Belgrove Windmill (Nelson/Marlborough) Traditional Cache
Belgrove Windmill (Nelson/Marlborough)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A small traditional cache - pretty much a drive-by - located near the historic Belgrove Windmill south of Nelson.
Nothing technical, tricky, devious or puzzling about this cache. Just a good old traditional near to a historic place.
The old windmill at Belgrove is one of the few obvious relics of the Nelson Railway, which was dismantled in 1955. Of even more significance is the fact that it is one of only two of these railway windmills which is still standing in New Zealand.
Belgrove was an important station on the Nelson section of railway. The line was opened as far as Foxhill on 31 January, 1876, and at the time it was confidently expected that it would be continued on to the West Coast as a survey had been carried out by John Rochfort in 1874. A contract for the extension to Belgrove was let in 1879 and the line was opened on 25 July, 1881, when Belgrove became the terminus.
With the opening of the Spooner's Range tunnel the line was completed to Motupiko (later known as Kohatu) in 1899, and this became the terminus for the Buller coaches and wagons until the section to Glenhope was opened in 1912.
Belgrove continued to be one of the most important stations on the line. Engines and train crews were stationed there as additional trains operated between Belgrove and Nelson. There must be hundreds of people who, as College students, travelled into Nelson daily by train.
When the old steam locomotives were in use untold volumes of water were required to provide the steam and the Belgrove windmill played a very important part in the day to day running of the essential transport of that time. The exact date when the windmill was erected is not available, but the plans for the structure with the sixteen foot wheel were approved in March 1892.
Although the wheel had suffered from the ravages of weather the Nelson Historical Society, with some financial assistance from the Historic Places Trust has had costly repairs carried out and this well-known landmark is today an attractive sight.
This is a busy stretch of highway so pull well off the road and look out for little ones. As a bonus feature there is also a pub across the road.
I also note that this windmill is a listed 'waymark' if anyone is interested in that side of things:
(visit link)
The windmill is on private land so the cache is not placed on or next to it, so you do not have to open any gates or cross any fences to get to the cache. Please replace it as found.
The cache is a 400ml camo painted Sistema container with log, pencil, eraser, sharpener and room for small swaps.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre pbeare bs fznyy chzc ubhfr oruvaq fgbar.