McRaes Meander (Dunedin, Otago) Traditional Cache
McRaes Meander (Dunedin, Otago)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
If you’ve always gone straight through to the top weir of the Racemans Track, this meander in the Silverstream water race will be an interesting change for you.
It’s shady and damp, and climbing the steep north bank of McRaes Stream involves hanging onto a knotted rope, but there are some fascinating things to see. A round trip from the main carpark will take you perhaps one and a half hours walking, or a bit over two hours if you go all the way from Weirly Fast and return on the Whare Flat road. Allow extra time for sightseeing.
You will need to leave the main water race track and follow a short side track upstream to the weir. Once at the weir, you're looking for a 1.6 litre black screwtop within reach of the track. It's within five steps of where the end of the weir track drops down to the streambed. No scrambling required.
On the north leg of McRaes meander, a totara and a matai are signposted just downhill of the race. Halfway along, a collapsed section of the race has been replaced by a pipe aqueduct. Where the track crosses McRaes Creek you'll see a sluicegate and channeling for the intake.
On the southern side of the bend, close to the weir turnoff, is an only-just-standing raceman’s shelter hut.
But the highlight for children of any age is the Short Tunnel. This tunnel is dry inside and once in you can see both ends, so you don’t need a torch. Bend over, put your hands on your knees and duckwalk through, we dare you!
The clearing at the end of the tunnel is the only dry and sunny spot in the area, so if you started walking at the Weirly Fast end of the race it’s a good place to stop for morning tea.
There is also a Long Tunnel which is safe to go through, under a spur about 15 minutes up the race from Weirly Fast. However, you'd need boots and a torch because this one has water inside and is a good 262m long. Adults tend to emerge with sore backs and bumped noggins from the prolonged crouching.
The history of the Silverstream water scheme is summarised in this Taieri Recreational Tramping Group blog.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Explicit] Ubyr orgjrra ebbgf bs ovt oebnqyrns, haqre fgbarf. Fgernz fvqr bs genpx oruvaq sreaf, guerr fgevqrf onpx sebz jurer genpx qebcf qbja gb fgernz. Gerr znexrq ol cvax gvr.