Monumental Delight Harcourt, Victoria, Australia
By The Morris (adopted by claybol) on 11-Jan-06. Waypoint GCRZMT

I was planning on doing some mountain biking and geocaching while I was in the area earlier in the day. I made the short ride down towards this cache after having just found the one hidden near the start of this trail. As I neared the end of the trail, I was quite amazed to see all these granite blocks piled high around the area. I checked my GPS to see how far away the cache was and decided on the best route to get to it. I scrambled my way over some large blocks as I gradually made my way closer to GZ. I soon made it up and began searching for the cache. I noticed a fairly recent DNF in the previous logs so was worried this cache may be missing. Luckily however, the coordinates were very accurate and led me straight to the cache! I extracted the cache from its hiding spot and signed the logbook. All was in good condition with this cache and, after signing, I placed it back and continued on my way. TFTC

Has it really been over a year since someones been here?I thought Id detour off the freeway and getthis circuit caches. I started with this one but came away empty-handed. and because of the time taken, sadly I have no time for others.I have no doubt that I circled it many times, and even after looking at the previous logs didnt help.With light fading and being solo, I decided to pull the pin much to my annoyance.I would give you a favourite point for the adventure, I just have to find it first

Thanks claybol for placing this cache and contributing to this great game. Took the harder way in, not sure if it was the easier way out, certainly a lot pricklier. As I climbed the rocks kept thinking of those solo cachers who have had major accidents. One slip,twisted or broken ankle… but one pushes on… anything for the prize. Couldn’t believe how quickly the prize was retrieved and signed, ready for the next explorer. Thanks for bringing me to this amazing spot, so much cut stone, surely it’s not going to sit and waste! And a Great Wall too, fantastic place. Happy trails, Deanside ??

Tftc!
Not a easy found! Give them a fav point.
Best regards from Switzerland
J&U

Oh lord that was a hard one! Read through all the logs and when i finally gave the last 2 minute call, i bent down and moved something with my foot! Lo and behold there it was!

A trip to check out some of the awesome places in Victoria. TFTC.
I came in on the right side of the gully from the north-east. Got to the pine and with a quick search and 1 rock move, had the cache. A wonderful place.

When Brian and I were close to GZ we had a good long think and look about the direction we should to take to get to this cache. This turned out to be a very wise move. Thank you, cache and hide doing well.

Hard to find

Ok so I lied just before at the previous find… THIS is the last one for the day lol! Thanks for the cache claybol!!

Wow. THIS is why I geocache. Thank you so much for placing this. Had so much fun getting to it, however my partner had to find an alternative way back to the car because of his fear of something in particular. Favourite if I have any!

Wow!! Another area I had no idea existed. Thanks for bringing us here. Our not-so-tough labradog got us into a few pickles & he hated the gorse but braved it out in the end. I really must stop taking descriptions quite so literally. There were "obvious places" everywhere Many thanks

Well, that was a scramble but once I got to GZ, I made a nice quick find in the obvious spot.
Thanks for the cache and the adventure.
Greetings from Tassie.
Cheers, EPs.
№ 2784 @ 1055hrs Friday 26th August 2022.

What a cool area, a bit reminiscent of going through the rubble in the jungle around Ankor Wat in Cambodia
TFTC

After 12 days away camping the trip has unfortunately come to an end. After attending the dawn service in Castlemaine, it was back to camp for a few extra zzzz’s before packing up and heading home. Not before stopping for a few caches of course!

It’s no surprise I started this one at the wrong elevation but was able to change elevations easy enough. Dreading a needle in a haystack situation given the surroundings I was pleased that after letting the GPS settle the coordinates were spot on and a quick find was made. An interesting area!

Thanks claybol for adding this cache to the worldwide collection for us all to find.

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Big things are continuing to happen! *Are you joining the fun again in 2022?*
[**THE**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
[**WHITTLESEA**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
[**EVENT 2022**](https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC8EW40)
19th / 20th November 2022 – GC8EW40 – Whittlesea – Victoria

What an adventure this one was to get!! Once I eventually made my way to the gz I was a little nervous about wriggly sticks, my nerves were even more on edge when I spotted a large snake skin, wondering where the now larger owner may be! I searched around carefully and soon had the cache in hand! Geodog and I found an easier path out than our path out! TFTC

Got up to 44m and couldn't go any further.. silly old me didn't have the right shoes and there was a lot of prickly bushes in front. Maybe next time

Well that was a great scramble through rock and gorse. Great spot, tftc

What a awesome spot. This is exactly what I love about this game, brings us to hidden gems like this. TFTC The Morris and claybol for adopting this great cache.

Wow! Bit of a hike but we'll worth it. TFTC Fav point from me

Oh boy, that was an adventure, these miners left quite a mess of rubble and weeds everywhere! Some interesting features though, some half completed building projects and some very old trees here. Shame about all the Gorse and Vinca. The cache is only obvious if you come at it from the right side, and we did far more walking to nab this one than originally intended thanks to the prickly things and alarming holes into the depths of the earth. TFTC, I needed the exercise!

I started today fairly seedy. I had enjoyed some port around my campfire the previous night and not got going as early as I had hoped. But I had decided to just amble along.

With sunlight fading I set up to do the last few caches for the day before I’d have to start looking for a spot to camp tonight.

Lovely walk into this one. Some rock scrambling and a find after a bit of back and forth, trying to match up the coordinate.

TFTC.

Too deep

GZ was a little bit off for me. Once I put the phone away and started looking it was an easy find. Oh be mindful right at the start of the track, 250m from the hide, is a tree full of bees.Tftc.

Re-enabling the cache now that lock-down restrictions have been relaxed again

Disabling due to new COVID-19 restrictions

Ow ow ow. TFTC. Ow.

Monumental Delight was transferred from The Morris to user claybol

Second find for the day. Interesting spot. Watch out for prickles!

This cache has been on our to do list for a very long time but on our last visit (as newbies) we had no idea how to access Gz.
That’s definitely not the case this time as we parked the car and walked the 350 metres to the quarry. I let the fit Triton do the scrambling and he soon had the cache in hand.

Thanks The Morris for the placement, it’s good to get another oldie.

Found w/ Camerooga ️

Fun climbing up the Rocks. Was a cool area. Tftc.

Wow! loved the trek up here we had a little trouble finding it but we appreciate the scenery! featuring catherinec19 as always xx

loved finding tbis one with my geoboy! such a nice climb

??

Found with Mazza G

Looking for a place to take the grandkids for a morning out we chose Picnic Gully with just the right number of caches to keep their interest. We took the lower track in towards GZ and was surprised to find a very large pile of old granite blocks. The perfect playground for two 10 year olds. Together with Miss 20 month old and Master 3 year old we made our way around the pile of blocks zoning in toward GZ. I wondered where in this pile of old granite blocks one would hide a cache and on checking the previous logs found 4 DNF’s. From that point the GPS was handed to the 10 year olds and focus was spent climbing up the pile of granite blocks with the two youngest members of the team. I was very impressed with the efforts of Master 3’s climb and shouting out to ask his mummy if she was OK! Not far from the top we heard the squeals of ‘Found it’. Well there’s your Monumental delight right there! That was quite an adventure with the OGomells to find this cache so giving it a favourite point. After the find we realised there is a far easier way to GZ but we would not have had the adventure and fun. Thank you for bring us here and TFTC

Ree

Thanks for taking us here cool place and a fun hill climb but dnf

It was a good place to go but we could not find it

I tried to come here today but I ran out of daylight and it was just way to difficult to look for it safely in the dark. Will look for it another day, thank you though

Out with the husband and dog for a FTF close by and after not reading the notes and quite the trek scrambling across the rocks with my dog, I realized half way, there may have been another somewhat easier way...... decided to continue on up the rocks, i don’t know if the dog was helping me along more or I him. However we got to a point where the dog just dug the heels in and wouldn’t go on.
luckily the hubby had caught up by then and took him back out and around the easy way while I trudged on up the rocks. Quite the climb!
Happy to say we found it! what a Fantastic Hide! TFTC

Thanks guys, good activity while the kids MB!

On a well earned break in Castlemaine and I’m spending the time just touring the whole area, enjoying the sites and picking up caches as I go.
Another walk around the new mountain bike trails.
There sure is a lot of granite blocks lying around here that somebody would have had to pay for to be mined.
Thanks The Morris TFTC.

As the sun began to set we decided that this would be a fitting end. However we chose the hard was (of course) and with the piles of rocks everywhere the gps had a panic attack. eventually we narrowed down the search area and we were able to triangulate the GZ and the cache was uncovered. TFTC a FP for sure.

**Find #: 6077**
**Time: 4:18 pm**
**Date: Tue 11 Sep 2018**
On our way to Bendigo for our weekly granddaughter looking after duties, we stopped off in the Harcourt area for a bit of caching.
This was the 6th of 7 for the afternoon here.
Well this one was the highlight of the afternoon.
We parked in a little spot near the shelter, and walked along the lower road to the quarry.
I loved this place, as it seems I have an affinity with granite, just love it.
I was so impressed with the pink granite Stonehenge in Esperance.
I'd love to take about 3 or 4 nice sized blocks home and erect a little feature in the middle of the back lawn, possibly with a fish pond around the base.
Anyway, I scrambled up the blocks, and soon found the cache, while Pam watched from below, ready to call an ambulance if I slipped.
I later learned that the pillars ot the Bendigo Post Office, and the fountain in the centre of town, were built from Harcourt granite, as were lots of other buildings and memorials in Victoria and interstate.
A fav point awarded for all this fun and interest, and for the cold hard beautiful granite..
**Thanks for placing this cache The Morris**

Found it

Found it

Found after quite some time

Tough find. Nearly gave up!

Finally found this cache after the compass bounced around and bounced around.
So many prickles... and some nice kangaroos
We found the place to be quiet creepy.
Thanks for the cache

Find # 4463

A Lazy Saturday driving around the country side collecting smileys.
Well I have never been over to Mt Alexander so what better way to see it.
After coming off the mount it was time for some quick grabs a little further from home.

Last cache of my day. well i think I turned this into a T 4.5 as i went the wrong way around but still decided to scramble up the rocks. Still loving all the man made rocks around this area.

TFTC The Morris

4:01 pm #3552
Well, scrambling was not an option, so a leisurely stroll up the track it was. Eventually spotted the nicely hidden cache. Cheers.

Just an easy drive by she said... yeah right . first my gps had us 70 metres away. Once that was resolved it was an interesting walk to gz .. and a long look finally had the cache in hand..tftc

What an amazing place! Thanks for the hint 'look under a rock' lol.
Careful if you have kids, some of the 'rocks' do wobble. TFTC all in good condition.

Found today on a caching day with Scarletlake14. This one didn't look too difficult to get to and it wasn't....other than the road in!! Luckily we were in a tank of a corolla and managed to make it but there is no way either of my cars would have... the clearance you'd need would be high as well as little regard for the state of your paintwork. Anyway, once we paved a path to the closest point to GZ we exited the tank and walked to GZ. GPS was bouncing a little bit centrering on one area. We looked and looked and tried to avoid the spiky Gorse shrubs. We were about to head off when scarletlake spied the hide in a lot further than either of us expected. We signed the log, took nothing and left nothing. Thanks for bringing us here, amazing to see how many quarry sites are around!

With great trepidation (because of the recent DNFs) we set off down the rather rollicking road to this one...
By feeling our way to the bowels of the rock we managed to get this one. Another great quarry site, thanks for the find

Unfortunately too overgrown n very spiky. Next time hopefully

No luck today, even with a bit of help from the owner. Next time gadget.... Still the kids enjoyed the bush, so it was still a win!

We stopped the car when the logs blocked our way, but were undeterred. Why would anyone not proceed on foot?
The wall of granite is impressive, and the rest of the quarry is amazing to walk through. To find the cache just topped a nice hike.
We signed the log on a page as close to 10 years to the day from the original find as we could, then looked about a bit before heading home. Great location, thanks for the cache.
A geology friend says Maldon granite is some of the best in Aus, but this quarry probably has flaws that led to its abandonment.

I walked in and tasted the plums on the trees on the way. The yellow ones are good. I wanted to parkour all round the quarry, but fourw didn't want to have to carry me out with a broken leg. When I wobbled a 1 ton boulder by walking on it I agreed and we went home.

Extremely long grass there at the moment.
Be careful of snakes and kangaroos.
Tftc.

In my usual style i managed to turn T2 into a T4 Firstly the track in had trees fallen across it so had to negotiate thise, and being a hot day I was wearing sandals. Not a good idea asit turned out. Arriving at the quarry I followed the arrow towards GZ. Lots of scranbling later I arrived at GZ and signed the log then made the indicated T2 return. I think this just added to my already awarded doctorate in making easy things difficult. Thanks for the challenge, it was great fun The Morris

Smothered by mozzies but enjoyed the views on the way in. Clearly marked as promised. With fayemous65

Another find with Reesylou. Quite an obsolete course. Don't forget the mozzie spray. TFTC

Found it. Put the
Log in a new zip lock bag as the old
one had holes in it. Took nothing. Left a small scary figurine.

There is a tree fallen over the road going in to the quarry so couldn't get in there.

After a short stop back in Harcourt we headed out to grab this one. Driving in as close as we could get we went for a short walk to this granite gravesite. How eerie is this place. It's amazing that they cracked all this granite and then left it. Thanks for the hide and bringing us here.

We were within 5 metres, but found the terrain difficult because of the gorse and blackberry bushes, didn't find it,

Find #975 for me. Being in a 2WD I didn't want to take my car down the track heading off to the right so I parked the car off Picnic Gully Road and decided to walk in. This was just as well since just past the first slight bend, the track was completely blocked off by fallen trees, presumably caused by the wind storm reported by the previous logger. After scrambling my way past the debris, I made the climb to GZ - happy to be alone today since it would have been far too difficult with the kids. I had a quick find at GZ since the container was somewhat exposed so I gave it a little more cover before leaving. The cache, log book and other contents were all dry and in good condition - it was just the surrounding landscape had taken a battering. Thanks for the cache The Morris!

Been a big wind storm last night falling trees every where may need checking we will be back

Found with 3 grandchildren

Found it with the geolobeasts!

Found it! What a place... loved bringing gorkids here to have them explore an area like this... with lots of care of course....
Tftc tnln

What a great little spot

A good easy find TFTC

Tftc

The tree is gone.

Road into quarry blocked by fallen tree UNABLE TO FIND!!!

No #4 found for the day with BeardedMuggle, sorry for my delayed and boring log.
The old app only has a couple of days left to live so I'm trying to catch up on all my finds that have just been sitting there in saved lists.
Thanks for bringing us here.
Cheers and T.F.T.C!
Safe travels & hoppy caching =]

Another great cache.

A good one for mountain goats!

Find No. 996. Found at 5.55pm

After a day at the footy in Harcourt we thought we would grab a couple of caches before heading for home and this was one of them.

As we did not like to chance taking our van through the large puddle in the middle of the road, we just parked the van and walked rather quickly due to it getting darker. Wow there sure are plenty of rocks in this area - of which we climbed over quite a few to locate the hide. Getting back to the van was easier, we'd found a track to walk on.

Took coloured paper clips. Left large horse.

TFTC The Morris

Thanks. Great spot

Well talk about doing it the hard way!!! Must be a track out of here with no rocks!!! Great to locate the cache and sign the log . added a few swaps for fun. Thanks the .Morris for this adventure . All good at the cache site.now to walk back to the oak forest and the geomobile.i must be fitter than I thought I was. A great day out in the fresh air and sunshine .

Found! That's a lot of rocks there

Not really a 1 difficulty. Took a while to find.

Awesome spot in the rocks

Its in the rocks literaly

Plenty of rocks here! Cheers.

Time for a geo-road trip, with caching mate ahomburg. In a bid to avoid the madness and hussle & bussle of Chrissie, we had 3 days up our sleeves, to do all things .... GPS games related

After a disappointing DNF at a nearby cache, we were determined to change our fortune and find this one. We parked roughly a couple hundred metres away and as approaching to GZ, an edumacated guess had the cache in our hot little hands pretty darn quckly .

Many thanks to The Morris for placing this cache. TNLN

Date: 25 December 2014
Time: 10:20
Find #4303

Well, it was summer holiday time and time for a road trip. Both my Housemate Obi-Cal and I had no commitments for the next three days, so it was decided a bit of a drive was in order. I was keen to find some caches in certain locations for both Victoria Country Road Atlas Challenge (GCY98X) and also the newly published Victorian LGA Polygon Challenge (GC5DFFR) and Obi-Cal wanted to gain some more points in another location based game he is passionate about.

Merry Christmas

Second cache of the day and another new region covered in the LGA challenge. After a DNF at the nearby cache, we hoped for this one. The car pas parked a couple of hundred metres away and upon approach to GZ, i took a guess where the cache was hiding and was spot on.. Cache is in good condition.

Thanks to The Morris for placing this cache. TNLN

Found with teigs15. As usual we went the long tricky way, our GPS had a little trouble when we got to the point but after a good search we finally laid eyes on the most obvious place it could have been hidden, and sure enough there it was. Very nice spot for a hide! TFTC

Good hide we were nearly ready to leave reluctantly but just moved the right thing ad we found it TFTC with tikito

Micaparamedic and myself went to Melbourne for a cache in trash out event, on our way we dropped in and braved the prickly bushes to find this cache
Thanks for the hide

Thank you

Great location. tried the short cut but then decided the long way round would be safer. Thanks

Good fun scrambling with the kids to access this one. What an amazing place if rocks. Geocaching always takes us to the most unusual places. Thanks for the cache.

After battling the bush we finally got to the spot. First place I looked it was. Lucky

Found it

What a gorgeous little spot on a lovely day like today, found the cache and took in some of the views and sunshine on offer..TFTC