Mount Taylor Boys' Camp Multi-Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is a simple multi with the cache location about 30kms North of Bairnsdale. We found this site when doing some preliminary work for our cache in Bullumwaal, having been previously unaware of its existence. There is little to be found on the web about this camp, so we relied on the notice board for the history of the place which states:
“Where you are today was once set up by the Ministry for Lands and Forests, Sir Albert Lind, as a boys’ forestry camp for unemployed young men.
Boys lived in rows of tents on beds made from hessian and saplings. Each day they walked to the forested areas where they participated in silviculture type work including ring barking of all poor quality trees to encourage better quality timber, mainly iron bark. They also removed all understorey vegetation and raked up and burnt all the forest litter material.
There were also two other smaller separate camps, one for single men which was located at Beddgood Crossing, and the other for married men which was located on the north side of Mt. Taylor.
The forested area surrounding the Boys’ Camp was renown for the output of durable timbers including iron bark, box and stringy. Trees were felled in the bush and sawn into log lengths using axes and cross-cut saws. The logs were squared where they fell, into railway sleepers, bridge timbers and heavy beams using a broad axe. Fence palings were split with paling knives, and razor edge adzes were used to get smooth surfaces on selected timbers. Some of the logs were taken to local sawmills.
The camp eventually closed in 1939 due to World War ll” – quote from the signboard.. with acknowledgement to Peter Lind
All that remains today from the camp are the numerous introduced trees and vague impressions of where buildings once stood.
The road to this camp is an easy drive in a 2WD. Boys’ Camp is 30 Km from Bairnsdale with the road sealed to within 200 metres of the entry to the camp. There is a unisex toilet available and plenty of camp sites. The site is currently mainly used by mountain bikes and motor bikes with good trails and is managed and maintained by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
To find GZ
On the notice board under the picture from the Church Service held at Boys’ Camp; what did it cost to build the three cottages in pounds ABC. That same cost in dollars become EFG
GZ is a short drive or walk up the hill, with a good spot to turn around. From here the gravel road becomes a little too steep and the water drains across the road which make it great fun for bikes, make it very difficult for a 2wd and impossible if the car has low clearance. This road could be slippy in the wet.
37 42 A (B+1) (C*3)
147 34 (E-2) (F+8) (G+4)
Sadly, all we had with us at the time is a camo-ed sweet tin (bigger than an eclipse) with notebook, cache-note and pencil which we’d kept for emergencies, so no swaps.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)