James Drummond Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The Cache is situated in the Avon Valley National Park. Note there are usually entry fees into national parks which help in upkeep of roads and facility’s within.
The Cache is situated close to the Drummond Campsite. It has a steep road down to the campsite two wheel drive ok in the summer months, or a short walk from the top. The Cache is a short distance from the car park in a small Lock and Lock plastic container. Contains Log Book and Pencil. Room for swappables and Travel bugs.
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James Drummond was born in Inverarity Scotland in Late 1786. Drummond was a Apprentice gardener at Fotheringham Estate before being appointed the curator of the Botanic Garden in Cork Ireland age 21.This was a government funded garden one purpose was the propagation and testing of plants. Drummond discovered several species of plant not known to grow on Ireland at the time. In 1928 The government withdrew funding during the recession and he found himself unemployed with six children to feed.
Shortly afterwards he travelled to Australia on the Parmellia after being appointed the position of Government Naturalist to the soon to be established Swan River Colony. There was a tempory settlement established on Garden Island where Drummond started his first Garden. His first grant of land was at Guildford. He took possession of the land in 1829 and set about establishing a public nursery. Drummond sought permission of the Governor, Captain James Stirling, to transfer some plants from Garden Island , but was refused permission.
Drummond abandoned the Guildford site after being given 1000 acres of land, now known as the suburb of Ascot. Later he claimed a grant in Helena Valley near the present site Mundaring Weir.
In 1831 Stirling decided to establish a Government Garden and Nursery adjacent to the Government House. Drummond was appointed the Superintendent and allowed to live in a small house next to the site, he later took over the Gardens 1834 for his own profit, as the caretaker. He was later told to vacate his house as Stirling had decided to build a permanent Government House on the site. He retired his position and returned to Helena Valley and started up a Nursery and Vineyard
In July 1835, James Mangles asked to obtain seeds and plants of Western Australian flora and Drummond was recommended as a botanist and collector.
In 1836, Drummond exchanged his grant on the Helena Valley for land in the Avon Valley. Settling at Toodyay, the Drummonds established a homestead which they named Hawthornden
Drummond continued to collect botanical specimens. In 1839 he received a letter from Sir William Jackson Hooker, who requested seeds and plants and he also invited Drummond to submit written accounts of the botany of the Swan River Colony. Over the next fourteen years, Drummond made numerous collecting expeditions to places like, Vasse district, Morra, Wongan Hills, North and South of Bolgart, King Geoge Sound as far as Cape Riche, Porongurup and Stirling Ranges. In 1850, Drummond joined a surveying expedition that sought to establish a route for overlanding stock to Champion Bay. He spent 1851 in Champion Bay with his son John. He returned to Toodyay in December, and over the next few months he wrote a series of articles on the "Botany of the Northwestern District of Western Australia".
Drummond retired to Hawthornden, where he tended his grape vines and garden. He kept in contact with other botanists. He remained in quiet retirement for ten years. He died on 26 March 1863 and was buried at Hawthornden beside his son Johnston.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx sbe n ebpxl bhgpebc, gur cubgb vf n pyhr vs lbh ner univat gebhoyr
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