names are in the logbook.
So if you are worried about your cache being pilfered of goodies, I really think that it could be hidden in a better spot, where the curious crowds will not find it

Don't blame the geocachers !!
Sure some of them are as bad as muggles
But the muggles are really bad

Hey ! You are lucky there was still a container left !!

TFTC [^]

This entry was edited by If on Friday, 06 February 2015 at 06:57:29 UTC.

Changed to "Premium Member" cache. Seven months ago I replaced the cache and provided many swaps. Somebody has looted it leaving only the log book and some stones.

Makes me wonder why we bother hiding caches!!

I hope Premium Members have more respect for caching.

I'll replenish next time I can travel up this way.

We were heading out to the park on New Year's day with the intent of activating the summit for SOTA but unfortunately we didn't make it to the top and instead set up the equipment only 200 or so metres from this cache. After making some contacts on the radio, I took off with my youngest to search for the cache...we were very cautious though as there was a big kangaroo that seemed to be in the mood for a fight but he took off and we managed to make it to GZ and my boy found it straight away.

We signed the log and I left two of my usual small bags of swag as the container was quite devoid of anything to swap...someone had left a couple of pieces of quartz and some small rocks so you may need to replenish the swag in this one. We put it back and covered it as well as we could with what was around as it was in the open quite visible when we found it. Very interesting spot and thanks for bringing us to this location. TFTC!

First for the day. TFTC

The amount of times I have walked near this cache without being able to find it (school trips) is purely amazing
Today I got my hands on it
TFTC

Beautiful spot

Last week and this weekend had been pretty full on, so it was a pleasure to load up the GPS with some caches, load up and ute and head bush in an area close to home to round out a sunny Sunday.

A quick and easy drive soon had me at the carpark where the White Swan Quartz Mine could be easily attacked. The plan was to do this cache and follow the GPS to the other three nearby caches.

A formed pathway soon had me at GZ and the newly replaced cache with its shiny new logbook was soon in my hand.

It's a fascinating place to look around here. Mining has always been a tough game, but it would have certainly had its challenges here!

A trackable that I have had for a while was deposited in the cache.

TFTC

No sign of previous container etc. new cache placed.

Not sure if still there. Did find plastic sealable bag though.

Sully1 and I walked down the path form the gate here in the rain, but despite a very good hint, dude. we had no luck. We now see it hasn't been found for almost a year, which makes you think that a few cachers haven't bothered alerting you with a DNF.
Thanks for bringing us here anyway bwsd, it is a nice feature

Sadly a DNF for bogonghazy and I here today. We read (and laughed) the clue, had a jolly good search. Given its been 12 months since it was replaced, we wonder if some of the cliff/quartz has fallen and covered it maybe?? Thanks for the trek in though, a nice walk even in the drizzling rain. Before heading to the other one further down this track (Mitchells Men), we checked the logs on it, and seeing as it hadn't been found in 12 months either, we decided to give it a miss and head back to the car. Thanks billy, we had a great day, and as always, I appreciate the interesting history you give us.

Thanks to Wandarra and Phantom for alerting me of the maintenance requirement. The cache originally had heaps of swaps, a pen and a log book enclosed in a sandwich clip glad bag. Somewhere along the way, all went missing leaving only the log book and container. It can be disheartening and discouraging for a hider.

A brand new container, log book, pen and swaps have been placed.

Found on our way back from Mt Kooyoora. Log book was very damp

TFTC

Found this while out hiking with friends. Cache was wet and had no swaps. Could do with a little maintenance. TNLN SL

Visited this cache while out hiking for the weekend with friends. Cache contents were wet. Notepad was almost too wet to write on. Dried it out as much as time would allow. Needs some maintenance and a fresh lot of swaps. I had no swaps on me, otherwise I would of added some more. A great location though, and very interesting history. Tftc.

Contents of cache were wet. The notepad is starting to get mouldy. I dried the contents out for as long as time would allow. Contains no real swaps. Had a great time hiking through the park with friends on a perfect weather weekend. TFTC

Despite the weather we took a walk.
Found the cache sitting out in the open.
Signed and returned to a more suitable spot.

Just had to wait for a muggle kangaroo to hop it before I grabbed the cache. Lots of muggle writing in the log - I'm a little surprised the cache has survived so well. Interesting history too thanks bwsd.

The TrewBlue family have enjoyed hours of entertainment over many years fossicking for crystals at this mine, little did we know there was a cache right under our noses. Looking for caches has added a little something extra to our annual sojourn to this great park. TFTC.

Find #156 @ 1258

Found with Tyred n Cranky.

Decided to go "bush walking" and the targets where White Swan Quartz Mine, Mitchell's Men, Kooyoora Cactus and Mount Yoora Steed. "its not far" i remember saying, "just 1.7ks between the four of them" and then the 1.2k treck back to the van that was left at the parking area at the top of the mine. OOPS. what where we in for?

I have been down here before and it is a nice spot. lots of Quartz rock scattered around.

Took wooden bracelet.
Left Kangaroo

TFTC

Find #37 at 12.58pm

Found with FUF009.

Decided to go 'bush walking' and the targets where White Swan Quartz Mine, Mitchell's Men, Kooyoora Cactus and Mount Yoora Steed. FUF009 kept telling us "Its not far, just 1.7 ks between the four of them" and the 1.2k trek back to the van that was left at the parking area at the top of the mine. Well none us thought we were in for that sort of a hike. Hard yakka in parts but found it to be enjoyable and what great views there were.

We have all been down here before and iit's quite nice spot. Lots of Quartz rock scattered around.

Took Australia Keyring
Left Shark

TFTC

Parked in the carpark and walked to GZ. A quick find and log. Then off to Mitchell's Men. Thanks billywillysillydilly for the cache.

Found it quite by accident, saw it from a different angle

Found this in the rather obvious spot, although I did mistakenly go up top before reading the description. Plenty of weird muggle logs in the log book, some funny talk of seyances, and other odd things that I don't remember anymore.

This entry was edited by danozz on Saturday, 21 April 2012 at 14:00:33 UTC.

Easy find with my son

Found with Team Geotwins, Crazy Creels and team boofa while up here for Bendigo Cup day. Jarrod found it by accident while climbing on the rocks. tnlnsl tftc

Since public holiday in Bendigo for the cup 3 car loads headed for Melville Caves.
even though Emmas Jam took Crazy Creels Geo Twins and us the long way. After lunch nearby picnic area headed up the hill to take in the area. Cache found by accident while kids climbing rocks and trying fill water with rocks, SL TFTC

Three car loads of us decided to spend Bendigo Cup day taking a picnic to Melville Caves. We ate at the bottom parking spot then decided to drive up to see if we could find the crystal mine. The kids climbed over the rocks, skimmed stones on the water and accidently found a cache without even looking for it. So the 4 teams that were present signed the log and we left a TB that we had to move on as well. TFTC billywillysillydilly.
~ Crazy Creels

Too easy! Especially as some of the covering had washed away in the rain. Took/left nothing, tried to cover the cache up a bit better. Amazing that quartz is here when there is granite all around (are they geologically related?). Thanks for the cache!

Found the cache, glad we didnt have to dive into the murky depths of the water filled entrance to the mine, to retrieve it! Interesting spot!

Didnt take or leave anything.

Yippee!!! This is our first cache find. Interesting spot and tried not to fall in the water. Signed the log but did no swap.
Thank you billywillysillydilly for the walk.

After BBQing at the lower car park and exploring/climbing caves we decided just on leaving that there was still enough light left to do this. For the second time today we thought flooding may have put this out of commission, but again we found it. Signed log, took shark TFTC.

12:00
It is easy to see how the "White Swan" Quartz Mine was named. The day was too far gone for us to proceed to Yoora Stead today but we will be back to this quaint little water hole!

TNLN . . SL . . Thanks for the hunt billywillysillydilly.

We did this cache first (in the area) so we were wondering what the "Where is the Quartz mine" cache was all about - I guess I should read the descriptions! ]:)]
An interesting spot, not so sure about the swim, but the pool seemed quite deep acording to Chad's direction stick (Patent pending).
Thanks, Robmc.

Found by Mr Morris on his way up to Mount Yoora Steed with Robmc. Later in the day geogirl wanted to visit herself and check out the quartz. She found a fantastic stick on the way and used it to test the depth of the water, annoy spiders and later to poke the fire. Same stick her father had used in the morning. TFTC

3rd find of the day, and 2733rd total find at 12:48.

We're spending the weekend caching with The Morris and RobMc and thoroughly enjoyed the exercise and traipsing through huge spider webs.
(Chad picked up a couple of quartz pieces for Jannaya.)
Took: Nothing
Left: Screwdriver
Thanks billywillysillydilly for the cache

Ian and Penny

Called in here with Stinga4 after our soggy hike around the park. Couldn't believe the amount of water in the mine. Was worried at first the cache might have been drowned. Everything was ok and log was signed. TNLN. Thanks for the caching fun.

Found with Jimmymaff. I have been out here quite a few times leading school groups out here and I have never seen the mine full of water It was amazing I really wanted to go swimming. When we first got there we thought the cache might have been under water, butit wan't.TFTC!

Great hide!! Adventurous find!

[A previous finder noted that access to this one may change with water inflows. Well it has! I sussed out where the cache was and undertook some terrain 5 acrobatics to get it! It was at feet level at the time too.

Not wanting to make life hard for the next finders, I replaced the cache in virtually the same position and hide, but accessible. I hope that this is OK by the owner. There is also no need to change the coordinates, although the hint now needs to be] foot level not eye level. [Thanks Billy etc for the cache.

The new hide should also be above any water levels, by my reckoning.]

Nice quick find today whilst in the area for a bit of a stroll round one of the tracks. Spent numerous happy hours here throughout the years, picking over the quartz, looking for crystals. Thought it would be a good place for a cache and so it is. Many thanks Billy.

Over the last 15 years we have called in at the Crystal mine many times, it is such and interesting spot and we love looking for bits of crystal... This time it was great to have the extra surprise of a cache here too. Thanks so much for the cache.
One thing though... the bottom of the mine has been full of water on many of our visits, it makes a lovely lake, but when it fills up again perhaps cachers might have to BYO canoe.

Our first find for the day.
A nice stroll and easy find.
TNLNSL
TFTC

7.30am
Found by Roma and Max.
Although unsettled weather had been forecast we made our approach to GZ in very pleasant Autumn morning conditions.
Being school holidays the nearby caves camp ground was occupied by several caravans and tents whose occupants were obviously enjoying this lovely recreation area.
Although when we had previously found the adjacent cache on Mt Kooyoora, we had made our approach to it then from the north western side, (much more difficult than this route as we discovered then, and don't recommend now), and consequently had not visited this interesting venue before!
We were pleased that you had sorted its whereabouts providing us with further incentive to visit here ourselves.
We signed the log and made no exchange.
Thank you Bill for placing this well hidden container to compliment your other nearby hides.
From Romax.

Thought we stood more than an equal chance of a FTF on this one as it's not far from home. Silly me! You've got to be up early to beat Max and Roma. I think they sleep in the 4x4 just in case a New Cache comes on line.
We did the wrong thing anyway and missed the Crystal Mine sign, so had a stiff walk up and over. But it was all worth it. Took the giant lucust ('cos I could'nt get it back in the container after moving its legs!) and left a shark.
Thanks Bill for bringing us to this interesting place.

Published