Oparara Information Centre (West Coast) Kahurangi National Park, South Island, New Zealand
By holymu on 23-Jan-13. Waypoint GC44X6Z

This appears to be missing and I'm not currently able to get there to replace it unfortunately.

Think we found hiding place but no sign of cache.

Saw the hiding place but no cache here...

Found the obvious hiding spot but no cache. Did however accidentally find an official DOC geocache near Oparara Arch that isn’t on the map. Couldn’t get coordinates as GPS was jumping round near the Arch, hopefully someone else can oblige. As you get close to the Arch at the point the track turns from muddy path to rock, there is a large rock on the left with a rocky gully just behind. If you get to the steps up to the Arch you have gone too far!

What a great area and almost no one around. This is a great hidden place with some natural wonders. Thanks for placing this cache!

Today we had our second day in Karamea and again made a trip in and around the city, with special emphasis on the Oparara basin. On this trip we searched, found and logged many caches, too. The weather was good, sunny, very warm, only a bit cloudy, and only sometimes there was some wind.
Almost no muggels observed us as they had better things to do than observing two geocachers.

Thanks to holymu for showing us this location and for the fun we had at Oparara Information Centre (West Coast). The search we had here today didn't take too much time.

Greetings from Germany and hope to see you soon in the forest.

TFTC says H_M_A @ 19. Oktober 2018 @ 08:31 Uhr @ [#12043](https://coord.info/GC44X6Z)

Had tried to do this one earlier but there where 2 other groups having something to eat - so when we popped out of the loop track we were pleased to find the area deserted - grabbed the cache and signed the log before heading to the Mirror Tarn carpark to hopefully grab the one we missed earlier - thanks for the cache

When we first arrived in this area we had intended doing but others had decided it was lunchtime so had to move on. Coming out off the loop track the cost was clear except for the muggle Weka so a quick grab and sign made before returning to the other carpark to grab the last cache left in the loop TFTC

A quick find with no one about. Only one other vehicle in the park. Love this area and so pleased I made the effort to get here. Tftc.

The Seagnoid, Zara, Toby and I are on another 4 day exploration of the Upper West Coast.
Its Sunday and we are traveling back to Karamea to explore Oparara Arches. So lets go!!
When we arrived there were heaps of muggles here. After our walk to Sunshine flat is getting late in the day and only 1 muggle getting ready to depart. Quick snag and tag here. Cheers. Love all these info boards. Cruised past all of them for a quick read . Cheers

Having walked the Charming Creek railway and Oparara Valley, Taybeedragon and I are on day three of our four-day trip to the northern West Coast. Today, the Oparara Arches.

We arrived about 1pm, and there were a host of muggles having lunch. Lots of kids running around. No worries, we'll leave this cache for later. So the dragon and I walked out to Sunshine Flat hut and back, doing the loop along the way. Get back here - only one person, and he is loading up his car, so the dragon made a quick grab.

Easy thanks

Easy find. Now off to arch

A nice and quick find. NOt too many people around so slow the find. Now of to find this Oparara Arch thing. Cheers.

A really awesome day in and around Karamea today. Perfect weather for walking and caching.

Thanks to all the CO's for placing and maintaining these caches. Cheers.

Easy find but lots of muggles around. Held onto cache for some time before I could put it back. After getting this cache our Garmin GPS shut down and dropped all if its way points. That's Murphy for you. Tftc

We visited the Oparara Valley with the kids today and found this one. The caches were a good insensitive to keep them walking. TFTC

It was off to see the Oparara Arches plus a few other sights nearby this morning before it got too hot for hiking about.

This one was found a little exposed. Left it covered a bit better.

Cheers for the cache.

Nice quick find, just about to start the walk with the kids. Thanks to all cache owners for taking the time to place and maintain your caches. BJ25. Find # 1528

Cool place. Easy to find.

Tftc

Dr.Eisenfuß

Love the walks around here. Tftc

Lots of muggles around so made the grab while 'tying the shoelace' and returned when 'putting something in pack'. tftc

#15065. We spent some time reading the panels at the info centre. TFTC.

Found with StreetWalker on our week long post Christmas trip to Reefton and the West Coast. Day 5: Karamea and Oparara area.
Very busy at the info centre and lots of cars parked up. We managed to get a shady park for the car, then had a look for this cache. Thanks to the great hint, we were able to make a quick and surreptitious find despite the comings and goings.
It was interesting to read the panels (and appreciated the flush loos too ). TFTC.

CZECH
gps nechtěla vůbec spolupracovat, tak jsem prohledal skoro všechny kameny a byla skoro až u posledního

Found whilst on a wonderful 3 week tour of this beautiful country. Many thanks to the COs for placing caches in great spots to visit and make our holiday even more special.

Während unseres Neuseelandurlaubes besuchten abenteuerjuli und ich auch diesen Steinbogen. Der gesamte Trip war eines der Erlebnisse, die mir in Erinnerung bleiben. Die Abgelegenheit, die seltsame Straße, die irgendwann nur noch eine Schotterpiste war, das extrem braune Wasser, und ich glaube, wir sahen auch eine oder zwei blaue Enten fliegen. Und dann der Steinbogen, wow, der ist wirklich beeindruckend. Vielen Dank für den Cache

During our vacation in New Zealand, abenteuerjuli and me visited this natural arch. The whole trip was an adventure to remember. It is very remote, the road was strange and only gravel, the water was very very brown, and I think we saw one or two blue ducks flying over the water. And, well, the arch is truly spectacular.
Thank you for the cache

Belated log: Found it together with zer0seven, but did not yet log it online.
The story about us finding this cache can be found in the log of zer0seven.

Thanks!

It was quiet a detour to reach the Oparara Basin but well worth the visit. We were stunned by the beautiful arches and the forest and river scenery. Also it was a good chance to find some "lonely" caches which are found rarely.

Thx

A nice drive in and a quick find. Hopefully the theme can continue as I try and knock off the several caches around this area. TFTC

In Karamea for the Oparara Run. Ran past yesterday back for a slower wander today

What an amazing area. So fantastic to see the caves and amazing birds. Tftc

Found marvelous spot

Very late logging ... Found with Mporokosa. TFTC.

We should have tried for this one when we first arrived because it got busier later and we had to wait and wait until muggles cleared off. TFTC.

Tftc Sprunghörnchen

Quickly found and knocked off. Now the tour of the area.

In Karamea for a caching weekend.
I see that we were last here in February 2010 [:o] by checking our log for the earth cache.
It all looks the same so far! Quite a few tourists still visiting the area.
TFTC

On our way through the south island TFTC greetings from CZ R&J.

Quite the impressive shelter. Found the cache among in a mugglefree moment, but putting it back unobserved was a bit more difficult.
TFTC!

Today we visited both of the archs and mirror tarn. On our way we also grabbed a few caches. This one was w quick find. Thanks for the cache and greetings from Germany ,
Laura & Max

Found this one today during our exploration of the area. A busy day today. Lots of muggles around but we could sign the cache safely.
TFNC! C&M alias DRQN

Quick find TFTC

Crazy road to the trail but enjoyed the trek in the bush / TFTC

Muggles cars were there but none to be seen. Nice easy cache.

Today we wanted to discover the cave area near Karamea. The first we visited was Box Canyon and after that we went to Oparara Arch and after that we walked the loop to Moria Gate. Gorgeous arch and landscape there. We enjoyed it a lot and loved your todays’ walks and hikes in that area.
Back at the information center we searched this cache, too and found it fast at 1:40 pm. We had to hurry with our log because of a massive sandflies attack.
Thanks for the hide.

TNLN
#4971

At World’s End – New Zealand – One of our dream become true.

Our plan was to stay 4 weeks in New Zealand. But this wasn’t this easy to manage at work. So we moved spontanic the plan from march to november. We informed us before about point of interessts. The list was this long so we decided to go by campervan from the north to the south to have the most mobility. We arrived after way to much hours in Auckland and started there our round trip. At first we enjoyed the area in auckland and the north. In Waitomo we were able to see and enjoy glohworms in one of the famous caves. But this area had a lot of nice hiking trails were we could discovered the Piripiri Caves, Natural Bridge and the Marokopa Falls. This was already impressive to see and still the beginning of our adventure for life. The trip went on over Okere Falls Scenic Reserve direction Rotorua. In this area we enjoyed each hour, because each corner was different. We visited the Haumurana Springs – what amazing water -, Blue Lake and Green Lake and relaxed in Kerosene Creek. We liked all the water and in our travel guide we found a hike cloth to the Huka Falls, which ofcourse we did as well. All this flowers were bloom. One oft the Highlights was Wai-O-Tapu. The weather was perfect and all this colors awesome and the geysir a nice shower. By Campercan the to tour went on direction Tongariro Alpine with a short stop at Orakei Korako and the Tongariro River Loop Track. Lu like nice hiking tours and what could be the best for her birthday? Of course the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. We started early in the morning and walked approximately 9 hours over gras, stones, snow and colorful water. Now we had to leave the Heart of North New Zealand and went over Taranaki Falls to the East Coast with the goal Napier. The weather was cloudy and often raining but a small sightseeing was a must have. The last stop on the North Irland was Wellington. But it was only raining and some streets were already flooded. That’s why we change spontanic our plan and only did the First Cache of New Zealand and went by ship over the Marlboro Sound to Picton. We went over Farewell Spit to the lonely Wharariki Beach with sea lions. On the way back to the big streets we stopped at Waikoropupu Spring and Janie Sesson Shipwreck and drove untypical to Karamea. In Germany we do not have this much and public caves and that’s way we enjoyed this area! Cloth to the West Coast we took a look at the Pancake Rocks. The weather was just raining and so we could not see the Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, but we still visited them. We leaved the bad weather in the hills and enjoyed the Sun at Ship Creek, Thunder Creek, Fantail Falls and the Blue Pools. Wow they were relly blue and this clean and deep. I never saw something similar before. About Wanaka we read a lot in our travel guide and looked forward to it. There arrived we visited the Puzzling World and walked around the sea. Queenstown the next town we drove just through because at this time there was a marathon and it was really campervan unfriendly. So we used the time and drove to Milford Sound and enjoyed the hills surround us on the water. I never felt this small. After we are landed again on land the trip goes on to the Chasm and Clifden Caves and the Clifden Suspension Bridge. Wow what an adventure. At the end we visited a few cities like Bluff, Duneding, Moeraki Boulders and Christchurch were our Trip sadly ends.

At all this places we looked for nice and unique caches which shows us places which we never would had seen without. We enjoyed the nature and wildlife each day and it was really an adventure for life. At the end we drove approximately 5000 kilometeres and felt this relaxed.
Thanks to all owners for placing this caches and this much informations which we got about the particular areas. This was an adventure for life for us. Thanks for this beauty time.

Greetings from Germany – Luco235

Belated TB drop

We moved the car back to here and did the loop walk. Started at the Tarn end and finished with the Moria arch. Well set up Information area and a good spot for a spot of lunch when we finished the loop walk, and before we went to the Oparara arch.
Thanks.

I parked within a meter of it and saw it as i got out of the car but muggles around. Plenty to be read while waiting for muggles to leave which they did. Took coin and left a new TB to start it's journey

#4914

Had to wait a bit until another couple left. Luckily, there were plenty of information panels available to keep us occupied. Left a TB.

Very busy up here today, a full carpark. Spied the cache as i walked past and waited til no muggles were around to make a quick grab and sign. TFTC!

Had a great time wandering around the new information centre and then of to the arches. Simply a wander fall piece of New Zealand paradise. I was here 20 years ago it was just muddy tracks now it's something to be proud of. Thank you to all the people involved in upgrade this area. Even manage to see a blue duck TFTC,s

B8 and Dad located, as the N10 & Z6 played in and around the river (with Mum's supervision). We love this spot. Very busy today though!

TFTC!

# 438

Ninalila and I spent a few days visiting around Nelson's lakes and Karamea.
We went hiking to discover nice places and landscapes, and of course play geocaching at the same time
We found all the boxes without difficulty and discovered really good spots for photography.
We will keep good memories from everything we saw (Lake Rotoiti, Lake Rotoroa, Mt Robert, Moria Gate Arch, Mirror Tarn...)
It was a good opportunity to see a lot of native birds on each tracks we went.
So surprising to see them so close and get great pictures

We signed on logbooks with our team nickname : Lekiprokos

Thank you to all owners and their boxes for the discoveries we made.

fefe.adrien and I have visited Oparara arches during our trip on the West Coast.
16kms of gravel road in mountains to come here but the scenery is so fantastic and wild, it was worth so much...
This is the first time that I can see a natural arch & limestone tunnel so huge ! 200x40 meters !
So cool to enter into the tiny dark hole of the Moria Gate Arch ! A magic landscape is hidden behind
So fun the path with Moa footprints !!
Despite the dirty water at Mirror Tarn we saw the perfect reflection at many other places along the brown color river.
Fascinating places, we have seen many weka, tomtit & robin birds into the bush, they came so close, sometimes few centimeters !
We enjoyed to walk among with the rain forest.

we logged with our team name : lekiprokos

TFTC

I spent an enjoyable four weeks in New Zealand. I saw a lot of beautiful natural sites. On the way back from south to north, I found this cache. Thanks for the cache, greetings from Prague.

An easy find as the numbers thinned out later in the afternoon. TFTC.

Loged as cg3 - 3 caching-girlies on NZ-tour, greetings from austria tftc

Logged as cg3. Thanks for showing.

On tour in NZ! To safe space and time we logged as cg3 (caching girls 3)!
Tftc and greetings from Austria

Quick and easy find with The-Shredder before our walk. TFTC Skyryser

A curious bird was showing us the way. Reading all information about this place before starting the walks with Skyryser. TFTC The-Shredder

Lunch after the Honeycomb Cave tour. A nice quick find as we were munching on a ginger slice. TFTC!!!

Picked this one up on the return from Moria.
Thank you for the cache.

I was fortunate enough to be able to squeeze an 11 day holiday out of two leave days!! I headed out west to find some caches, see some sights, and relax before the madness of the semester hits. The weather was unbelievably good, only a bit of a storm over Arthur's Pass on the first day, otherwise hot and sunny. I found a great variety of caches, drive by's, walks, hikes, even a power trail. Thank you to all the CO's for their great hides!!!
I was pleased once I made it here - what a road!

Quick find tftc

#5690 @ 24-01-16 at 17:55

Found this Cache together with Kadres during our Trip around the World! Thanks a lot to all the Owners for showing us such nice and interesting Places

Thanks for the Cache and nice greetings from Austria!
Visit our Round-the-World-Photoblog at katjaandjuergenontour.zenfolio.com

24-01-16 at 17:55

Found this Cache together with Juekru during our Trip around the World! Thanks a lot to all the Owners for showing us such nice and interesting Places

Thanks for the Cache and nice greetings from Austria!
Visit our Round-the-World-Photoblog at katjaandjuergenontour.zenfolio.com

[#121] We are walking today to the arcs. This is our 1st cache.

TFTC Larosch / LFL

A fantastic area here.

On holiday in New Zealand for 4 weeks & staying with my family in Lyttelton

TVM4TC

Between doing all the walks we kept returning to this spot to get the cache. We were foiled on three occasions and eventually had the place to ourselves. TFTC.

Yes!!! Waited for muggles to leave then the whole team did a search. I was the lucky one!. TFTC

We were a bit silly even trying to look when there were so many people about. - - - It was much easier when we had the place to ourselves. As soon as the cache had been found I remembered what the hint meant. It's kind of funny that each little clump of rocks is sheltering such a large number of plants. I've made a mental note to come back in 2036 and see which plant has won each battle . TFTC .

Today Housemartin and I drove from Karamea to Oparara. This is a really nice place . thanks for showing. TFTC

Logged with Krickelina. TFTC

Waited for a gap in the muggles then made a quick find and sign tftc

A few days in the top end of the West Coast and what great days they have been – fine hot clear sunny days – birds singing in the trees – lots of walking, food, and wine, and caches of course. We’ve been here before and done some of the caches, and so, we have knocked off a few more . Thanks, holymu, for your cache today, it has added to our enjoyment on a day in our magnificent country.

Easy find with the only muggles being the little flying bitey ones TFTC

Today we have visited the Oparara Bassin. This was the last box for today. Thanks

We make today a trip in the Oparara Basin. After some hours of walk we visited and logged all caches.

Thanks from Switzerland

Checked, all good.

We love this information centre, unfortunately the sandflies enjoy being around us as well. Quick find, TFTC

After walking i found the cache

tftc

We had to wait for a truckload of tourists to leave then it was an easy find. Tftc

Quick find in one of my favourite places in all of Aotearoa. Tftc

We found this cache during our wonderful journey through New Zealand. Thank you for the cache and the great time in your country! Greetings from Germany.

After we drove here, we needed some lunch. So we went for the nice shelter and had lunch, well tried it...because we had to 'fight' a Weka and two Robins They tried to steal our lunch, but were not successful When I tried to get the cache it was like:
Me: Go away Weka I want to log this Cache
Weka: Me want foooood
Me: Go away !
Weka: Me want foood, this box foood?
Me: Noooooo weka this is a cache....not foood GO AWAY
Weka: me want foood
Me: me want log
Finally Mrs.CM offered some bread to the Weka and both were happy

[size=1] +-++-++-++-++-++-++-+ |T|N|L|N|B|F|P| +-++-++-++-++-++-++-+
[size=1][font=Impact]Cache.Mike[font=arial][/size]

Hi,
I'm a young geocacher from Switzerland and found this cache during our 6 weeks in New Zealand
Please read our story for this cache in Cache.Mike's log. He also answered any needed logging requirements
Thanks for those caches! [^]

[size=1][font=Impact] .... [orange]JoshThePirate[/orange][/size][font=arial]

Access to the Oparara Basin is now open again sooner than expected, three cheers for DOC.

Unfortunately due to storm damage access to the Oparara Basin is temporarily closed.

Thanks for the cache. It was nice place to visit.

After staying here for the night I woke up before sunrise and enjoyed a little stroll around.by the time I logged that cache no muggels were awake but a very inquisitive south island robin accompanied me
Thx for that morning exercise

great place to have some lunch after doing some of the tracks and check out all the interistinf signs don't doc do a great job.....no sand flys today very strange...

After my morning walk along the Fenian track I went back to the motel and collected Mrs Biggles and Jarzoo (Flying Phoenix wanted to watch some of the free DVDs at the motel) to take them to the Oparara Arches. I'd been up here before and knew how spectacular they are, so wanted to share that with them. I was here for an earthcache a few years ago. Took a little while for GPS to settle and for me to work out the hint. TFTC, Biggles.

Found it on our way exploring beautiful arches and awesome nature TFTC

When I was still reading the information on the plaques, Lelie van Dalen already found this one. CO thanks.
Greetings from The Netherlands.

Easy found. Great place and a nice spot for the cache.
Thanks CO

12970… Very impressive looking shelter, enjoyed reading some of the info panels, a great central location to explore the area, many thanks.