M1 BugPacker Motel Somersby, New South Wales, Australia
By Mumma-Kel on 29-Apr-16. Waypoint GC6GN7H

OCW *Throsbyonchurch* and *Little Pather*. Running around finding some caches. An unexpected trip to Newcastle for the day, and we had to find some cool caches. Thanks for the cache placement of **M1 BugPacker Motel**, *FreeRangeKelly*. DustyJaperJet

A cool cache hide, thanks for the fun.

320 found log to come

Thanks for my second travel bug! I will do my best to fulfill his goal (LSDKQ2) TFTF

Fantastic. Thank you for providing this.

Amazing!

Found on the Monday after the long weekend. Dropped some tractable and carried on. T4TC!

Easy find. Needed to clear the ants nesting in the cache

Today I have a simple mission: get from Newcastle to Singleton. And I have all day to do the <2 hour drive. So naturally, I opt to go via Sydney, make it an all-day road trip, and collect some choice geocaches along the way. What a sensible, rational and obvious plan!Not too far down the highway, and really I was only just settled into the drive and getting used to my hire car when the exit for this popped up. My second stop for the day and a promising geocache. I was surprised it was a fair detour off the main drag, but that's ok. Especially as along the way, there were so many massive white flowers in bloom along the roadsides. Unsure what they were, but I liked them!Right at the parking area it was a bit sad to see a pile of rubbish dumped. I sheepishly parked safely, but far enough away and scurried around towards the gate and the trail beyond. Slightly showery still this morning, so I made it a quick stroll down what feels like an almost forgotten trail and piece of bushland.Just a short walk, though on any other day it would be tempting to carry on and explore. But as per normal, I will be cutting things tight this evening as is. Off to the left is GZ and it is not at all difficult to find the geocache. A little fiddle and the door popped open, to find a hide that matches that carefully written description so well.Unfortunately no swaps for me today, just a signature at 11:45 and closed everything back as found. I pondered the waterfall waypoint but it just couldn't be today. I enjoyed my time at the M1 BugPacker and so glad it was a worthy rest stop along my travels today. Thanks for this geocache, FreeRangeKelly

Awesome cache thank you so much! We are taking the flip flop traveller on vacation to a beach in Rockhampton

While visiting the Central Coast I dropped by the Bugpackers to check up on things. Still in great condition, although due care needs to be taken with the door. Dropped off a couple of travellers for a stay.

Had a lovely visit and added another traveller to our crew. TFTC!

Hotel visit, short stayz, checked in and then out, have places to go and people to see

TFTC JENPETEH, The H,s , South Africans living in Tassie GeoCaching our way around Australia and loving it Awesome description of the cache, we chose to just pop in with out traveling bugs as they wanted to continue their adventures traveling for a bit longer

Found it on a warm spring afternoon. A few cockroaches were in residence when I arrived, and were quite displeased with the light my arrival brought into the building.

Otherwise, a nice place to stay, and in pretty good condition. I picked up a travelling hitchhiker who I will move along.

Had a bit of trouble with the check out procedure, despite the advice provided. Eventually realised the trick was to open it all the way, and then apply the correct technique - check out complete!

TFTC!

9 September 2023
This is find number: 8772
Streak Day: 2823

Found Today with Snoopy1976, a great container. Thanks

Thanks to FreeRangeKelly for placing and maintaining this cache.

TFTC

In the Area today for a quick find thanks

Streak Day #3712 - Stopped by with Dave8153 for a quick find whilst heading North, fav point awarded. TFTC

Super fun great cache trackable dropped

Cute motel. No bugs today. Lots of rubbish in area TFTC.

We have travelled up from Sydney's Northern Beaches to the Central Coast, staying at the Norah Head Holiday Park (caravan park), for a short four day mid-week holiday. Stopped off on the way up at Somersby Falls and completed the Adventure Lab located there, then grabbed a few Traditionals and a Virtual cache before returning to the freeway and on to Norah Head. Planning on exploring areas surrounding Tuggerah Lake, including The Entrance, and up to Budgewoi. Also hoping to get out to Halloran for the Wizard Of Oz cache trail. Photos will be uploaded to logs on our return to home base. This was the 9th of 12 finds for the day (day 1), and 9th find of the holiday.

After an enjoyable visit to Somersby Falls, and completing an Adventure Lab located there, we next arrived at this TB Hotel. Followed the track from the locked gate down to the hotel location, and then spotted the boldly placed hotel "building", complete with "signage". Opened the hotel's front door and was greeted with a very impressive and well furnished interior. TNLNSL, and then replaced as found. TFTC Mumma-Kel, it gets a Favourite point from us.

Find #5868

TFTC

Soooo much traffic on the freelance. But M1 BugPacker Moter is in a nice quiet spot. TFTC

Needed a duece today, so i did the one down the road, and this one. The sign at the trail head is a little daunting. But i spose you are allowed to walk there. Found the motel easy enough, and was quite impressed by its size, and some of the occupants. Took the 2 Tb's to move on.
TFTC.

Dropped by this awesome little motel on the way home from a wet mountain biking expedition.
The motel had become unlocked and was filled with wet leaves which had caused the inhabitants some distress.

We acted as janitors for the day and cleaned up the mess and restored everyone to a room before checking out and moving on.

We will definently patronise this motel again when we have the full family in tow.

Thanks for the interesting cache, good to another decent sized one!

Dropped by whilst visiting the nearby Guide Camp.

Cheers

Room well appointed and clean. Staff friendly. Some traffic noise though. 4/5, would stay again.

Awesome hotel

Great cache to find with kids! Toddler approves. TFTC!

Kids loved this one

Definitely the biggest cache I've found so far, which was good because I didn't know how thoroughly I'd be able to search with my bub strapped to me. A very fun find. Thank you!

Found it . Quite large isn't it? TFTC mumma-kel

Found with Shaneo58. Doing some caches around the Central Coast area, Trying to get some harder caches. Nice quick find, left some TBs to move on.

**Thanks For The Cache** FreeRangeKelly.

This is the 2nd cache of 8 for today making a grand total of 3154 at 8:59:00 AM on ThursdayMay2021

cool geocache first large one

Nice quick find and dropped off travel (a lot of ants)

1:47:00 PM: (2 of 18) Find#12103
Day 1.
This was a bigger detour than expected but non-the-less well wortth the drive off the motorway.
TNLN

Road trip north from ACT, originally to Dayboro, but now a caching trip around NSW for the Easter break.
found with StrangeTrousers
thanks FreeRangeKelly

Dayboro QLD Mega - Day Two:

The second day of our mega road trip with buhfuhguh!
We started in Sydney today, leaving at 7am with a destination of Port Macquarie. Found 25 caches today, targeting very specific ones so was on the road for about 12 hours before reaching Port Mac at 7pm!


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This Cache:

Love a large cache! And a TB hotel is even better! Parked at the relevant coordinates and strolled down the track towards the cache. Found it relatively quickly and opened it up. Love it! Thanks for putting something interesting out for us to stop at on our way north!

31 March 2021 10:27 am

Day Two of my Dayboro Trip with Loci612. Staying in Canada Bay for the night and up and early this morning to start the 2nd day of this little adventure.

With many more LGA's and Lane Cove on today's target list we were off and ready to go and ash out another day of caching. Eitherway thanks for the cache and being a part of another great day.

#6936 Day 1 of our "Dayboro Plan B" trip. mtrax & myself, having decided to ditch the mega came up with a last minute re-route using some of the accommodation we'd already booked and find some interesting caches. To this end we were very selective and only chose caches with sufficient FPs along the route. After one day this has provided an interesting selection. The forecast for showers did not eventuate, so it was a good day.

We pakred and walked the short distance down to this one. Sadly I left my few TBs in the car. Great large cache. Makes the journey all the more worth it.

Thanks Mumma-Kel

Found

Found

What an awesome geocache!!
So beautifully decorated as well
Took 2 TBs, found with the OG ButtPirates

Came up this way for my nieces wedding day. This was our first stop and a nice size cache. Checked the TBs but didn't have the time to log them so left them in the cache

With cache in hand we signed the log and replaced as found. Both the cache and log are in good condition. Thanks for bringing me to the area and thanks for placing the cache Mumma-Kel

The following TBs visited for the distance - Hawkesbury Tiger, 2011- 2019 NSW geocoins, Area 51 Tag, Cache In Trash Out Geocoin, Cache In Trash Out Tag, CITO Micro Geocoin, dirty Black Juke, Four Elements Geocoin, Mary Hyde's compass, Optical Illusion Geocoin, Spindoc Bob Memorial Geocoin, Trackable Building Brick, Wales Flag, Wheel of Caching Geocoin

On a quick caching run north and decided to drop in a find this large cache. A nice quick find at GZ. With the container in hand, we signed the log before replacing as found. Both the log and cache container are in a good condition. Thanks for the cache Mumma-Kel.

The following TBs came through for the mileage : Bob geoMinion, Dave geoMinion, Evil geoMinion, Jerry geoMinion, Larry geoMinion, Mary Hyde's Treasure, Stuart geoMinion, teamMerlin's 7 Deadly Ducks Tag (Lust), Vanlith The Youngling, Hidden Creatures Geocoin TB, teamMerlin's Football, MMM, Muffin The Dog, Flip Flop, Unser 1000er

First pit stop on our way to Barrington Tops. Upon arriving at GZ and opening cache container we found the keepers of the cache. They scattered everywhere. Dropped off a couple of trackables to be picked up.

We had one of my trackables that needed dropping off and we needed some to take back down the south coast so we stopped in for a look. A quick find of the cache and with the trackables exchanged, we headed off. Thank you!

Made our way to go and soon had the log in hand to sign. We swapped some swag and discovered some trackables. Thank you for a great cache!

My first Bug Hotel and I love it! Big thanks for placing! Third find of the day. Gets a fav point from me

Aquilus1 and myself have been itching to finish the task we gave ourselves a year back of completing the counties of NSW... ALL. OF. THEM. So, while we have been long planning our next flight into Armidale with a big loop, the lockdown then Qantas cutting back flights we had to bring forward what was always planned to be the last trip forward.

As always on these county trips we have one eye on lots of little smaller targets, such as Ausmer, sizes, oldies in general and cool types. If you are reading this log, then this cache made the grade in some way.

We drove from Canberra through Sydney, collecting the 1 counties Aquilus1 needed there before heading on to the Hunter region where 7 counties awaited us.

Originally the plan had been to try to get to Lake Mac or Newcastle on the first day, but Sydney caching is just so slow with the traffic and crap roads, so in the end after an aborted night cache off the M1 (we forgot to bring a TV remote!!) we turned around and went back to Hornsby as there were motels down there with 2 vacancies.... as always, we got the last 2 rooms!

The second day actually got us further than we expected, 50m into Muswellbrook before turning around and getting to Dungog (what an Aussie name... love it), we managed to ring ahead and secure the last 2 rooms (again!) for $55 each. While normally you get what you pay for I had the best night sleep, and its hard to beat having dinner, then drinks, then going upstairs to sleep... that works! The local bakery also had a specialty of cheese & bacon topped sausage rolls (and I mean LOTS of cheese & bacon) so, when in Rome, we sampled this and it was as great and slimming as it sounds.

The highlight of the trip would be the cache 'Frying Pan', the oldest container cache in Australia and such a beautiful spot...love white buckets buried in the ground!

After that it was essentially just turning around and heading back to Canberra, with a slight detour to grab Sydney Geocache Relocated. All in all, three year 2000 caches, three or four year 2001 and a sprinkling of 2002 to 2006 here and there. Great trip, leaves us with 106 NSW counties ticked off, just one trip left to complete NSW, hurry up Qantas and start flying again.

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Interesting local feature and commentary at the 'gate'

A large this easy to get to is too hard to drive past. Nice set up, really liked this cache!

Trip details...
With GreyHams we continued onwards with our NSW counties trip, started as a need to collect a few to make up some missing numbers to qualify for a challenge... ended that we wanted ALL. OF. THEM!!! This wasn't the planned trip we thought was next but with no flights it was our plan B and still a needed one any way.

The focus was on the 7 counties around the Hunter region, however I did have 11 North Sydney counties I was keen to collect. GreyHams was gracious enough to help me get them despite having them already. He also was the best navigator to assist me to drive through the crazy of Sydney traffic! Planner, Navigator, finder, signer... yep, he does it all!!!

This trip was about quality, counties, oldies, sizes, interesting, type. If your cache made it to our list then it was one of these. We found three 2000 caches and despite living so close I finally found Lane Cove, my first Australian 2000 cache and also my 20th.

Sydney caching took its toll and the day got away from us. We made the move to return to Hornsby and luckily scored the last 2 rooms, as we often do! Placed us well though to continue with a few counties close by before continuing on to the start of the needed 7 around the Hunter way. Kurri Kurri murals also led to a great lunch at the local chippery, the fish burger was just the thing! It has to be said that the bats up this way are of some impressive size, good enough to be off the roads before night fall and saw us stopping in Dungog for the night.

Dungog was chosen as it was close to 'frying pan' an awesome 2000 cache in a stunning location for the next morning. It turning out to be a great place which was a massive bonus. Again we managed to last two rooms upstairs at the local Hotel. Great priced rooms, great food and super convenient. Beautiful countryside around this quaint town and the local bakery we stopped at for breakfast is a must.

Rain the last morning didn't slow us too much, even made for the trip out to Frying pan in the morning as a more beautiful experience with everything all wet. Loved the evidence of the old logging history as we made our way through the area and then it was time to head back to home. Never a direct route though it was very full and enjoyable day as we continued through to the last of the caches we had time for along the way.

Many thanks for you cache that led us on our journey, another counties trip ticked off but another great trip it was!

Saw it from the path. One of my favourite caches definitely a favourite point. Took a tb left a tb.

Awesome place! Quick detour on our way to Terrigal

Wow!

Wow ! I can't believe I have waited so long to find this great cache. Only down side is GeoJess missed out on seeing the 'Doll House Cache'. Found with TaylaPearce3. Took a Geocoin to help it on its way. FP added. Thanks for an awesome cache.

Now this cache is just fantastic, a lot of effort has gone into making it and made the hunt for it all the more exciting. Easy find, TFTC Mumma Kel! #favouritepoint found with R2BEEF2

#6948 (7 of 10 today)

Well...
I'm after some finds today - those calendar finds don't just go up by themselves. But what to do?

I've been stuck on 49 Large finds for a while, and of course there's a Challenge Cache I've been eyeing that requires 50. But unfound Large caches near home aren't in any sort of supply.
I've also noted that the most different cache sizes I've found in a day is five. That leaves two to increase that stat by, and again there are Challenge caches around...

After a look outside the Sydney Basin I worked out that if I head up to Gosford I can actually grab all seven sizes, which will, of course, include that 50th Large find.
Sounds like a plan!

But making sure I get the seven meant that I ended up backtracking a bit, and snagged a few extras just before heading home, close to where I started.
###END OF CUT AND PASTE SECTION###
**Sizes Snagged - 7 out of 7 - COMPLETE!**:
Micro: DONE - *The Contest (GC69K1K)*
Small: DONE - *The Angel Islington (GCY3KH)*
Regular: DONE - *Ancient Artefacts (GCKQ76)*
Large: DONE - *M1 BugPacker Motel (GCGN7H)*
Virtual: DONE - *A Gift from the City of Edogawa (GC891PK)*
Other: DONE - *Meander through the Mangroves (GC5AHNV)*
Not Chosen: DONE - *Rumbalara Rocks (GCFDA9)*
###END OF SIZE CHECK LIST###
Well, this certainly is a good size. And nicely set out - gets a favourite.
Discovered a few trackables here as well, but didn't grab any.

Completed signing duties and replaced.
This completes my seven different cache sizes in a day - HUZZAH!
Now to grab a few more to finish the day.

SLTNLN
TFTC

Driving back to Sydney after holidays at Bonnells Bay. Grabbing a few caches along the way and decided to make a slight detour to visit this cache. I'm glad I did! Parked at the suggested area then made the short walk to GZ. Opening wasn't a problem but must admit there was a knack to closing it. Swapped some swag & grabbed 3 trackables to move along. Everything was in great condition. Thanks for the cache This one gets a favourite from me.

After my training in Newcastle finished earlier than expected (I probably could have got the last flight home if I knew) I could either drive straight to Sydney and sit in a motel or take my time and get a few caches. The answer was obvious so I just looked at suitable stops along the way and grabbed a couple at each location to break up the journey.
Wow so glad I made the diversion to this one. A seriously big cache (harder to close than open) with such a great set up. Bonus of 7 TBs of which I discovered five and swapped 2 (one very recent and one a reluctant favourite). No way I could not give this one a favourite - TFTC Mumma-Kel

We had a number of coins and TBs that we picked up from the Clear Waters mega event so we decided to drop them here. We waited til today as a find today fills a hole in our caching calendar.
The cache was a very quick find and we think it is happy to have some visitors/guests now.
We will be back soon to locate the nearby cache to fill another hole in our calendar.

Thanks for the hide Mumma-Kel.

Heading home to Brisbane after the Clear Waters Mega, with a geocache laundry list carefully compiled for collection . Love it! Needs an FP for sure

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Log signed at 11:13 and cache returned as found . Thanks for the experience and the smilie  **Mumma-Kel**

.........@__,
/|___||_/__________|\
\\_______/_TGQNRV_/
~~~~^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~

Room Cleanliness: 5 stars
Amenities: 5 Stars
Spiders: 2 stars - I did clear the way in for anyone following me
Overall condition: 5 Stars
Just awesome! I am very well rested now so I think I will take a walk up a hill.
A Fav point from me!

Found with Banj Ward TFTC!

Awesome. Swapped trackables

On the way to the CCCCCCC Event in Davistown this afternoon, we decided to leave The Hunter early and find as many caches as we could on the way down. Took Geocoin, I will take this to The Clear Waters Mega Event. Visited Trackables, TFTC.

Today I received an email from Geocaching telling me about a cache with multiple favourite points in my area. After watching my grandson playing cricket I headed off to have a look for this one. Some of the photos in previous logs did not reveal the giant size of this hide. Thank you for this hide and spending so much time to make it. I did not have any problems finding it. I did not leave or remove any TBs. signed the log book but I may have written 19/2/19 instead of 16/2/19. This must be the best I have found.

TFTC Thank you for hiding this cache. You have shown us a new place and have helped make geocaching an enjoyable activity. Great hotel.

Awesome cache! We stopped here on our drive down the highway to deliver 2 Smurf TBs. They are having a quiet sleep now after a long journey down the highway. TFTC

Nice container and a quick find on our way up the coast. Tftc

On our way up the coast today, decided to jump off freeway to make a little detour and pick up some caches in this area. Great container TFTC

Great treasure, thanks for the cache

Wow cool cache!!! Loved it thanks!!

Wow this is the biggest one we have ever come across. We traded a few swaps and were on our way.

After a day at the Strickland State Forest enjoying the walks through the beautiful rainforest canopy I headed down here to check into the BugPacker Motel.
The geomobile was parked at the recommended guest parking spot and I walked to the accommodation which was soon found.
Entry and check-in were soon completed and I then investigated the other visitors. I left three bugs to stay for a while and took three who wished to continue their travels southwards with me.
Having completed the self guided tour to the M1 Viewing Deck I checked out, which was slightly more difficult than expected but finally things aligned and everything was carefully completed. I then returned to the geomoblie and was pleased to find everything was intact!

TFTC # 2554, Streak day #169

Loved the "cache info" for this one and enjoyed writing the log so a favourite point from me!

After heading up to clean up some finds around Morriset I had missed during the Oz Geomuster I decided to stop on the Central Coast for a few more, as I only have the work car for a few more days then it is back to public transport for a while. A nice little stroll for a good surprise at the end. Worth a favourite point, thanks Mumma-Kel.

Can here for visit to exchanges some TB and because it a large cache size. Which i am hunting for a Canberra challenge cache So it ticks two boxes today. Dropped the owl hunts and paddy the beaver and took Lulu the Ladybug and romero county zombie hunter. Thanks Mumma Kel for the placement

Today was the day we had planned to attend the OZ GeoMuster 2018 in Morisset. An awesome event, and next time, we will have to plan to stay closer to having more caching time and meeting more awesome people.

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This cache required a short detour from the main freeway north out of Sydney. I parked the car at the locked gate and wandered down towards GZ. I spotted a sign saying the area was private property for the local Aboriginal Council.

I approached GZ and opened the well organised TB Hotel Cache. I signed the log and noted down the codes for the current occupants and picked one up to continue it's journey.

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Cache: 1 of 12

Found by Mary & David at 1500. Ass we were heading back to this cache and the car park, we met 3 guys standing around a ute on the track. One was wearing a Darkinjung Land Council shirt, and asked what we were doing. We told them we'd been to find a geocache a few hundred metres back, then had to explain about geocaching. Given the sign at the entrance gate, you may well hear from them at some stage. Our thanks to Mumma-Kel.

Dropped trackables

24. Love love love this one. ! Fav point. Rescued some TBs. Tfth, the awesome hotel and the smiley.

On the way to the hunter valley from goulburn to pick up the geo family after visiting their family for the past week and couldnt resist another stop here to grab some tbs and drop some off. Picked up 2 and dropped 7.

Loved it.just a quick grab to fill in my calendar.

Whilst in a parent teacher meeting my phone rings” embarrassing moment”. I switch the phone to silent and send dlturner a message that I would call back in ten. Well 10 minutes had passed and she calls again to say she is waiting outside the school to get me to do this one so it marks are calendar for today as we are trying to have a find on everyday.
Did the drive and the quick walk to the hotel. We did not stay long as there wasn’t enough room for us to stay the night. It was nice to visit those that were staying the night. Will give this one a favourite and possibly come back another day to stay the night.

Thanks for the good parking co ords, A nice walk and a quick find. well it's hard to miss ha ha ha. Very well done and nicely made. Fav point awarded . Thanks for the cache Mumma-kel tnln sl replaced as found

Awesome cache so much fun. Definately one of our all time favourites. Thanks

Love it! Fantastic motel that not just the Geo TB's are enjoying, a nice big huntsman had taken residence for the night as well.
Great container, nicely decorated. Tipped the workers for their service via a GeoCoin
TFTC Kel

Fittingly our FF for 2018. What a great cache! Our little people left 4 guests to enjoy the hospitality for a while, and we grabbed a trackable to take it on the next leg of its journey.
TFTC

I picked up this Geocoin in the USA (Now) last year and thought it about time I set it free to continue it's adventure as I don't find time to do as much Geocaching as I might like to.
Good luck little guy and enjoy your continued adventures , I am going to keep an eye on you with interest.

Joined Robak65 for this TB drop off.
Another one picked up in Hawaii in the middle of last year (2017).
All is well with the motel

CZECH
perfektní krabička!
moc lidí tady nechodí, tak nám bylo líto něco přidávat, aby to pak dlouho leželo na místě
OUT: TB

Visited and dropped 5x tb's from overseas, the smiling raven's my favourite geocoin i've seen!

What a brilliant container. Love the effort put in to this one! Def FP just for that. Thanks for placing. Dropped Norman the Gnome TB to continue traveling and grabbed Papa Egth’s TB. TFTCSL busy hotel

Was nearby so popped in for a squizz, managed to find the most convoluted bushy path in, made a simple trip difficult... I am happy to report that all 4 trackables listed are here and now discovered by me , and all is in good condition. No trackables taken or left by me. Cheers!

3 of 3. Beware the nearby ants nest... Found by Javi. Joint effort with kotbre and family. Loved this one!!! Great place to stay when in the area.

Amazing container. TFTC.

Forgot to mention we took a traceable and left some swaps

found with btm and gm10

found with btm and u_c

Found with u_c and gm10

Had aTB i brought back from South Australia and needed to keep it going. Was recommended this one to keep it safe. Well done on the Cache Mumma Kel. TFTC. Left one took none

Lovely little cache!! Picked up two bugs that were craving adventure, will return with new bugpackers to experience the hospitality of the coast.
TFTC