The Water Troughs Risdon Vale, Tasmania, Australia
By firedash2004 on 02-Oct-19. Waypoint GC8EAE1

Our plan today was to head to Richmond and while in that area find as many caches as we could while enjoying the historical ambience. Taking the road less travelled brought us to this wonderful example of convict skill with stone in the form of these troughs. Amazed that theyre still here A favourite point for this. TFTC firedash2004

Hobart turned on a drizzly day but were headed towards Richmond then home via Cambridge. Really interesting spot.Thanks for the cache firedash2004

This treasure eluded us fer longr than Id like-but narry a passerby were any wiser, bar tha furry guard nearby.

Took a bit of finding in the windy weather today.TFTC

Found but no pen on me to sign log book, very tough find, only found it thanks to a very friendly resident who lives right next to where this cache is hidden.

Very interesting history and cute little troughs. Was raining rather heavy so the water was flowing. Took a bit or searching but we got the find. Along with miss Leyla.Thanks for the excuse to stop somewhere we probably never would have done

Tftc

tassietan and I were on our way home from a caching outing at Risdon Brook dam, and tassietan wanted to stop off at this cache as we were passing .I was very impressed with the history and the location. This is really what I love about caching when it takes you to somewhere new and so interesting!Its a bit tricky looking for the cache right in front of the house, but I pretended to take photos while tassietan located the cache and signed the log.Thanks firedash2004 for bringing us to this very interesting spot. Gets a favourite point from me.

An interesting spot that Ive driven past many times but never been in the position to stop. At the end of a geocaching day with RoadieM we were going the right way at the right time. What interesting history provided here. After reading up on the history of the area, we made a quick find of the cache. Despite the container being nibbled by some sort of animal (probably of the rodent variety) the contents inside were nice and dry. Thanks for making us stop here FireDash2004.

Fascinating history. Thanks for getting me to stop here.

Wow, that’s a great piece of history. Took us a minute to find, but sure enough there it was. Thanks Firedash 2004

Caching around Tasmania. TFTC.
Took a little while to find. Thought the cover had been trimmed. Nope. Not that one.

Because of geocaching we discovered these troughs and some of the history surrounding them. I can only start to imagine how many people drive passed here, on a regular basis, and never realise these beautiful stone troughs are here being fed by a natural stream of water.
Thank you for bringing us here.

TFTC firedash2004
Keep smiling

awesome hide. box a little damaged

On the way to Richmond for some lunch with Wazza9 and NanaNel. An interesting spot that we've driven past many times. Nice to finally stop and find the cache. TFTC!
Cheers,
The Hancock Clan

TFTC, After a short look I used the hint and soon had the cache in hand.
Visited trackables.

Took awhile to locate just kept looking and wazza9 located it, with The Hancock Clan. Stamped log and replaced. Thanks to CO.

So my gps was telling me elsewhere and when I was reading the clue I was still thinking of it near my gps signal. I was wrong, obviously took too long and the local helper called out “are you looking for something?”. So he helped me to the cache.

Very tough find lots of bees and murky water

To future treasure hunters: lift the bush to reveal.

Quick find in a logical spot. Thanks.

Nice quick find on the way ro Richmond

There is so much history when you stop to look. Thanks for the cache

On my third attempt, I was able to spend a little more time to search for this cache.
Found after about 10 minutes and whilst doing some CITO in the area.
Cache log just a little damp but still fine.
Thanks for the cache!

all in good condition.

Found it. A bit of heavy lifting of the bushes.

Our kids are finally old enough to look after themselves for a few days. So with my wife having some holidays coinciding with their school holidays, we took the opportunity for a quick 6 day tour - with no kids - of a few carfeully selected areas of Tasmania. We opted for the first night in Richmond, before continuing on to Bruny Island, Hobart and the Tasman Peninsula.

It was a clear *brisk* (aka freezing cold) morning today. Rather than take the main road through Hobart, we opted to take some back roads and "smell the flowers" (or should that be dring from the water trough) so to speak. My GPS was jumping all over the place and the hint was a little confusing, but I persisted and soon enough had the cache in hand. Grabbed the butterfly TB.

Some interesting history on display here. Many thanks firedash2004.

Pete

#6254

Cute stop

Driven past here so many times and had no idea this was here. Thanks for showing us another part of tassie we would never have found otherwise!

After just grabbing a couple of cool caches near the airport i decided on having another go at this one i DNF'd back on 15 June 2021.

This time i tried another spot almost opposite to where i was focusing my (vain) search efforts on last time and with a bit of a "hot and cold" game thanks to the occupant whom lives in the house just above it, it was cache in hand
The container has some holes in it but the bag is doing it's job well and the log within is dry

Signed it at 12:43 on TGIF 14 January 2022. Added an item of swag, TN.
TFTC firedash2004 and for bringing me back to this fascinating spot with unreal views aswell

Nice hide unique troughs

Fun little hide
*container has hole in it, but log is still dry

After being bed bound for a week with the flu (not covid) it was awesome to get back out there! Thanks for the find!

A very interesting site that I didn't know existed. This is what caching is about. Many thanks.

Great spot! We would never have known about this otherwise. QOTSA & I lived and worked at a convict probation station so we love this sort of stuff. Favourite from me because these places are why we geocache!

Found it very easily but log was soggy and the tub was filled with water and had holes in it

13:30 on Tue 15/6/21

After a 10 minute search (i was hoping some help from the house occupants above was gonna come but they must have been out ha ha )
This one eluded me today but maybe next time i'll find it straight up

The historic troughs were very cool and interesting though

TFT challenge, firedash2004.

While caching we found you cache along the way. Wow a fair bit of history here, well worth the stop.

Cache and contents were in good condition.

Thanks firedash2004 for placing and maintaining this cache for our enjoyment.

hi firedash2004, thanks for the cache, but it could do with some TLC, the container is holey and letting the elements in.

Thanks for the hint, it made a for a quick find, wary that I was under the nose of the neighbours, but I saw no-one. This is certainly an interesting location and well worth a visit and a read of the info board.

Today was the last day of my holidays, so after a few appointments and chores this morning, I took a leisurely solo drive via Austins Ferry, Brighton for lunch, then Tea Tree, Campania, Richmond and GrassTree Hill cleaning up my 'unfound' map.

Thanks for contributing to my adventure today; Cheers, EPs.

#2123 @ 1600hrs Wednesday 21st April 2021

A quick find without the help of the neighbour!
A nice little bit of history.
Tftc

We had an occasion to travel the Grasstree Hill today and I decided that I would stop and give this cache 5 minutes to be found or leave it again.
We pulled up at the spot and just as I entered the water way the neighbour who was going up his drive told me where to look and there it was. TFTC

Area had recently been slashed, no sign of cache

Found with grateful assistance of neighbour. Tftc as I lifted it up. Needs new double container due to rat damage. Bit of a climb on fully loaded bicycle.

It was Stella's first cache we found it with a little help from the people who live above. The mice or alike have been chewing on the box.

I searched for too long and came up empty . May have been the overcast weather or last nights rain but it was not to be found.

Hello firedash2004 thank you for the cache

I have been to look for this one a few times but didn't bother getting out of the car as there was a muggle watching from above.
Today all was good for a quick find.
I have a GA cache here "Water Tanks on Grass Tree Hill"


Found on Saturday, 20 June 2020 at 0921

**TFTC**

New logbook and snap lock bag. All is good to go.

TFTC! Gotcha

Log water logged, needs maintenance...

Mrs Beetle was down this way last year with our grandson and stopped here to get the required photo for a GCA virtual. Mr Beetle had never been here though and was quite interested in the site. After reading the noticeboard while the nosy neighbour gave up and stopped watching us a quick find was made of the cache container. Unfortunately it was full of water. We drained the water out and signed the log sheet which was surprisingly only a little damp.
Thanks.

Great place for a cache

Went to find the 2 TBs in this cache's inventory but they had gone. Dropped off 2 TBs anyway.

Today's first find with TaurusSix

A nice easy find all's good with the cache Thanks firedash2004

I have never noticed this convict stuff before along this rd. Thanks for hiding here

Its been brought to my attention that the logbook is wet. I'll try to get around to replacing it within the next week and supplying a snap lock bag for the logbook. If someone beats me to it Thanks so much

Tftc! Took the Raph TMNT trackable!

I have replaced the cache with a better one. With a better lid

I checked on my cache after the suggestion that some wd40 was needed for the lid. I arrived to find the cache to be rusted shut. I have applied some wd40. I will replace the cache next Thursday. If you find it before then you may need a screw driver to get the lid of....or you may not.

TFTC

30 December 2019 13:44
TFTC firedash2004
Some CRC would be handy for the lid.

In the area for a family visit and found ourselves with a few free minutes. So what do you do, go caching of course. Looked about to see what was available close by and decided to head this way. This one was a quick find with the aid of good coordinates. TFTC

out and about with the RAFAS caching, a touch of summerery weather brings everyone outdoors. nice place to meet someone before going on to do more caches. TFTC TNLN a pleasant day for caching. log dry

TFTC. Found it at 12:30p

Nice easy find. TFTC.

Found with ShannonPC

After completing the Tasmanian Tiger Snake Series, we continued on to Hobart to spend tomorrow with family. As we had a little time before the sun set (thank goodness for Daylight Saving), we looked for a few more caches. We have visited this location some time ago when there was another active cache. It was much drier today than during our previous visit. Reasonably accurate coordinates and the hint led to a quick find. The cache and contents were n good condition. Thanks firedash2004 for the cache.

Accompanied ALL7 TFTC

Found with 63Roos. Thanks

Hi firedash
Arrived at GZ and noticed some spectators on the balcony of the house above
They continued to watch as I pretended to take some photographs thinking they may lose interest in me
Then I noticed they were pointing to where they thought the cache was
From here, my story is similar to that of goose and SSR
I was joined by two young people, one being the daughter of 'old mate' who also joined in the "event" a little later
Caching was explained to the young ones, they were shown the cache and the log book
This cache is well protected by these observers who love watching cachers search for the cache
Sainted at 1400 hours
TFTC and cheers
OldSaint

Thanks for the cache firedash2004.
Today was the first day of daylight savings, and normally I'm pretty excited about it and go out on a nice walk, but the weather today was quite ordinary. As a result, the GeoGSP and I headed out to find some 'drive-by' caches. This one was published a few days earlier - I knew about this location having heard an interview on local radio a few years ago about the history of this spot. However, I still hadn't taken the time to stop and look at the interpretation panels. This geocache finally gave me the excuse to stop.
Before I drove to GZ, I had just read the previous logs about the nearby homeowner and anticipated that I would be being watched. Anyway, I didn't see anyone - the GeoGSP and I quickly got out, read the boards, grabbed the cache, signed the log and headed on our way.

My first cache of the day, I was out caching with the Goose and we both got out of the car and noticed a local in his garden so took a few pictures of the troughs, this was good as I needed a pic so I could log the GCA that is here also.

Well before we had even started looking the local walked down to us and asked do you play that game too? Well it turns out he has spotted a few people coming and going at this cache and was interested it what it was about, in the end we spent 10 minutes explaining it to him and him telling us chunks of his life story and also the fact that all the stones around the troughs towards the road are not historic at all they were placed by a government dept 35 years ago.

Anyway back to the cache, I found it without any issues and then showed it to the interested local before putting it back.

Thanks for the cache Firedash
I found 6 GCs, 3 GCAs and placed a GCA today

The best caches I have found so far by type are:-

Traditional [Moorgreen P3:1, Penny Pincher](http://coord.info/GC32Z5B) By [Sven&Cup](http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?A=6596795)
Multi [CoaledHearted](http://coord.info/GCKGZ5) By [CraigRat](http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?A=256663)
Unknown [Men In Black Holes](http://coord.info/GC1DVB0) By [SG-3](http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?A=918045)
Letterbox [Rolf's Letterbox](http://coord.info/GC5NCYM) By [membsec](http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?A=5318842)
Earthcache [Alum Cliffs and Gorge](https://coord.info/GC5KVHA) By [jandalfan](http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?A=2409043)

Visit the [Geocaching Tasmania Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/318455407771/)

Saturday morning I normally go caching with stainless steel rat. Normally a plan is vaguely discussed during the week and bu Friday night a plan in in place. Not this week , I went to bed with not a clue what Saturday morning was going to bring. SSR hatched a bit of a plan so after grabbing our normal takeaway coffee we made or way here.

We hopped out of the car and immediately I saw a man up on his deck above the troughs. I warned SSR so he started taking photos for the GCA virtual cache GA11379. I'd done this ages ago so just read the sign again and looked around. Old mate was suddenly in his garden then worked his was down to us and asked 'are you playing that game?' He explained that he thought the 'girl' was hiding drugs when the cache has hidden. He said two days later a slamming car door woke his dogs up early and they barked. He saw a man writing on something, replace it and leave.
He took us to where it was hidden but couldn't find it (as per the photo). It had been moved slightly, We showed him the log and the app and he was just happy to know that nothing dodgy was going on.

He then explained a bit of the history of the area and how most of the stonework had been added and was not original (unlike the old troughs). He grew up in the area and his family used to 'water the cows' here. He then used some colourful language to describe a neighbourly dispute....but that is a story for another day [|)]

Thanks for the cache firedash2004, and the chance to meet 'old mate'

**FTF** 6.50am
Returned from King Island and West Coast trip late yesterday so when this was published late last night it was quickly dismissed. Woke early (a habit of our trip) and set off avoiding the early morning traffic snarls. Came on this great spot (missed so often when travelling the road) and (after the find) took in the historical significance, wondering why a cache had not been here previously.
Took a little bit of scouting around, using the cache description to come upon the container and clean log book. Great to get another FTF.
TFTC. Great place to pull up and increase historical knowledge of the area.

Pulled up at GZ and like Membsec was blown away by the historical significance. The area is very open so agree with the stealth as the house above looks directly over. With the blinds shut it looked like the coast was clear and after finding the cache thanks firedash2004 I read and enjoyed the information board.

Thanks for another new cache firedash2004. A very interesting spot to stop. A nice history lesson. TFTC

I guess this cache was in place (though not then published) when we drove back from Campania yesterday. We did enjoy coming back today and finding your cache. We were already aware of the area and the history of the Probation Station as sometime back in 2018 Alby Dangles had created an Australian Geocaching History Cache which we found and logged. A lot more people look for the US geocaches so it is good to have a Traditional Cache placed here and so once again highlighting our convict history. Thanks Firedash2004.

Found this cache after travelling back from Orford after some caching up there

Tftc.

Published