Balmoral Fire Lookout (North Canterbury) Hurunui, South Island, New Zealand
By TikvaNZ on 23-Nov-14. Waypoint GC5GX4C

This is definitely one of those caches i am truly grateful for. as without it i would of never have been to see the spectacular views on offer and the amazing experience of being one of the few to actually have made it to the lookout, one of the 00000.01% to experience this very special place in NZ and for that i am grateful.... to you for placing this cache for me to find i am awarding a well-deserved favorite point... well worth the effort and time. Thank you

A bit windy up the top today. But still stunning views. Took a lot of hunting. Finally found it after reading other logs. It wasn't anywhere near where the hint suggested. I have moved the cache to reflect the hint. Have been meaning to get this cache every time i pass here. Finally had a bit more time while in the area today, So mission completed And even earnt a smiley face. Thanks for the Cache.

Lovely view!

Thx for the find on the way home

Windy day up here but a very pleasant walk. Thanks for the cache!

Having driven past many many times today I did not. Great walk up and great view. Not much forest left now.

Tftc greetings from Austria

Spent last night at Balmoral Forest. Been in this country 12 years and this was the first time camping there. Only four others in their motorhomes plus us. I don't think I'd like to be at the campground when it is the busiest time of the year. Today we had a break from the off and on showers we got last night, and it was only a little windy, not the gales that were tearing through on Saturday. Had a nice hike up to the little "house" that I had seen so many times and wondered "who lives there?!" Now I know. Almost didn't find the cache. Had read others' logs but still had a hard time finding.

Nice walk up the slope. A bit windier at the top. Information boards were interesting. Signed the guest book inside the fire watch building then had a look for the cache. After scrambling about, retraced our steps and soon had the cache. TFTC. Fav point from us

Took longer than expected and as others mentioned, the GPS points further down than needed. Worth the find! TFTC!

This is a cool place. TFTC and the view

Dropped TB

This was awesome, found with my family

What awesome spot. Views forever and the history, wow. We've always meant to pop up here, finally ticked it off

We often notice this building from the highway, but we didn't know it was accessible to the public. Today as we drove past on our way home from Hanmer I had a quick look at the geocaching map and noticed a geocache was there so then we realised that we must be able to get to the building and the decision was made to check it out as we had plenty of time.

There were about 5 cars in the car park and quite a procession of people along the path which was a surprise. When we arrived at the lookout, we were also surprised that we could enter the restored building which contained a lot of interesting information and photos. I was flicking through the replica logbook when I spotted a familiar name. My now deceased grandfather worked for the forestry department, but I always thought he was based at Ashley. I later asked Dad about his father and it turns out he was seconded to Balmoral for a while, and it must have been during the fire of 1955 as his name is often mentioned throughout the logbook. What a special and unexpected family connection!

We then moved outside to search for the cache but we were really struggling as we were looking in the wrong place and the hint was not helping us as the hillside is full of hint objects. I was getting worried this may end up a DNF when a family arrived and we overheard them talking about this cache - turns out they had already found it and they helped guide us to the well hidden location (much closer to the path than where we were hunting). Phew! What were the odds of that when this cache hasn't been found for 3 months? Dropped a TB in for someone else to move along.

An easy favourite point awarded for bringing us to this awesome spot that we wouldn't otherwise have known was accessible. And a now a super special spot with family history for me! TFTC!

Wow what a view. Been passing this wanting to climb many times. This time we did. Took a While to find, much simpler than we were looking. Did find some cool gecko’s thou. Cheers.

Daughter was meeting some friends at the Hurunui Hotel and didn't want to drive there on her own. I went along with her and then had to find something to do for a couple of hours!
This cache looked interesting so I thought I'd walk on up. A lovely summer's evening and I was soon at the lookout. The cache was not an instant find. The GPS was bouncing around and there were many hint items to investigate. Eventually I found the right place and the cache was uncovered.
A beautiful spot so I will give this cache a favourite. TFTC.

I quick walk up to the lookout. Took a while to find it. I even phoned a friend but was still having problems just about to leave and found it in the last place I was going to look. Thanks.

This cache has been bugging me for years, everytime I drive between Nelson and Christchurch it shows up as the closest cache but as I usually drive down on a Friday night after work it's always late by the time I drive past and on the way home I usually get held up my family or caching in Christchurch itself so it's getting late again. When I drove down on Friday night I decided to stop saying "next time" so, today we made a point of leaving earlier than usual and only one stop to cache before getting here. The car temperature gage was saying 25 degrees and it felt like it has we walked up. I had assumed that it was a B&W hide until reading the description after not being able to find it immediately, a good tribute to them, I've found 2062 of theirs so very familiar with their hides. Great views, thanks for placing TikvaNZ

#12712

Paddle chick and I were on our way back from Christchurch after spending time with family for the weekend. It was a lovely walk up this track and a great view plus it was very hot ,took a while to find. Thanks TikvaNZ

Came up in the snow on the 7th August and DNF. Came back the next day with less snow and more luck and found it on the 8th!

Finally we have knocked the bastard off! So many times we have driven past, but there was never the time to stop and take the walk up, so this cache has been taunting us for a while.
Today, we are only going as far as Hanmer and after a rather cold start in chch this morning, it was pretty mild by the time we got here, about 10:30ish. We were pleasantly surprised to find a 4wd track to walk (pity the gate was locked else it would have been a drive by ) and also the bonus seat to catch my breath part way up.
Cache wasn't an instant find, as the GPSr was pointing further down the hill from where it was eventually found. It was a bit tricky to keep ones footing while searching as it was quite steep. After becoming entangled in barbed wire that was hiding in the grass (no need to go there!), I decided to give up. SW had more staying power and shortly afterwards, had a look quite close to the path and there was the cache. In fact, you could almost reach it from the path. Phew!
Fabulous outlook from here. We could see several fires smoking where a farmer was doing a burning off. Surprisingly busy, there was a woman already at the lookout when we arrived, then another woman and dog popped up briefly, then as we were heading down, a couple hove into view. Thanks for bringing me here and TFTC.

#21402. We've been meaning to do this walk for a while, and today was an ideal time to do it (not traveling far, a mild winter's day with little wind). The walk turned out to be a nice steady climb up a 4WD track, which wasn't what I was expecting (not sure what I was expecting, or why). The restored fire lookout (and associated signage both inside and outside) was very interesting, and the views were great. The cache took a bit of finding. Our GPS units had us several metres downhill from the path. After a while I read some logs, and decided to try higher up, and was pleased to find the cache within a metre or so of the path. Really enjoyed this one. TFTC.

Driving from Nelson to Christchurch for an Easter break with the kids today. Whew! Nice to be able to turn a frown into a smile. Attempted this cache back in December without any luck. After a chat with a previous finder, I had a better idea where to focus my search. It wasn't an instant find but it was all good in the end. Worth the effort for the views - and the cache. TFTC, Biggles.

Found more later

Great location. Shame I couldn't find the cache. I'm sure it's there. My search was somewhat hindered by the presence of a DOC worker cutting grass and spraying weeds close to GZ. A belated PAF confirmed I was probably looking in the wrong places.

This cache has been teasing me every time I travelled past for years and especially so since it has its orange roof which makes it stand out. One time I stopped the track was closed, another a tree was across the road down my the intersection but mostly I didn't have the time. Today I decided I did and spent absolutely ages here. I'd read previous logs so I thought it wouldn't take too long- wrong! Stunning views all round today and the boards and photos etc inside make good reading. So many hiding places that match the hint and it feels as though I checked them all twice. Had given up and stopped at the boards at the table when I decided - just one more look. Wandered back up and saw somewhere else that I hadn't looked and of course that's where it was. Very relieved. Great tribute to bumandworker - their caches have taken me to so many wonderful places and adventures and of course my stats would be quite different without them. TFTC TikvaNZ #17,834

Nice view tftc

We took the easy way up to have a gander at the lookout- e bikes!
Easy find once I thought about the location.

I share the sentiment of the CO. Without b&w i would have a cache count of 1513 finds less. We're staying at Balmoral Reserve and took the opportunity to find some caches in the area. The sky was black over the Alps but blue over the plains allowing for spectacular views. There was some concern about being able to find the cache after reading the previous logs and we spend considerable time searching. About to give up I decided to do away with all the preconceived ideas of how and where to search and do it my way. I walked back some distance then approached as if starting the search based on the coords. I got down to 4m and put the GPS away, looked for likely hiding places and had the cache in hand at the second place I looked. It's a busy place here with tourists, locals walking their dogs and sports people running up and down. A fav for the location and the view. Thank you TikvaNZ

We decided it was time to sample the pleasure of camping at Balmoral Domain which of course means there are caches in the area which tend to get bypassed in the rush to get from one point to another along the state highway.
Like a lot of others my number of smilies would be a whole lot less without bumandworker's efforts towards our chosen 'sport' so this tribute cache was a priority while staying nearby.
It was a slow but steady wander up to the lookout and well worth the view once there.
We had read the previous logs before going and consequently searched all the wrong spots first. About to give up we decided on one last attack by getting back to basics and just following the GPS. It was very soon after that Hazedarus had his hands on the cache.
Thank you TikvzNZ.

I really wanted to find this one, but after a lot of searching there was no sign of it. The view was amazing though, so the long walk wasn't wasted

Found yesterday, but couldn't log with dying phone battery. Great sweat up the hill for a lovely view. Great walk when based from Balmoral Reserve

Oops sorry, appeared my attempt at original log worked before battery death!

Nice morning walk up the hill before it gets warm enough for a swim at swimming hole. Great view, worth the 20min sweat

TFTC - nice hide with some amazing views to look out onto woow impressive - found with fellow geocachers Juju54

A great trek up to the lookout And amazing views! A few muggles around but they all left as we arrived which made our search easier. GPS was a little bit out but the cache was soon located and log signed. Another day out with Campmotherandken today. TFTC

A nice afternoon, heading home early, so some time for caching. Decided to get out the bike, as it would make for a much quicker return.
Finding the cache took a long time - I was taking the plant in the hint too literally, and didn't widen the search quite that far uphill. Was about to give up when I noticed that LytteltonWitch had found it, so had another look, thankfully starting from higher up. What great views from here, and the lookout has been well restored. Thanks.

I had to wait for ages for the dog walkers to leave. Once they had left it was a fairly quick find. Great views.

Stopped here on my way back from Hanmer, enjoyed the walk & great views. However there was simply too many people around to grab the cache. Between the dozen or so other tourists up here, there was around 10 DOC & Lions Members doing some work along the path and building. Hopefully next time I’ll have more luck.

No fires today, the forest is safe !

After a long time, finally found, TFTC

Stretch0 and I made our way and after recovering our breathing quickly found the cache -signed log and then the rest of time took heaps of photos of the fantastic view and signed the visitors book -thanks for the cache and bringing us here:-)

We stopped back here at the start of track a while back we had no spare time then but did today. Quick find once we caught our breathe back. Took pictures and looked around before heading off.

Found by Olie, no need to go down along fence line. Look out looks fantastic all renovated.

Found by sam and emma after a fair walk. Go emma for keeping going to the top! TFTC - lovely view!

Unable to find even with. The hint. Spent longer looking than anticipated and simply ran out of time, would never have come up here without the cache though and it’s amazing!!

Kids found with feet_first

Big walk. Walkway is closed until Dec 15th. Quick find on way to Hanmer TFTC

Reasonably quick find. TFTC.

45 minutes of looking, cut and scrapes, a couple of falls... very dramatic scenes. All hope was lost.. ready to head home defeated when I hear the excited gasp, ‘Babe!’ My better half had found the cache! She ran down to where we’d set up camp and dropped her trackable in.

Many thanks for this wonderful adventure! Cache was a fair bit higher than GPS led me to.

Beautiful views, worth the trek. Thanks again!

Partner spent quite a bit of time searching while i had a looksie around the deteriorating building, definitely made for some beautiful photos. After 45 mins i (5 of which i helped him down the fence line) i suggested we eat sometging and have a rest.. i had been saying to him to look higher but alas he went lower.. so i wemt higher and boom... pulled the bush away (good on ya white stick) and boom found. Left a trackable. Thanks for the cache and a beaitiful view

I have driven past this cache many times over the last few years but have never had the time to stop and do the walk to it. Today I had several hours free in the area so was able to take the time to score all 4 remaining unfound caches. A very pleasant walk in calm and partly cloudy weather to this one - it had been foggy earlier so I stopped in Culverden for a coffee and a bite to eat and by the time I emerged the fog had cleared. 20 minutes walk up to the cache and about 15 back down again with about 5 minutes to find the cache and some more time to admire the views and take some photos. The cache is all in good condition - signed log, thanks for placing it and for bringing me here.

Pleasant wander on a warm autumn day. Thanks for placing.

Great location, and a good walk. Tftc.

Having climbed the hill I was determined to find it. Did so after a lot of scouting around. Had been so close several times. Tftc

@1200 Checked on this today. All ok.

On the way home from a night away in Hanmer and stopped by for an explore up the hill. Cool wee walk and the look out was fun. I was wandering in circles and Cachelet #2 wandered up the hill and she wasn't too happy today and found the cache in two seconds 5m away from where I was. Such amazing views. Took us about 50mins return, well worth it.

Thanks for the cache TikvaNZ.
#5747

Great location for a cache - thanks for bringing us here. It took our group a while to find - it was closer to the lookout than we first thought.

Thank you

I found this one ages ago, I'm not sure what the date was, 1st or 2nd June, or round about then, or why I don't have it logged. But I do recall walking all the way up here on my own, read some graffiti, waiting for some people to move along, and signed the log. I am back in the area, looking for some more to find. There were beautiful views from here. Tftc.

????

Unable to find. To many bushes... looked for long time.

This would have been a favorite. Lovely walk after a long drive from the south, with a magnificent view to the north. Only problem was we couldn't find the cache. Had a good look under all the nearby matagouri bushes, tried others such a coprosma and then widened the search after reading WEKA's log. No cache but realised that this is a very significant collection of native plants including Kowhai, a Carmichelia that we couldn't identify, Muhlenbeckia and others

Wet day.stayed Balmoral reserve last nigh. Cooler. Tftc Tikvanz

A bit of a climb up the hill in the hot sun, but a superb view in both directions from the top, which gets a favourite from us. We took a while to find the cache, as we had been looking too far down from the lookout. Although the coordinates were good, for us it was a few metres south of them. Our South coordinate was S42 52.474. It was actually in full view, with no rocks holding it, so we left it better secured. On the way back down, we met a local lady using the walk up the hill as practice for an upcoming crossing of the Heaphy Track. She said she had never met anyone else on the track before. TFTC

Quick find TFTC

Good find! Tyftc

A wee search had me in the wrong place but paitence prevaled.
Took TB.

Not the best of days but a beautiful view nonetheless. Thanks for bringing us up here. TFTC!!!

This morning I decided to go visit some geocaches in North Canterbury. I have driven by this cache many times in the 18 months since it was placed, but I have always been in a hurry coming and going from Hanmer Springs. I had no rush on today so I enjoyed the nice little 20 min exercise walk up to the Historic Fire Lookout on this fine morning. Got a good view of the forest and the forest fire smoking up the plains out to the west. Thanks for the cache.

Used to live in the area when I was a kid. I remember coming up here when it was a working forestry lookout. Thanks for bringing me back here. The views up here today were fantastic

dropped off trackable

Great view, that's for bringing me here,

24/01/2016
# 6690
Went out caching with mum and bro for the arvo - but I was in need of a nap - but that worked out ok! - Mum was aiming to get a whole bunch of caches that I'd mostly found, so I decided to nap - did some, and then slept most of the way! Easy caching when the whanau is doing it for you!!

A nice lovely arvo, and still managed to get a few finds that were new to me.

Consec Caching Day # 1176

TFTC!!

Out and about with some of the whanau for a days caching. Great fun all around. The weather was all over the show, mostly warm and wet. Signed log books as Team Polak, consisting of tunfisk, sonia26642, and Hinemoana today. Nice quick find here, and then we spent a lot of time admiring the building that would deserve some TLC. TFTC!!

A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Took one hour and a goodie for us oldies!! What a view and a pity the building is quietly deteriorating;-- bit like us actually!! Definitely a fav from us.

Nice walk to the lookout, awesome view of the forest and river.

Nice spot to get out and stretch the legs and a great view from the top too. TFTC

Past the fence on the left, the view is worth the walk!!!

Took a while to find nice walk

Wow, came down in the dark and it was much more effort than first expected but what an amazing view. Thanks so much, finishes off great caching weekend.
Thanks for the great cache!

Thanks for showing me this track, lovely walk

Been by many times and today was just the right day to find it. Shame there isn't any information at the top as of yet. Great views today. Tftc

Driven past here sooooo many times, finally stopped today and walked up. 20mins up for us. Awesome views tftc

Quick find.

Heading up to Hamner Springs for a family overnight stay.....catch up with my sister who is completing the Rainbow Rage (mountain bike 106km from St Arnaud to Hamner Springs!)....Stopped off for a wander. Have travelled North & South on the nearby Highway many many many times over the years since I was a wee lad and spied the light up here and always pondered the lookout. Today was the day. Bit of a breeze but the gully was sheltered and hot.....Wee DUde and Wee wee dude did well to make it to the top - a bit further and hotter than anticipated! Great spot. Took a bit of a search to find the cache...then we checked out the lookout. Great views - Dairy fields slowly encroaching on the plantations though....a couple 4x4's pottering in the river bed below...
Cheers and thanks.

It was time for a leg stretch at 9 in the morning. A 25 min stroll up to the top (no hares nor rabbits seen, jeepers) and then a short cache hunt. Must have been a big forest in the 70's and 80's when it was manned. 15 minutes back done and all done. Cheers

Warm day for it, found after some digging around. Definitely worth the walk for the view

Great view up here after a "just right" length walk. Thanks for showing us this spot.

Found with quinella . Was a great leg stretch on a rather chilly February day! Could see the snow on the hills nicely from here. Tftc

A pleasant evening stroll to a nice view point. 45 minute return trip. Fav from me.

Waitangi Weekend, off to Golden Bay for a spot of caching.

Thanks for the hide.

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Late start on a biking trip down south, we swung into the park just on dark for the night. Morning, fired up GPS, hey, close to a cache we did not know of....but did know the building. Great spot for a cache, view worth the short easy stroll.
Cache easily found, but no rock holding...is now. Thanks for the cache.

Not recommended on a hot sunny day. The views are worth the effort. We had almost given up when one of us put their hand on it on the way to have a rest at the lookout. We are giving it a favourite for the effort and the views. We are getting to old for those sort of climbs. Left the T/B for someone else to find. TFTC

We have looked everywhere for almost an hour. We have looked up the tree with internet as we were not sure, but nope.... Went under and over the barbed wire and were so disappointed but have to close it off with a DNF.
We also would think that it was more suitable for a hide somewhere in the lookout instead of some bush.
The walk to the fire lookout is devastating in the sun hahaha. But the views are breathtaking

I have been watching this one since it was published,but having a busy week,we decided today would be nice to take a drive,up here,and also pick up a few more around the area.
Only I went for the nice Walk up,after a shower of Rain had passed.Met two Girls,as they were coming down,but they weren't Cachers,so guessed I would be FTF.Great views all around,and went over to the Memorial Plaque of a Father and Son,killed in a Hellicopter crash,while on a Hunting Trip with 3 other Friends..Very sad for all their Familys
And also sadly I didn't notice the FTF TB.Sorry Tikva,but Thanks for bringing me here..
Cheers Terry.

Dropping a FTF Geocoin. It's goal is to be placed in a new cache planted by the finder. When I found it, I intended placing it in a new cache within a week or two. It has been well over a year, so my apologies to the owner, aberosenstingel.

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