Splotchy Buchan South, Victoria, Australia
By
Paul_the_Hippy on 15-Aug-10. Waypoint GC2DE6M
Cache Details
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Logs
Sadly a dnf from us, unfortunately this looks to have fallen victim to clearing for a fire break. Tftc
Not a DNF in the sense that the cache wasn't there but in the sense that I didn't find it.
I headed out from Orbost this afternoon needing a cache or three with a strong sense of adventure.
I headed down Orbost-Buchan Road as the sun was setting. Knowing that time was against me when Google Maps suggested Painted Line Track would save 4 minutes I was pro that move. So I turned down Painted Line Track but eventually reached a dead-end.
Not to be put off I took a detour down Burnt Bridge Road, but eventually was stopped by a log across the road. There was evidence of other vehicles having driven over it but being in a 2WD vehicle I thought it best not to try.
So I put my tail between my legs and headed back to Buchan-Orbost Road to try Monument Track.
As I travelled along Monument Track Google Maps showed a detour that was 4 minutes longer. Having been burnt by my earlier eagerness I decided this was the better route for me to take.
Well taking this route took me to the burnt remains of Stringers Knob Fire Tower. An amazing site I am glad to be able to say I have now been to. But in the darkness I couldn't find where the track continued so I did an unintended lap of the site.
As I realised I'd probably have to backtrack again my petrol light came on. This seemed odd because the onboard computer was showing 100+ kms remaining. But it was enough to freak me out and so I got out of there.
By the time I got back to the turnoff for Painted Line Track the petrol light had turned off again. I guess it was just that the steep climb of the road was enough to trigger the sensor. That's what my best guess is.
Anyway, no guts, no glory. I gave it my best crack and it beat me. No logs signed by me today. I really do wish for a 4WD or an AWD vehicle when mucking around on these offroad tracks (although I must say I am impressed with how well maintained and accessible these tracks are generally).
I headed out from Orbost this afternoon needing a cache or three with a strong sense of adventure.
I headed down Orbost-Buchan Road as the sun was setting. Knowing that time was against me when Google Maps suggested Painted Line Track would save 4 minutes I was pro that move. So I turned down Painted Line Track but eventually reached a dead-end.
Not to be put off I took a detour down Burnt Bridge Road, but eventually was stopped by a log across the road. There was evidence of other vehicles having driven over it but being in a 2WD vehicle I thought it best not to try.
So I put my tail between my legs and headed back to Buchan-Orbost Road to try Monument Track.
As I travelled along Monument Track Google Maps showed a detour that was 4 minutes longer. Having been burnt by my earlier eagerness I decided this was the better route for me to take.
Well taking this route took me to the burnt remains of Stringers Knob Fire Tower. An amazing site I am glad to be able to say I have now been to. But in the darkness I couldn't find where the track continued so I did an unintended lap of the site.
As I realised I'd probably have to backtrack again my petrol light came on. This seemed odd because the onboard computer was showing 100+ kms remaining. But it was enough to freak me out and so I got out of there.
By the time I got back to the turnoff for Painted Line Track the petrol light had turned off again. I guess it was just that the steep climb of the road was enough to trigger the sensor. That's what my best guess is.
Anyway, no guts, no glory. I gave it my best crack and it beat me. No logs signed by me today. I really do wish for a 4WD or an AWD vehicle when mucking around on these offroad tracks (although I must say I am impressed with how well maintained and accessible these tracks are generally).
Coordinates changed from:
S 37° 37.588 E 148° 13.000
Coordinates changed to:
S 37° 37.586 E 148° 13.018
Distance from original: 87.6 feet or 26.7 meters.
Previous area burnt beyond recognition and now covered in really thick vegetation so moved down the road. Behind a tree now far off the track.
S 37° 37.588 E 148° 13.000
Coordinates changed to:
S 37° 37.586 E 148° 13.018
Distance from original: 87.6 feet or 26.7 meters.
Previous area burnt beyond recognition and now covered in really thick vegetation so moved down the road. Behind a tree now far off the track.
Cache and stump missing. This area was burnt really hot. I won't be enabling a cache in this area till 2021, to give it a time to recover.
This geocache is in an area impacted by bushfire. I expect the cache is gone, but I am not going to disable it yet. I plan to come and check all these caches in June of 2020. If you are the first to come here before then, and you cant find the cache, I will be happy to approve a find if you can provide a photo of where you expect the cache to be hidden and the surrounds. Your photos will help assess if it is worthwhile keeping the cache in place.
Paul, absolutely the best location for a cache - we loved it here.
We'd just finished a couple of caches on the Buchan Road, before swinging east through the bush tracks heading for Splotchy cache. After a short distance along the track, we stopped so a couple of Parks employees could shift their work vehicle off the road. We stopped and chatted with them, one saying the Firetower had been fenced off, but we sort of knew that from a log. We drove in, the drive along the track was uneventful until just short of Monument Track, when the passenger yelled look at that. She had spotted a Mottle Range form of Correa reflexa in flower alongside the track. More plants were soon spotted as we pulled up, with both the pink form and green form growing side by side. Then on to the Spotted Gums which we found easily and after some obligatory photos, we found the cache. With over a year of unlove, we soon had our name in the log and it was returned to its dry hiding spot, all good with the cache and container. We soon found a Paper Daisy and lots of the pale flowering Acacia and Correa in abundance.
We'll be back here over Winter to explore the bush a bit more thorough. Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for this placement, a favourite point here from us. Thank you.
We'd just finished a couple of caches on the Buchan Road, before swinging east through the bush tracks heading for Splotchy cache. After a short distance along the track, we stopped so a couple of Parks employees could shift their work vehicle off the road. We stopped and chatted with them, one saying the Firetower had been fenced off, but we sort of knew that from a log. We drove in, the drive along the track was uneventful until just short of Monument Track, when the passenger yelled look at that. She had spotted a Mottle Range form of Correa reflexa in flower alongside the track. More plants were soon spotted as we pulled up, with both the pink form and green form growing side by side. Then on to the Spotted Gums which we found easily and after some obligatory photos, we found the cache. With over a year of unlove, we soon had our name in the log and it was returned to its dry hiding spot, all good with the cache and container. We soon found a Paper Daisy and lots of the pale flowering Acacia and Correa in abundance.
We'll be back here over Winter to explore the bush a bit more thorough. Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for this placement, a favourite point here from us. Thank you.
What s fantastic spot. Found on an evening of 4wd ing to get the kids out so dinner could be cooked. Thanks for bringing us here.
Such beautiful trees. They are such a contrast to the other trees around here, and some of them look like they have been painted with army cammo! Thanks for bringing us here and for the cache.
Stopped to say hello to these magnificent spotty trees while on a day of geocaching in the forest. Thanks Paul.
Found on our "Making Memories" Tour of Mainland Australia.
Today we explored this area by 4WD and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Had not downloaded any caches to our GPS so a regular check on the phone when reception was available bought us to this cache.
Cache is in good order. Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for making us stop and appreciate these spotted gums.
Today we explored this area by 4WD and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Had not downloaded any caches to our GPS so a regular check on the phone when reception was available bought us to this cache.
Cache is in good order. Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for making us stop and appreciate these spotted gums.
My 2WD car now believes that she is a 4WD. After leaving 'Ladies or Gents' I went bush bashing (literally) to find this cache. Truly lovely spot and an easy find
TNLN TFTC
TNLN TFTC
Where do I start....?
I keep forgetting that my 2WD is not, I say again "IT IS NOT A 4WD!"
I was on my way back from Orbost and thought I would knock this one off the too do list, as well as the "Stringers Knob" cache. It had been raining.
I had just left the "Stringers Knob" Cache and took the Monument track. I had travelled about 150 metres when the car started to slip on the clay; it was getting a bit steep. I stopped, I got out of the car to check the rest of the track for about 50 metres or so and found it to be quiet wet and slippery. I tried to reverse out it but this little black duck was going know where! (Well not that way) I walked down the track about 200 metres, noticed that in the gully I would be able to turn around and attempt to drive back through the slippery bit. So off I went, it was not to bad going down, as the track surface improved immensely. At this point I decided to press on; the track was in good condition all the way to the cache.
After a quick search I found the cache in its hide quite dry as I signed the log the rain started fall again. "Bugger!" I thought to myself. As I replaced the cache it started to really bucket down. I continued on my way. There were some really slippery bits where the rear end of the car lost traction and the tail end started to slide out (I was only doing about 40Kmh) finally I reach the bitumen with a sigh of relief I head for the highway.
I would really recommend dry weather only (unless you have a 4WD) I was in a Ford Ranger tray ute when doing this cache.
TNLN
TFTC and the adventrue Paul
I keep forgetting that my 2WD is not, I say again "IT IS NOT A 4WD!"
I was on my way back from Orbost and thought I would knock this one off the too do list, as well as the "Stringers Knob" cache. It had been raining.
I had just left the "Stringers Knob" Cache and took the Monument track. I had travelled about 150 metres when the car started to slip on the clay; it was getting a bit steep. I stopped, I got out of the car to check the rest of the track for about 50 metres or so and found it to be quiet wet and slippery. I tried to reverse out it but this little black duck was going know where! (Well not that way) I walked down the track about 200 metres, noticed that in the gully I would be able to turn around and attempt to drive back through the slippery bit. So off I went, it was not to bad going down, as the track surface improved immensely. At this point I decided to press on; the track was in good condition all the way to the cache.
After a quick search I found the cache in its hide quite dry as I signed the log the rain started fall again. "Bugger!" I thought to myself. As I replaced the cache it started to really bucket down. I continued on my way. There were some really slippery bits where the rear end of the car lost traction and the tail end started to slide out (I was only doing about 40Kmh) finally I reach the bitumen with a sigh of relief I head for the highway.
I would really recommend dry weather only (unless you have a 4WD) I was in a Ford Ranger tray ute when doing this cache.
TNLN
TFTC and the adventrue Paul
Came from stringers Knob to here, the roads are actually quite good from Stringers to here, was able to get a bit of speed up! This is a magnificent forest around here, even saw a lyrebird on the drive (didn't have the camera handy though). Got to GZ where the cache was found after a short search. Thanks to Paul for bringing me here, fantastic location. The forest roads to get back to Nowa Nowa from here are fantastic, flowing and fairly smooth.
Out for the afternoon with djcache, quite amazing to see these remarkable trees. Cache located and logged, with no swaps being made. TFTC
Found by djcache this afternoon with micaparamedic.
I have seen Spotted Gum used in timber products so I guess if it's this rare in Vic it came from elsewhere! I never knew it was scarce here.
TFTC
DJ
I have seen Spotted Gum used in timber products so I guess if it's this rare in Vic it came from elsewhere! I never knew it was scarce here.
TFTC
DJ
We had fun travelling to this one, even when we had to stop because the brakes were SCREAMING at us. After a short break we were back on the road and made our way to the spotted gums. They are quite interesting. A nice easy find and the cache is in good order. We made no swaps and ensured thatthe cache was put back safely in its spot. TFTC
The fire threat appears to have now passed. Fire got a little bit closer then originally thought, but cache area should be fine. Will check it up next time I am out that way. Any issues let me know.
This is now the only way between Orbost and Nowa Nowa, due to fire, so would prefer it if nobody was on these tracks. The cache area is unlikely to be affected by fire, but safety first in a bush location.
Found easily. We did not have time to appreciate the surrounding area as we were running late. TFTC
3rd find of the day, and 2631st total find at 14:54.
We thoroughly enjoyed the drive to this cache. The mozzies however were as big as helecopters.
Took: Nothing
Left: Screwdriver
Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for the cache
Ian and Penny
We thoroughly enjoyed the drive to this cache. The mozzies however were as big as helecopters.
Took: Nothing
Left: Screwdriver
Thanks Paul_the_Hippy for the cache
Ian and Penny
We took the long bushway to this one and enjoyed everybit of the drive through the area!
Another great spot for a cache - many thanks for showing us another great spot.
TOOK: Simpsons Rubber
LEFT: Rooster on a Scooter!
Another great spot for a cache - many thanks for showing us another great spot.
TOOK: Simpsons Rubber
LEFT: Rooster on a Scooter!
1545 Pleasant little drive through the back-woods on a rainy day with an easy find at the end. TFTC Paul_the_Hippy
Love this place as well. Been here a few times - great to get back here. TFTC.
Took: Shiny Rock
Left: Hair Tie
Took: Shiny Rock
Left: Hair Tie
2nd find today although a windy day probably wasn't the best day to be in the bush. No trees down so far, just standing trees today! Cache found by Master E. Swapped a keyring for Bart and took the GC to move on. TFTH
*FTF* and a delightful FTF it was too.
We visited Old Blotchy ref: GCZ6JY about a year ago, one of the finest, and biggest, trees we've ever seen.
Such a delight to find trees similar, albeit a fair bit smaller in girth, in our own backyard.
Many thanks for bringing us here to see these gorgeous specimens
The roads were quite difficult after the recent winds and probably not good for a 2WD at present. There were quite a few small branches across the track which we had to negotiate or move.
TNLN TFTC
cheers
greynomads Bill and Diana
This entry was edited by greynomads on Monday, 01 November 2010 at 23:01:55.
We visited Old Blotchy ref: GCZ6JY about a year ago, one of the finest, and biggest, trees we've ever seen.
Such a delight to find trees similar, albeit a fair bit smaller in girth, in our own backyard.
Many thanks for bringing us here to see these gorgeous specimens
The roads were quite difficult after the recent winds and probably not good for a 2WD at present. There were quite a few small branches across the track which we had to negotiate or move.
TNLN TFTC
cheers
greynomads Bill and Diana
This entry was edited by greynomads on Monday, 01 November 2010 at 23:01:55.
