Blake Canoelands, New South Wales, Australia
By
Geocaching Australia on 07-May-11. Waypoint TP5780
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | TrigPoint |
| Container: | Other |
| Coordinates: | S33° 31.008' E151° 5.742' (WGS 84) |
| 56H 323139E 6289794N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 270 m |
| Local Government Area: | The Hornsby |
/151.0957,-33.5168,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
Blake TS5604
Official name of this Trig Station as per NSW Department of Lands is: Blake.
Serial number is: TS5604.
Last Inspected on: January 28, 1975.
Elevation is: 270 metres.
The cairn trig was unpiled on January 28, 1975 and replaced with a concrete pedestal type.
Please respect local laws and regulations when searching for trig points. If you believe that a trig point is located on private property or in a dangerous location, you may archive the cache, by clicking on Log this Cache and place an "Archived" log on the Geocaching Australia website.
If you feel that you can add to the description of this trig point or adjust the difficulty / terrain ratings, please feel free to edit this cache and amend the information suitably. Vandalism of the cache description or other information will result in your account being terminated.
Logs
Out for a drive in this area which has a relatively low density of trigs. This one came as one of the few and we were soon just 100m away from it. We stopped in the clearing by the power line tower and headed uphill.
The hill isn't very steep but the scrub is moderately dense. After a while the pillar appeared and then, unexpectedly, the original cairn.
The cairn is depiled but up to about 50cm, the original perimeter remains with the depiled stones stacked around it.
The nameplate is intact on the pillar but the vanes, lying next to the pillar, are now rusted and the remains of the mast, burnt and deformed.
It's interesting to note that there were two clear lanes of visibility, covering 45ยบ in 1975 but the bush has now completely blocked any view.
The hill isn't very steep but the scrub is moderately dense. After a while the pillar appeared and then, unexpectedly, the original cairn.
The cairn is depiled but up to about 50cm, the original perimeter remains with the depiled stones stacked around it.
The nameplate is intact on the pillar but the vanes, lying next to the pillar, are now rusted and the remains of the mast, burnt and deformed.
It's interesting to note that there were two clear lanes of visibility, covering 45ยบ in 1975 but the bush has now completely blocked any view.
Rated: for Overall Experience
I was on a group walk and the trig was the icing on the cake for me. The walk approached the trig from a very circuitous route because for most of the walkers it was just a sideline.
Not a sideline for me. The old trig is a bit of a shambles, mostly depiled. But enough there to get a feel of how it was in its prime. Plus there is a "new" plinth with plaque right next to it. No views though as the vegetation is quite thick.
On the return journey the group walked past the "private property" without any trouble.
Found at 2:57 pm.
Not a sideline for me. The old trig is a bit of a shambles, mostly depiled. But enough there to get a feel of how it was in its prime. Plus there is a "new" plinth with plaque right next to it. No views though as the vegetation is quite thick.
On the return journey the group walked past the "private property" without any trouble.
Found at 2:57 pm.
Rated: for Overall Experience
I'd been looking at this trig and the few remaining unfound ones in the area for a while a bit like Tyreless. As he'd found 'Denny' yesterday I felt obliged to go after 'Blake' today although I'd planned on this one months ago. I'd been down Canoelands Road and into the bush to find "Tower 126" and 'Ivory' trig a year or so back and had been to the end of the road once before. That time I wasn't game to go beyond the letterboxes.
I saw the log by Tyreless a while ago where he went as far as the closed gate at the last property so I thought a bushbashing adventure to get past this point was in order. I plotted a waypoint which appeared to be on the fire trail past the last property. Parked at the end of Canoelands Rd (near the bins and mailboxes) and headed down the old trail which followed the powerlines. Soon had to go bush when we encountered a "private property" sign (I'm pretty sure it wasn't) and came out on the road below. Then headed into the scrub to avoid detection from the houses - it may be a public road but they can always set dogs on you if they want. So we kept out of sight until we reached the WP back on the fire trail. Plenty of scratchy bush but also open rock outcrops to walk on.
From the fire trail it was about a 2km stroll with a few branches to the power towers here and there. We got to within 100m of the trig but there seemed to be no track up to it. Followed the trail right around the hill until it started to go down and away so we headed up the hill from there - you could go up anywhere as you stay about 100m away the whole way on the track. The bush can be thick but not impenetrable. Finally we spotted the concrete plinth through the thick bush - not cleared since 1975 - you can tell by the size of the trees. The mast had perished in a fire some years ago but the vanes were at the base and the plaque was intact (no date). The unpiled stone cairn was adjacent. We dug around for the locating pin to no avail. Took our photos and headed back.
This time we stayed on the fire trail almost until the closed gate when we hit the scrub to go around it then stayed on the road back up the hill. On the bit past the first house a van passed us coming down so I just tipped the hat to them and they didn't slow down.
A pretty good walk with some great views. The stealth adventure just added to the allure.
I saw the log by Tyreless a while ago where he went as far as the closed gate at the last property so I thought a bushbashing adventure to get past this point was in order. I plotted a waypoint which appeared to be on the fire trail past the last property. Parked at the end of Canoelands Rd (near the bins and mailboxes) and headed down the old trail which followed the powerlines. Soon had to go bush when we encountered a "private property" sign (I'm pretty sure it wasn't) and came out on the road below. Then headed into the scrub to avoid detection from the houses - it may be a public road but they can always set dogs on you if they want. So we kept out of sight until we reached the WP back on the fire trail. Plenty of scratchy bush but also open rock outcrops to walk on.
From the fire trail it was about a 2km stroll with a few branches to the power towers here and there. We got to within 100m of the trig but there seemed to be no track up to it. Followed the trail right around the hill until it started to go down and away so we headed up the hill from there - you could go up anywhere as you stay about 100m away the whole way on the track. The bush can be thick but not impenetrable. Finally we spotted the concrete plinth through the thick bush - not cleared since 1975 - you can tell by the size of the trees. The mast had perished in a fire some years ago but the vanes were at the base and the plaque was intact (no date). The unpiled stone cairn was adjacent. We dug around for the locating pin to no avail. Took our photos and headed back.
This time we stayed on the fire trail almost until the closed gate when we hit the scrub to go around it then stayed on the road back up the hill. On the bit past the first house a van passed us coming down so I just tipped the hat to them and they didn't slow down.
A pretty good walk with some great views. The stealth adventure just added to the allure.
Rated: for Overall Experience
I tried to get to the trailhead. I drove to the end of Canoelands Road then down into the hidden valley following the signs to 62A and 62B, having seen on the aerial photos that this was the correct route. However, there is a closed gate and it looks like the only way through is with the consent of the residents. Of course, it may be possible to get to the trig by water and bush bashing up the hill (which is probably how it was built in the first place).
Found Monday, 31/10/1983, 1755, on one of many 'solo investigations' of trig stations in the 80's from Wahroonga. Had already found "Hornsby' Reservoir, Hornsby Heights, Rose, Campbell, and Colo that day.
Aaah the memories; and the ones of having the photographic evidence tossed out while I was at work !@#$%
Aaah the memories; and the ones of having the photographic evidence tossed out while I was at work !@#$%
Rated: for Overall Experience
