The above coordinates will bring you to a new structure that has
been created to give local birdwatchers an advantage over our
feathered friends. The structure is located at Gemmill’s
Swamp, which remains very dry at the time of this cache
placement.
The creation of this structure was initiated under The
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority's Drought Employment
Program where about 60 farmers, farm workers and farm service
providers affected by the drought, have been employed under the
scheme.
Gemmill's swamp is a large area of complex wetland on the
north-eastern edge of Mooroopna which totals 170 hectares.
The reserve sits on the western bank of the Goulburn River
and occupies part of the flooded river flats that are dominated by
a forest of red gum and Tall Spike Rush wetlands.
When water is more abundant it is not uncommon to see an array of
pelicans, ibis, swans, egrets and ducks habituating in and around
Gemmills Swamp as it provides a unique and diverse
environment. The picture below shows where the swamp 'should
be'...in the words of Phil Collins..."I wish it would rain down,
down on me."
In January 1838, two entrepreneurs, Joseph Hawdon and
Charles Bonney, camped on the edge of Gemmill's
Swamp, close to Mooroopna. They were overlanding large
herds of cattle and sheep from an area close to modern Seymour to
Adelaide, about 1200 km by bullock dray along the Goulburn and
Murray Rivers. Fair effort that indeed.
Gemmill’s Swamp has also been the location for the annual
Mooroopna High School Cross Country and each year the
students would trek around, or on some occasions, through the swamp
to the finish line.
The Cache:
There are
actually two small containers co-located. One for small swaps and
the other to hold the log book, coins etc. I have whacked a couple
of stickers on the inside of each of the cache lids just to remind
geocachers that there are two. Please try and replace the cache/s
as found to avoid it being accidentally stumbled upon by non
geocachers. There are also a couple of scratchies for the
FTF. Good luck!
As usual take care as there maybe snakes about. Cheers.