GC3AMP9 Whinray Entrance (Gisborne) (Multi-cache) in North Island, New Zealand created by gpsbrd and family

This cache has been archived.

TheCur8or: As this cache has been out of action for too long, I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.

Regards,
TheCur8or
Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer.

GC3AMP9 ▼

A cache by gpsbrd and family Message this owner

Hidden : 1/9/2012

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The Whinray Scenic Reserve is located near Motu, just over an hours’ drive from Gisborne and Opotiki.

The cache parking area is a 5.5km drive up Marumoko Rd, off Old Motu Rd. It is a narrow, winding metal road, similar to the drive through Old Motu Rd. Watch out for stock and weka on the road!

The first part of the cache is located around 200m down the Whinray walk - easy for small kids, 5 minutes each way. No dogs please! Also, watch out for traps within the reserve – don’t disturb.

You are looking for a film canister for the first clue. It contains the coordinates and hints for locating the main cache. Maybe bring paper and a pen to write down the clues. The main cache is a one litre container containing a logbook and pencil, a trackable, and 5 small swapables at time of placement.

Whinray Scenic Reserve is 429 hectares in size. It is named after James Whinray, a local furniture maker and Gisborne borough councillor, who was instrumental in securing protection of the reserve in 1905. The walk through the reserve is approximately 5km long and is a one way walk (not a circuit). This cache is at the Marumoko Rd end, with the iconic 9m Motu Falls and swing bridge being at the other end, where there is another geocache (Micro Motu).

Whinray Reserve is a rare example of a type of forest that originally covered the entire district. Its pristine podocarp forest has never been milled, and there are many fine examples of giant rimu, totara, matai, miro, rata and kahikatea trees. The understory has five finger, makomako, horopito, putaputaweta and tarata present.

Whinray Scenic Reserve is the only reserve in the country where North Island weka and North Island kiwi can be found living together in the same area.

It is home to several threatened species including weka, kiwi, robins, kaka, falcons, kereru and bats. Abundent bird life present also includes the fantail, warbler, tui, cuckoo, kingfisher and morepork.

The path through Whinray is believed to follow an old Maori track. It was originally a bridle path, being the only route through to the Bay of Plenty from Gisborne in the late 1800’s. This route went via Whakarau Rd, through Motu, over the Motu Falls, through the reserve, through Marumoko road, then followed the old military track to Whitikau and beyond via the Pakahi track. In its original form, the track was guarded by government troops during the conflict between Te Kooti and armed constabulary in the 1860's. The route was upgraded to allow droving of sheep and cattle through to the Bay of Plenty in 1913. Once the Old Motu Road was established in around 1920, use of the Whinray route declined.

Currently, Whinray is under DOC (Dept of Conservation) and WECT (Whinray Ecological Charitable Trust) management. WECT was formed by local residents in 2002, and is a non-profit organisation with the aim of conserving the Whinray environment and especially expanding the local kiwi population. Conservation of the North Island weka is also a priority, with Motu being the last area where these curious and cheeky birds are found in the wild. Volunteers are pivotal in the trapping of native bird predators in the reserve – look for the blue triangles marked on the track indicating traps nearby, but please don’t disturb the traps. WECT volunteers are also involved in monitoring kiwi within the reserve, and caring for kiwi chicks kept in the kiwi enclosure located near Motu village. Recently WECT, in conjunction with DOC, have set up a native bush interpretative walk through the reserve, aimed primarily at school groups. There are 51 battens set up along the walk with associated laminated worksheets focussing on ecological, conservational and educational themes. To access copies of the worksheets and for further information and costs, contact DOC. The website listed below also has a link to DOC information on the Whinray walk.
(visit link)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Orgjrra 3 naq 4 Bccbfvgr gur jrgn ubgry Fgnl ba gur genpx

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

This cache has been archived.

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Whinray Entrance (Gisborne) Multi-Cache

This cache has been archived.

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Geocache Description:

Attributes

Inventory

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Treasures