Cotter Caves & Mines Earthcache Paddys River, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
By DARKSIDEDAN. on 19-Apr-18. Waypoint GC7N9V8

30/03/2024 11:26:00 AMEveryone has a story of tramping though thick bush to arrive at GZ and find a formed path or road, well I did it again today after arriving from uphill after battling impassable roads finally getting fed up.The limestone cave at the poster coords was quite interesting and we grabbed the needed info before making our way back uphill to the van.Found with Scouter 101Thanks for bringing us here DSDFind recorded using GCDroid and logged using GSAK

Wow! What a great and unexpected adventure. We have seen this one on our map and have been keen to visit.So much history here and there is much here that we would like to explore but we cannot at the moment since some of the areas are blocked off. This said, we made our way further a field to find the other caves in the area. What a great adventure. We have sent our answers to The CO. A Favourite Point added. Who doesnt love a good cave! Thanks DSDDomsky

Nice walk here, great views and interesting geological history.Answers have been sent to the CO. Thanks for the cache.

Was hopeful of driving down to save time and thankfully the relevant gates were open and I parked nearby. Then it was up the limestone steps to the hole- and nice views and interesting stuff! Gathered answers, did some more work at home and answers sent off. TFTEC!

Found with SA a while back. TFTC

A very interesting spot for an earthcache. Great to see some interpretive signs here explaining what was going on! Buggered if I could locate the traditional that's up here as well, though.

Data quickly gathered and answers sent to the CO.

Thanks, DSD!

Accidental find. Out exploring, no data. Son rhought it was a good place for a cache and there it was

We set out for a short hike today and this earthcache was our main motivation for picking this area. The walk was great and the weather was perfect for hiking.

Having stairs to the GZ was very civilised. Information gathered and answers sent.

Thanks for the earthcache

I was paying this area an early morning visit for a FTF nearby that I needed to come back for with an extra tool.

Once that was all done I had a closer look what else I could do while up here and the cache up here and the mine where two obvious candidates to explore. So with some time left before I needed to be back I enjoy a little extra caching on this glorious morning.

Hood to have an EC at this location very fitting!

Thank you DARKSIDEDAN. for putting the cache out and maintaining it.

#2058

Our next stop on our trip led us here. Information quickly gathered, and collected the other cache while here. Answers have been sent to the CO. Thanks for the fun!

Collecting a few traditionals with Injuryman this afternoon including the one on this very spot, we collected the information and I have messaged to the CO. Another interesting spot to visit. Thanks for preparing this Earthcache!

Out for a sub-four hour wander and I thought it would finally be a good opportunity to visit Cotter Caves. I had hoped to score this for earth cache weekend, but I think I was a day early. I had a great time exploring the area and reading up about the caves. They don't seem so impressive from the small entrance hole, but I can see why they had to be blocked off and I do hope that the bats come back. Answers emailed. TFTC

Cache 7954 on 10 Jul 2021.

After finding the nearby letterbox cache, SpecimenX and I figured we had time to run by this cache before I had to get back home for family stuff.

I had this earth cache in my sights in order to meet a few earthcache challenges and it was beckoning me! All the gates were open and we parked the Wench at the base of the stairs before heading up to the cave entrance. The cave is now closed off again, so we could only look at the entrance to the cave wistfully. Gathered the required information and sent it to the CO. Photo attached!

Thanks DARKSIDEDAN for the earth cache and the fun! Fav point comin at ya for an interesting cache!

Teamed up with AngelG27 for a morning mini mission to grab a nearby Letterbox, so after we made the find on that, she suggested we head off to this one.

Luckily for us all the gates were open so it was an easy drive down. Parked nearby then made our way up to the look out. A shame the caves were vandalised and then gated shut. Would be great to see what's down there! Anyway, after surveying this interesting spot and gathering the info for the answers, off we went and AngelG27 shot off our answers to the CO on the way home.

Thanks for the interesting Earthcache DSD - fave point for this one

What an adventure. Found it, and had a great time.

The robot clicked disapprovingly, gurgled briefly inside its cubical interior and extruded a pony glass of brownish liquid. "Sir, you will undoubtedly end up in a drunkard's grave, dead of hepatic cirrhosis," it informed me virtuously as it returned my ID card. I glared as I pushed the glass across the table.

He heard the loud impact before he ever saw the result. It had been so loud that it had actually made him jump back in his seat. As soon as he recovered from the surprise, he saw the crack in the windshield. It seemed to be an analogy of the current condition of his life.

She asked the question even though she didn't really want to hear the answer. It was a no-win situation since she already knew. If he told the truth, she'd get confirmation of her worst fears. If he lied, she'd know that he wasn't who she thought he was which would be almost as bad. Yet she asked the question anyway and waited for his answer.

Spending time at national parks can be an exciting adventure, but this wasn't the type of excitement she was hoping to experience. As she contemplated the situation she found herself in, she knew she'd gotten herself in a little more than she bargained for. It wasn't often that she found herself in a tree staring down at a pack of wolves that were looking to make her their next meal.

Dropped by with my son and his friend for a little afternoon walk. Always a great place to visit. The son managed to spot the resident lizard hidden in the rocks.
Photos taken and answers formed.
Thanks for the fun outing.

I am surprised this doesn't get many visits! But then again, here I am almost 3 years after publication, and only the second time I have visited Cotter Caves since I started caching so who am I to talk!

I learned today however, that you can DRIVE to this location. Even in a low sitting 2WD sedan! I always thought the hills were too steep here, but found a good road in that was actually very easy, and you can park at the bottom and take the short 100m walk up the track!

Absolutely love this location, I visited today whilst with my girlfriend in the Cotter. She hadn't been before and I said it was a special part of Canberra not to miss!

Thanks DSD for this Earthcache, was great to visit again, and looks like the security / entrance is even more tight than last time I was here with a new sign erected too. That is a MASSIVE fine for entering the caves unlawfully [:o]

TFTC This is a really interesting area as I never knew about magnetite, thanks DSD. It's also fun climbing all over the rocks nearby though some of them are pretty sharp! And there was a very large lizard in residence which scarred the begebies out of me! Thought it was a slithery one, thankfully not.

Found 14:27 12/7/20 after attending GC8VCMA. A very interesting area which I hadn’t explored before. Answers have been sent. Thank you DARKSIDEDAN for the cache and bringing me to this location.

Out on a camping/caching weekend away I usually plan my trips around earthcaches as I know they will most likely take me somewhere cool and interesting.
Spending the weekend at Cotter campground I woke up early on came out to visit this location first thing!
Arriving at GZ it started raining so I gathered what info I could but not satisfied I returning back here later in the afternoon in much better conditions.
Now I could take a good look around,what a great spot to visit just a bummer I cant get in.
Answers sent with very fast approval
Thanks DARKSIDEDAN for the earthcache

Not worth the bother to look so will do an on line find. Much the way my TB’s were. It’s how the game is played.

Logged with permission .... Geodaughter and her friends walked to hike to mountains and beautiful view... thanks

Decided to go for a drive out to Cotter today to get my EC needed for International Earthcache Weekend as opposed to getting one closer to home. It was a nice day outside today so no better way than to head into the bush. Lots of dirt bike riders and 4WD'ers in this area today, fortunately none were muggling me. Parked up and went off on foot, up the stairs to the top. Had a little lizard muggle keeping close eye on me, he was having fun playing hide and seek.

Gathered all of the required information and then whilst I was here, had a look around for the cache "Cotter Caves" but unfortunately I was unable to locate it. Being here on my own, and with no phone reception, I was not willing to become a mountain goat incase something unfortunate occurred.

Loved this location and loved the mine staft. It would appear the gate has been replaced (not so recently, but the design sure is different to other pictures I have seen on this listing and the caves listing). Thanks for the interesting EC DSD and for bringing me to this location.

Found with DTY73 after a day out and about the Cotter. Had an awesome exciting day 4WD'ing and picking up some mountain caches and this was our final cache of the day. Very interesting that there are actually 3 caves here and also to learn about the minerals around. Thanks for putting the Earth Cache out DSD.

Permission received to log from CO

I was out and about with Joolay, finding some of those little bit trickier caches that are a whole lot easier with a 4WD. This however I have been to a couple of times in a 2WD ok, but never actually did this cache for some reason.

Anyway... Joolay sent the answers to the CO and with his permission we are loggong our find. I love these caves as they have many childhood memories for me. Back then we were able to climb down into them and they were a lot of fun. But all too dangerous now. Thanks for highlighting the history here. It's a nice spot. Tftc DARKSIDEDAN!!!

Found today with GrimRaider on a visit to the Cotter to grab some caches and take the Mazda for a run over the trails. I love visiting this cave and have been coming here since I was a kid - though it is very different these days. Answers have been sent to the CO. Thanks for the cache - gets a FP from me

Answers sent to CO via geocaching.com messaging system.
I was sitting at home just after lunch, thinking that I would be stuck without the car for a while. But all of a sudden I had the car for several hours, so I drove off into the west to get some caching done. It was a beautiful afternoon for a caching adventure. My biggest fear was snakes, but all I saw was a water dragon and a falcon, both of which left me alone.
At GZ I took several photographs of the scenery, the signs, lots of rocks, and then found the traditional cache. I read over the earth cache questions a number of times to make sure that I didn't miss any. Question four was the hardest but in the end I found what I think were some good samples.
After this I walked up to grab Cotter Comeback. When I returned to the caves, a ranger was just locking the iron gate at the front of the main cave. I thought I might have missed a chance to enter the caves, but the ranger informed me that he had not actually been inside himself, he was just checking some damage to the gate/grate thing.
Thanks for the cache, DSD! I think this is the first earth cache I have found that focuses so much on magnetite.

A lovely walk up here, great views, and interesting geological history. The day was warming up, so the cooling breeze from up top was appreciated. TFTC DSD

While maintaining my physical cache in the area I thought I'd better grab this. Answers being sent to CO shortly.

TFTC Darksidedan

Out in the Cotter area caching this morning and came across the cave. What an awesome area and I learnt a little while I was here. TFTC

I was happy to spend a day caching out west of Canberra with MinnieK and Fitzy1965. We headed out via the new set of Uriarah road caches, including the Starwars ones. Then we went up the ridge behind Cotter Reserve and finished the Paddys caches. Last was a trip in to the Bindebellas proper with a visit to Sherwood and finishing on Two sticks road. A fantastic day with a bit of fog but no real rain.

I would love the chance to go inside here, but it is all locked up solid. Nice area and interesting questions. e-mail sent by Fitzy.

Thanks.

25776.25 TNLN
Visited: World Traveling Gold GC A#6 & 2014 Compass Rose Cosmic Mirror A#305

**Albida**

A planned day out with fitzy_1965 and Albida33 to collect some hard to reach caches. Headed out rather early and thankfully we did as there was a cycle race on down to Uriarra today. Met Binliner heading in the opposite direction. Once at the end of ALL7's series it was clear sailing. 22000 steps later we were utterly exhausted but certainly had a fun day. Most logs signed as AMF.

CO has given permission to log. Thanks for a fascinating Earthcache DSD.

16,489. Found with minniek and albida33 during a caching day out at Uriarra and the Cotter regions - mostly signed as AMF.

We had planned a trip out this way today to pick up some far flung and difficult to get to caches - and after grabbing the 23 new ALL7 caches we continued on to our original list. Next find of the day. I love doing Earthcaches - and I love visiting this spot - so combining the two was a lot of fun. Gathered the required info while admiring the views. Answers have been sent to the CO with permission to log granted.

Thanks DSD !!

I paused to camp near here for a couple of days and went for a walk to calm myself down from city hustle and bustle. I came across these caves and thought, 'an earthcache would be good here'. I checked and, voila!

I may have perhaps wandered a little off track and excited the next cave over. Attached is a pic that, when I turned and saw it, made me thirsty. Gaga.

TFTC.

I was out doing some of Tankengine's Paddy series. After finding the Paddys Peak cache I hit the find nearest cache button on my GPS expecting another TE one to pop up, but this one did pop up instead! I never knew about this one because the icon on the map was hidden under the icon for the Cotter Caves cache.
Only 400 metres away worth the hour detour for an inspection of the area and to obtain the required information. A great spot to visit again.
I was here in the late 1970s and actually went into one of the mines following a "train" track in for 15 metres or so till came to a bricked off section. Looks like the entire entrance has now been covered over by rocks. TFTC and a favorite for me.

Found with The Matetrix, Clay1B and Maze004 on a cousins Cotter caching claim. A great day to take the kids out for hike or two. TNLNSL TFTC

Found with IamCoust, Clay1B and Maze004

Found at 4:25:00 PM

My memory of this place had it on the other side of the river, but then when I checked my GPS I saw that this cache was listed on this side. Last time I crossed near here my tow bar bottomed out. But I decided to come and do the earth cache and check out the river crossing later. So up I went and wrote down some answers, which I will send through shortly.

Thanks DARKSIDEDAN.

Great sunny Autumn afternoon for an easy 4km walk for which re-visiting the Cotter Cave and the mine area nearby was the key purpose for coming on this trail today. Beautiful afternoon and lovely to sit by the crystal clear river late afternoon enjoying our fruit and inspiring each other of our next serious trek.

With the gate off the cave entry we took the opportunity to look inside as we had our strong torches with us. Worth a favourite point for luring us back here again and for learning a bit about the history connected with the caves. TFTEC DARKSIDEDAN.

#9134 @1510
An afternoon caching around the Cotter again. After the fun of driving up on the Bullen Range last weekend, I returned today to find the rest of the caches up here. After dropping down off the ridge and crossing the creek, I stopped by here to collect the required information. The gate had recently been removed, so I peered into the cave but chose not to venture in. Others came out while I was there. TFTC.

Published

Chooo ooo [FTF] on a lovely Monday afternoon. I was to whoop whoop and gone when this one was published, so decided to leave it be. However, a few hours later, I was back in town, and this was still unfound. - So off I went. Have been to this location a few times, but there was a bit of a difference this time! - The door to the cave was missing! Obviously some idiot with an angle grinder - In any case, I decided not to go in there. Thanks for the interesting earth cache DSD.