Kerosine Creek is just off State Highway 5 between Rotorua and Taupo. You access Old Waiotapu Road (a Fletcher Challenge Forestry Road) just south of Rainbow Mountain (Murapara turnoff) at S 38° 19.297 E 176° 22.371. Approximately 1km East on the forestry road at GPS Co-ordinates S 38° 20.027 E 176° 23.189 is a car park on your right, this is where the track starts. Public access to this area is ok without a permit, but do not travel past this point without one.
Kero creek as it is commonly known, is a geothermally active creek which is a popular place to sit and soak, the water is a comfortably warm temperature, oddly enough it usually smells like kerosine not the usual sulphery smell normally associated with geothermal activity, hence the name kero creek.
It is very important not to put your head underwater! Amoebic Meningitis can be contracted from this water. If you get any of this water in your ears or up your nose "You Should" seek medical advice! It is signposted to this effect. Amoebic Meningitis can kill very quickly from the onset of symptoms, so please be aware. It gets into your skull cavity via your sinus passage of your nose cavity or via your ears, hence no head under water. If you get water in your ear, or up your nose, then seek medical advice, the preventative anti-biotics will stop infection, and in the unlikely event of infection would save your life. Sorry I don't want to warn you off the place, but I need you to be aware of the dangers, it would be irresponsible of me not to warn you, however I have swam there numerous times over the years without incidence. I understand the bug (Naegleria fowleri) actually thrives in the warm damp soil adjacent to the pools as well so please also bear that into consideration. For further information check out this Naegleria Fowleri Link .
The track follows the creek past the popular swimming holes and crosses a forestry road after a 5-10 minute walk. This track is often slightly overgrown, but over summer gets reasonable foot traffic and is obvious. You will cross the stream twice on wooden footbridges. Just after the forestry road is a area of increased geothermal activity on the same side of the creek as the track. it is in this area that the cache is hidden. Do not attempt access directly to the cache site via the forestry roads without the neccessary permit.
In areas of this nature, the geothermal activity kills off vegetation, leaving the area barren, hence the area has a craters of the moon type apperance. I beleive this particular area to be safe to walk over and have done so myself numerous times. However, in more active areas, it is known for thin shells to exist where the weight of a person could break through the surface and end up falling into hot or boiling water. For this reason, avoid going close to the areas containing the actual visible fumeroles and the rising hot water. Travel around the edges close to the creek edge or vegetation. You should easily be able to see footprints confirming the area you are walking in is safe. If in doubt at all, do not walk there.
This warning is more of a post cave creek type paranoia warning, it is a reasonably safe area, but in case the area does increase in activity I need to put it there. Normally the area is only lightly active, with only small amounts of water and steam visible, however if you consider the area to be active in a large way, treat it with appropriate care.
You should be able to locate the cache area within a few metres with your GPS, it is in the vegetation behind the craters of the moons type area. It is a 1.25 litre plastic container painted camoflage style. Please remember to re-cover the cache as it has already been plundered twice.