DM #96 - The Final 5, Part 1 Olinda, Victoria, Australia
By ahomburg on 10-May-15. Waypoint GC5P1XH

The final 19 for us. It would be a lot less if the CO would stop putting out version 2s . Its been too long since weve been in these neck of the woods, and with none of us getting any younger, its time we finish what we started years ago.Theres a hill to climb, naturally, and we only cursed the CO a couple of times as we made our way off the track. I presume the foliage has changed somewhat since publication? The GPS was having a field day, sending us in every direction, but Steve honed in on a particular spot, despite my warning that it didnt match the clue and found the cache. I found a leech.Not too much whinging yet ahomburg, but its still early in the morning.

Really liked this hide, nice and simple but easy to overthink and miss the spot. Nice place to sit and log the cache. Thank you

It was a glorious Autumn afternoon of the type Melbourne is known for, so I headed into the Silvan Forest for a short hike between jobs to collect smilies on some more of the extensive DM series. After a short off track excursion, the cache was found neatly tucked away and in good condition. TFTC ahomburg

I had this morning free with nothing on for a change, so I thought I would go for a small hike at Mt Dandenong. It's been a while since I was last there. Lovely area, especially taking the little trails away from all the trail runners and mountain bikes on the main trails. All caches found, which is great, not so much the leaches that all wanted to eat me.I was 5 meters away and couldn't even see the dead tree, the regrowth is doing well here. Signed this one at 8.30 am.Thanks for the cache, A Homburg.Hunter

Snips and Co and l meet up for some more DM punishment today.. I myself loved the walk even the steep sections and the goat trails. We both have an aversion and a deep hate for leeches. I sprayed us both in anticipation, but it wasn't enough to deter them..so like the morbid stories attached to some of the caches we found today thanks to PTH, many met there demise from our hands (gloved of course) or poles. This was one of the caches we found today. When Snips and Co read Ahomburg warning This one involved a bit of off track walking, so if you dont like going off track, dont do this cache. We were both expecting the worse....it was IMO AWITP compared to some of the others today.

The final 5 for ahomburg but I think it's the final 80 or so for me. Love the description, Tiz13 and I wandered in. Even though I thought I was in exactly the right spot, it was Tiz13, who was about 20m away who actually was Thanks ahomburg

Went out for a big 14km walking loop through the forest and grabbed 20 caches in the area with the wife.

Weather was good.

Bit of bush bashing on a few but everyone we went to, we found.

TFTC

Find #7/8 with Fitzelfleas today. Last one for the 4 km circuit. TFTC

Meeting with family for dinner after work in monbulk, there was no point heading home for 1.5 hrs so I decided to cache.
Found! And a march fly was hanging around me, and I killed him when he landed on my leg.
Last of the day, I got a decent amount in the time I had, and it was good to finally do some walking again.

Last find with Kezzza on a warm but pleasant day. Just a slight bush bash to get this one!

Thanks for the cache Ahomburg, finding the location described in the hint proved challenging, after some searching I found the treasure. Regards from Victourer

Saw a couple of Echidnas, there's a lot of ants about and these fellas are having a great time. Victourer

Found with jackst2000

Found it

TFTC

As I approached gz I pondered I’d anyone had completed this series in order - it certainly won’t be me. I trusted the grip on my hiking boots to scale the full length of a fallen tree which took me to a small clearing and a good spot to hide a cache / quickly found and signed. tftc

All good here.

Big things are continuing to happen! *Are you joining the fun again in 2022?*
[**THE**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
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[**EVENT 2022**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
*19th / 20th November 2022 – GC8EW40 – Whittlesea – Victoria*

Out and about on my own clearing out some more the DM series. Really enjoy walking through this beautiful green space. Walked passed this one and it was only when I turned around i noticed it. Great puzzles and location. Thanks Ahomburg for your work.

Out and about with the boys for a walk this morning, parked Mathias Road and followed the trail down to the tracks and did a great loop.

Again but hard to get to due to bush bashing but nice and easy find, thanks for the cache very good walk

yes, easy

Quite a bit of bush bashing involved. Still intact though!

After finding the nearby Hello Possum I realised that even though I'd saved the caches before coming here, I hadn't downloaded the map for offline use. So instead of walking down Georges track, I accidentally walk up it towards this cache. By the time I got reception again I was pretty close to this one so I made a quick detour down Bargess track and quickly found this cache.

This was next on our sojourn around the area. In the end it was a matter of following the arrow rather than using our caching intuition and that had us logging the find at 11:15. No objections from the rest of the group who seemed to welcome the break.

TNLNSL, although a couple of our geocoins had a visit to mark the occasion. Thanks ahomburg.

A short stop on our bushwalk for a find with Eudes at 11:15am while the rest of the group waited.
thanks ahomburg

I found this cache today on my Mount Dandenong to the Valley Morning Wander. Yet another in this series solved. No problems in reaching this location. This is our 80th cache find in this park. Thanks from D B-A

Find number 8976 at 3:54:20 pm
Out for a walk in the park after work, stretch the legs, breath in some fresh air, ahhhh!
Finally now that my streak is coming to an end I can grab some multiple caches rather than one a day of local caches.
Walked up from Olinda Creek Road to do a short circuit walk.
A nice quick find, cache in good condition.

**Thanks for placing this cache ahomburg**

---
We’re all going to Wangaratta to participate in Victoria’s next Mega!
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[**The Wangaratta Event 2021**](https://coord.info/GC8EW45)
*13th & 14th November 2021 - GC8EW45 - Wangaratta - Victoria*

Nice easy last find for the day

Pretty sure we still have a lot more DM’s to do before we “should” start on the final 5!

But on the other hand, we’ve surely done more than one-fifth, so surely it’s ok to log this one??

Cache in great condition and was found quickly. Now back to the car and suburbia!

TFTC.

Great little cache. Thank you

Out and about last night with Trailstevo. Thought we would get up in the “nongs” for a bit of exploring and clearing the area which just falls into the 10km zone. Managed 5 or 6 cache, and a pleasant stomp out. Came across a few wombats which is alway nice and heard what I believe to have been a Greater Sooty Owl. Cache is in good condition. Thanks for the fun Mr Homburg

Clearing up Gunks' map. I still have a few more to find. Tricky puzzles and a few trads. TFTC

TFTC

Omegaman1971@ 5383 finds
The Omega Empire
Out and about on a Sunday morning to hopefully put some smiles on the map.
Last one for the day due to a lunch date. But did enjoy the walk back to the car.
Cheers ahomburg for the cache.

All good here

Today I decided to go for a walk. A bit like the CO did when these caches were placed I guess! It does not seem to matter which section of the Dandenong’s I walk in, it all seems equally beautiful. Thanks for placing the cache, ahomburg, and forcing me to walk! I’m clearly not doing this in order if this is a final!

TFTC

Thought I was going to have my first DNF for the day as the GPS was jumping around everywhere. Fortunate it was spotted so I could continue with my flawless run for the day.

Found on 25 Apr 2019 at 2:40 pm.
Today was the first day we took the electric bikes into the Dandenongs to finally find some of the DM puzzles plus others around the area that we have had solved for a long time. Some of the hills were pretty steep and really sucked down the battery power. I unfortunately even had to help pedal up a few of the steeper sections. What is this world coming to!
A couple of the smaller narrow tracks were very challenging as well with fallen trees across them but in the 3 hours or so we had we managed 20 finds and no DNF's. Pretty pleased about that.

Nice easy find here after taking ages on a previous track with a lot of fallen trees.
Thanks ahomburg for the cache, the adventure, the hunt and the fun.

The Dandenong are a seemingly endless caching ground for me and today spiffy- and I decided the electric bikes was a good idea to put a few into our found list. The bikes helped but the battery was sucked down quick on some bike hills and the small tracks had a few obstacles which needed use to lift the r0kg bikes over.

Finally I am getting to these end of these DMs

I had been given a big chunk of time to go caching today after a busy day yesterday with the kids. I made an early start in the darkness but pretty soon the sun was out to reveal a beautiful day. In this park my GPS was so wobbly - so I was very thankful for some detailed hints I would have been lost without them! An easy find here once my GPS decided where to go, TFTC!

Quite warm today. My son and I went for a walk in the forest before the worst of the heat, and we found this cache. Thanks Mr Homburg.

Enjoying a day out on the Dandenong Meander. As we approached #96, we used the hint to help with the search. Cache was quickly spotted. TFTC ahomburg.
Chiefton

Out and about in the Dandenong Ranges , its a nice sunny day and there are a few caches around that I want to turn into smileys . This one required a bit of bush bashing , but eventually I found it . Dropped in a TB . Thanks ahomburg

After logging this as a DNF earlier this year due to the fact the area was closed to the public because of burning off, the geoson and I decided to load the mountain bikes in the back of the wagon and head off and try again. Well done little cached #96, you did well to survive the burning off as there is not much left around you! Signed and replaced, all in good nick. TFTC.

I wonder what kind of bush bashing was required to get to this cache before? Today it just involved lots of stepping over burnt logs and charcoal. Didn't take very long and then I quickly found the cache. It's quite eerie and barren here, but I can see signs of regrowth.
Thank you

Despite a controlled burn at gz, cache in perfect condition.

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[**THE**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC75D90)
[**PARKVILLE**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC75D90)
[**EVENT 2018**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC75D90)
*17th / 18th November 2018 – GC75D90 – Parkville – Victoria*

Tried to do this cache today. It's in the middle of a burn off area with access not permitted. Cache status unknown.

Given the difficulty I often have in this terrain in finding ones close to the path, I found this one surprisingly easily. A few big bull ants were quite interested in the cache too, and as I was about to put the log back in the cache container, I could see one of them looking at the cache, questioningly.

What I didn't realise was that he had a friend who was researching the cache container in more detail, from underneath. As I picked up the container, I felt a sudden stab of pain. The cache container was dropped on the ground, and after a couple of expansive hand gestures, so was the ant. I was much more careful in retrieving the cache and lid and putting it all back together... I returned to the path without any further mishap.

Thanks for the cache, slightly unexpected (and unwanted!) adventure here.

TFTC!

No luck last time I was here. I was definitely bashing around the wrong spot. Today GPS took me right to the right spot. Very happy to make this smiley

I overshot the mark on this one by quite a few metres. It is not hard. Thanks ahomburg. I must give you a heart for the Final one. I have found quite a few of the series but there are still plenty to find.

Whoop I got it! I missed it while looking last time. My mistake was to look for a still standing dead tree, now I've discovered the dead tree of concern is fallen over (and quite a chunky dead tree). Very happy to make this find

Out for the day mountain biking with the geoson and geofriend. With the other DNF, we were a little worried about this one, but no, all good. Took a shot of the cache as a spoiler to help out. Look for a tree...

Found by Team Justice #1932

No Luck for me today:-( I bush bashed everywhere and found what I thought fitted the hint down to a Tee. No not there. This made me sad:-(. I bashed around for a while longer. Then bashed around some more. I will be back again another day.

Coordinates changed from:
S 37° 49.918 E 145° 23.256

Coordinates changed to:
S 37° 49.909 E 145° 23.256

Distance from original: 54.9 feet or 16.7 meters.

Fine tune of coords

Good to go. Thanks for your patience.

--- Big things are happening! *Are you joining the fun?* [**THE**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) [**ALEXANDRA**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) [**EVENT 2017**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) *18th / 19th November 2017 – GC6GFDX – Alexandra – Victoria*

In the next 4 weeks

--- Big things are happening! *Are you joining the fun?* [**THE**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) [**ALEXANDRA**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) [**EVENT 2017**](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6GFDX) *18th / 19th November 2017 – GC6GFDX – Alexandra – Victoria*

Cache area unavailable due to a recent Burn. Will be replaced in early May.

#739 - 7.25pm
Whose idea was it to wear shorts down here? I got more battle scars looking for this cache than I did in all of Denali!!
GPS was useless. Did a big circle in fading light and almost DNFed it.
The tree isn't exactly in its prime.

So peaceful here...

Thanks AH

Found @12:17 #5967
Today took a meander thru area covering about 9km weaving thru and along various tracks to arrive back at the car about 4 hrs later. A rather pleasant day with great conditions and with 16 caches found too.

Do enjoy the off track cache hides and this one quite different to others nearby. I think with luck I happen upon this one quicker then others. Also clear signs that in another year one may need a machete to reach GZ. Good size container.

TFTC ahomburg

Another nice walk along a track before striking off into the void. The rubbish still hasn't been cleared up but then who comes here anyway. I have to disagree that the GZ item is reduced - it is still the same size, just it's attitude has changed! Not sure why they did all that work around here - fuel reduction I suppose.

Cache co-ordinates were almost spot on today and yes the clue has shrunk quite a bit. More rubbish dumped on the track nearby. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to break in via the park gate a spread rubbish over such a wide area. Must have a very warped sense of humour - why didn't he drop it outside the gate?

Cache in place in a1 condition. Although, the feature where cache is hidden is now much smaller.

*Big things are happening! Are you joining the fun?*

[THE SURF COAST](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC65688)
[EVENT](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC65688)
[2016](http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC65688)

*12th / 13th November 2016 - GC65688 - Anglesea - Great Ocean Road - Victoria*

Yikes, walked in to this spot with long pants on - very glad that I had them on. The coords didn't take me to any 1 dead tree in particular, I bashed left right and centre back and forth in and out of the overgrown area, trying to track down dead trees and poke around for caches. Eventually both my shoelaces had come undone twice, I had checked all the dead trees I could see, and my patience was wearing thin. Very close to losing the will to geocache so I said 'stuff it' to this one and left it behind.

GZ is in the middle of a heap of trees. Consulted the hint. The nearest things described are at least 10m away. I searched everyone of them in a radius of 30m and then gave up.

Leech City

Leech city !

Out with my youngest geo son for a bike ride along a few trails this afternoon and we managed a couple of caches while we were out. This one had us searching for a while after a little bush bashing on our way to the gz we couldn't find a thing, after reading the hint we had to extend our search area a bit and it was soon found after searching a few likely features. Thanks ahomburg for the hide.

Did a little loop here to pick up a few more meandering caches. I should have worn long pants, as the sword grass took out more blood than the insects. Thanks ahomburg!

Well, geoson and I were off to do another cache will his sister dances at Kalorama. Walked a bit to far past as the numbers started going up. Made it to what I thought was the GZ but the compass and the coverage had doubts. We are within 1m at one stage. The I realised that I had not allowed enough time to get back to the dancing. Geoson was very thankful to be out of the long stuff. Considering he was in school shorts and only just 8 YO. I am proud of the effort with very little complaints. Will attack without him next time as I think he will not want to do it again.

*4/03/2016, Found @ 6:39 PM Find # 5141.*

While out and about searching for caches with biggles1024, this one was found.
After finishing the junk in the bush trail by PTH, we continued on and decided to do a loop back to the car, this was the next one.
We got to a point on the track that we were not getting any closer without heading into the bush, this one is certainly further from the track compared to others in the DM series that I had done but we got there, found the right spot and the cache was found.

**Thanks to ahomburg for placing this cache.**

**4/03/2016, 18:39 **
**Find #2435**

Today Steve and I headed out for only our second Friday night run of the year. One particular night cache was our main goal but we also grabbed a number of other interesting caches along the way. Another member of the famed "Dandenongs Meander" series found. I think is was Steve who found this one and quite quickly too.

Thank-you to ahomburg for placing this geocache

Left the wife and kids on the track and set out alone through the bush soon spotted the right location, found the cache and was back on the path without meeting anything venomous tftc

I was 28m from the cache but in full darkness with 3/4 pants on i was too scared to go any further. The Rusty's did a good job shining her torch on me but she was wearing knee length active wear so was not venturing in either! Well be back in the daylight with long pants soon...

ahomburg! What were you thinking when you put this cache out? You certainly weren't wearing knee-length tights when you bashed your way in there........or were you??? ;-P
In the hope of finding a nice well-made path to take us directly to the cache we overshot the geo-trail a bit. When we realised that we would have to go through what looked like impenetrable scrub we searched out the geo-trail and gave it a go. Before I even took a step in I came up against a spider web so I was freaked out from the start. Hera went in before me to clear out any more webs and I gingerly followed....until I came up against a huge curtain of sword grass. I had about 50% of my skin exposed so I was not keen to make the slicey dicey trip through it in case I came out the other side like human sashimi. I called it quits at that point and offered to do my best at lighting the way for Hera from where I was standing. She did a great job of going in much further on her own but, under the circumstances (clothing, darkness, snake season), she couldn't get to the cache and I didn't fancy dragging her limp snake-bitten body from the bush while having to hold my torch in my teeth.
Hera says we will be back for this one but I think I'm happy enough to leave it be.

Getting close to this one my phone was complaining about power, I hoped it wasn't going to give up on me. Geotrails are a wonderful thing, they led me to the cache better that the GPS could. Thanks ahomburg I'll get the others on another day.

Another that I tried to find with geoson. After wandering in circles around the GPS coordinates I finally found it, great location ahomburg because there's so many possibles & GPS reception isn't the best

3:13 pm #474
A beautiful winter's day to head up the hill for a spot of caching with 88andy88. Amazing sounds being made by our neighbourly lyrebirds.
Cheers!

Out on a sunny but chilly day with OzHockeyChick grabbing a few local caches and we are now entering the world of DM series chasing....Have a few and this one was an awesome hike with a little off road hiking at the end....Got to say though , that sword grass territory sure blardy hurts the bare legs and hands lol
Was a great hide in a muggle proof area for sure....realized we were only the 4th team to find this and only 4th by the morning....would of been 3rd a couple of hours earlier...
TFTC and looking forward to the rest of these.

Today I set off to explore the Dandenong Ranges National Park, and get some more smileys of course!!

With so many caches along all different tracks, I spent last night planning my route and which caches i was going to attempt!

Entered at the wrong point apparently, another walk through the bush!

And as always, TFTC!!

Another good walk to this one TFTC

Published

F. T. F. Wahoo! My first FTF And I reckon I earned it too. The GPS was being even more uncooperative than usual so it took a fair bit of tramping around the area before I finally snagged it.
As it says in the details this one is definitely not for those who prefer to stay on the tracks.
Thanks Adrian for another venture into the Dandenongs and my first FTF.

This entry was edited by Papillon4506 on Monday, 11 May 2015 at 05:35:59 UTC.