SideTracked - Alphington Alphington, Victoria, Australia
By veevers12 on 21-Aug-22. Waypoint GC9Y807

Finished work for the day, so perfect timing on a Sunday afternoon to pick up a few cache on the way home. Another quick drop in with this nice quick find. TFTC

Was no parking so I had to park in a no standing zone fastest find and signed ever quick and easy much needed TFTC

TwoEms think one muggles trash is another cachers treasure. Thank you for the SideTracked cacheit was a pleasure.Postscript: The River Red Gum, opposite the save the trees wall and next to Alphington Station, is over 200 years old. It is a remnant of the woodland that once was on the eastern Keilor basalt plains. The tree was going to be cut down for a proposed car park, but the local community saved it. Source: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/197089

Found it TFTC

A good quick find after a brisk walk in the drizzle. Day three of my attack on Victorian LGAs. I woke later than I expected to a grey, miserable looking day promising scattered showers which I didn't really relish as I was hoping for at least 6 more areas. I was targeting a few Side tracked caches, which probably wasn't a very good idea as it was peak travel time when I started. I mostly had success, but found it quite interesting how much I depend on knowing a cacher and method and types of hides. Of course down here I don't have that knowledge and at times I found it quite difficult to find the supposelying easy caches. Thanks to all the COs for placing and maintaining the caches that add so much to our game. All found caches were signed and replaced where found.

Thank you

Another sidetracked cache to tick off the list. Although Im spending most of my time opposite a train station, it doesnt have a sidetracked cache yet so I swung past this one this morning.Im glad its a weekend as I doubt this tiny car park would have any spare spots during the week.A nice quick find and I was on my way.A big thanks goes to veevers12 for taking the time to add SideTracked - Alphington to the geocaching map for us all to find and enjoy.----------------------------------------------------------Are you ready for Victorias next big event?Join us for Victorias first ever *Block Party* to celebrate 25 years of geocaching.**When:** March 22 - 23, 2025**Where:** Hume Global Learning Centre, SunburyLog your will attend at [**GCAP417: The Sunbury Event** ](https://coord.info/GCAP417) Visit our [**Block Party website** ](https://geocachingvictoria.com.au/the-sunbury-event) for more details on the exciting lineup of events and activities as they are released!

As we were driving through Alphington we sidetracked to this Sidetracked cache to add to my total. This brings me to 57 of them over four states! How many times have I ridden past this station when I was a student and before I got a car. We lived in Diamond Creek while I was growing up and knew all the stations on this line. The cache was hidden very cleverly with nothing suspicious at all! A few muggles passed on the footpath, most with a dog. There werent ant footpaths along the railway lines in my day! Cache and contents were in good condition.

Visiting my dentist and wagging work for the day. It was supposed to be raining. It's not, so Im nabbing a couple of caches while I can, and then I'll head home to do the washing.My old train station of 5 years ago. Hasnt had much of a face lift.Tftc

TFTC

Sneaky little fine near a station I used to frequent a lot! TFTC

On holiday from across the ditch, wandering up to the train station this morning, notice a cache nearby. Would be rude not to find it. Thanks veevers12

Ye

TFTC for the cache! I will look at home for SideTracked Website, thanks. I am enjoy to playing on the swing

Quick detour from the market, nice and easy find. Thank you!

Out doing a few Sidetracked caches today and a few others nearby. Finally have a day off and this is what I do. Oh well as long as its keeps me happy. TFTC

Good find, a lot of long grass.

Snake country. But safe today

Snake country

Snake country

Snake country. But safe today

Nice, easy find. All in good condition. TFTC

Fairly straightforward find but pretty wet underfoot after all the overnight rain. TFTC veevers12

Found by The Empire + H Alphington is known for its greenery, and the station is no exception. The platform is lined with trees, providing shade in the warmer months and adding a touch of tranquility to the urban environment.Alphington station is more than just a transportation hub; it's a reflection of the community it serves. The station's welcoming atmosphere and sense of place are a testament to the neighborhood's close-knit character. Commuters from all walks of life come together here, sharing the common experience of a train journey into the heart of Melbourne. Thanks for cache veevers12.- MSideTracked #35

Easy grab once the commuters had dispersed.
TFTC

Another neat hide. Sidetracked rapidly becoming our favourites.

Went for a ride with the Geokid along Darebin Creek. Quick grab in an obvious location.

*Twelfth Day Of Cachemas Adventure #7*
Out for a pleasant day of caching on the bike. Although I'm getting hungry.
I didn't get a lot of love at my last cache, but this one was a win.
Thanks heaps for the cache, veevers12!

Quick find, although my timing could have been slightly better - had to wait for alighted passengers to clear before heading down the geotrail. Bloody freezing night, but nice to stop here briefly! Tftc.

My first sidetracked cache, I can’t wait to do the rest. Caches that unlock local history are the best IMHO. I left my friend Abe behind, take him for a journey and don’t forget to log his travels.

A quick easy grab on the walk home from the local park. The geo trail was the big give away on its location...

By the size of the lovely old gum tree in the area it would have to predate the opening of the station.

A quick lunch break find. TFTC

Walked past it..luckily my geopartner was more observant.

Thanks to veevers12 for the fun and the adventure.

Out with about with muggle clearing out some more of the sidetrack series. Parking easy and short walk to discover the disguarded item. Nice easy find, cache in excellent condition. Thanks for the cache veevers12.

Despite living in the UK, where these sidetracked caches are ubiquitous, for a decade, I only really got into caching after leaving.

So it was lovely to find that these are in Melbourne as well! This made for a quick find in the sunny afternoon lull between annoyingly timed trains. Coffee in hand, I found the cache in good order. Have taken the TB to come with for a bit. Thanks for placing and maintaining the cache!

Found quickly, hidden in what I suspect is an antique piece of railway infrastructure. Tftc.

A quick trip to Alphington this evening for a happy birthday visit to Father-in-Law Wombat. Once upon a time, I was with a group who planted some of the vegetation you see here in an effort to stop this piece of land being turned into additional car parking. Cache found and signed and then it was onto Dan’s for a present purchase. Dropped a TB. Thanks!

Came along here with goingplaces2 and found the container. Cache was retrieved, log was signed and all was replaced. Job done! Thanks for the cache and the history.

Searching for sidetracked caches seems to work better on a weekend as there are more parking places available and fewer muggles around. This was a nice quick and easy find with ilook4geo and the log was soon signed and replaced. Thank you to veevers12 for adding to the sidetracked series, which we have had a lot of fun finding.

On a trip from WA with Burns345, we choose particular caches to find along the way.
Cache found and logged.

On the way home staying in Melbourne and picking up the last of the smilies. Thanks to the COs. TFTC.

Find number 11544 at 7:55:07 am on Wednesday the 29 March 2023
Ducked out early this morning to grab a couple of geocaches to satisfy a challenge that I am chasing. Looks like a good reason for some train spotting
After a short walk the find was made quickly but disturbed a walker and dog as I returned to the geovehicle.
**Thanks for placing this cache veevers12**

---
We’re all going to Rutherglen to participate in Victoria’s next Mega!
*Are you coming to join in the fun?*
[**The Rutherglen Event 2023**](https://coord.info/GC9MH9M)
*6th - 10th April 2023 - GC9MH9M - Rutherglen- Victoria*

Good spot can be busy but very fun to find

Metal. Heavy!

Nice quick find. Thanks for the hide.

A bit of after-work caching with Geoturtle37, making the most of this lovely weather before it disappears.

Another quick find thanks to the hint. Followed the geotrail, which led straight to the cache. A relatively muggle free area today. I think everyone is actually on the freeway, not on the trains today.

Thanks for bringing us here by placing this cache, veevers12
~~

----------------------------------------------------------
We’re all going to Rutherglen to participate in Victoria’s next Mega!
*Are you coming to join in the fun?*
[**THE**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC9MH9M)
[**RUTHERGLEN**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC9MH9M)
[**EVENT 2023**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC9MH9M)
6th - 10th April 2023 – GC9MH9M – Rutherglen – Victoria
----------------------------------------------------------

Out with OHC to attempt to gather ourselves some more smilies. This was found without any issues even though a train had just arrived. Thanks for the cache.

Found on a rainy evening, thanks

I arrived from the Small Island that holds the Big Island in place and was hoping to get a few caches but due to rain this became my only find. Another of the SideTracked series done and dusted. Thank you for the information about the station.

Really nice find while out on a walk / cache hunt on a Saturday morning. No fear of muggles, the hint makes it easy

TFTC

We had to pick something up in Balwyn, so that done, this was the closest unfound cache for us. Nice easy find at GZ
TFTC veevers12 - GJMMelb

I went for a drive out to St Amdrews to do the new adventure lab that started out there and I also needed a puzzle for today's calendar.
After that I slowly made my way back towards the city doing the ad lab and once that was done I followed the railway line doing mostly Sidetracked trads.
Now that wasn't where I expected when I was walking towards it.
Thanks veevers12 for the cache, the adventure, the hunt and the fun.

LeeLee on this side of town this morning to pick up 2 gorgeous chooks that we have adopted as they needed rehoming. An a chook palace they will have this one was just around the corner so took the time to stop and grab this.

Thanks veevers12 for placing and maintaining for all to enjoy. All good here. Left swap.

Home alone with no plans for the afternoon so decided to go and get my first smiley for 2023. This one has been on my radar for a while and only 15 minutes from home.
Being a public holiday few muggles around and with the clue a quick, easy find.

On my way home from Melton today and I decided to follow the train line from Montmorency to Fairfield to find caches in this series.

This was my fifth SideTracked find for today.
A short walk in from the nearby side street.
A nice big gap between the small groups of muggles.
The passengers awaiting the next upbound train had their backs to me.

The cache was quickly spotted and with my engineering background, I soon had the log in hand. Kudos for finding this defunct railway architecture!

Thank you for the yet another fine addition to this series veevers12.

A nice quick and easy find.
TFTC

Out for a drive on a beautiful sunny day, we found this one in a quiet strip parkland. Accurate co-ordinates made for a quick find, thanks veevers12.

Got it!

On my way home from Preston today I decided to follow the train line from Fairfield to Montmorency to find caches in the SideTracked series.
This was my second find but a difficult one as two trains arrived at the station as I was approaching GZ. I waited a few minutes for the muggles to dispense and then swooped in, made my find and was back on my way to the next station, Darebin.
Thank you veevers12 for this cache and your contribution to the series.

TFTC

The original plan had us likely to head elsewhere, but Rebel Acts was called on to take some keen horse fanatics to Equitania at the showgrounds. He was going to be in the area all day so we decided to meet him as we had been looking for the chance to drop our granddaughter's bike back at her home nearby anyway. We were also joined by Omegaman which led to a fun day with lots of stories and gentle sledging. A great day out that took us to a number of places we had not visited before.

Thank you for your efforts in creating and maintaining the cache veevers12.
**SKI Pair****

Found by Omegaman1971, Rebel Acts, Ski pair

With Rebel Acts marooned on this side of the city for the day it was a perfect excuse to put some smiles on the map and feed my OCD regarding finding all of the current sidetracked caches in Victoria.

Almost looked like modern art!

Found by Rebel Acts in the company of Ski Pair and Omegaman1971

I had to drop the girls off a Equitana at the show grounds to today and pick them up some twelve hours later so plans were made with my caching friends to meet up to do a few caches for the day we started in the western suburbs before feeding our Side tracked obsession and chasing a few off those, we had a great day out the weather was just great for caching, plenty of laughs were had a long the way.

This is one of the caches found today.

Thanks veevers12 for the cache.

Found at 14:10
Next stop on the trail. A couple of trains turned up the same time I did so I had to wait for the muggles to disperse before making the easy find.
Thanks veevers12 for the cache

Spending some time today wandering north of Melbourne, and noticed this cache nearby. A nice quick find, all good here. TFTC from Tennessee, USA

SideTracked find 121.
I am visiting Melbourne to find as many of the SideTracked caches that have been 'breeding' in Melbourne, that I can. My second day of catching trains to stations with SideTracked caches. I purchased a myki card, so have card, will travel .
Arrived from Darebin. Another veevers12 SideTracked. Great to have more SideTracked caches. A leisurely stroll to GZ; good coordinates, and cache and log are okay. Then a leisurely stroll back to the station to await the train to Fairfield. TFTC veevers12.

Urban rubble =neat urban hide. TFTC

My bike group decided to ride a little further today so it gave me a chance to find this one, I didn't think I would see them again today but I caught up sooner than I thought. Thank you veevers12 for your cache in a great spot.
Greytiger

I resorted to come here after trying to go along the Yarra, which is flooded. I hope the caches survive!

LTF

Another side tracked completed although I thought I was going to miss out here. Fortunately it was quiet and well enough away from any eyes and I was free to search.
Well done on another clever hide veevers12

Nice hide TFTC

I, too, had been watching the SideTracked caches creep along this line and couldn't resist a go at this one.
Though perhaps most would show a bit more restraint when their train is due to leave in two minutes and the next one isn't for twenty minutes.

But therein lies the appeal of the series, I suppose - a mere 30m from the station with spot-on coordinates and a clear hiding spot.
And I silently rejoiced that I'd shortened my username!

No problems at all in the end, and no questions either - just far enough from the main entrance to avoid scrutiny while remaining convenient!
Train made and cache found - can't think of a better outcome.

Thanks to veevers12 for placing this one here!

Off to do Fairfield now!!

Got off the train here and soon had the cache in hand. Pretty quiet along here today and a beautiful day so I decided to walk to the next Side Tracked cache at Fairfield. It does feel a bit strange getting on and off trains at stations I normally pass right through. TFTC

I hopped off the bus at Alphington station and proceeded to search for the cache. I have no idea what the thing at GZ was, but I found the cache hiding away, with a little bug in its lid.

Got it update shortly

15:10
On the trains with zombeefish for a school holiday adventure.

After a few fun finds around Caulfield, we were off to an appointment up the Hurstbridge line. But there was time, hopefully, for a SideTracked cache or two.

The train here had a fair number of people aboard; I think it's the most crowded situation I've been in since the pandemic began. It was a bit of a relief to get off, to be honest.

Wow... What a find the hiding place is.

Well spotted, and cheers for the smiley, veevers12.

And as we walked off, planning on hoofing it to the nearby cache, I realised that we needed to catch the next train... so we'll pick up from here some other time.

#6381

Found after work near the witching hour

Thanks veevers12. Suppose to be leading a group of walkers today & showing the geo ropes. Unfortunately I seemed to have got my weeks mixed up. Never mind will do a reckie instead. Nice hide which will be a great start for the cachers in waiting. Enjoying your side track series’s keep them coming!

Pretty cool that you found the remnant of this concrete railway “something”

Thanks veevers12 for SideTracked - Alphington

#5810

I needed a cache today for a challenge and so glad a new one popped up within running distance. Tftc nice cute hidey spot

After an appointment nearby I had a little time before my next obligation to search out a few caches.
A short stroll to GZ and waited for a couple of passing muggles before heading to GZ. I located a likely spot quickly but couldn't find a container.
It took me longer than it should have to locate this neatly tucked away hide, as the previous finder had applied natural camo so convincing, it looked as if nothing had been undisturbed here for ages.
TFTC and for adding to the SideTracked series veevers12

Not quite quick enough for 1st to find but a nice find nonetheless. Quick and easy after reading the hint although Grub62 got distracted by the non obvious. TFTC.

Funnily enough, I didn't even notice this one when Eaglemont and it both popped up last night so it had to wait for a 'getting my steps up' sojourn today. Once at GZ, I soon had the nicely hidden stash in hand at 12:20 and it was off for some more steps.

TNLNSL, although our BYO pen geocoin had a visit to mark the occasion. Thanks veevers12.

After a medical appointment in town this morning Bunadoorian and I thought we would try to pick the newly published caches on the way home. This was the first we found. We parked nearby and came for a stroll. I thought oh look that could be there - oops Bunadoorian had it in hand as I turned around. I have enjoyed finding the SideTracked series caches. TFTC and for bringing us here veevers12.

##Published - thanks for contributing to Geocaching with this Listing.##

> *Interested in finding out a whole lot more about Geocaching?
Why not visit the geocaching travelling educational exhibition [**GPS Adventure Maze**](https://coord.info/GC9N1CX) appearing at Whittlesea on 19th and 20th November 2022.*

I've been waiting for this. Sidetracked caches on this line have been creeping towards the city in recent months, through Montmorency, Greensborough, Watsonia, Rosanna, Ivanhoe and Darebin, and it seemed inevitable Alphington would pop up some day.

That day was today. I saw Eaglemont come up at the same time, and went for it first, only to be 30 minutes after EuDes. Here some drizzle meant I had the area to myself, and at GZ the hide used a well chosen feature, so in short time I could claim the {FTF}. Thanks veevers12 for continuing this series.