You can leave your hat on Hat Head, New South Wales, Australia
By Liz and Bruce on 02-May-06. Waypoint GCVV2B

Missed the track and went bush bashing to make my way to the top. Found the cache and the trig point.TFTC

Bit of a bush bash to the top, but the views are amazing when you get there, tftc

Heading north we picked up a few caches along the way and this was one of them while staying in the area of Kempsey.

I walked up to do the TP and picked this one on the way. Great views were had from here on a nice sunny afternoon. Cache and contents were in good condition.

Thanks Liz and Bruce for placing and maintaining this cache for our enjoyment.

My third cache of the day.
Im up the coast for a few days to meet up with family and i thought id use the trip as an excuse to grab a few caches.
Quite a treck to get to the top on a warm day but the view made it worth it.
After resting in the shade for a minute i began the search. I initially was focused on a particular hiding spot type but after running out of those i expanded to other obvious spots and soon had the cache in hand.
Thanks.
#1667

Nice view across to SW rocks etc... Tftc and tnln. HOTA

#260 Found today on holidays with family and friends. Cache in good order

Our 2nd time up here, we originally climbed to the top about a decade ago but that was before we started caching. Much easier to find and follow the "track" this time around.
A thorough search soon revealed the goods.
Thanks for the cache

The track was tough to locate but not the cache.
Certainly fabulous views from here.
On top of the world at Hat Head
Thanks or the cache Liz and Bruce

Track head marked by two green sandbags 15m below seat. Someone has put orange ribbon in trees to help locate overgrown track.

A bit difficult to find track but worth the view at the top. Track head is marked by two green sandbags 15 m below bench seat and then some one has marked track with orange ribbons in trees which make it a bit easier to navigate. Pretty sure I put 2021 in log book not 2022!

Found this log awhile ago with Ronnie, but forgot to log it at the time.

Tftc.

Found

Long and heavy track with an eventual find. Tftc

Up here, the sound of the ocean is distant! Found during our stay at Hat Head on a misty rainy morning! Thanks for placing! : )

Beautiful spot! Felt like I was at the end of the world. 3 whales with a bubba cruising past. Loads of butterflies and birds leading us. A few kangaroos too. Great scenery out around the point. Was a good trek around and worth it. Just take some care getting down to the cache. TYFTC and especially the Dunghutti people whose land we walk on today.

Sorry the spelling should be Dhanggati, just saw the sign at the Gap.

Disregard my found note. I have found now woth this post (accidentally wrote for the north headland one. apologies!)

The top of the hat is a beautiful panoramo. Mission walk but could still make out the track. Wear long pants.

Found quickly got scratches all over me tftc

No love for this cache on a few years so had a go from the Eastern side, only 200 meters, but wow, what a rough 200 meters.
After getting to GZ I couldn't locate the original cache so dropped a new temporary cache if that's ok with the CO, let me know if it's not and I can delete.

Thanks for bringing me here and TFTC

Track is really badly signalised now, got lost several times on the way up and down and had to walk through bushes and dead trees..
Got all the way up there but sadly couldn't find anything.

For those going up there, don't make my mistake, wear pants and not shorts..

When we were last at Hat Head finding the Devil Island cache, we looked for the track to this but were unable to find it so on the way to Mesmerising Motion today we looked again. Finally out near the end we spotted a sign that said Trail. 'This is it', we thought and took off along the steep track going up in a more or less right direction until it became more natural terrain than track. 82 metres to go. Continuing on, the leading explorer's words floated out of the undergrowth 'if you can crawl, there's a track through here'. Finally we bush bashed our way close but the route ahead was a wall of thick impenetrable lantana, bushes and who knows what else. If this is what explorers had to contend with it's a wonder Australia ever got discovered!

With superhuman, bush penetrating, lantana scratching effort we finally came through at a tiny clear area. Checked the GPS ..... not far to go, effortwise a lot. Pushed through some more metres, turned around and the trig was behind us. In a blind effort to go forward we'd started circling around it. Backtracked to the previous spot and with some large bush hidden rocks scaled we came out at the trig, the views and over there, a path! [xx(]

It took us a while to find the cache, we weren't fresh with energy, we also weren't leaving without signing it. Besides it was quite restful searching compared to getting there. Eventually it was found and now came the decision.....do we go back the way we came or choose the unknown path? No decision, we chose the unknown path that took us on a reasonably vegetation free route back to the main track.

For anybody else wanting to take the easier way to the cache, we took co-ordinates where the trail leaves the path because there's no point in making it a T5 unless you want to. Also on the main track (if you see it) is a recently painted purple spot on a rock. This is the trailhead co-ords if you want a 3.5T route - S31 03.296 E153 03.453. TFTC and the adventure Liz and Bruce. Somewhere out there are MrG's favourite cheap readers but we're not going back, he can treat himself to some more!

TFTC!!!! Geokids love these adventures...left some swapables

This would be great area once the weeds are taken care of. Impressed with the trig.

A challenge to find!

TFTC, a challenging 400 metre walk almost straight up off the main track. The track turned into a game trail and at times nothing at all, but in the end it was worth it for the almost 360 degree coastal views.

Found it today on a stinking hot day at the hat. Was great to cool off in the creek in the way back. Thanks for the hunt! Matt & Court

Nice walk to the top of Hat Head headland. Track is a bit overgrown in some places but worth the hike up. TFTC Mackenzie Mob

Enjoyed the wild walk!
Trail sketchy in places

What a beautiful day! Bit tricky to find but all good thanks to cousin Bill. TFTC!

Hard to find definitely a challenge

13:15 Our Tuesday walking group was at Hat Head from Port Macquarie today. We'd walked past the start of the hill track previously but this time another walker and I decided to go to the top and the cache. Pity that the tree growth has pretty much eliminated the view but it was a good climb and a good find. TFTC

Found pretty tricky & good walk

A couple of days ago I didn't find the cache and then found Liz & Bruce's note.

Today I am claiming it as I have replaced this cache with a new one at the same location.

Even if the original cache is still there the replacement will be a great incentive to come to this beautiful location. Thanks for getting me to come up this hill twice.

This one may be missing so if the next geocacher attending this cache is able could they please take along a replacement. With thanks and kind regards Liz and Bruce

Had a lengthy and very thorough look around every crack and crevice near the GZ but wasn't able to find the cache. Liz and Bruce or someone who has found the cache might need to check that it still exists particularly as the last couple of searchers haven't been able to locate. Matt & Court

Was going all good until I found a big old kangaroo sitting across the path, thought it best to leave him be.

Looked for ages but could not find cache - area quite overgrown with sharp spiky vines.

Made a silly mistake and assumed the track to the top couldn't possibly be the track to the top. So after attempting two other caches and walking the entire way around the headland and back to this the track, I still didn't find the cache. TFTC.

Found great spot. Tftc.

TFTC a great result for the climb.

Missed the track (by a long way!) but after going back we finally found it. The trek up the mountain was a big adventure for the Geo kids! Awesome photos along the way. Finally found the cache after looking in the wrong spot (not wanting to use my phone as the battery was running out) and replaced the swaps with some other cool stuff. The squid was a little sticky! My best cache but I'm not sure if the kids agree!

Well, what were we thinking the first time , found the trail really easily and quickly this time, coongoola was correct, machetes not needed just yet . Our only excuse is the big 'roo that was in our path last time and he was definitely not going to shift! Trail is reasonably easy to follow, cache in good condition thanks to the previous finder. Took nothing, left small squid, great cache, thanks Liz and Bruce, you never disappoint.

Thanks for the cache Liz & Bruce. We found the original container which had slipped down the crevice. We've replaced the same container in the area but a lot easier to find. Cleaned out some older swaps as well.
Worth a favourite for sure...

We noticed volunteers spraying the weeds along the tracks so maintenance is being done to some extent. The track up to the trig is in reasonable condition and a machete is not needed....yet. It could be easy to get sidetracked but trust your gpsr and you will be okay. It took us about 20 minutes to reach gz from the start of the trig track down the bottom.

The cache may still be there as it is unlikely to be muggled but if the next geocacher attending is happy to take along a replacement that would be great in the event that the cache cannot be found. We can also up the terrain rating if it is deemed necessary or make any other changes required to the cache notes. The cache has been in place for quite a long time now so we do not really want to archive it unless there is a good reason. With thanks Liz and Bruce

We also did not find this one. Climbed up the track for several hundred metres but then it disappeared altogether and the bush was too thick to manage. Also a big buck kangaroo had other ideas about our proceeding any further. Talked to a local on the way down and she informed us that we were indeed on the right path but that it wasn't being maintained due to lack of funding so maybe the cache owners might have to rethink this one. Shame but never mind, we gave it a good try

While we are at Hat Head on holidays we decided to tackle this cache as the others in the area brought us to beautiful places in the area. After a climb seeking out the track which disappeared now and then we reached GZ. Following the GPS and the hints we searched from GZ and and every widening circles but alas we could not locate the cache. The area is overgrown with the bush creeping in on all sides. The only limited view from this spot was from top of the cairn as per previous cachers. Whilst we did not find the cache we enjoyed the treck and site. Thanks for bringing us up here. The Gizmo's

Found easy[Time to Find: 13 min]

This was my last full day staying in Port Macquarie while on holiday. I much prefer the non-urban caches, so I headed north, aiming for Hat Head. I missed the turnoff to the top of the hill, and kept walking quite some distance further. Once I turned around, I found the track at S 31° 03.480 E 153° 03.631. There are two posts but no sign, and the track is not too obvious. Along the way, there was one bit where the track was no longer visible, but I soon found it again.

Once at the top, I set about finding the cache. Fortunately, it only took around 4 - 5 minutes. I enjoyed the walk up and there were some great views at the top, standing on the cairn.

My thanks to Liz and Bruce for the cache, the views, and the enjoyable walk.

1515 Well, that is when I found the trig station, which was actually the main reason for coming up the hill, believe it or not. But having met a keen bushwalker who enjoys finding trig stations, who introduced me to the fact that 'sometimes' there are geocaches near trig points I have since been 'inducted' into the 'magical art' of geocaching. Thanks Grahame Cookie.
Our youth group (Port Pathfinders) were camping just down the bottom, and after they had packed up I took off and finally find an unmaintained track up the hill from where there are two posts on the SE corner of the loop around Hat Head. Close enough to S31º 3.481' E153º 3.631' that others should be able to find it.
While the trig is in rather poor condition the cache was dry and no bullet holes, rather well protected.
Took nothing.
While in the area I ended finding another trig (Kinchella) and a couple of caches as well.
Thanks for the bonus cache, as I would have got the exercise anyway!

Must have walked past that 'track' a few times, even back in December I think we must have missed it on our road trip to Qld. While 7DTH was photographing the trig I went off into the bush to hunt for the cache. Boy those 'wait a while' vines are deadly. After a couple of circles around GZ finally found the cache. In reasonable condition. Left a pencil
Nick Starrs Starr thru.
TFTC and the exercise Liz and Bruce

Wow!! Fave point for this one...what a challenge...attempted just after rains so very slippery..lots of bush bashing but approximately 50m from GZ we found the track..cache very well hidden, took us a while to locate..we earned this smiley!!...A little help for future cachers....the track leading off the main trail along the headland is marked on either side by pink paint on the trees...follow the pink uphill and you will have a much easier time following the trail and finding gz..TFTC Liz and Bruce.

Well worthy of 3.5 terrain rating..a steep climb but would be much easier to follow the pink from main trail..TFTC

Really wish we'd have made it up to the peak... we tried to approach from a rocky area on the track running around the northern edge of the hill, but couldn't get any higher than about 30m above the track before hitting impenetrable vegetation =( Still, got some fantastic pictures from our vantage point which I'll post instead!

This one was bitch to get to & going straight down the east side is not the way back.
Don't both looking at the trig it is not those rocks.
Thanks for the cardio SL
Happy Hunting

Had a group of 6 adults and 7 kids searching for this hidden cache for 30 + minutes and couldn't find it unfortunately. The group was deflated afterwards but that's the way it is sometimes. Better hint maybe as there are so many rocks and overgrown leaves bushes so snakes were a concern with digging around.

We finally made the effort to get to this one. I started by heading into the thick bush from the eastern side. This was the closest I could get along tracks that I could find.
What a mistake. It was so tough. Once I got up to the top I came across a few tracks, one of which I eventually took down. Far easier. Probably the easiest route is from The Gap road carpark where there is a track not far up the hill where there is a couple of old hardwood posts.
The view was magnificent by the way! The views were stunning as we walked out along the track. No whales could be seen, though the season has just begun.
Thanks Liz and Bruce for another wonderful spot.
Cheers from Browngang

Today was the 1st dry day in ages so it was now or never to do this climb.
Took the longer way up, nice & steady to the trig. Then had to locate GZ to find the cache. It took a little while but we were determend as we new it would be our only chance to find it. After a few frustration minutes or more it was finally found, logged & back in its hide.
We descended by the track the runners compete on. I cant believe they run from the surf club to the top in 12 minutes.
Thanks for another great cache Liz & Bruce

This was our second attempt. Last time we climbed this hill was 18 years ago when I was 5 months pregnant . The track has changed I think and we needed to have it pointed out to us after we walked the track around the headland. After making it to the trig we had a bit of trouble finding the cache but persevered.

The entrance to cache was not as bad as i had throught it would be once we found the right one. TFTC

Thanks! It was warm today

this would be one of the hardest hills i'v walked.i understand why the track is over grown.still worth the effort.TFTC

Reperio at 1115. After stopping by 'Mesmerizing Motion', Darwinian and I continued our walk around this lovely coastal trail. As the day was warming up, D wasn't feeling up to walking to the top, so I made the journey up as quick as I could. A little bit of off trail walking was required, but soon found the narrow trail up to GZ. Followed the trail back down which led me back to where I had parked the car, so it was a really nice walk!

Gratias L & B.

We had every intention to grab this one today, but by the time we got MESMERISED, the kids were starving so we had to bail back to the car for lunch.

Always wanted to go to the top of this mountain and last time i was here (2009) the track was closed, so this time round the pouring rain wasn't going to stop me. Off i went using the track for a 100 meters or so until I saw what looked like a short cut. Worked my way up to the cache through limited visibility and multiple possible billy goat tracks. Coming back down and through even heavier rain I made the most of the oregon tracback feature which eventually lead me back to the path i most properly should of kept too.
Awesome spot for a cache.
Cheers
Took TB to move on.

I hate spiders, I really do. And after making my way all around this "mountain" looking for a way up I found a little "track" that was full of spiderwebs. After quite tuff 15 minutes I stood at the top and started a long search for the container. Due to there´s hardly anyone coming up here, i don´t think it has to be hidden so well. but anyway I enjoyed some nice views and searched my way on a different in fact much nicer way down again.

TFTC

Nice workout climbing to the top of this one, but very enjoyable. Initially starting looking in the wrong place but redirected search after viewing the attached photos. Left Yuppiroo TB to continue his journeys. TFTC

This shows how unfit I really am. Sl tnln. Thanks for the cache.

Cache number 130.

This entry was edited by groovydoo on Sunday, 07 November 2010 at 00:19:08.

Walked up after mezmerizing Motion.
We approached from the north through the Jungle (Lantana, Bitou bush) with the assistance of our guide (pictured). Found it with out too much drama. Took domino left vintage Car. enjoyed the climb now off to Heading in the right direction. Thanks
K&D

Sent from my mobile device.

Found at 12.30pm
An enjoyable wander upto this cache,
These are the caches we enjoy the most - a pleasant walk with views
Took a little time to find cache - we were looking on wrong side of a large rock.

TNLN
Nice one
Thanks
K&M

Rated: for Overall Experience

I was pretty exhausted by the time we got to this cache, but that is probably more of an indication of my lack of fitness more than anything else (The accompanying Pprass team were cool, calm and collected). We loved this walk - we had been treated to views of whales earlier along the track, and on this section were being watched carefully by a group of kangaroos, one of whom was rather large. The views at the top were spectacular. Picked up a geocoin here, to move along. TFTC.

After Mesmerizing we continued on the excellent loop walk around Hat Head to where we found the track which took us up to the top. It's not a particularly demanding ascent for the average bushwalker and we were soon at the top where the views can best be described as filtered. Still good though. Didn't take long to locate the cache. Another top spot. We picked up the Sakura coin and dropped off the Vote 08 coin.

Had a couple of goes to get the right track up to this one. 6 of us dicided to tackle it. 2 dropped of, 4 left. 2 more dropped of half way up and that left geoson and myself. We made it!! Track taken more or less goes straight up and up. Found it nice and quickly, signed log placed Sakura geocoin. Found very old trig station. Plenty of photos taken. Beautiful place and reward for a hard walk.
TFTC
Buggerme

Great views a little hard to find because of vegetation and viscious vines?

The SixStars team found this one on a hot summer's day. After starting to circumnavigate the hill, we picked up another cache (unintentionally) then backtracked for this one. The push for the peak was steep and hot, but we made it and enjoyed the shade before the descent. TNLN.TFTC

I parked at a lookout and the sign clearly showed which route to take to the trig. The trek up was tiring but once at the top you can see for miles. I stood for a moment at GZ to ponder the caches whereabouts & to catch my breath then BINGO!
T:GC, LNSL&TFTC.[:o)]

Lantana central! Came away with more scratches than a Liberal MP in a party meeting. Recommend (weather permitting) wearing jeans and long sleeves to minimise damage. Cache very well hidden and about 5m away from posted coords but my GPS may have been confused. TFTC.

5pm. Oh my kingdom for a swim and cold beer.
Took some time to find. Worked with hedylamarr and his mugglewife and our mugglefriend.
Everything is overgrown - recommend long strong clothing unless scars are your thing.
Great walk. Have been up here a few years ago but did not know of Geocaching.
Leaving Monterey Geocoin.
TFTC

FlyingPigSquadron has landed! Found whilst undertaking a lovely walk with great cliff views on the way to "Mesmerizing Motion" Thanks for bringing ud here TNLN

After walking up a path, off a path and then along a path and then seeing the lights of Newcastle (hee hee) we eventually found the cache safe and sound. TFTH

The second in the Hat Head Triple.

We had the place to ourselves to enjoy the walk and views. The rain threatened but fortunately it held off. We have climbed the hill before, but we don't remember it being quite as steep.

Grabbed the Travel all over the countryside TB. T4TC.

The track up wasn't too hard to find, if you start at the suggested parking in a previous log and take the ocean side track the start is marked by 2 wooden posts on the main track. Then it is fairly easy to follow to the top.

What is it about hills that make cachers want to climb them and leave something on top? Anyway, found after a bit of a hunt (a bit more subtley hidden than the usual L&B cache). Grabbed coin, left TB. Thanks Liz and Bruce.

We weren't sure where the official track to the trig station began, but found a route up the side of the hill. Very hot day but clear skies. Finally got to the top and enjoyed the views. There were many large orange and also blue butterflies flittling around. Spent half an hour searching for cache but no success, which was disappointing considering the effort expended and our 2nd DNF for the day.

Found this one on my first time to Hat Head. I read the previous logs and was a bit worried about finding my way to the top. However I found the track not to bad.

Nice walk to the trig station and Co-Ords spot on. Nice and easy find in the end.

TNLNSL & TFTH [:p]

Suggested parking spot
S 31 03.582 E153 03.532 [:d]

After finding Mesmerizing Motion we set of looking for this one. Things were not looking good for a way up as we followed the coast side track. After an encounter with an echidna and a roo a faint track was spotted turning right and the assent was made. The cache wa located and log signed. There is an interesting sign on the trig, never seen one on a trig station before.

TFTC
Left coin.

After doing Mesmerizing Motion we wanted to do this one - but couldn't find where to go up as the bush looked really thick. The only thing we could see was a huge kangaroo which we walked around. Time and mood was against us - so we will save it for the next time we are up this way.

1435, was hard trying to find where we could actually get to the cache. After about 20 minutes we worked out where the best way would be. Was a tough bush bash up the mountain but we did it. Took about 10 minutes to find the cache because of the bad reception. Nice view of the sea.
TNLNSL
TFTC. I love the bush.

1435 Found with younger son (Fang) after a fair search around the area - may need a better GPSr than the Garmin Foretrex 101 as I was losing satellite reception even on top for minutes at a time. Brought TB and coin; Left sudoku sheets.
Thanks Ironbark about the info on the yearly run, but I won't be entering this year. Maybe in two years I can enter the veteran category.
Thanks Liz & Bruce for your committment for finding great spots for caches.

tough find
confronted by enormous roo
great veiw but will never go back to that exact point.
thanks for the adventure

Was an easy find the second time around. Was actuallyupset as i had walked over the cache the first time i went looking for it. TNLN TFTC

The hardest part was finding the start of the track to get up there. I didn't fancy a bush bash to the top. Once on the track I sent a Geokid ahead and we followed him to the top. It turned out that the walk up and the find were easier than I had psyched gang up for.

Took: Ironbark Key-ring
Left: Goku Figure

TFTCSL

Have to report a did not find on this one. My cousin and i spent about 40 mins bush bashing to the top (am now covered in coblers pegs) we then spent around 40 mins looking for the cache but no luck. After reading the logs will have to search a larger area i will be back

Only been up here once before many years ago and swore I would not return in a hurry but here I am with cache in hand.
The views are spectacular although the trees seem to be taller now and block off some of the views.
A small piece of interest. There is a race from the bowling club to the top of this mountain and back held every new years day and it is well patronised by very good runners and at this point in time the record stands at just over 13 minutes. The trophy is in the club for all to see with most winning times under 15 minutes.
Now you have picked your jaw up off the keyboard it makes the hour and a half to 2 hours you took lopk pretty ordinary doesn't it.
Liz & Bruce Must be very fit placing these caches where they do.

L-keyring & Puple Dinosaure
T-Sun Keyring
SL
TFTC

Ironbark

After a very long walk we finally found ground zero. Spent over half an hour searching but no cache. Maybe we should have looked further afield. Will try again.

Started out for You Can Leave your Hat On, but missed the way up the first time around so did Mesmerizing Motion first, then did the complete walk around again to find the easy way up. Oh i thought that was the way up the first time, up i went and soon had the cache in hand.
Great Walks and view's around here
Many thanks Liz and Bruce

Clambering up to this one we were both thinking that this was the worse cache we’d ever done. There was no track, heaps of spiders, biting ants, sticks and spiky shrubs and then when we got to the top we were so hot and knackered we could barely look for the cache and the bushes are so tall now that there were much better views back down the hill slightly.

Of course going back down was heaps easier. Having the blue and white sprayed paint and red tape markers to follow made life so much easier. If you don’t want to die a horrible death be on the look out for the blue and white marks that mark the way off the track. Though coming the way we did we found 2 large kangaroos who were looking at us wondering what on earth we were doing.

Sitting back over dinner with a couple of drinks, it didn't seem quite so bad...... it certainly make for good stories.... Once the grazes heal and the swelling and itching from the ant bites go we might appreciate it a little more…………

found at 1:30
this was a tough walk up the mountain, bush bashing most of the way as we could not find a path, found the cache after a long search.
thanks liz and bruce
TNLN

Found at 1.30 GAFF3. Second time round, because we really love this area, and we still had trouble finding a clear path to GZ. Eventually got there after much thrashing of undergrowth and spiders and the associated webs! After a reasonable amount of searching we stumbled onto the cache with the GPSr showing 7 m distance which isn't too bad in this country. Thanks Liz and Bruce tn/ln