Childhood Memories Mystery Cache
DDTs: We have not been travelling this section of highway as frequently as usual and are going to archive this cache. Sadly, it seems some of the topiaries are no longer being maintained. This will free the area for a new cache. Thanks to all finders for your stories.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache is not at the listed coordinates – but they make a good parking spot for retrieving the cache. If you are travelling southward, you might like to collect the information en route and retrieve the cache on your next northbound journey.
This cache is a tribute to Jack Cashion, whose handiwork was a highlight of the journey along the Midlands Highway for children of the 1960’s and 1970’s - and probably also for their parents, as it served as a temporary distraction from the joys of carsickness and squabbling with siblings!
Jack worked as a patrolman on a stretch of the Midlands Highway and clipped birds, animals and other creations from bushes between Tunbridge and Oatlands. There were one hundred topiaries in total, and thousands of letters of appreciation came in from all over the world, including an invitation from the Japanese ambassador for Jack to visit Japan. The story goes that one of his shapes, a stag, was so realistic that a passing motorist braked suddenly one night and raised his gun to shoot it!
In 1964 the Oatlands Municipality was presented with a silver platter for the ‘most meritorious tourist asset’ in a state beautification campaign, and gave the platter to Jack in appreciation for his topiary. A brochure available from the Oatlands Tourist Information Centre shows Jack and a few of his creations.
Travelling southward, the remains of a steam train can be seen in a paddock on the left hand side of the road on top of the hill before you descend into Oatlands. Unfortunately this remnant is now rather overgrown, but the Oatlands Council trim some animals for the current generation of travellers to enjoy. You will find this cache near them.
To add to the childhood experience, you will need to recall a few childhood stories as you view the topiaries that are currently at the coordinates listed below. To retrieve the cache, we suggest that you park in the area near the listed coordinates. You can safely walk to the cache from there, but please be very careful – you are on the side of a major highway. Also note that you may meet the prescribed Tasmanian Caching Guidelines prickles here!
At placement, cache contained a FTF Signal pin and a number of swaps, including a geocaching dog bandana.
42° 14.954
147° 24.416
If this character had a red nose, what would its name be? A= number of letters in this name. In case you are wondering, there is not a letter f in this name.
42° 15.080
147° 24.486
If this character starred in a children’s television series, what would her name be? B=number of letters in this name.
42° 15.883
147° 24.615
Remember Dr Seuss??? He wrote a book about this creature It was called One X, Two X, Red X, Blue X. C=number of letters in the word X.
42° 16.100
147° 24.424
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock . . . What is the name (surname) of the captain that this creature pursued through at least one book and movie? D=number of letters in his name. ***Note June 2008: This creature has been the vitim of vicious and unwarranted vandalism, so we will tell you that the story being referred to is Peter Pan . . .***
You will find the cache very close to:
42° 1E.FDA, where E=B-1, F=C-D
147° 2C.CAE
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Hare ebpx