Yarrangobilly Area - TS488 / SMA0770 Yarrangobilly, New South Wales, Australia
By
Now To Morrow on 09-Jan-23. Waypoint TP13487
Cache Details
Difficulty: | |
Terrain: | |
Type: | TrigPoint |
Container: | Other |
Coordinates: | S35° 45.485' E148° 30.796' (WGS 84) |
55H 636807E 6041827N (UTM) | |
Elevation: | 1457 m |
Local Government Area: | Snowy Valleys |
Description
This is a Trig cache. It is a virtual cache. There are no physical geocache containers with logbooks or swap items here.
So what exactly is a Trig?
"Trig" is the abreviation of Trigonometric Station/Point. They are, or in most cases were, used by surveyors to create accurate maps of the area. Trigonometric Stations are named as such because trigonometry calculations are used to map out the location.
Over time there have been various mapping methods some of which were a little innacurate. Over the last 100 or so years Trigs have proved to be a fairly accurate tool when surveying. More recently though, technology has proved much more reliable. However, if technology suddenly failed forever and all maps went up in flames with it, we would have a great network of Trigs to start over with as seen in THIS MAP.
The locations, aka points or stations, where the surveyors made these calculations from were saved for future surveying using markers. These markers were meant to be permanent, however people have changed the landsape through things like farming and town growth and development meaning some of these markers have been removed. Luckily with the use of satelites and other amazing technology the older markers are pretty much unnecessary for surveying now. But they are great historical markers and fun to find, especially if left long forgotten in the middle of the bush like buried treasure. The long list of trigs on Geocachign Australia will help you find these Trigs.
Across Australia and New Zealand you can find a number of different styles of Trigs. Commonly they consist of a copper pin hammered into the ground or embedded in a concrete pillar with a stand and vane of some shape above it making it easier to find from long distances like other nearby Trigs. A few examples are in the images below:
[Image seen only is web browser, not in apps]
Trig points are generally located at the top of hills or points of prominence in the landscape. Many provide unique views and challenges, with some being difficult to get to. Accessing these Trigs is at your own risk. Please respect local laws and regulations when searching for trig points. If on private property, always seek permission to visit the Trig beforehand. If you think this trig listing should be archived because it is inaccessible, no longer exists, or is in a dangerous location, please log a 'Needs Archiving' log with explaination.
To log this trig as found, take a photo of the Trig with yourself or your GPS or something that represents yourself and proves you were there. Upload the photo with your found log. Other photos of the trig or area are always welcome.
If you can add information to this trig listing, such as access instructions or interesting facts, please add it at the botom of this description. All GCA members can use 'Edit this Cache' to add these details.
Logs
A bull. Okay, so I was expecting to see brumbies in the area, and when I first heard the large animal stumbling to it's feet only about 20m away from me, I was expecting to see a horse. Cattle haven't been grazed in this part of the country for a very very long time, so there should be no wandering cattle at all. I suppose it's ancestors were left to wander some years back and here it is. But why just one bull? Why up here where no cattle have been for so long? AND WHY THE HELL DID IT HAVE TO RUN IN THE DIRECTION MY GPS WAS TELLING ME TO GO! After getting over the shock, I convinced myself to keep going, telling myself that if I'd scared it away once, surely I would scare it away again if it stopped near the trig. So on I went.
I found a few cool rock outcrops up on the side of the hill near the trig. I had a bit of fun climbing around on one in particular, looking at the lines, and quartz crystals, and other little details that were interesting to me. Then I looked at the GPS and noticed I was only metres away from the trig. I looked over and could see the corrugated iron vanes sitting up on top of another rock outcrop. So down I climbed and back up the other. I didn't see the "nail in conc" here as it must have been under dead tree debris and the vanes. I didn't want to move these vanes as they had fallen in just the right spot. Looking around I saw the 4 piles of rocks and charcoal trig feet, not legs - they were gone.
I felt a little happy with myself for actually achieving this today. But I wasn't hanging around for long as I feared the bull might return. A quick dash back through the gum suckers and long grasses and I was done. I rewarded myself with a swim in the Thermal pool way down the bottom of the hill. God I hate that walk back up from the pool!