SideTracked - Clayton Clayton, Victoria, Australia
By queenant89 on 29-Apr-23. Waypoint GCA7ZAG

Second trip seems to be the charm, particularly when armed with a gentle nudge.Cant believe I missed this the first time actually yes I can, I often fail to see the small but obvious. Thanks for bringing me out to the cool historic info panels.

Another search for SideTracked caches was on the program for today with goingplaces2. Enjoyed finding the info for this one but finding the container was a challenge. After doing some reading and very careful looking it became a successsful find here and signing duties were soon done. TFTC.

SideTracked cache 230. Following the SideTracked theme again today with ilook4geo, this cache was not a quick and easy find. We groaned when we saw the hiding place and after a few minutes looking decided to check out previous logs. This gave us a slightly better idea on the location and then it was spotted. A delicate bit of fingerwork soon got the cache in hand. Both names were added to the log and it was off to the next one. Thanks for this cache placement go to queenant89.

It is found! It is found! A meaningful cache for me (see my DNF log from last year) finally located with a bit of help after many hours and a rainy downpour. Nice to see the smiley here.Thank you queenant89 for the cache.

There are a couple of rough sleepers who look like they have taken up residence inside the shelter. I was still able to gather the information by standing outside the shelter and not disturbing their daytime slumber. Luckily I spotted the information for the second set of questions quite quickly. My numbers for GZ seemed plausible so I took a short stroll. . . Upon arriving at GZ I realised that it was NOT going to be a quick and easy find! I searched for quite some time and then resorted to a PAF. Turns out I was looking at things from the wrong angle! As soon as I changed my perspective I spotted the sneaky hide! Thanks for an interesting and challenging multi.

I had finally ticked a few things off my list so decided I would head south and find a few caches I had been eyeing off. The clouds looked ominous, but surprisingly for once they cleared once I arrived.No trains today as the line is on bus replacements this weekend.What a cool old station building this is and great to see it preserved. It does appear to have become temporary accommodation for some unfortunate rough sleepers though, so be mindful of the time you visit.I got a bit lost searching for the second component, looping the station building a few times before eventually coming across the info I needed.I arrived at GZ and I soon realised the reason for the higher difficulty. With the overhead sky rail, obtaining an accurate pinpoint is always a challenge so the methodical search occurred which ultimately ended with a PAF to first check that the coords were correct, and second seek a nudge for the hide.A big thanks goes to queenant89 for taking the time to add SideTracked - Clayton to the geocaching map for us all to find and enjoy.----------------------------------------------------------Wow! The fun just never stops.Join us as we announce the winners in the 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards in addition to celebrating Geocaching Victoria's 10th Anniversary.**When:** Saturday, 16 November 2024 from 5pm**Where:** Yarraville-Footscray Bowling Club, YarravilleLog your will attend at [**GCAWDFX: 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards & Birthday**](https://coord.info/GCAWDFX).Also have you logged your will attend for Victoria's first ever Block Party? (Think Mega but even more special!)Join us on 22-23 March 2025 in Sunbury to celebrate 25 years of geocaching by logging your will attend at [**GCAP417**](https://coord.info/GCAP417).

Found on a second search of the GZ area. Great puzzle and really tricky hide, thanks CO!

I needed to find a multi cache today in order to fill in a missing calendar date for [RoamingHowie's](https://www.geocaching.com/p/?guid=24963346-56c5-4daf-8308-a01f60f5a5ba&wid=6a725450-9b6f-4892-abca-126a7026759c&ds=2) [WCW - 95% Multi Calendar Challenge (GC9Z59M)](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC9Z59M) and with the weather being rainy and a bit miserable today I decided to just head to my nearest unfound multi cache, this one.Of course it wasn't until I arrived at the [recommended parking coordinates](https://www.geocaching.com/seek/wpt.aspx?WID=c0b8574c-e1fb-4f24-9238-cdfbcd8c0175&RefID=4904c4d1-88ef-4eb7-a877-90de57f267ff&RefDS=1) that I noticed that this cache was a D3.5, but I was hopping that the rainy weather would keep the muggles away and allow me to have an uninterrupted search once I calculated the coordinates for GZ. I ended up loving the historical aspect that this cache had. It was really neat to see the old railway station shelter be turned into a an information station. I really loved reading all of the informational panels. So after spending probably too much time reading about this history of the old station and also trying to avoid the heaviest of the rain, I calculated the coordinates for GZ and was off. With the rain still coming down fairly heavy, I was glad to see that GZ wasn't too far away. Of course once I arrived and my phone homed in on a general area, I knew I was going to be in trouble. I feel like the train tracks always mess with my mobile service and with this paired with all the rain I knew I was going to struggle to get an accurate reading. So I decided to put the phone down and let my geosenses kicked. Lucky for me the rain indeed did keep most of the muggles away, which was good as it was a struggle at GZ. Well after poking and prodding and trying to check every nook and cranny, I was just about to call it a night. I was wet from head to toe and cold. I literally was just standing up to call it quits when finally I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.*Could it be?!*I almost screamed with joy when I spotted that little guy, I was beyond excited. It made the wet drive home totally worth it!A big thanks goes to [queenant89](https://www.geocaching.com/p/?guid=3c21b8b1-31de-4287-8778-2a0c85ed2a85&wid=4904c4d1-88ef-4eb7-a877-90de57f267ff&ds=2) for the challenging and historically themed multi cache today. TFTC.**Cache Maintenance Status**The cache container was in good shape and the attachment mechanism still seemed strong. The logbook was clean and dry *(despite all the rain lol)* and had plenty of room for future cache finders to sign.

Another after work caching run while working in this area. 5 finds and 1 cache missing for the early evening, not too bad.Fairly busy time, but no-one seemed to pay any attention to me walking around looking at the signs. Glad that that homeless person who has decided to live here wasn't around. Could have got very awkward standing over their things looking at the signs. Shame that they don't have anywhere to live, but this is not the right spot either.Once the GZ was determined, it was a nice stroll. Took too long to find as I missed it from the correct angle the first time I looked there.Thanks for the cacheHunter

After finishing a local card tournament around the corner from here, It was now time to go out and grab a cache for the day. Feeling in the mood for a multi, once again I was put in a situation where I have been here before to grab the information but cannot find any note of it anywhere.... ah well. After a quick search the required information was grabbed and I was off to the final. Arriving at GZ I quickly knew where I had to look, up, down, left and right! Soon enough after gaining the correct angle I spotted the sneakily hidden cache and quickly returned it back. Thanks for the cache and the little adventure.

The puzzle was great!!The coordinates were perfect!!But boy oh boy was it a tricky find!You should look, and look and look some more. It really is there!

A beautiful station and a great collecting of interesting information, including the outside tickets!Took the stroll down to GZ but ran out of time to make the find unfortunately.I always get nervous with needle-in-haystack hides as they rely on the previous finders returning it exactly as found

Couldnt work out e and f

It took us a while to find all the information we needed but afterwards, a plausible set of coordinates was determined.We thought we knew what we were looking for at GZ, but it turned out to be something else. It took some finding but when viewed from the right angle it was clear enough.Thanks queenant89 for another interesting challenge and for placing this cache here for us to find.Chiefton!!!

On Monday I am required in Melbourne for work, and I figure, that's an ideal opportunity to fly down early and spend the weekend geocaching and enjoying the suburbs. Day two, Sunday today and after a lazy start to the day, I'm off to visit a few LGAs to the South-East by foot and train.Yesterday was big with >17,000 steps under clear skies, but hardly broke a sweat. Today is much more of the same, which makes for much easier miles than nearer home. By this time I am a few train rides deep, and alight at Westall. I head south and grab a few geocaches, then from the Westall Library, I set off on foot to Clayton Stations here. Yes, it's a couple of kilometres, and my step counter is just steadily clicking up.Well on my way to matching yesterday's step count, I ponder as I walk if there are any hirable scooters or bikes here, nope. I debate an Uber. And instead I dig the apple out of my bag to distract me from my sore feet and carry on. Main Road, Haughton Road, a sit down on a fence, the footpath and facilities along it.. and I arrive mercifully at the station.This is just fantastic, the preserved old station, honoured in the shadow of the train in the sky. I plonked myself down in the middle of the wooden floor and commence collecting the clues. I was amused at one of the panels showing the "old station as it was" but had a "Dumb Ways to Die" billboard clearly in said photo. I think I'm getting old?Outside it took me a minute to find those clues, but they're obvious in hindsight. I again plonked down to plot the final location. I saw where it was and was ready to physically harm the CO for the direction it was. However, nearing the end of my day's plan, I had a fir but kind word to my feet and saddled up for more steps.Arriving at GZ, thankfully the area was deserted and I could hunt in peace. But it didn't take long - the first place I looked. Hard to be upset at that! I signed the logbook at 17:10, replaced as found and made my way back to Clayton to head back into Melbourne and my room. Thanks for this enjoyable multicache, queenant89

I found this cache today on a trip out to Clayton. Found the inside clues easily but it took a while to spot the outside. That time paled into insignificance to the time it took to finally spot the cache. Thanks from D B-A

They've done a great job preserving the old station building here and plenty of information to gather!I made my way to the calculated coordinates and after a bit of a search spotted my target but without my trusty TOTT getting to it was going to be an issue. After almost giving up I noticed a solution to my problem and had the log signed in no time. TFTC!

How dare I? What? Email you and message you? I tried both. No reply. Anyway glad the cache is there and hope it is still there when I return in a few years. Thanks.

After a long search I found this sucker. TFTC!

I anoint this sidetracked multi as one of the most interesting ones yet...partly because the planners have done such a top job of presenting a peek into the past so well. This proved to be a good cache for a less mobile me to do so hip hooray for that too. Knowing this find can be a bother for some I approached GZ with trepidation but the co-ords were spot on and I had that bingo moment within a minute or so. Yep I saw a 'sign' TFTC and the fun...a FAVE for all that well deserved!

I visited the cache today and updated the logbook. I didn't get any message from cuddle fish. How dare you?

Three attempts and no response to my email to the CO.

I have such a fondness for Clayton station. For most of my life, my fathers office was across the road with his name the first thing you would see from the train. As a student, I would catch the train to come help him after school. After moving to Vancouver, on the occasions I would visit with my young son, I would come with him in the morning to the office and catch the train downtown for our adventures and return before it was dark. In 2019 I got to see the brand new station and caught the train many times but alone now. My dad retired this year. His office is no longer across the road.I was excited to see this cache - I love the side tracked series and I was excited to see park of the old station was preserved. I got the clues and appreciated the shelter as it was raining and very, very windy. I dutifully walked down to GZ and began to search. We dont have hides like this in Vancouver, I wasnt certain of the type of container and I have no PAFs. After an hour long search with my dad impatiently waiting in the car I had to reluctantly give up.The most bitterly disappointing DNF Ive ever had.

*Found on the 1 Sep 2023 @ 4:39 pm.*
*Cache find # 15023.*

I had done the groundwork for this one a while back and was saving the actual signing for a day when I was needing a multi cache find, today being that day.
I did have a brief look after the groundwork was done but there were a few muggles about that time, so I didn't have much of a look and I didn't want the find for that day anyway .
Today, when I arrived, the search started once again, today I couldn't just walk away as I was needing the find.
A few minutes had passed when sometime caught my eye which needed a closer look and sure enough the cache was soon in my hand.

**Thanks to queenant89 for keeping the game going by placing this cache.**

We are heading to Gardenvale for a school pickup and decided on a side track. Most of the information was obtained quickly although it took a little more investigation to find the ticket info. Anyway we soon had the coordinates for GZ and set off. On arrival we were a little daunted by the likely hiding spots. Anyway the search did take a quite few minutes as were search the various nooks and crannies. Eventually Lyn spotted the container and we soon worked out how to retrieve it - a little clue I had missed. Well worth a favourite point. Thanks to queenant89 fir the cache.

Out and about with echidna44 for the day. Another side track to put a smile on. Loved the clues you needed to find and then the walk to GZ. Then our trial started. Curious looks while two older woman with bottoms up in the air. We checked and rechecked then PAF only to friend we were looking at the wrong ...... Then it was then found but needed some encouragement to come out. Cache in good condition. Thanks for the challenge queenant89

Out for the day with xambo4u, we arrived here feeling very confident. We looked at the Old Station while we gathered the clues, then set off to GZ.
OH NO We looked and we looked and we looked
We finally resorted to a PAF for a little more info. Then BINGO, we found the little devil.
A really good multi (except for the search) thanks queenant89.

We’ve been up in Melbourne to do a spot of Geocaching and events, which of course meant catching up with friends. On the way home I wanted a multi to fill a gap in my calendar, so this was our port of call. I loved the old station waiting room. It brought back so many memories of the hours I spent waiting in a similar waiting room at Diamond Creek going to High School and Teachers College, etc. The information on the posters, especially the railway maps, amused us for hours. I can also remember the Griffiths Brothers Teas signs along the railway fences.
Finding the tickets, etc was a bit more of a challenge but their ingenious inclusion in the nearby furniture helped solve the problem. The biggest challenge was finding the cache. I hate looking in this type of hiding place and in the end it turned out that the overcast weather directed me to a location at the wrong end of a structure we eventually found the cache in. Very devious! Thanks for the fun!

Found the cache and logged the log queenant89. Thank you so much for placing it.

To continue my streak for the souvenir after finding an ad lab for 2 days and not getting the 2 day streak souvenir I thought I would look for a real touchable cache. Clue gathering was fairly easy with a slight delay in between when I headed the wrong way after leaving the first set of clues.
It was dark at GZ but it actually worked well because I saw something shining under the phone torch light and there was the cache.
Thanks queenant89 for the cache, the adventure, the hunt and the fun.

My lunch plan today... I discussed with Spiffy- en route who said it was doable in my time for lunch.

I was happy for the shelter while I collected the clues away from. The very cold wind. Also GZ was great as it was close to the car spot I found.

At GZ.. my first words where "oh crap" but luckily I had it in hand quickly and back into the warm car

Thanks to queenant89 for the fun and the adventure.

10:28
Someone suggested shenanigans, so I bolted for the commuter train to the city and beyond while making arrangements to meet.

Clayton seemed a good option, as I could at least gather some information before n0w0rries arrived.

So I worked out some numbers at the shelter, then scratched my head for a while, pondering where to collect my tickets for the rest of the journey.

Aha!

But my figures didn't quite add up...

Oh. I interpreted that question a tad differently.

So off I trotted... and spotted the glint of, well, something... just before my driver, who'd been hoping to dally for a while and laugh while I searched, pulled up nearby.

Superb work, queenant89.

#7652

Woof woof. TFTC queenant89. I found with my mum beckNmonts

Today ManfredWolfgang, and myself ventured far far away and found… this cache! Lucky Manfred loves a good multi!

Thanks for the awesome cache, queenant89

We were asked if we were going for this one when it was published by our nearest (& dearest) geocaching addict…I think she was a little disappointed when neither of us were interested in going out with her at crazy o’clock. Our FTF hound days are well and truly behind us, especially once it’s wine & couch time…we were receiving messages from her within 40 minutes expressing frustration and I must admit we sat there watching our TV in the warmth of our living room quietly pleased that we had been lazy and said no to the night time adventure. Today was a different matter. After a few hours at work I decided to make a detour on the way home and see if this cache is easier to find in the daytime. Pleased to report all went well, info gathered and a set of numbers gained and off to GZ we went. Can totally see why this hide frustrates some searchers! Luckily a very minor detail was spotted quite quickly that revealed the cache. Phew! Thanks queenant89

Find number 12055 at 11:24:57 am on Wednesday the 31 May 2023
Came down to Clayton this morning to pick up a swag for an upcoming trip north and thought I would grab a cache or two whilst I was down here.
Great initial coordinates location, good to see some things saved for posterity, with a difficult hide that was eventuall spotted after a methodical search.
**Thanks for placing this cache queenant89**

---
Have you logged your will attend for the “Cachemas In July” event?
More details are available at: [GCA7WT4](https://coord.info/GCA7WT4)

If you are looking for some new caches to find, explore the nominees for the 2022 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards.
The Geocaching List is available [here](https://coord.info/BMC8QYR)!

Out and about with My good caching mate Omegaman1971, there are always plenty of laughs while we are turning caches into smiles.

This is one of the caches found today. We got lucky on this one.

Thanks queenant89 for the cache.

Found by Omegaman1971
Out and about with Rebel Acts after finishing early from work. It's always great to be out putting smiles on the map.

Cheers for the cache and the opportunity to get out and have some fun.

Who doesn't love a sidetracked cache

I found the Old Shed and gathered the information. Coordinates were sorted out and the location looked feasible. Off we go to GZ, expecting a quick find, but this is a killer hide. So many possibilities. Half an hour later I was still searching. Bah. I was contemplating returning to the shed to double check my findings when I spotted something. Woo Hoo. So simple but so, so effective. I almost gave up, but I am so glad I persevered.

Enjoyed myself and loved the history.
Find it and sign the log as EV, and thanks for the cache and hunt.

FP from me ️

Date: 9 May 2023 Time: 2:37 pm
Find #13768

Worked this one out when it was first published but sadly a dnf. Today I had a longer look and bingo. So tricky.

Massive thanks go to queenant89 for placing this one.

I saw the email notification of this one drop the other day, but before I could do anything I saw a couple of likely FTF hounds and their DNFs. Well then I'd have no luck if they can't find it, so I stayed in and kept an eye on proceedings.

Sure enough, they were back at it again a day or so later, claiming the first- and second- to finds. That was a good omen, and armed with some intel (not gonna lie, yet it was just enough to keep me searching for awhile), we headed past the quaint railway shelter after our info was collected.

Getting to GZ, we said "oh, not as easy as it seems", but got lucky after about 5 mins of searching. Standing at the right angle, and squinting seemed to help LOL!

Thanks queenant89 for this SideTracked multi, which I believe is now my 6th ST find! Clever hide.

After a failed fruitless search with n0w0rries the other night, I had to come back today to avenge the DNF. Hmmmm, I'm sure we checked that spot at least 10 times, maybe even 20 times.

Anyway, today after a short search in the daylight I found the little blither.

Thank you for the multi and cache here queenant89

Nothin

{FTF} # 371
Find: # 8,497
SideTracked: # 69

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If there is anything better than being the first one over the line, it would be the added bonus of avenging an earlier dnf.

I was expecting this to be easier to find by torchlight, but after hours of fruitless searching, nothing was discovered.
With the exception of an old shed, some signs and the lovely, helpful lass in customer service.

We need more caches with personal attendants, IMHO.

Thank you for the multicache and the informative addition to the SideTracked Series Queenant89.

Too many possibilities, could take hours!

Cache is there: and ripe for the FTF pickings.

Nope

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