Mandurah Artwalk Multi-Cache

Stage 1: There are two artworks at this location.

The first is an acrylic painting titled “The Guardian”. It is located on the wall of the old Police Station, which now houses the Mandurah Community Museum.

Since the beginning, when the rivers and the water-ways were created, the estuary system with its great abundance and beauty, sustained life. It was created in order for all the species to survive and enjoy, including the human people. It was the life-blood of the Binjareb people and, as stewards of this land, they knew that every species was important to the estuary and each relied on the other to assist in its survival. The Binjareb People have a spiritual kinship and a history that is intimately woven into this place.

Like a sentinel, the osprey, as guardian of the estuary, silently watches – yet we all have a responsibility now to be stewards of this place, to protect what the earth has given us – to keep it healthy and thriving for all species, and be conscious of what we are leaving for our own future generations.

We are but a moment on this earth. Like the ones who came before us, our lives are also woven to this place. Let us be wise and understand the necessity of preserving our life’s-blood for those who will come after us.

Question 1: How many letters are in the full name of the artist?
Question 2: How many “guardians” are depicted in the artwork (only part of which is shown here)?

The second artwork is sculpture by Anne Neil. It is made of an aluminium and bronze alloy, and is based on line drawings of books and pencils. It is titled “abc”.

The first government school in Mandurah opened in 1900 with Mr Robert Dalrymple from Belfast as both headmaster and teacher. The classes included writing, reading, arithmetic, history and geography. Today, the first school site is occupied by the Mandurah Community Museum. The school classroom has been restored and looks very much as it did in 1900.

Question 3: How many pencils are in the sculpture?
Question 4: In 1900, how many hours each day did the students have at school?

Stage 2: There is a bronze statue titled “The Drover’s Dog”, created by Claire Bailey.

Sarah Lyttleton was the wife of Dr Lyttleton, who was employed by Thomas Peel, the founder of the area, as the surgeon for the settlement. She and her husband moved to Albany in the lat 1830s. However, on his death in the erly 1840s, Mrs Lyttleton returned to Mandurah and on an acre of land near the ferry she built an inn and boarding house.

The bronze dog represents one of the many drover’s dogs that would have been left outside the inn whilst its owner quenched his thirst inside.

Question 5: What number is on the letterbox in front of the dog?
Question 6: How many letters/numbers on the tag on the dog’s collar?

Since the beginning of the colony, lack of direct transport to and from Mandurah was a problem. Most things arrived by sea, yet a sandbar at the mouth of the estuary could be problematic. In mid 1890 the Government undertook improvements and opened the bar, and in 1896 the Public Works Department contracted the building of the First Government Jetty.

Question 7: How many fish are there?
Question 8: How many shells are there?
Question 9: Add together the numbers in the year the jetty was built (not 1896).

In September 1880 the first tins of fish were turned bout by C Tuckey & Co’s Peel Inlet Preserving Works. The first fish canned were sea mullet which were caught using sieve nets. They were caught in large quantities between September and March, in the estuary and along the coast. Fishermen were paid seven to eight shillings for each 100 fish delivered to the cannery. The artwork charmingly acknowledges ‘the early pioneering days’ of Western Australia’s commercial fishing industry and is made of cast bronze.

Question 10: How many cans are at the fisherman’s feet?
Question 11: The artist signed her work, including two numbers – add them together.

Stage 5: This one is a hand-made mosaic by Sandra Hill and Jenny Dawson. It signifies that this area was a Binjareb Fishing Site.

The Mandurah estuary was an important trading and fishing area for the local Binjareb Clan and others of the Bibbulmun Nation. The artwork celebrates the spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions of the Aboriginal people and highlights the significance of the waterways in traditional lore. The design was researched and created by Noongar arist Sandra Hill. She worked with ceramic artist Jenny Dawson and members of the Winjan Aboriginal Corporation and their families in creating this hand-made mosaic.

Question 12: How many hands are on the artwork?

Stage 6: “Patrick” the Pelican. Another bronze casting by artist Claire Bailey, sitting on top of a timber jetty pylon. He has become somewhat elusive.

Patrick was a well known and much loved pelican who liked to pester picnickers for a morsel from their lunch!

Question 13: How many bronze pelicans can you see at this location?
Question 14: How many times has Patrick “flown away”?

Answer: 3, to whereabouts unknown. Patrick was an iconic emblem of the Mandurah Foreshore. I hope whoever has stolen and/or vandalized them feels pangs of guilt over their crimes. Their actions have robbed the people of Mandurah and thousands of visitors of a chance to meet Patrick, not to mention the dollars it has cost the local ratepayers (now up around the six digit figures).

Stage 7: This is a small artwork made of aluminium, steel and wood. It is called Bonu Wongee – Message Stick, and was designed and created by John Kelly and Coral Lowry.

A traditional message stick carved by John Kelly was carried along a particular path from Winjan Community Centre to the foreshore to be presented to the Mayor of the City of Mandurah at the opening of the Stretch Festival 2006. This replica is carved to communicate for whom it is for. It speaks for the future. The marks symbolise the intent of the Winjan Aboriginal Community on behalf their people to invite the City of Mandurah to work together now and in the future.

Question 15: How many hands in this one?
Question 16: How many letters are in the aboriginal words for “Peace”?

Stage 8: This is a series of aluminium and steel sculptures made by artist Gary Aitken and Alcoa apprentices. They are called “The Cluster – Wishes and Secrets”.

A series of aluminium sculptures which form transportable, interactive, curio artworks that frame the view and capture wishes and secrets. Thanks to Alcoa of Australia Limited for their support of this project, commissioned during for the Stretch Festival 2005.

Question 17: How many sculptures make up The Cluster?
Question 18: How many apprentices were involved in this project?

Stage 9: “Love”. This one is a bit of a mystery. It appears to be made of aluminium, but as to who the artist was and what the story is behind this one, your guess is as good as mine.

This unusual piece of artwork was discovered by the cache owner when researching the location for a nearby cache. It is placed in a rather out-of-the-way location, and is part of the Muddy Creek Project. Unfortunately there is no signage to give us any ideas as to its significance. However, it just had to be included in this multi-cache.

Question 19: How many love hearts are on the sculpture?

Stage 10: “The Gull” was built by Carl MacMillan for Landcorp in 2008. This one is on the beach at the Mandurah Ocean Marina, and is loved by children of all ages.

8 metre bowsprit-to-transom long fantasy boat, an open decked, planked dinghy type with its port rail lower than the starboard to create the impression of a boat stranded on the beach.

Question 20: How many portholes are on “The Gull”?
Question 21: How many circle mosaics surround the boat?

Stage 11: Simply titled “Aluminium Boat”, this is one of two sculptures placed on adjacent roundabouts. Both were built by artist Carl MacMillan as part of the Mandurah Ocean Marina Devolopment.

Large ocean themed sculptures as roundabout centrepieces.

Question 22: How many fish are there (in total) on both sculptures?

Stage 12: This series of four artworks are located on a small beach known as The Hook, which is a Sail training beach at the Marina. They are all made of aluminium and were created by Gary Aitken, with Richard Foulds, Khail Aitken and Jarrad Stewart.

As the result of a dreadful storm, on 20 July 1878, the James Service snagged the Murray Reef and all crew and passengers were lost. Bodies and artefacts were washed up on Mandurah’s beaches for weeks after. This suite of sculptures, commissioned for the Stretch Festival 2009, depicts some of the cargo and personal belongings found by the dismayed Mandurah residents for many weeks after the wreck. On board the ship was a troupe of actors bound from London to Melbourne, including the famous Bessie Cowdery who is laid to rest at Christ’s Church, Sholl Street. The ship’s anchor too can be found in the church’s cemetery. That fateful voyage of the James Service was mired in controversy even before the Murray Reef wrecked it with a contentious British maritime investigation into the competency of the captain. For more details on this fascinating story visit the Mandurah Community Museum.

Question 23: How many bowler hats are included in these artworks?
Question 24: How many “little men” are on the various artworks here?

(Note: One of the little men has been stolen, cut off of the bowler hat he was attached to, but you still need to include him in your count. And now a bowler hat has disappeared too - so add one extra to the number you find still there.)

Now that you have found answers to all of these questions, it might be an idea to do a couple of quick sumchecks to see if all is going well so far.

The total for the odd numbered questions should be 181.
The total for the even numbered questions should be 90.
The total for the first eight questions should be 54.
The total for the middle eight questions should be 88.
And finally, the total for the last eight questions should be 129

Did that help? Or did it just confuse you further?

Please feel free to message me if you want verification on the correct answers to any of the questions, but I won’t give you ALL of the answers.

Assuming all is correct, you are set to do a couple of quick calculations to work out the final cache coordinates.

The cache can be found at S32° 31. ABC, E115° 43. DEF.

ABC = the sum of the first 12 answers + 599 603

DEF = 389 392 - the sum of the last 12 answers

FTF Congratulations Chwiliwr