Calabash Berrilee, New South Wales, Australia
By
Geocaching Australia on 09-May-11. Waypoint TP5799
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | TrigPoint |
| Container: | Other |
| Coordinates: | S33° 35.562' E151° 6.120' (WGS 84) |
| 56H 323879E 6281388N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 209 m |
| Local Government Area: | The Hornsby |
/151.102,-33.5927,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
Calabash TS1351
Official name of this Trig Station as per NSW Department of Lands is: Calabash.
Serial number is: TS1351.
Last Inspected on: July 28, 1976.
Elevation is: 208 metres.
A Trig Point is a virtual cache which requires a cacher to locate the Trigonometric Station at GZ.
A trig point (also known as a Trigonometric Station) typically consists of a black disc on top of four metal legs or concrete pillar, resembling a navigation beacon. It is also accompanied by a metal disc, which is located directly below the center point of the tripod or on top of the pillar itself.
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 access.
These points were regarded as valuable to surveyors, providing reference points for measuring distance and direction, and assisting in the creation of maps.
To log a find on the Geocaching Australia website, you will need to include a picture of the trig point, along with your GPS receiver and (preferably) yourself. Long distance / telephoto type pictures are against the spirit of this cache. You are encouraged to leave a description of your journey in your log to help others in finding the trig point.
The original collection of trig points has been sourced from Geoscience Australia and may contain inaccuracies.
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 placing 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.
Cairn type trig in excellent condition.
Go to the end of Chilcott Rd, Berrilee where there's a fire trail through private property. You may have to ask permission to pass through.
A fire trail takes you one third of the way and then a track with the final third being bushbashing. Follow the rocks to the left for the best run. Coords are close enough to get you there.
Logs
I took the fire trail that leads down to The Pub With No Beer. After about 1.5kms I headed west off track down a dry creek bed, across the valley, then climbed up to Calabash Ridge. I wouldn't recommend this route to other people unless you enjoy off track bush-bashing.
Once on the ridge I walked back a few hundred metres until I reached the trig. A nice big cairn in good condition but missing the mast and vanes. Took my photos and sucked down some liquid (I was working up a sweat with the bush-bashing).
Then I continued along the ridge a few more hundred meters, passing Yurt's curious line of rocks, before heading east across the valley again. Got a nice big graze when a rock I was climbing up dislodged and I fell a couple of metres. Nothing serious.
Really pleased to have found this one.
Found at 11:08 AM.
To go back to the start we pulled up at the end of Chilcott Road Berrilee and were faced with a quandary. The road ended with an open gate and two mailboxes. To the left was another open gate with a mailbox, clearly indicating this was private property. However there was a yellow sign pointing the way which said "Chilcott Fire Trail" which indicated public thoroughfare to the bush (I hope!) Anyway we drive through and past a couple of empty houses. A couple of dogs wandered up but no humans appeared, if they had I would have asked permission if it was needed.
Drove about 100m down the track to a point where I wasn't happy taking the 2WD any further and parked. Set off down the fire trail which seemed to be a minimalist road with only the vegetation cleared and no gravel or rock cuttings. After about 600 metres the fire trail ended and a path went on through the scrub. All along we were following the ridge as the sun got ever lower in the western sky. Followed this track for about another 600 metres before it petered out with a turn to the right which didn't seem to go anywhere. From there we followed stray wallaby tracks and tried to keep to the rocks. With 500m to go and the light fading we thought about turning back but pressed on.
Vague tracks appeared and disappeared then we headed downhill and up the other side through the thickest bush of all, not as bad as some spots we've been though. Once we got onto rocks again we made better progress and then reached the plateau where we spotted a man-made row of stones which seemed to point the right way. Another 70 metres on and the cairn was spotted just poking out of the scrub on the western side of the ridge.
It was a good eight feet (2.5m) high tapering in on top and virtually no rocks had fallen off. No sign of vanes or post, probably burned long ago. They could have been lying there though as the scrub was thick. Took our photos as the sun set and headed back.
We'd just reached the line of stones when we realised the GPS had been left on the cairn! Headed back to find it there, lucky we didn't realise it when back at the car! Still we thought we'd need it to get out of there. But by sticking to the heights of the ridge and to the rocky western side we got out of there in reasonable time.
Back at the car we headed back past the houses, saw lights on in one but thought the better of making ourselves acquainted at this hour, the gate was open so we got back to civilisation as it was getting quite dark.
Quite the experience!
