Shelob's Lair (LR10) Millgrove, Victoria, Australia
By Nutcache on 31-May-04. Waypoint GCJJWA

Found in 2018 along with helms deep. For some reason the log never showed up!

Shelob's Lair (LR10) was transferred from Cache Guardians to user ilukaperi

More up to get here, still wet and horrible, pretty cold now, but the last few caches were in sight now. Saw the sign for the cliffs but wasn't expecting the enormity of the Lair - was worried my phone was going to slip out my hand and down into oblivion!! Found relatively quickly although struggled to get my hands working properly to sign the log due to the cold. Got there in the end and i was off down the track for the last couple of caches for the day (and some warmth and dry clothes). TFTC

Did this one during a detour while riding Hey Hey My My. Very deep hole, wouldn’t want to drop anything. Cache and log quote wet but do have a photo for proof. TFTC

Found this cache about 10m off the gps.
The clue and a previous post helped me broaden the search area.
I shone a torch down the shaft and was supprised it was so deep.
Tftc

Thanx for the Adventure Cache Guardians Stay Dirty ️

2001

A couple of years ago, heymissjo and I came looking for this cache, on a wet cold day. We were unsuccessful, and I have had it on my watch list since then.
Knowing that it had been replaced, and others were finding it, I returned, a while ago, with Mrs Varmint in her SUV, hoping to be able to drive to GZ. Unfortunately, the vehicle couldn't cope with the rough conditions, so the project was put on hold again.
Today the weather was suitable for another attempt, although there had been rain in the previous few days. So, full of enthusiasm, Crusty K9 and I decided to have a go at attacking the hill with our motorcycle and sidecar. We made it about a third of the way up before the rough, slippery conditions caused us to fail to proceed. It took some time to get the bike back down to a suitable spot where we could leave it, but then we set off to walk up the track.
Sook was a little reluctant at times, but I managed to cajole her along, and we arrived at GZ.
Now the fun started. We searched where the gps took us, but it remained elusive. Expanding the search, in the direction indicated on the device, also was of no help. We reread the previous logs and were no closer to finding the little devil. I decided to wander in the other direction, looking for suitable hiding spots. Voila! There it was, an indicated 15M SW of where GZ was indicated. Yay!!!! One happy man, and one happy dog.
Thanks for the adventure Nutcache. It's great to see a smiley face now, instead of old grumpy.

Fun find and deep mine

Wow, interesting
Found by Bowie, Bella, Lachy, Jasper!
"Don't fall down the mine, it will make an ugly splat"

an excerpt from an old yarra ranges national park management plan reads:
"Abandoned mineshafts in former gold-mining areas of the park may present a potential hazard to visitors."

this mineshaft seems to pose more than a mere potential hazard

while the metal barricade has been upgraded and reinforced in the past year or two
it’s a gutsier adventurer than me who puts that much stock into a thin and rusted portcullis
that sweaty effort of claiming gravitational potential energy puffing up the hill and the hundred-plus-metre drop is eager to reclaim it all back again
too strong a footstep
and
w
e
e
e
e
you're spider food

Tough walk up, but not sure if we took the correct track. No swaps, but left a couple of our own. TFTC

There was some muggals camped at the top but after they left I found it. Thanks Vic

Great to be able to get out again after 6 weeks of ISO. I have come out this way with my hubby to enjoy getting some time outside of our house. We have tried to find caches a little off track.

TFTC

After a few golden oldies and pioneers of caching so here I am! A quick find after a careful peek into the lair. Stopped raining but decided a walk is just fine when the wheel ruts are too deep for the vroom vroom. TFTC

Passing by today and the gate was open so I dropped in to check on the cache. It looked to be missing so I checked with a previous finder and fellow Cache Guardian who confirmed the location of the hide.
Cache container replaced and is now good to go
BernieH

Find number 7996 at 6:53:29 pm
Came for a drive out to Wesburn this afternoon after working from home all day, a great opportunity to stretch the legs, and grab a cache or two.
Headed up the hill in search of another cache which I drove past intent on finding somewhere to turn around and head back. Pulled into what I thought was a driveway and instead found a suspicious looking open gate calling me to enter. Several hundred meters later I found a Lair, simply amazing.
Discovering the cache was not discoverable I consulted with a fellow Guardian and it was decided to replaced the container.
Found it!
**Thanks for placing this cache Nutcache and the Cache Guardians for maintaining it.**

---
Big things are continuing to happen in Victoria! *Are you joining in the fun?*
[**The Whittlesea Event 2020**](https://coord.info/GC8EW40)
*14th & 15th November 2020 - GC8EW40 - Whittlesea - Victoria*

Sadly... very sadly I have to log this as a DNF... after an hour searching with crustyvarmint and k9.... we had to only assume that the lair has swallowed up the cache or maybe my geosenses are off... however the rain is bucketing and wil need to admit defeat today! Grumble grumble grumble.

Out hunting with Heymissjo and Crusty K9 today. No success here and fairly miserable weather conditions. Disappointed to call it a day, but we have more ahead of us. Thanks anyway.

The day was all about Ausfox;'s 4000th find at Gollum's Cave and with that achieved it was now time to sample the area for the local caches.
The GPS really did play a merry dance with us here for some reason but eventually the hint had us on track with the find. I don't think I would trust the wire protection over the lair I think it is just trying to fool you into being captured and dragged away.
Thank you Nutcache and Cache guardians for the cache

**7/04/2018, 11:22**
**Find #2956**
**Traditional Cache Find #2025**

I headed out early today with SteMicMitSar to target some unloved caches and a couple of Letter box Hybrids. This was something of a bonus cache in that Steve was able to drive his Outback all the way to GZ. You've got to like that. This was one of the very few caches that I found during this trip.

SL TFTC

**Thank-you to Cache Guardians for placing this geocache**

*7/4/18, Found @ 11:18 am, Find # 7788.*

It was a great day to head out and find a few caches so I met up with biggles1024 on we headed off with a number of caches as our targets.
At first we were thinking that this one was going to be a bit of a walk but as it turned out it was a nice park n'grab as we were able to drive right up to GZ.
My GPS was having a real issue at this one so while I was exploring the country side else where, Mark was finding the cache.
I certainly would not want to enter the Lair as you would not return.

**Thanks to Nutcache for placing this cache and Cache Guardians for maintaining it.**

Out for the usual day, early start, late finish, memorable adventures with SimsFamily and Neville Devil.
We ventured as far as possible in the geovehicle then walked the rest. The search for GZ had us back and fourth until the obvious was spotted. looks like victims have been dragged under the wire in places.

Log signed and replaced as found

Thanks for the Cache Nutcache and Cache Guardians for maintaining this series
#4,008

Nice find

I came from new cache down the hill and with all the butterflies out in force, I took tgat a sign that Shelob must be away. The stairs of Cirith Ungol almost did me in however. All the fallen logs over the stairs seemed to be telling me to leave, but that was not an option.
Eventually got to the top and found Shelob's lair.
Keeping an eye on the lair's entry, I signed the log and enjoyed reading the really old entries. Then took the main trail back down
Thanks for the cache Nut Cache
Hunter

My xmas in the bush caching run.
That is one hell of a lair, it appears that someone has been to visit Shelob.
So take care especially with the little ones while looking at the lair.
Thanks Nutcache

Shelob's Lair (LR10) was transferred from Nutcache to user day1976

Shelob's Lair (LR10) was transferred from day1976 to user Cache Guardians

Wysteria May have found it while I sat in the car in the rain

Tftc

I walked up to here from *Helm's Deep*, just taking a punt on there being something track-like somewhere if I climbed up immediately west of the quarry. There was a perfectly good track to the east on my map, but nothing shown to the west. So *obviously* I chose west. There ended up being a track, or a former track, but I later found that fairly drastic measures had been taken near highway level to discourage its use. Oh well. It was eminently walkable at the level I discovered it.

Upon getting to the top of the hill I immediately found myself focusing on the wrong orifice. The less emphatically vertical one. That was interesting enough, but the cache was nowhere near there. When I finally got serious and passed by the "lair" I obviously had to have a look down the hole. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen. (Well maybe not, but reflexive contraction of cremaster muscles was definitely evoked.) The cache itself was then found nearby in good condition. Thanks once more Nutcache!

An other interesting piece of history in the area. TFTC.

Out on a small adventure to warby caching and pizza hunting. Beeeeaaaaitiful evening tonight. TFTC

Rare daytime trip with Gunks. Beautiful spot. TFTC

Found with geoson, logs a bit wet, TNLN, signed log. Thanks for the cache

Tftc

TFTC!! A little damp but otherwise fine.

This geocache was a hard cache to find only because we had to walk up a steep four wheel drive road which was fun.

Had been to Helms Deep before and wanted my son to check it out. He went and found it and it was on to this one before visiting my brother. A nice walk that tested muscles i haven't used in a little while and a quick find. Thanks for the cache Nutcache. TNLN SL.

Found a nice little swap for geoson. What a place to see, tftc

Found it

Should perhaps have walked to this cache. We attacked this track after several days of drenching rain. Got up without to much drama but the slippery slope down gave us several big moments. I sometimes wonder why I do this. All in the name of geocaching. . Thanks again Nutcache.

This entry was edited by faulksi on Saturday, 30 May 2015 at 00:53:00 UTC.

Found it! Out on a late afternoon cache grab on a wonderful Autumn Sunday. Seasonal closures not yet in place so found the gate open and the track into the lair proved no difficulty for the trusty Geotruck. Given M's former occupation the location was no secret either, with many a workday spent cleaning up after the tip dodgers who treat this area with such disrespect. A bit of wandering around at the GZ whilst trying to keep Geokid 4 from exploring the sub-surface but K's keen eye soon had the cache in hand. Contents were a bit damp but we managed to dry it out a bit, log was still dry so log signed and cache returned to its hide....TFTC

Unfortunately I only have a 2wd so it was the long walk up the hill for me. The lair is quite scary and the cage has been damaged. She's escaped!! Thankfully there was no sign of her.
Quickly signed the log and headed back down. Thanks Nutcache.

Caches near here seem to be found more regularly. I did have the 4WD which admittedly turned this into a drive-bay. Still, great location which is not too far off the beaten track. And Shelob isn't actually here. Oops, sorry - spoiler alert.

With the gate securely locked today, and not much chance of getting a 2 wd ute up to the gz anyway I parked across the road from the entrance and made my way up on foot. Pity others use this area as a dumping ground but an interesting area for a cache all the same. It was a bit spooky looking down the lair near the gz also. Thanks Nutcache for bringing me here and the cache.

Interesting place. TFTC.

Well today was supposed to be a training day for the upcoming Oxfam Trailwalker. But upon arriving at Wesburn I had a phone call from my training partner to say that she had a flat tyre and was going to be late. I suppose I could have offered to come and help her change said tyre, or I could go and grab a couple of caches.

This was the second cache today. A nice brisk walk up the hill to an interesting site. Cache was found easily. A bit of moisture inside but not too much to worry about. Log was signable. Nice to knock another one in this series off. Thanks nutcache!

Thanks for the walk to a great view. SL

TFTC

My second geo found with my wife, an amazing spot! Thank you

The history is interesting in these places but humans lack of respect for the earth is disturbing. Rubbish everywhere and trail bike and 4wd tracks going everywhere. Thanks for the walk even though the Kia sportage would have made it up here. Tftc

Out as support again today for the final leg of our scouts Adventurer hike from Lilydale to Warburton and grabbing a few caches along the way.

Nearly made this a drive by cache except the lair was in the way.
That is one mighty deep lair.
TFTCSL

well i have finally got this one of my closest to home list this is actuall no1 on the list and the next 4 closest are yours as well ! but back to this cache ,today was such a nice day that we decided to go for a walk and why not do this one was a nice walk up the track we took our time lol .made it to the top and looked down into the lair wow wouldnt want to get stuck in there i didnt get to close tftc took nothing but left a bag and dvd

Nice quick find

These old mines are every where from Wessy to Reefton

any body bush walkig should be very careful

We have found many that do not have the protective cover over them that this one has

It is not something I would like to fall down

tftc

Great walk up a steep hill

Amazingly, we made it up the staircase - two children under four, a sick wife, and myself. There was a muggle with a dirt bike parked at GZ, but he soon packed up and left, after recommending a smoother path back down. The cache was located relatively quickly, with no sign of Shelob (thankfully).

TFTC!

Nice easy find, mine shafts are cool as. TFTC

Slippery drive up the track to GZ, nice easy find TFTC

Beau_rl and I successfully collected the cache from Shelob's lair, I'm glad she wasn't around to eat us. TFTC

Scary was tempted to enter lair but would prefered to have lived. Tftc!

Interesting to see a old mine thanks

I am stuffed!! Never saw the point of 4WD's for me but wish I had one today! An epic walk, took a bit longer than 20min and was STEEEEP! Much like Mt Dandenong fire break for anyone that's completed that! Cool area to look around, such deep mine shafts, a bit spooky really! TFTC TNLN, kudos to Nutcache for choosing to get up there to hide this cache!

After cutting my foot pretty bad last night the first two walking caches thismorning were a good test, but now to test it on my MTB.. I unpacked down the hill at Helm's Deep (LR13) and rode up here.. well at least till I foudn the gate at the contours that had unnecescicarily associated themselves with this hill.. Easy find after slow climb up the wet track... Thanks Nutcache for the third of 19 today.. TNLN.. find #1557

Clever hide great adventure

Hoofed it up the steep 4wd track and soon had the cache in hand.
Coming down was interesting (slippery)
I wonder if the miners lived on the hill or did the climb every day?
TFTC.

Found some deer bones as well. Enjoyed the walk in the mist. Impressive goldmine shafts.

First attempt, drove in my Mazda in the dry, only got 1/4 way up. Came back today in the wet in a Pathfinder, stopped half way up at the slippery rutted area and walked the rest. My first time seeing any of these shafts in the area, though hear they were out there. Took bus and shark as my 2.3/4 YO wanted them desperately, left Disney toy and another. TFTC&S

1.06PM

Nice cache, Definately a good idea to steer clear of the Lair!! However, too many march flies about today, once againso I didnt stay too long

TNLN.

Thanks for the cache.

Find # 1289 @ 15:02 on a caching day out with tackle_head
We drove all the way to this one. Nice easy find and I have to come back and explore the area some more.
TNLN SL Thanks Nutcache!

3up thinks this place needs more exploring . 4wd to here in the wet no probs - tftc

After finding the "Helm's Deep"cache' it seemed only logical to head up the 'stairs of Cirith Ungol' to find Shelob's Lair
The stairs are steep !!!! [xx(]
Bit slippery too with all those loose bone fragments littering the path [:o]

After enduring an eternity of plodding up one step at a time I reached the top of the mountain
The lair was obvious and I kept my distance as I searched for the cache.
Judging by the damage to the cage, I would say that Shelob has gotten out [:o]

TFTC.
I consider meself a confirmed 'Nutcache' too after trying this one [:o)]

1188 re-logging due to name change

1188 Nice drive-by with parking next to the Lair. Easy find. TFTC Nutcache

Found at 0815 hours, after a steep climb up the track which seem a lot harder that the Millgrove track yesterday.
Great location, glad I didn't see Shelob.
Took Geocoin.
Left Nothing.
TFTC

Should have checked the terrain before heading for this cache. I too climbed the steep side of the hill. Had plenty of water so it wasn't all bad. Got to the lair and was happy to be here. Had to rest for a while as Muggle dirt bikers flew past on the track. That would have been a better way to get here. All clear and I started my final search. iPhone had me back and forth with no real hides available so I had to check the hint and soon had the cache in hand. Can't believe I couldn't find it as it was right out in the open and while the cache was closed and safe, the latches were undone. Logged my visit and replaced the cache a little better than I found it. TNLN. TFTC. Kems

Coin Drop

3rd find of the day and 2000th total find at 11:35.

Woo Hoo!!!! check out the cache count! We have joined up with Pprass and Squalid for a caching weekend, but they have gone off to a few caches by bike, so we have branched off on our own for a few hours.

We thoroughly enjoyed the 4WD access to the cache, although we wouldn't recommend taking a solo vehicle short cut to 'Path of the Dead' at the moment, as the track is very boggy due to the recent rains.


Took: Nothing
Left: Screwdriver
Thanks Nutcache for the cache.
Ian and Penny

Cache is back in place dried out with a few extra swaps.

I have picked up the container to dry it out, will replace it within a week.

Drove the prado up to to this one. Found it easy. It is still wet.and had to write in the book. Didn,t know of this mine shaft.

Thankyou KL

Cache had about 10mm of water in it, and log book no longer usable.
Good spot though.

Squalid... WOW! Absolute credit to you having a go with the Camry! Was a little slippery sometimes, and only 1 tiny bottom-out for the Rowdayoh, "Charlie" but got to GZ.
Quick find, and awesome hole here. I wonder how many people have dared their drunk mates to walk across the Lair's Gate! Of course a few rocks thrown in to see just how deep it was! 3yo stayed right away from this.
Cache had about 10mm of water in container and log book is soaked so couldn't sign it.
Thanks Nutcache for the cache and the 4wd workout.

Well I must admit this was pretty cool, although I moaned to the other half of Squalid all the way up the hill. I clearly need to work on my fitness. Squalid did attempt to drive Camry up the track but was thwarted by a huge bump, he's very ambitious.
This cache container was also filled with water. I think it's the type of container. We dried it out as best we could, it wasn't too bad. Managed to write in the log in this one as well, which was good. Thanks for bringing us up here, it was well worth the effort.

Is shelob a sheep (LOL) cause if so he's dead and laying in the lair. A lot of water in the cach drained it and signed the log book TNLN.

Nice and easy find, good little walk up to it as well. Cache was still wet, but it hasn't seemed to have damaged anything. No swaps, took Sourdough Sam TB.

Our last walk of the day, and not an easy one. But a really enjoyable one.

The cache was very wet, Dried to out as best as I could. The log book is still good.

Left Tb Sam as this was the best gold mining spot arount, Well a few metres from a mine, me may get lucky. (Hope he stays dry enough)

Thanks

Luck Dogs Crew

Walked up from Helm's Deep and was able to find this one fairly easily. Cache was soaked so tried to improve things although the log was thankfully good in its plastic bag. T a rather soaked item and L a Frog (seemed appropriate!) Thanks Nutcache.

After enjoying a pleasant stroll along the river we thought that we would head for the hills, Emily's little legs wouldn't have liked the climb here but luckily Dad has a 4wd so Fullonphil took us up for a quick drive-by. A few motorbikes around here today but not when we were searching
Tthe cache was quite wet, so we dried it out. the log book is still okay
Thanks Nutcache, one more down in this great series

Out with Team Crackers today and they said they could not find this one last time as it had been moved and they had the old paperwork on the day. Any excuse for a bit of four wheel driving and we were rewarded with so great views and a nice easy drive by.
Thanks Nutcache this is my first of the LR series and wetted my appetite for more.

MMMM which track? So we had to have a look at them all. Picked one of them and up we went. What a buzz!! We stopped 8 meters from cache and wow what a lair, just then the rain started, and we had to hurry as a wetter than it was track would be suicide on the way down.
the cache had water in it but the swaps were ok but the log book was damp.
Thanks Nutcache for a fantastic 4X4 drive,
Regards Mr.Coffee and the "low range 4 is my friend" Clan

Impressive lair, glad no one was home. Too compass and left box of clips. Now for the downhill ramble. Thanks nutcache.

Checked on this cache today and dried it out (wasn't too bad actually). Plenty of motorbike activity in the area (noisy coots).

Found at 11.10am
A lair indeed, you could feel Shelobs breath coming from the mouth.
Amazing the lengths people went to for a little precious.
TNLN
Thanks
K&M

What a walk up that hill! There is nothing like a little cardio in the cold mountain air. Track was quite muddy but we managed to reach the top without incident. Once at the top we discovered the 'lair' and wondered what or WHO might live down there.. being my brave self i could only get a metre from the gaping mouth before i got dizzy. Whilst my mind was playing tricks on me i heard a 'found it!' from behind and the other half of the team had the cache. Unfotunately the cache was full of water. We tipped it all out and dried what we could, the log book somehow managed to be damp but dry dispite it's watery home. We removed the waterlogged leather gloves and replaced it with a hacky sack and mini pegs. This container will need replacing. Off we went back down the hill and spotted a lyrebird cheekily dancing across the road... making a total of 5 lyrebirds seen today!
Thanks for the cache Nutcache!

nice easy cache when you know the tracks, pulled up at the lair and had the cache in hand in no time at all, was a little damp so dried it all out, left some gloves took nothing, made a quick retreat before i became spider bait.
third for the day 14:45

thanks

Found at 4:00pm. The fifth cache of nine on our Tour of Warburton. After just completing Little Moira, this one was a snip. "S" had completed with xfking a few weeks back so it was time for a full Rabbitto log. A quick walk (although "H" chose to sit this one out) and not a bad spot, especially the lair itself. With the lair's guards failing on the south side, I'm glad we didn't attempt this one in the dark.

Thanks Nutcache from D, S & H B-A. Took a mini grater, left marker pen. Now off for more punishment at "Path of the Dead"...

found with xf king before i had my gps

Thought I'd drop by and try to find it in it's new location. Today it was a good no slip 2WD to the top were GZ used to be. The thermo fan kicked in with the climb. Didn't have the new coords but found it after a short wile. Left a log TNLN. Looks like XF King had been about too.

I think it will be safer here.
The Geocoin droped by too.

Thanks Nutcache

2.45pm
Unfortunately I didn't take too much chances today with some of the tracks so I parked down the bottom of the hill and we made the 600 metre walk up the track we wanted to do more caches around the area that we didn't do when we went on the winches and waterfalls trip but hmm a Ford Sedan couldn't make it up the tracks so we had to give up on many of them. We finally got there and it was a fairly easy find with S B-A from team rabbitto just walking up to the new hiding spot.. We had quite a few Dirt Bike riders heading our way so it was just a quick sign of the log book and stick it back into the hiding spot and walk on.. TNLN
Thanks from M.B, S.M
and S. B-A (team Rabitto)

I have driven past one of the entries to the tracks up here before always thinking that it was somewhat insane. But today I felt a bit insane at took my bike up there because walking was just too hard. Once near the lair I looked around and found it about 5mins later. There was a little bit of water here, so I took the soap out and put in a more water friendly golf ball. Thanks for getting me to actually go up the track.