Eskdale Bush (Auckland) Hillcrest, North Island, New Zealand
By GandT (adopted by Navigull) on 07-Apr-02. Waypoint GC4A3B

As there's been no cache to find for months, I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.

Had another look today. Still nothing found and still no timely action by C.O.

In view of the recent DNFs I will disable until i can check things out.

DNF here too

Can the C.O. please check on this. The number of DNF's indicate that it may no longer be there.

Iv'e got a bad feeling about this one. There doesn't appear to be any sign of the item indicated in the clue, and I think that the whole cache is gone as well. I checked out both sides of the track several metres above and below the gz, and found nothing.

Had a good rummage around but came up empty. Has this one gone? Cheers

Hmm... confused here!! GPS was pointing to one spot only, however there didn't seem to be a place that matched the hint... so I read the logs... apparently hint object is gone?? Hmm... tried for about a good 30 mins, but no find... will have to return!
But perhaps a new hint would be cool? If the object is in fact gone.

TFTH!

Gah, no cutty grass left, small tuft of new grass growing, finally got it.

this was a tough one with gps everywhere but got it eventually! tftc

Oh this one got us for a while. Looked and looked and finally found. Good hide after all these years. Although grass is gone

Searched many cutty grass bushes but alas

This was my second go at this cache. Last time I spent ages lost in the bush!

Not sure the clue was too accurate, but we found it in the end. Stay on the path

Well 3rd time lucky,
Out and about to get caches previously searched but not found - 3rd and last of four attempts today, glad to get this out of the way
Log book very wet...no chance of signing, can the next finder please bring a new bag and log sheet as we didn't have any replacements.
TFTC

Really happy to find this one, thanks for taking us to this side of the bush The temptation to not follow the hint was very high but considering the previous logs I made a point of looking from the track. Great hide, TFTC

Had finished another cache nearby and decided to look for this one. Was sure of exactlt where it would be but no success. Think this cache may have gone
Will try again after confo its still there.

12-02-2011

Looked for quite some time, but no luck. Put us down for a DNF on this one.

TFTC.

I had a DNF last year here, but today - bingo. The GPS was all over the place but with the hint an easy find. Don't know why I missed it the last time?????
TNLNSL TFTC

Had a good search, found a place that fits all the clues and looks like a good place for a 1.5L container. But nothing there. Rain, muggles, or our incompetence?

Went round and around, never found the cache - but my fault realised I had hint completely wrong.

Finally knocked off this cache after bringing in the whole crew. Should have paid a little more attention to the clues, certainly didnt need to venture too far from track once we finally found it. Pity Miss 5yr old BMNZ learn't the hard way not to mess with cutty grass - see picture! TFTC.

Took a few wrong turns first, closed I got was 80 m.
Decided to take the direct route.
Took me a wee while to find it.
Took the normal route out.
Great bush.
TFTC

no luck today, just cuts ooo I hate those plants, will be back another day with a bigger search party.

Like GT I had been putting this one off. I dont know why, as it was a nice easy walk to GZ, and a quick find. The tracks were good and I didnt have to bush-bash!! Thanks.

Have been putting this one off for a while so decided today was the day to find it. Found the track but still managed to make one or two wrong turns on the way to GZ. Got there in the end.
Should have read the whole cache page first as I decided to venture off the path and took on some of the cutty grass. Got cut rather badly. Quickly found the cache once I did what the cache page told me too.
TFTC and glad to finally knock this one off.

Direct root always more fun..... Tftc enjoyed.

Found it! Nice site, but it took several visits to find. It's quite well hidden. Pay careful attention to this clue - you don't need to leave the path!!!

Found the right track, the GPS was playing games with me, put in my pocket, looking for small cutty grass roots.
Found a few, got lots of cuts from the cutty grass. OK, I skip this one. I'll be back - maybe

Finally found it, but needed the clue to point me in the right direction. TFTC Took Gecko Geocoin Left Pen

After a question re this cache being AWOL, I visited the cache today and found it remains in place and is OK except the log book is a bit damp. (Rebagged and more Silca-gel added.)

It is well concealed and the previously mentioned viscious plant has died and is quite innocuous, but it remains for the moment, but will likely decay in time.

I repeat you do not have to venture off track.

Note also I have added an updated picture of the sign board illustrating the track layout.

Sadly, geocachers these days, seem to be ever more rushed and inspite of having fancy mapping GPSrs they are expecting more directions so:
Do not try approaching from Domain Road unless you want an extended walk!

No luck for the two of us either... Though we were sure we had the right spot. We even found a 1.5L sized hole in one of the cutty grass bushes. Perhaps its gone?

Nice bush walk! Got to coordinates and 2 of us searched for 20 minutes but no joy. Only a small area as described in hint - LOTS of cuts!! Gave up eventually.

spent some time looking.Just got lots of cuts from the cutty grass.

Long walk in the bush to get this one. Took a while to find the right track, longer to find the right way, and finally a long time to get the cache itself. But success in the end. TFTC.

Our second paperless cache of the day. Thought we had the correct starting point, but we decided to go bush down a hill, found an old campsite with gas BBQ and tarps...eventually found the correct track and soon the cache. Great bush walk. Took glue stick left a large rubber dice. TFTC!

Found with Eleen. We are geocachers from Czech Republic. Thanks

I found this cache with Vilan by our geotrip. Very nice place. Thank you...

Lovely day for a walk to get me back into caching after a break due to selling house and shifting. Had planned to do this cache with my friend but she recently went geocrashing and broke her leg. With this cache being about an hour and half round walk from new home and needing to drop a coin I went on my own. Glad I did as met a lovely couple in the bushes when I got to GZ, they looked relieved when I asked if they were Geocachers and showed them my GPSr. Turned out they were from the Chez republic but didn't know much english. Vilan found the cache while I was still looking on the other side - great hide. Left mosaic geckoh landshark coin. TFTC

JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP WHEN-YEHAAA!A GREAT PLACE TO SPEND SATURDAY MORNING-DAN HAD A BALL-THANKS MAKING US COME TO ANOTHER FANTASTIC PARK.

Entered into the book of LEDGIN'S. Here from Brisbane to visit Family. I followed the track for a while and decided to go bush to this cachre. I came across what appears to be someone's old camp complete with BBQ, torn tent and tarp. Got to GZ eventually and locaeted cache OK after getting a bit too personal with some Cutty grass. Used track to wander on to the next cache.TNLN.Thanks Guys.

#757

How do you make a cache more fun? You bush bash!!! probably took longer than if we had followed the track but it was fun nonetheless!!

TNLN TFTC!!

TFTC, quicker find than we expected and a great place.

We wondered if this cache would still be there as it has not had a visit for 6 months . Thanks to the instructions , we knew where to park and which track to follow..... except when we got to the fork , and wouldn't you know it, we took the long way . Meet a few joggers and kids on bikes but when we arrived at GZ it was deserted. Looked on the wrong side of the track to start with but then we spotted it, great hide . Everything dry as a bone despite the recent heavy rain. T4TC.

Found with Q Moto. Seemed to walk in circles on the way to this one so took the other way out, more circles. TFTC.

found on a cache raid weekend with Kiwi_Explorer
TFTC

Nice little bush walk not too hard to find, glad i followed the directions + x4 AA Batts - sunglasses SL

IF you follow the description better than I did, you'll not come out with the trophy scratches I have! IF you pay attention to the parking and entry coordinates, you'll not have nearly as nice of a ramble as I did.
IF you don't go bush crashing, as I eventually & reluctantly resorted to, you won't have an experience with the attack fantail Navigull has set to guard this cache. I nearly gave up several times, but I'm stubborn where I'm not always clever.

Jogging muggles, then an unaccompanied 4 legged dog muggle that sent my mind back to bad headlines, used the track too. I just made sure I stayed on higher ground and he decided to let me trespass on what was probably his turf.

No sign of wasps. Log was a bit damp, but we've had crazy weather the past few days. TN. L sunnies.

13:20 Great spot in the middle of suburbia. Saw one dog muggle other than that the track was very quiet. Thanks for bringing me here Ray and thanks for the cache. TNLN

Bit of a look before found but got there in the end.
TNLNSL TFTC

Second time lucky. Nice walk. TFTC. Contents is fine, took TB that had been in there far to long.

Cheers

[#373]
Found after 5min search in failing light, after initially choosing the wrong track.
In Need Coffee Geocoin
Out Travelling Keyring Geocoin
SL, TFTC

Second time lucky. GPSr got a much better lock today, and I realised I must have stood on the cache several times yesterday, in fact I think I may even have sat on it once while checking out the cutty grass.

The well-trodden tracks into the bush made by other geocachers turned out to be an unnecessary distraction, and blood sacrifice is not required.

Spent about a hour in the area that I presumed to be GZ, which was quite a guess as GPS coverage was minimal and would only tell me I was somewhere between 5m and 25m from the target.

I must have checked every potential plant in there, but never found what I was looking for. I've got the scratches and blood to prove it too.



[This entry was edited by smeenz on Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 9:48:51 PM.]

Finally found GZ after taking a few wrong tracks. We see now why it is so important to park and start at the coords supplied! However after much fossicking around all the cutty grass plants in the vicinity AND using our "phone a friend" lifeline we still couldn't find it. Got plenty of cutty grass cuts but no cache

Found. %@#&%4 cutty grass and dog. 1/2 hour before the blood stopped.
In TB Radionuts50 Travelling Key ring

Lovely bush for mountainbiking. You have to pick the right track and not ignore the track-start waypoint, as I did. Had to do some bush-bashing, took a while to find the cache as well, but found it just before I was about to give up.
TFTC

been on the radar for a while now,easy find,gr8 hide,added a couple of small items ,took nothing,cache in good condition.--thanks

Quick lunch find. Used the compass as well to assist a wavering GPS signal. Nice little hide. Only got mauled on one hand by the vicious plants. Should have taken more care in looking. TNLN, TFTC.

First cache of seven for the day found at 1pm. TNLNSL. Tricky find for us - but perservance paid off. TFTC

Relativly quick find and a great walk. Nice area for a lazy afternoon walk. TNLNSL

Found it with NZHeads. Ended up doing a loop right up to the cache. It was a lovely walk. Although I wouldn't like to get lost in this park in the dark.
Found the cache easily at GZ, must be getting used to where to look.
TNLN SL Thanks for the cache.

[This entry was edited by NZ Tails on Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 4:03:19 PM.]

Took the wrong track so had to bush bash through to the cache.
Seems to be a few homeless muggles living in the park - off the tracks.
TNLNSL.

I finally got around to returning here after I couldn't find it when Navigull moved it a few months ago. With new coordinates I made my way through the bush with new optimism. It took a few looks in odd places as the GPS settled and I finally found it in the first place I looked, the second time I looked.

Another great park which you could easily get lost in if it weren't for the trusty GPS! Took a bit of searching but got there in the end.
TFTC
TNLNSL

Sixth of seventeen finds on my second day in Auckland, in company with Navigull. I was glad to have the pseudo cache owner with me for this one, because the zig-zagging of the path in would have confused the heck out of me, and I probably would have started looking for an alternative way in. However, Navigull assured me that we were heading in the right direction, and I eventually arrived at GZ. Initially, I started looking on the wrong side of the path, but Navigull put me straight. Then I searched the exact spot that the cache was hidden in, but failed to turn it up. Once again, Navigull came to the rescue, and prodded around with a stick until we heard that unmistakable sound of wood against plastic at 1450. Note to self: Look properly in future! My thanks to GandT (and Navigull) for the cache.

IN: Bouncy ball
OUT: Toy car

A quick visit by two TBs before leaving for warmer climes

I can confirm that the cache is nowhere to be found where it was last week, before it was moved. The drawback of loading up the Palm and GPS defore the morning of the hunt. I'll try again on my next trip to NZ.

Cache has been replaced in a more accessable spot as a path was being worn into the bush. It is quite well hidden.

Started out by making a wrong decision early in the hunt – it doesn’t always pay to blindly follow the gps needle. After retracing my steps, when it became obvious that the track I was on was not going anywhere near the cache, I was soon on the right path. When the distance to GZ was 4 metres it was time to bush bash and the cache was soon found. Excellent coords! The cache is quite damp. The logbook was almost sodden in its holed bag. I replaced the bag with a new one and left a quantity of silica gel, but the cache really needs some maintenance. Having the previous,sodden logbook still in the cache doesn’t help matters - it should really be removed – who is going to read it in that state when all logs can later be read online? TNLN. Uh oh it’s getting dark again so I had better get a move on before I get caught out in the bush in the rain again! Cheers.

The p[arking co-ords seemed a bit confusing but after some walking around found a track which branched off to another track which branched off to another track.
Finally got to GZ and seing the weather was not good GPS coverage was poor so I had to cover a wee bit of territory.
Got there in the end and then finding your way back was fun-just as well for trackback
TFT challenge and cuttied up hands-yes I know I should read the clue better!!

Found very easily by an utter fluke... the main drama was in not selecting the correct track the first time. Had to resort to the clue; and just happened to have stopped moving within about 2 feet of the cache. TNLNSL - thanks GandT

[Took the direct approach as off track was quite easy to navigate through. Bush cover makes getting a good fix difficult. Finally arrived in the correct location but had to resort to the clue.] Reckon its under a stump not a log, and if putting caches in thick bush, probably a decent landmark would work better than vague areas of cutty grass.

Parked within 160 m of GZ but had no idea where the tracks went in this bush so we decided to take the direct route off trail. There has obviously been a lot of rain in Auckland lately as the ground was waterlogged, muddy and very slippery. All was going well until we arrived close to GZ and I took an almighty tumble landing on my back in the mud and tweaking a knee. While lying on the ground there was much @#^%$& until I realised that the cache was literally 30 cm from my right hand. Both of us just couldn't stop laughing.
A bit of a slow trip out (via the track) with a knee that was swelling quickly. Still managed a couple more caches afterwards but picked "driveups" that didn't need too much walking. TNLN. Thanks

[This entry was edited by Zorgon on Sunday, October 23, 2005 at 1:07:49 PM.]

Should have followed the instructions to get the right track as I seemed to keep missing this one. Got there in the end and drew blood with the cutty grass. (Managed to keep blood out of the container)[:i]

In :Nil
Out :Nil

This one should of been fairly straight forward. However many tracks and multiple decisions were made resulting in a straight line approach through the bush and down a near vertical bank.

My 3 year old son sustained a significant cut to the ear from cutty grass (being the perfect height) which bleed profusely onto his new jumper. [:o] To caught up in the hunt he never even battered an eye lid. However Dad had some surgical work and clothes washing ahead of him so Mum wouldn't be any the wiser. Yeah Right! [:(!]
Dropped off Travel Bug
+ Clam Shell
- Car

11.15am After deflecting two dog walking muggles and a regular walker we slunk back along the track to the likely point to diverge for the 15 paces into the bush. Not so giant strides these as some we have known. Found the cache without difficulty.
+ blue toy car
- mini pack of tissues
Then continued an enjoyable walk in the maze of tracks, loading ourselves down with a supply of pinecones for the winter fires before reaching the road again.
Many thanks GandT
M&P (31st find)

Took 2 goes to get this one the first with ETrex and found nothing due to the bush cover but did better the Garmin 72.

In Toy Car

Out HLD Token

T4TC

I had tried to find this cache last night, but had trouble with a poor constellation. I returned this afternoon after work with my external antenna and a good constellation. I ended up walking right to the cache (it helped that I remembered the clue from yesterday). No cuts - but only just. Nice bush walk. No exchange made. Cheers Gav [452]

[This entry was edited by rediguana on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at 3:51:31 PM.]

Another good cache to find

GPS had me within 2 meters of the cache,

Swapped Nil

Cheers

Bit frustrating this one, didnt have the parking details with me so entered park from wrong side, looked promising with a track heading towards cache and 500m to travel, suddenly all tracks seemed to be at right angles to where i needed to go, think i walked just about every track in the bush to get there. Took about 15 minutes to locate cache after arriving at the spot, headed home covered in mud, and bleeding, damn cutty grass.
- toy plane
+ ball bearing puzzle

Nice walk, and ended up doing a bit of a loop. Easily found when in the vicinity, though. Took 10 Polynesian francs, left nothing.

Found with a first time cacher in company. He said he enjoyed it. He only lives a KM away from this cache and did not really know about the lovely bush he was missing.

Found after a bit of a search TNLN

Thanks GandT

First Find, lots of bush, and muddy trails, cool!

Nice walk in the sunshine, bit of crashing to find the cache, looked for the wasp nest but they must have moved on. Nearly got caught by some muggles so had to hunker down for a while till they left. Thanks GandT.
+ 10 polynesian francs.
- eraser.

Great fun doing this one with another Grandson though we did a bit of a detour. He is hooked on caching now.
Out pottery bird whistle.
In Lip Balm
A good holiday activity. Thanks

Caroleetess

Good park. Must walk around there some more one day.

Missed the obvious entry near the carpark and wandered into the bush from the side. Bashed our way through to the cache. Oddly on the way we walked past a camouflaged, well maintained, makeshift tent, complete with bbq and fences. Someone seems to be settling in! Forgot to mark the spot, but at the time we guessed it was some 50 metres north west of the cache.

- sea shell
+ toy plane with wobbly legs

Also got fed-up with loop track and went bush!; not sure
it really helps though. Heavy undergrowth, but GPS
signal suprisingly good (once back on track then saw
quite obvious well-trodden path up to cache). Regards.

Today was another day. Read the clues properly and found it quickly.
Thanks

Found the rough area despite poor GPS signal. Saw evidence of previous traffic and the GPS seemed to confirm. Couldn't find the cache, read the clue, confirmed I was in the right place with several cuts to prove it but still couldn't find the cache.
Time to retreat and try again another day.

[This entry was edited by St. Ouens on Saturday, August 21, 2004 at 12:15:00 AM.]

Woke up this morning to the sun streaming through the blinds and thought, beautiful day, fantastic. K and I decided to go for a walk somewhere and decided Eskdale bush would be good for a change... Anyway, got into the car 15 seconds before the first downpour appeared from nowhere but not going to be detered by the weather we carried on... Track was muddy as usual.. remembered my son's (Ethan) pleas of "Dad, can we get my plane back" so stopped in to visit the cache... Took the plane, put in nothing... sorry... a put an IOU in the log and will make good on the next visit.

Cache still in good condition...

- Toy Plane

Out for a walk with sinautus which he has previously found. On a retrieval for his son so was easy for me. Great walk, great company, lots of fun in the mud.

Took wrong turn first time and after a couple of hundred metres without getting any closer I decided to go bush.
Straight down the bank and across the creek, which brought me to the track that I should have taken. A few muggles about with dogs and mountain bikes. GPS signal poor. Could not have found without clue.
Out - nil
In - Silica Gel sachet.
Cheers

nice one

Found It!
Loads of mugglers on mountain bikes (must have been lost) and dog walkers. Took 30mins to find due to mugglers.

OUT: Kunky toy jandel (that may become a TB very soon)
IN: Hairy Dwarf Token

We have been meaning to find this one for a while. We took a wrong turn at first and ended up not getting any closer to the cache, then eventually getting further away, so we doubled back and went the other way. A not-too-obvious path leading off from the track told us when we'd reached roughly the right spot and the GPS caught up not long after. Clambered into the bush and then waited for the GPS to settle and get a good bearing before pointing LRPnz in the general direction which allowed her to find it in 5 seconds flat. Added a funky toy jandel and took the orangutang. Thanks!

[This entry was edited by JDHnz on Friday, March 12, 2004 at 11:13:55 PM.]

Completed with JDHnz. (the navigator)
Well this one was a nice stroll in the bush - isnt it amazing how with in 5 mins flat you can step out of suburbia and straight into ruggered, dense bush!! absolutely fantastic Used to have to drive for miles for that!! Excellent cache - thanks to all

#59. As with all the caches on this trip to Auckland this took me ages! Not sure if it is a.all have been under too much tree cover for my yellow peril, or b. you aucklanders hide things better or c. you aucklanders give uselss clues or d. without the kids I am useless! A combination of all four I think! Nearly gave up but one last try revealed the treasure. Am enjoying discovering all these lovely pocket of beautiful bush in your city. Thanks. Took shell and left pocket tissues (left my goodie bag in the car!)
Ella

Visited this cache with my 6 year old son who discovered it while I was staring at the GPS.

- Superglue
+ Toy Plane

The second cache in New Zealand but after a short and beautifull walk we couldn't find the cache.
More luck next time.

Followed gps down hill through bush as I thought the track was heading in wrong direction easy find but hate cutty grass when im in shorts came across somebodys bivouac looks like thay had been there awhile
out:fridge magnet and geo dumbo TB
in:cheeze mouse