Willson's Downfall Liston, New South Wales, Australia
By Aussie Liahona with maintenance by Team Robins on 10-Mar-12. Waypoint GC3E9G0

Neat cache With Sillybugger TFTC

Was a good one

Our first micro find! Very cool little spot. Found with JonoT1

Out for a little ride around Stanthorpe (well not so little) as we cruised out to Undercliffe Falls and then back to do a very enjoyable circuit route.Great to now truly be on the back roads.

It's been great driving around this area, all is nice and green. A quick find here for us today.

Don't understand hint, but found all the same. TFTC

Heading towards Storm King Dam for a night under the stars and made a detour to grab this cache. All good here, tftc Team Robins

Omi35NC

2500 LTF TFTC

Found with Goldielover today. A previous DNF now corrected. How did I miss this last time. A nice drive along this road.All good here with your cache.TFTC

Found with stairman1. Good to turn this one into a smiley.TFTC

On my way to Bald Rock I had some time to cache along the way.
Four years since I travelled this road last.
Was expecting a local pub that I could support
Find number 29503 for me.
Thank you Aussie Liahona for hiding this geocache.

Quick find, thanks

Tftc

TFTC

Good find. TFTC

Had to attend to train duties this morning at Stanthorpe Railway Station. So after we had waved goodbye to the loco and passengers, we set off, picnic in hand with a plan. Undercliffe Falls. That was our plan. And usually, plans go a bit awry, but today, we achieved 10/10 caches, some were solved puzzles, one was a previous DNF, the rest were - well - either on the way, or there.

Nice new log sheet,m which I christened with our Dunmowin stamp. Thanks Aussie Liahona and Team Robins

Parked in the wrong spot so had some incidental exercise here. Interesting spot but we had the dog in the car so no time to stop and check out the museum today. Another time perhaps. tftc

TFTC.

I may not have spent enough time looking for this one, but couldn't seem to find it. Teased through the long grass and checked all usual locations. Maybe another time.

After finding the next cache on the trail, I was determined to find this one too. I managed to find a spot of reception to look at the hint and read a few previous logs. so back I went and stood staring at GZ for a good 30 seconds before looking in the places I thought it 'should' be... Then before I knew it, I'd stuck my pen somewhere and had flicked it out!
Serious tomato's on my eyes today it seems.

Tftc found with earthly 65

Quick find...thanks guys

Tftc Aussie Liahona and team Robins,

Nice hint

Cache is in good condition.

We have enjoyed our time in the area.

Wandering the backroads near the border on a sunny day.

Super quick find here

TFTC Aussie Liahona

Gotcha - Found easy enough. Tftc

I walked straight past this one, I looked all over and under so much here and looked back at my GPS and headed back a bit and from this angle I spied the little bit of colour that did not belong. I had looked there, kind of, but not closely enough. The cows here moo'ed their life story to me the whole time, I bet they are just loving this drizzly rain!

Out for a day trip from Stanthorpe to Tenterfield via the Highway and return along Tourist Route 7 caching along the way ,most were quick finds while a couple took a bit longer

TFTC

Found Ok

On our way to QOGM (Blackall) day 13 of our trip. 4 caches for the day and 400 for the trip.TFTC

TFTC found with the snakepiters.

Easily spotted while wife turned the car around. Stamped and returned
TFTC Team Robins
Total Cache Finds 6350

Quick find on our Stanthorpe adventure tftc

The name of this sleepy little town definitely caused some discussion for some time. Very curious name. Thanks for the cache and bringing us here.

We continued on down the road picking up the last of the caches before returning back through Stanthorpe to start the drive back home. One more left on our trail here today.

Tftc Aussie Liahona/Team Robins

Quick find on a Sunday drive,TFTC

Out caching today and this one that I found ... TNLN ... TFTC

DNF

Another fast one! Go go go!

Found my 2nd last new souvenir yesterday, so today Pa agreed to chauffeur me around. A few days ago we started the Mount Lindesay trail from the south, so what better thing to do today than attack it from the north while staying in Stanthorpe.
Again Pa was fantastic, suggesting even more caches than I had on my list. We were very successful with only 2 DNFs and 25 smilies. Even the DNFs may become smilies if the COs accepts my photos.
Thanks to all COs for placing these caches to add to the interest of our travels.
Logs were signed either as Smittengranny or as SG.

Day 2 of my trip to Stanthorpe and surrounds. I was headed to Bald Rock, but was distracted by the constant "ding" of the GPSr in the geomobile telling me that I was approaching another cache. What to do about that? Stop and find the cache, of course! With dodgy phone reception here, I walked past the cache as my phone told me it was a bit further on. I searched where it said, without luck. On the way back to the geomobile, I decided to have a look at another spot I was passing. What do you know? There's the cache. I added my name to the log whilst cursing my phone for wasting my valuable caching time. TFTC

Quick find it and got signed and returned same place TFTC

Apparently sign makers don't have spelling checkers, or the town/ locality is really Willson's Downfall. Fortunately We have met this hide type before, and soon signed our name, replaced and departed. TFTC.

Staying in the area for a few days, camping and geocaching.

Today we are heading to Stanthorpe to find a few caches. This cache was found in the second spot we checked.
Thanks for the cache

A quick find and had just replaced it when a car came along.

TFTC

Found this with tough mother's x 6 today. Here for the weekend at Warwick and drove to Tenterfield thanks for all caches

Found with the tough mothers today during a weekend away in the area. Signed in as TMx6. Tftc

Out caching with the Tough Mothers (Bennyboppers, Misssusan79, Remsjw, and Jemillalucy). TFTC!

TFTC... 01/10/17. On the hunt in unfamiliar territory with Tough Mothers. Lots of smileys on offer, this is one of them. Plenty of rain. Almost left runner.

Found with Lisylou, REMSJW, jemillalucy, mnance101, and bennyboppers. We are also known as the Tough Mothers as sign in as tm x 6.

Tough mother weekend away. Doing a blitz of the area. Tftc

DNF most up setting a big dog attacked Miss Millie geo dog she is not hurt but shaken

Awesome

Beware the webs

Awesome

TFTC

Find No: 6184. Visiting from Newcastle, on the way home from Darwin, staying at Robins Nest, thanks for the cache Team Robins!!

Spending a few days in the local area and decided to pick up a few caches whilst out and about with geo friends. Thanks Aussie Liahona and Team Robins for the neat hide and TFTC

Heading north to QLD and grabbed a few caches along the way to break the trip up and this was one of them

After parking nearby the cache was soon found and once the log was signed all was returned as found.

TFTC Team Robins

A quick grab ,sign and off!!!Thanks Team Robin..

Found at 1124. Staying a couple of days in Tenterfield taking in the sights and picking up some smileys, found quickly after removing all the spiders webs and there resident spiders. TFTC.

Thanks easy one amongst the cobwebs

With a milestone coming up, I decided to go roadtrippin' down to the Granite Belt and Tenterfield to pick up a swag of smilies I missed while visiting for the Mega last year. Left Brisbane at 0330 and after 15 hrs on the road driving 650kms, managed to find precisely 100 caches .

This cache was covered in cobwebs, making it hard to spot. A geotrail leads to the fence, must be where the coords point.

This cache is in good condition, thanks **Aussie Liahona** for showing us this spot. Discover our code TGQNRV, and mention where you saw it.

Found on a weekend trip into the Granite belt. tnln tftc

thanks for placing this cache, sl tnln 2 days since we did these and to be honest it's all a blur.

Travelling back home after wonderful holidays in NSW. Grabbing some smilies on the way. Tftc

Found it. Tftc

I'm down in Stanthorpe and Tenterfield areas mainly to grab the final to some challenges we've completed.

Of course I couldn't come all this way and drive past all the other caches so I made a plan to grab caches along the route!

Geo Wife sent me off with her blessing as she thought she would slow me down.

A nice quick find, thanks for bringing me here!!

Thanks Team Robins TFTC SL

Quick find as we passed through, 5 months between finds and the cobwebs have well and truly moved in. T4TC

TFTC!

On our way here I had time to open the TAB with the little data signal in the air waves there was today and found out a little bit more about this mysterious Mr Willson.

Now how lucky can you be to go through such financial mishaps and still have a state forest, a township and a cache names after you! Roll over Alan Bond!

Thanks for bringing us here - interesting.

Found at 10:50am on 9th December, 2015. TFTC.

Nice quick find by me and while Mr RoddyC read us the description I was surprised to find that I already knew that bit of history but thanks for reminding me. TFTC

Thanks for the cache

Found

Out for the weekend to get a few finds and this one was on the list. We love this area and glad to get another smile. Thank you for bringing us here. TFTC

Wedding over and it's time to head towards sunny QLD & home.
Picking up a few more caches along the way.
TFTC

Smilie # 2886

Having attended a wedding at Mount Annan, in NSW, we were halfway back to QLD.
This was the final run for home & we wanted it to be a good one!
It was time for a few more caches. LOL ...
Quick find.
Disturbed a spider while retrieving the cache but all good!
Signed & replaced as found.
Then the spider went back in as well! LOL ...

TFTC Team Robins

All Good .. TFTC ..

easy find on a leisurely drive
tftc

No downfall for us today!

Day 2 of the return trip to Stanthorpe to collect the caches we couldn't find during the Mega weekend, due to lack of rain and too much rain, and to see off Team Robins on their epic adventure around Australia. Today the plan was to collect Stan's apples and a few other caches before heading off to Team Robins for an event to see them off on their adventure.

Thanks Team Robins for the cache.

A quick trip to Stanthorpe for the traditional but a little early Xmas in July event for 2015. I took the opportunity to tackle the caches along the once was Mt Lindsay Highway but is now Mt Lindsay Road.

I had travelled the dirt section while at the mega to get to Bald Rock but that was just about sight-seeing. Today was different. I saw the sunrise at Amberley, bypassed the traffic jam at Aratula and made a beeline for Liston and the nearby Undercliife Falls. I headed south to Tenterfield and tackled everything along the way, before heading north to Robins Nest and the event and the overnight stay.

I looked around for too long before resorting to the hint and even then mis-interpreted it.

Here's a little more Willson's Downfall

A letter to the editor Courier Mail 30 June 1938 about Wilson - with one "l"


. . . Wilson's Downfall
SIR,— The man after whom Wilson's Downfall was named lived in High Street; Tenterfield, and kept the Royal Hotel. His wife was Augusta Banburry, the daughter of a shepherd employed on Maryland station. Wilson lost control of his horse and was killed. This accident happened some years before 1877, and the facts were given to my father by many old residents of Tenter- field.— Yours, &c, Goondiwindi. (Mrs.) J. B. GRAVES.


and another letter to the Editor Courier Mail 21 MAy 1938

'Wilson's Downfall'
SIR— Clem Lack's interesting article on the bushranger, 'Jimmy' Wilson, gave his cap- ture in the vicinity as the reason for the name "Wilson's Downfall."
Information I received from "old hands" who were conversant with the early history of the place indicates it was not anything that occurred in the locality on the occasion of "Jimmy" Wilson's visit that prompted the naming of the place "Wilson's Downfall." Mr. Matthew Henry Marsh, of Maryland sta tion, had a storekeeper named Wilson. Marsh, realising that there was an opening for a branch store at Tenterfield, then quite a small town, had one opened under the name of Maryland store. His old storekeeper (Wilson) was sent to manage it. He left Maryland, travelling in a four-wheeled waggonette, and when he reached a creek about midway be- tween Killarney and Tenterfield an axle broke. Hence the naming of the place "Wilson's Down- fall."— Yours, &c, Dalveen. D. McINNES.





Thanks for placing this cache Aussie Liahona & Team Robins

And another about George Willson - with 2 "l"'s from a stamp collectors site

The NLA newspapers beta website showed a column in The Sydney Morning Herald dated 2 September 1927 on p.6 that was headed Willson’s Downfall – To the Editor of The Herald, which read as follows: "Sir, – The statement of Mr. John White in his letter in to-day’s "Herald" as to the origin of the name "Willson’s Downfall", in the Tenterfield district, is correct. The writer was for many years resident in that district, and had heard several old residents who knew the late Mr. George Willson confirm the fact that he had a capsize on the road at or near where the small village of Willson’s Downfall stands, and hence the name. The village is situated about 29 miles north of Tenterfield, on the Stanthorpe [Queensland]- Warwick road."

"Mr. Willson was, at one time, in partnership with a Mr. Sweetland, and he owned or had mortgages over, one might say, half the town properties of Tenterfield, but unfortunately ended in a "financial" downfall, but it was the "physical" upset that still keeps his name alive in the nomenclature of the district."

"In his time he was a leading citizen, and a sort of commercial "King." The Maryland Stores, where he carried on business, are now carried on as a store by a son of the late Hon. C.A. Lee (who had almost a political record reign as a member for the district, having never been defeated in 25 years, during which period he was twice a minister)".

The writer of this letter then goes on to name other politicians and business men none of which appears to b germane to George Willson and his "physical" or his "financial" downfall. The writer signed his letter EX-TENTERFIELDITE. Sydney, Aug. 21. I can’t account for the disparity of the 2 dates, but this somewhat garrulous man sounds to know his facts!

A small amount of additional information was found for George Willson who resided in Tenterfield, N.S.W. and his business partner, Charles Sweetman. The Moreton Bay Courier, Brisbane on page 3 had a long article which was headlined Annexation Movement In New England. George Willson was one of the leading proponents of an "influential assemblage" of prominent men (with a lesser role played by Sweetman) who met to petition the Queen that there was a need to separate an area of northern New South Wales with the aim that it be annexed by the colony of Queensland. This came about because there was a "continued and systematic neglect of the area by the Government of New South Wales". The Sydney Morning Herald on 24 August 1864 listed that George Willson was made a Justice of the Peace, in the same paper dated 8 September 1869 there was a death notice for George Willson of Tenterfield N.S.W., stating that he had died at his home of apoplexy on 21 August 1869 at the age of 49.

I recall driving around this area a few years ago, gathering some AL caches after an early morning run for a potential FTF. The FTF had gone of course, but Kaisho53 and I made the most of a good thing and picked up some icons while really enjoying the area… [^]

Back down this way with Ghostgums this afternoon, we revisited the Tractor Graveyard for some pics, but visited this one beforehand. A familiar hiding style ensured we picked the container up quickly and we soon had business taken care of.

Thanks for the cache Aussie Liahona

Making a return to the area to find a few caches that we didn't get to during the Mega in and around Stanthorpe. Down from Toowoomba with my usual non-geocaching caching partner...she loves coming with me and visiting out of the way places but has no desire to sign up and log her finds despite having found a few hundred!!! I have decided to do the D/T average challenge but this one filled a day for the Hidden Date challenge so we couldn't leave this unfound . TFTC.

Great hide. TFTC

Today we did some post Mega caching finding 83 and 2 DNFs caches. Our aim today was to try and finish the caches on the eastern side of Stanthorpe to Tenterfield and return. We enjoyed the journey that the cache locations took us to.

We appreciate the time and effort gone into placing and maintaining these caches for our enjoyment.

TFTC with Zacgyver

We are on our way back to the show grounds after caching at Undercliffe Falls. Mrs. Herbz was right at GZ but Mr. Herbz spotted it first. TFTC Team Robins.

Found by Mary & David, in company with Alansee and Phetlern (signed as MAP), at 1000. On our last day of caching with friends, we headed southward along the Mt Lindesay Road towards Tenterfield. A great day of interesting caches, waterfalls and historic locations What on earth did Willson do that caused his downfall? We'd heard good things about the Undercliffe Falls, so when we saw the name of the road, changed our plans and took the detour. Our thanks to Team Robins.

QLD Mega trip 2015 with Sol de Lune. On this almost 400km road trip we drove from Canberra to Stanthorpe caching in all the towns along the way with mostly great success. Around the Mega there were heaps of caches to be done including a few power trails. Despite the weather we got all of the planned caches done.

Day eleven took us back north to do more of the trails. We ere joined by Rapidlywild and SpecimenX for the morning. After a creative drive to get to our starting point we powered through all of the remaining animals by lunch. Then it was back to town to head our different ways. Sold De Lune and I headed out to the Bald rock road to do the remaining caches out that way. Thanks.

19632.684 TNLN
Visited: World Traveling Gold GC A#6 & State Medallion - California A#227

[Teal][font=Comic Sans MS]Albida[font=Verdana][/Teal]

A quick find on our outing with Liz and Bruce.

On a geocaching trip with tmann421. A great trip away seeing a part of the country I had not been to before, collecting caches along the way.

Short search, sometimes you can just overlook the obvious!

TFTC

10:03
Following the fun and games of the Qld Mega, our caching today took on a different focus. With Alansee and maccamob, we headed in a south easterly direction from Stanthorpe. To continue our conservation of log space in those horrible micro's, we signed as MAP. There was time to enjoy the scenery, visit the waterfalls, read the notes on the cache pages more carefully which gave us a greater appreciation of why caches have been placed in particular locations.

Sneaky hide.

Our thanks to Team Robins for bringing us here.
11914

Found with Phetlern and Maccamob on our last day of caching in the area before going our respective ways. We all really enjoyed this back road with its many caches.

In the area with Just-Lookin for the MEGA.
We really enjoyed the drive back to Stanthorpe along this back road.

Fairly quick find here today, once I noticed the hint object.
SL TFTC

Found with Albida33, while attending the Mega.

We all had a number of unfound caches out in this area so teamed up in one car and headed out to grab them. A good day with all caches found......a total of about 120 for this part of the day.

Thanks for the cache and adding to the fun of our Mega trip.....

Also missed it first look! It is where you think it is.

Also missed it first look! It is where you think it is.

Also missed it first look! It is where you think it is.