Little Green Men.. Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This, my first cache ever, I have dedicated to the friend who got me hooked... I was told that under no circumstances should I set one myself until I had found at least 50/100... Then again, doing what I am told has never been my strong point..!!!
FIELD OF MARS
No Martians or Roman gods here, just a lovely area of bushland, now a wildlife reserve - that very nearly became a garbage tip in the 1960s...
BRIEF HISTORY
(Snitched from Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre information (visit link)
'In 1804 Governor King set aside the Field of Mars Common for the use of all members of the local community. It was about 2.2 kilometres wide and extended along Lane Cove River from Boronia Park to Pennant Hills and to Eastwood. Between 1885 and 1900 most of the common was sold to provide more land for settlement except for 45 hectares of land between Strangers Creek and Buffalo Creek. This was set aside by the newly formed Ryde Municipal Council as an area for public recreation.
The area remained undeveloped and stayed as a patch of bush until the 1950s when post World War II housing development spread through the surrounding suburbs and garbage disposal became a problem. Some of the low-lying saltmarsh environments beside Buffalo Creek were used as a garbage tip until 1959. These areas can be recognised today as the grassed park around the current entrance to the Field of Mars Reserve and the general area of the visitor centre and environmental education centre.
In 1965 the threat of re-opening and expansion of the tip by Ryde Council brought opposition by local residents and the formation of the Ryde Hunters Hill Fauna and Flora Preservation Society (RHHFFPS). After active lobbying by this group and others, the parcel of land was preserved and became the Field of Mars Wildlife Refuge of today. Currently the RHHFFPS is still a major player in the management of the reserve'.
There are a number of signposted walks of varying degrees of difficulty criss-crossing the reserve, including a newly installed boardwalk that runs alongside Buffalo Creek. This is perfect for families with small children and strollers as well as less intrepid souls.
The information centre is open and manned (womanned? Peopled? But NEVER Martianned!!) by friendly and helpful volunteers from RHHFFPS at weekends all the year round, regardless of weather. They will be more than happy to make you a cup of tea/coffee and ply you with biscuits, information (and jellybeans!) should you call in for a chat.
As this is a wildlife refuge, I am afraid that dogs are not welcome. But don't let that put you off.
This is a simple to solve/find cache that I set to just encourage more people to find and use this lovely reserve.
AND TO BEGIN:
S: 33 48,952'
E: 151 08,030'
At the above coordinates you will find a memorial to a dedicated conservationist and a date, as ab/cd/efgh...
Use the date, as above, to calculate cache coordinates as follows:
S: 33 (h ÷ 2)(e + g), (a – b) (a + d)(h - e) '
E: 151 (a – c) (h - a), (g - a) (f – d) (h – b) '
(As a check, when all Southing digits are summed, the total should equal 29, and likewise, all Eastings should equal 35).
Due to tree-cover, there is a little bit of GPS-wander at both WP1 and cache but I don't think it will be a problem. It really is TOO easy!!
Inside the stash you'll find my first TB - Ken the little yellow Martian (who wants to go 'To BFN and beyond!!'), a couple of other little swops and for the FTF, to celebrate this momentous occasion, there's a *scratchie - good luck!!
* Idea nicked from The Squints, thanks guys :-)!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orvat fghpx orgjrra n ebpx naq n uneq cynpr vfa'g nyjnlf nf onq nf vg fbhaqf.