This mine has a silver lining Mt Buller, Victoria, Australia
By BushwalkingBandit on 30-Jan-11. Waypoint GC2N5WW

We got here on a day hike from our bush camp at the end of Ferguson's track - still can't believe the kids managed a 16km round trip without too many complaints! It was a lovely walk through fairly remote country (didn't see another soul all day, and this was over the Easter weekend!) with great views of the river, and we had lunch by the river near this cache and the old hut. Amazing to think this cache hasn't been found for two years! I think the site has become a lot more overgrown with blackberry bushes; I pushed on a bit further to see some of the old mine relics, but I couldn't make it to the cave; the blackberries were simply too thick and my legs were getting shredded already - I think you'd need to clear a path with a machete to go any further! Rescued 3 x trackables which had been there for over 2 years! TFTC

I finally reached the cache location with company over Easter weekend really enjoyed the journey as suggested about 30 minutes along walking track no dogs this uncounted this time just a deer and a couple of lyrebirds I enjoyed the mine site I cant believe how they got some of that equipment into
such a remote place we journeyed into the cave and what a great experience ( make sure you take a torch) as you will have a few bats flying around your ears DNF cache as we never gave ourselves enough time as we were running out of daylight it was dark when we got back to our 4wd
definitely going to try again with a bit more time Well worth the effort. TFTC
grayboy33

Big hike along a very interesting track scary in places we could Hear dingos barking as the sun was setting TFTC

With Grayboys warning ringing in my head I set off down the track. I must admit given the warning I took "Philipp" with me just in case of any issues. The track has recently been cleared which made for an amazingly easy hike out to the hut and the a short scramble up to the cache. I admire the tenacity of those people that sort their fortunes this way. The work that has gone into cutting the track by hand is amazing and the stone built ledges in places still standing today. We actually wandered past the cache and did a fair bit of exploring first before finding the cache on the way back out. It wasn't until we reached the hut and headed out that I actually heard a dingo barking (very different to a dog). It was close but it wasn't far either. It will be sad if it takes an attack on a human for the government to get serious about controlling the dogs. The trip out certainly was made in shorter time!

I have had this cache on my wish list for a long time I was just waiting for the right weather for the attempt, I set off a bout 10 in the morning coming from Jamieson it wasn't long before a was winding my way down the Silver mine or (Axe ) track in low range 4WD to try to find the Mitchells bridle walking
track, I have been bush walking these hills for over 50 years, I arrived at the start of the walking track parked my 4wd grabbed a small pack with a few safety essential's and set off walking I was starting to get excited as it was a beautiful morning and a great track I thought even if I don't find the cache just to see the Silver mine would be fun I had been walking about 15 minutes along this track that follows the
jamieson river below, when all of a sudden movement ahead of me on the track as it wound around a bend it was a bunch of wild dogs the nearest one to me was a very large full blooded Dingo about 80 meters away heading away from me I could not make out the dogs in front of him as they all disappeared around a bend I thought I am not going to let them spoil my fun so I screamed out at them and bashed a stick against a tree the proceeded to walk on towards the cache , as over the years of running into Dingo's they usually scare easy, and you don't see them again so on I trekked I had only
travelled about 300 meters I came around a bend then no more than 50 m in front of me was a large dog it looked like a german Sheppard the (same colors) travelling the same direction as me in no hurry
just looking back at me there was no sign of the other dogs I realized l was getting led into a trap I was here alone a 74 year old with just a stick to defend myself I then made enough sound for 10 men I turned around and headed back for my car yelling and screaming like an idiot making as much noise as possible spinning my head around 360 deg waiting for an attack to come from any direction I was so glad to finally get back to the safety of my car. I have not given up on this cache but the next time i will not be alone or I will take a gun with me otherwise TFTC.

This one was the goal for today, coming from one of the camping grounds between Eildon and Jamieson. Picked up 3 other caches on the way. Ask the local guy at the Jamieson fuel station how the Axe track conditions are to be sure it's not to rough since we are still 4wd beginners. He said it's fine so we went on. After we found the cache near Granny's Flat we decided to try Gallows Track as well, we did it but this one was crazy steep (low range is a must). Then we went down the Axe track, which was easy in comparison.
After we found the trail we started to walk to the cache. Nice scenery along the path but then there was this hut. Wow! Didn't expected something like that, well maintained and in great condition and no rubbish arround. After short look we went on, i found the cache very fast. Then we went on the little path, crossed the stream and headed back on the other side. Many old relicts of the mine and even an ~ 20 m long tunnel. Was great to explore that! By the way I think it was a quicksilver/mercury mine, not a silver mine .
At the end we went back and camped the night at the end of the Axe Track. Was a great adventure on our way arround Australia, thanks alot for this cache!!

Our 4wding/camping trip up in them thar hills was in full swing by about now, and this was the second stop along the river for a bit of a look, a short walk, and a bit of a cache.
After overshooting the walking trail by a whole lot, we turned the whole circus around and came back to the right spot and parked the big flash Prado, then came the hard bit, coaxing the GeoPrincess out of the 4wd for a "short stroll" in the "not too hot weather" to have a look at "some cool old mining stuff".
So off we strolled along the trail, enjoying the forest and noticing the, by now,much warmer temperature......well, the Princess noticed it before us and started telling us about it, inbetween wanting to know exactly how much further is the forced march?
So, in what seemed like no time at all for us, but was infact a lifetime for the teenager, we arrived at the cosy hut and set up the Princess inside with a seat and a drink , making sure that she was at one end of the hut and all the spiders were at the other end.......and then Dad took one for the team and ventured back out into the apocalyptic heat (no teenage exaggeration there at all) to go and find the cache.
Well, that was all well and good, but my stoopid Garmin that doesn't want to be a GPS anymore, decided it was going to stay in the hut as well and refuse to pick up any satellites, so I had to use the force instead, and what do you know, I found the well hidden cache in the first place I looked.......who needs a stoopid, doesn't want to be a GPS, anyway, Ha!
After scribbling my name in the book, I had to re continue the hand to hand combat with the blackberry that was starting to take ownership of the trail in.........Me -1, blackberry -Nil.

And then came the return forced death march back to the car, that apparently nearly killed the teenager from everything.

Thanks BushwalkingBandit for another cool cache in an interesting location.......and for the nice short walk in lovely weather......but apparently that is a matter of opinion.

Cheers

Out on the road looking for my cache for the day and thought, this ones just around the corner.
55 kms later I turned onto Axe Track, into 4x4 and down I go, and down and down and down. Thankfully I don't have to walk back up.
After a couple of false starts I finally found the correct Mitchell's Bridle Trail and settled into a nice stroll through the valley. It's a magic walk at this height above the river and just listening to the flow as it goes downstream. Arrived at the hut in the hidden valley and after a short visit continued up to the GZ. had the prize in hand pretty quickly after navigating the blackberries, the track is starting to get overgrown but the cache is still in good condition. A few interesting relics are strewn around.
Returned to the river to have lunch with MuggleWife and then a stroll back to the car. Had to jump that black snake on the track on the way back.
Thanks for the cache and the journey BushwalkingBandit

On a weekend hike with friends along the Mitchell Bridal Trail. Camped overnight at the campground at the end of 4wd Track by the river. After setting up camp, we continued along the trail to reach Mitchell's Flat. Picked up this cache on the way through. Great hut in a nice spot along the river. Cache in good condition and well hidden. Interesting mining relics along creek. TN left dice. Thanks Bandit.

23/4/2012 bush buddy
Magic spot bottom of track been improved for camping

STF exactly 1 year after the first
What a terrific spot with some old relics that I would never have known about without a cache being here

TFTC
Easy to find but difficult to get to. Enjoyed the walk in.
Cache is in good condition and hidden well.
This was our very first find ever
We left a cable tie and twenty cents.
(we were not very well prepared)

Published

Nice one Bandit can't wait to check this one out