Making tracks - Fern gully (Wellington) Lower Hutt, North Island, New Zealand
By robnzh on 03-May-12. Waypoint GC3789W

I had some time in Wainui this morning before a family get together and decided to explore the Fern Gully track.This was my first stop and it was a quick find. Thanks very much for the cache.

In the final week of what has been a 2.5 month working holiday through South East Asia and Oceania. Some roughly accurate overall trip stats:~ 830 total finds (non-AL)- 424 in Australia- 196 in New Zealand- 131 in Thailand- 40 in Hawaii- 14 in South Korea- 12 in Nevada- 5 in Indonesia- 4 in Malaysia- 2 in Laos- 1 in MyanmarOf the 830 total finds, roughly 110 of them were multis (my favorite cache type).14 year 2000 caches including all of the year 2000 caches in OceaniaOldest caches found in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and Indonesia9 virtual only fizzy fillers (5/5, 4/3, 1.5/3.5, 2/4.5, 4/3.5, 2.5/5, 2.5/4, 2/5, 3/4.5)2 earthcache only fizzy fillers (2.5/3.5, 3/3.5)4 California original fizzy fillers (5/2.5, 2/4.5, 3.5/4.5, 4.5/1.5)Many thanks to all the COs who have placed these caches for me to find!------------------------------After hiking up the side of the mountain, this was a great reprieve.

Quick find, as cache was quite exposed from the track. Rehid a little better. TFTC

I was a bit lost on this one for a few minutes. As usual, I overcomplicated it. The hint and description did a great job walking me to the cache.

Well hidden. TFTC

The main purpose of our trip to the Wellywood region was to join forces with Mr Huhugrub, and make a start on the ACoIaF series.
Mrs rattll and Tess the geodog stayed back at camp while Mr rattll set out on this quest.

I had just enough energy to pick up a few more caches after doing some of the ACoIaF series.
No problems making the find here

Thanks for setting this great series of caches up

I am in Wellington this weekend, and today had a few hours to myself so decided to head out to Wainuiomata to try for a few caches. I don't get over here all that often, the last time being on Leap Day of last year.

After the initial climb to get up to this track, I was enjoying walking along here as there wasn't another soul around which made for casual searching whenever I got to GZ of a cache. That was handy for this one, as it took me longer than it really ought to to find this one. The 'three' was fairly easy to spot, but there are quite a few 'by myself' possibilities. But persistence paid off and I eventually had the cache in hand. No issues to report with this cache or the log, which was soon back in place again ready for the next cacher.

Thanks for setting this cache

Enabling now we are at Level 2.
Please use hand sanitiser and if you encounter people please keep your distance and preferably wear a mask.

As we are at Level 4 no logs will be accepted till further notice.

Great hint made for an easy find. Thanks for placing the cache

Saw the three before the one and it was an easy spot despite being camouflaged nicely. Tftc!

Up the Zigzag and Rata Ridge tracks to Mt Lowry. Nice quick find as container fully exposed to view. All good, though, so replaced and ensured that we'll camouflaged. Tftc!

Took a couple of minutes as the hint objects weren't too clear for us but got there in the end.

Nice easy find, hint was helpful to speed up the process!

TFTC robnzh #843, 22 February 2021

I wondered around in circles for a bit before dicovering the cache in a fairly obvious spot. TFTC

Discovered the track is marked a bit erratically here, so I have plotted it out and will update the maps.

I have a free weekend!! What should I do? Okay, I am working on a streak and puzzle cache dot days and a puzzle streak, but once I have a puzzle cache... decided to head into the hills above Wainuiomata. Following some bait trails - old hunter trails. Sometimes the track was overgrown, sometimes big trees had fallen on it, a number of times I simply lost the track and just bush bashed my way to somewhere, expecting to pick it up again.Took about 8 hours to do the figure 8 without the tail.

We are at Level 1 as from 9 June.
Social distancing is no longer required but use of hand sanitiser is still a good idea.

You may make tracks here now provided Level 2 protocol is observed.
This includes using hand sanitiser before and after handling the cache and social distancing from anyone around who is not part of your "bubble."
Lives including yours and those of others you care about may depend on it!

The reviewers have advised after consultation with officials that geocaching is NOT PERMITTED under Level 3.
This cache will therefore remain disabled until the OK is given to resume caching.

Disabled owing to the nationwide lockdown.
No logs will be accepted during the lockdown.

Re the last two logs:
(a) it is a requirement for all caches that you sign the physical log so cachers should come prepared with a writing instrument. There is no requirement for one to be provided though it is often done as a courtesy. There may have been a pen or pencil there when the cache was placed (quite likely but it's so long ago I don't recall!) I will let it go this time in view of other proof of find but please bear in mind that online logs may be deleted if the physical log is not signed.

(b) Agreed that it is more Rata Ridge than Fern Gully but it was the most suitable hiding place near the top of the Fern Gully track.

No pencil, thanks

Found!!! Although it’s a lil more rata ridge than fern gully

Found while out for a stroll with gonefishing. TFTC

Out for a stroll with Fozzmiester, doing the first secton of thh ACoIaF series, starting from the Zigzag track.
TFTC robnzh

Back up the hill from Lees and about here we decided it was lunch time. TFTC

Resorted to the hint. On my way up up up. There are many great ways of getting down hills, why are there so few to getting up? I should have been on the mountain bike rather than on foot.

No problem finding this one on a Sunday stroll. All good here, TFTC.

my first visit to this area, a very nice place to cache in, a quick easy find with the hint, found (on a short detour) on my way back to the car after completing some of the Game of Thrones caches, a dog walker passed me just after I finished signing the log, I waited until they passed by to replace the cache, TFTC

Was by here with The Wandering Dragons, who had found this years ago. Granted we only spent 10 minutes looking, but both came up empty, even with the hint. This was not our target so we abandoned the search today.

found it on a long two days hike over the ridges. TFTC!
Malta-Dinger

All cosy at GZ, what a great hint. Had a quick hunt then came back to the original spot and voila. Tucked away ready for us to sign the log. Thanks for the 'carrot' on our loop walk heading up!

Even with help from patandjohn couldn't find it or clearly identify the hint object.

DNF noted. I won't disable at this stage but will take a wander up sometime unless someone else finds it.

24 December 2018 10:18. This was the first find on today's foray with TWD & BFG. Had just replaced it, when two cyclists came past. Now onwards and upwards, TFTC

Forgot to say that the cache was in good condition though it was a bit grubby on the outside because of the covering material, I am sure there used to be a rock originally, what the heck happened to it! I looked around for something to improve on the present cover but couldn't find much.
Also after all the years since publication I spotted that the description said "need to leave the track or bushbash" when the opposite is the case, fortunately I think the rest of the sentence made it clear! Now fixed. If I could favorite my own cache I would, not because of any vanity on my part but because this is such an enjoyable walk, I hadn't been up here for a while and regretted that I hadn't.

Visit by a TB whose goal was to reach this cache.

Good hint for a quick find - tftc

Quick find thanks

GPS was a little off but still fairly easy to find. Tftc

Quick find after doing the first loop of ACoIaF, all in good order, TFTC

From time to time I just have to get out of the office and hit the hills. I haven't been able to take any time off for most of the last year, until today - there wasn't a lot urgent on at work so I could take half a day off, and the weather forecast seemed to be friendly for a change. How much caching could I do before heading back to the office at lunchtime? I figured if I started at 6am I had about 5 and a half hours to try and get the 41 caches in this area I didn't have (including the 32 AColaF caches) - I know I had some rugged and hilly terrain ahead of me but I had no idea if this was an overly optimistic goal or not!

In the end I got 38 caches - the three on the Lees Grove track, the 32 AColaF caches, and the top 3 on the Rata Ridge track. I came back in the evening to get the bottom 3 plus a mystery in town, which gave me 42 - my biggest one-day haul.

#1831. Last of the walk - number 38 for the morning. TFTC! From here it's back down to Gardiner Grove and to the car.

Sadly, I broke my mini streak of Wainui caches after only days. I had been getting a few frequent flyer points on this track.

However, I came back to the zig-zag track today to have a look for this one.

The cache is in good condition. All nice and dry.

Thank you

Cherrys Rule

In Wellington delivering Zara to my Father-in-law. Extra time to catch up with family and friends included. A day to myself today so I'm heading to Wainuiomata for a walk.
It was a search here as Nigel Navigator had me going in circles. Finally snagged and tagged this elusive one. Cheers

After completing the Ice and Fire series with Yeetrees and Mr McGoo, an excellent series by the way, Mr McGoo and I carried on down the ridge track towards the zig zag track while we sent Yeetrees off to collect the car and a cold drink.
We actually walked past this one coming down the track, GPS didn't ping on proximity so had to back track a bit. Spotted the hiding spot from the hint - helps that you're walking in the right direction - for a quick find. Cache all good.
Log signed, cache returned we carried on down the track. TFTC

After completing the Ice and Fire series with Yeetrees and SAROC we decided to send Yeetrees back to Lee Grove to get the car so he would be waiting for us with a nice cold drink when SAROC and myself completed the Zig Zag track back down the hill. A quick find after a short search. Everything in order. TFTC [Find # 4084]

Found on the way back from the new A Cache of Ice and Fire series. Tftc.

I spotted the tell-tale signs of a cache hide as I approached GZ, just as my GPS pinged the 10-metre mark. Nice & easy!

TFTC

Nice
Evening walk, all good here, tftc

Nice quick find at the end of the Gollan's Stream bait line.

By the time I'd seen what hint referred to was on top of the cache A nice walk up a bush-verged grass track turned into lovely forest wander. TFTC robnzh!

Enjoying this walk. Thanks.

A QEF on a pleasant afternoon walk. TNLN SL TFTC

Spotted the hide on approach making for an instant find. We need those sometimes to balance out the 30 minute searches! TFTC.

Very descriptive hint greatly assisted with a quick find here. TFTC

Another one while heading up the ridgeline. This one was a lot more straighforward to find. TFTC

We should just have trusted the GPSr, got ourselves distracted by the hint (which actually turned out to be very accurate). Nicely placed, Tftc

A little misty today but good to get out and stretch the legs, a great trail so close to the city. TFTC.

Wellington weather was basically crap early this afternoon and TregearP and I were getting 'Cabin Fever'

We took the opportunity to complete a loop walk collecting a few caches along the way. Not the best weather for these tracks, but with a bit of care it was all good and we came away with 10 for 10. That has to be a smilie!

All in good order, TNLNSL, TFTC.

#2085. Found during a walk down from finding two new caches with agcnz and yeetrees. All good at gz. Thanks for another smilie.

#2289. I had the day off work today so decided to head over to Wainuiomata and do some hill climbing. I have been up Mt Lowry in the past year but not from this direction. So first time on the Zig-Zag and Rata tracks. Fairly steep but not too bad. Have a done a few shockers around Wellington now on the various fire breaks so its all relative. Reached GZ but took a few minutes to find the cache. I had a preconceived idea of where it would be and it wasn't there. So read the hint again and searched with an open mind. This time it was a quick find. All dry inside. Signed the log and returned cache as found. Thanks for bringing me up here. Cheers GSEL

Took a while as phone reception not good but got there in the end

Made our way up from fern gully and was thankful for the shade that the trees provided, easy find once on the right track. Tftc

Reading the logs now I see that someone must have been hot on our heels - we encountered nobody ourselves. The track is certainly aptly named, though I think the first part should be called Blackberry Gully, in a couple of weeks there will be the bonus of a feed along the way! The cache was soon located. I always think these Wainui caches do not get enough visitors as the tracks are lovely walks. TFTC

Found on a walk around the track tftc

Found the cache on a run in the hills. Tftc

We were approaching this one from the other direction, so we walked on a little bit, then turned around and retraced our steps until we spied the hat-trick, which earns a favourite point from me! Three sentinels, standing guard. Love it! TFTC. With Y9

Quick find! Thanks for the cache

Cache was well covered, all in good condition, TFTC

Found on a day walk with friends from the local tramping club. A lovely walk on a beautiful day with great weather and magnificent views. The cache was an added bonus. TFTC

#119 we didnt have a pen so improvised with a stick and dirt, fairly legibly.... thanks for the find. Cheers.

My first find! Yay.

Nice walk up this track. TFTC

Great spot for a cache and certainly a good walk. I'll have to keep going one day! TFTC

Find #1973. A day of mixed activity walking and cycling to collect some Wainui' valley caches on a beaut winter's day. Nice to finally reach the bush edge. Quick find thanks to the hint. SL TFTC.

#5573. Yes, nice track up. Took the loop walk up Fern Gully and down ZigZag. Found after a short search.
+ Sun & Moon October 2011 Geocoin
TNSL. TFTC.

good find TFTC

Walked past the three following GPS but quickly corrected and located.

842 Quick find in a nice gully TFTC

Great clue. Foind on the way down from Mt Lowry. Tftc.

YAY

I love walking in the bush, but these hills just about kill me. TFTC!

Down in Wellington for boxhill's 'Drive By Event' so teamed up with tmann421 to do some caching. This was a quick find for us.

Thanks for the cache robnzh

Another nice find while geocaching with skindo before the nearby event.

Good weather and thanks for setting this cache up
Soon found - a nice walk today.
SL

2nd half of my caching day in the valley. Found with no trouble. TFTC

A cool summer's day proved to be a good time to search for this cache. I am enjoying this series; I think I only have one MT cache left to find.

Went up from the Stanley Street entrance to the park - hill climbing at its best/worst! Was running out of time, but determined to find it. After a rethink and a read of the hint it was revealed. Nice one. TFTC.

An after-work foray into Wainui dealing with a dot day. Made our way to here from Viewy of Wainui, via the ZiGzaG, which we had to bypass due to muggle presence. As we were searching out at GZ the muggles encountered earlier at ZiGzaG arrived. "You lost something mate?", "nah, just looking for something.." and so the conversation goes. In the end it became a full blown run down of Geocaching, its origins, history, features and benefits. In the meantime Sweet P managed the cache find whilst their attention was fully focused on our conversation. Good ploy.
Cache in order; log signed, cache safely re-hidden, just as found.
Made our way back from here to ZiGzaG.
TFTC found with team cacher Sweet P too
The Turtle strikes again!

Done

Had to collect my daughter nearby so decided to slip over a bit earlier. A steep hike up and a quick find as cache was slightly exposed. Re-hid and applied some support to covering article so as to give it more protection. TFTC, #5589

Quick find on my way up the hill today. Nice hide. TFTC. Sherlock Hood.

After a long weekend camping with scouts at Brookfield, still needed to find a cache for the day, so came up this trail (from the eastern Fraser Street entrance). Pretty warm up here today, but an enjoyable walk. quickly found, signed and replaced the cache. Apt title for location.

TFTC!
-'Happy Birthday Silas' GC

Cache # 1,258 - a good afternoon to stroll up here and grab this cache. Can certainly see why you don't want to come this way in the rain, with certain spots being nothing but elevated clay patches. Swapped trackables. Cache was quickly found, and re-hid a little better. TFTC!

A pleasant walk up here today for the EU crew - lots of sunshine and no breeze. Allowed the GPS to settle and after that a quick find. Dropped in TB. TFTC

Came for a pleasant afternoon stroll along the loop track - up Lees Grove Track, along Rata Track, and down the Fern Gully track. Lots of wind damage along the ridge from last month's big storm but nothing that impeded progress. This cache was a quick find using the hint in the first place I checked. Signed log, TFTC and for giving me the opportunity for a bit of much-needed exercise.

TB grab and post-storm check.
Track has lot a bit of the gravel but is quite Ok from that, a small bit of water on one part- don't wear your best shoes!
Bit of a mess of tree branches on the ridge track but access to the cache is fine. Still a lovely walk!

As it's a bit of a mission to go from Lees Grove track to the Fern Gully end via the top or vice versa (the signboards say about 1 hour 45 minutes) I have deleted the reference to this route in the cache description, though of course the option still exists for those fit and keen enough.

Woopee Yahoo FTF. Rain this morning and then out came the sun. A very pleasant track and views along the way. SL took silver shoe. TFTC

This entry was edited by ZL2QZ on Monday, 10 June 2013 at 04:14:15 UTC.

I was starting to regret our decision to carry on up from Lees Grove and approach this cache from above as the top of the ridge took a while and quite a lot of effort to reach.
As we neared the Fern Gully track junction, I noticed that tree ferns were the predominate flora, so the gully is well named! Needed the hint for this cache as there were many potential hiding places and GPSr coverage wasn't great.
Really enjoyed the walk down the track, it's a very good track and of course, there's the ferns. Thanks for bringing me here.

#5663. We weren't sure whether we'd carry on to this one, but in the end decided to have an extended lunch break. The "high road" was a bit further than I expected. We were beaten to the FTF here, but one out of two and an interesting walk in ths hills on a mild June day made it a worthwhile trip. TFTC.