Gold Mining on Rust (Whangarei) Traditional Cache
Gold Mining on Rust (Whangarei)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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Hidden up the Rust track you will find a fairly steep hill. One to test your legs. Hidden near a 141 year old Gold mine.
Best parking is across the road at my other cache site: Southbound break
Use caution around the gold mine.
Back in 2001 a fellow geocacher Peejay found a gold mine and hid a Cache
Now almost 10 years later I have found the site again and I am going to create a new cache at the same location (visit link)
Gold mining took place adjacent to the Rust Track in the 1870’s but this was never economic.
Rust Track
The Rust Track entrance from Western Hills Drive is not suitable for car parking and pedestrians should take care beside this busy road, there is a pull over area on the other side of the road however.
This unsurfaced track can be slippery as it continues up to meet the Frank Holman Memorial Track near its eastern end. There is little evidence of the gold mining to be seen today.
Rust Track 10-15 minutes to Gold mine.
What to expect
Peaceful native bush with some impressive mature trees. Interesting archaeology with pits, pa sites and the odd gold mine! Nice views, art and crafts and nearby Quarry Gardens as a destination. This is a great place for the keener walker, right on the doorstep.
After your long trek up the steep hill it will pan out and become level so will be easier to access cache site. The bush will open up and you will spy the gold mine. Please use caution as there has been a few slips over the top of the shaft.
If you do choose to go down the shaft, be careful. Unsure of the security of the entrance. if you do you will have to enter by crawling currently as there is a mound of clay at the entrance.
The shaft goes back about 12m and then angles up. I didn't go further than this as there were a few boulders at the top and it was quite slippery.
Inside the cave is the home to numerous insects and plenty of cave weta. Hopping around my head is ever so slightly disconcerting.
Past the mine shaft there is a mossy slope, this is the continuation of this track.
In the hide you will find something else you may find when digging under ground.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ubyybj ybt/ Onfr