NZ's First Botanic Garden (Dunedin, Otago) Multi-Cache
NZ's First Botanic Garden (Dunedin, Otago)
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This multi takes you on a tour around nine of the Dunedin Botanic Garden’s highlights. Visit the waypoints in any order as you enjoy a leisurely and scenic stroll through the Garden. Then maybe relax with an icecream or a coffee in the cafe while you work out the location of the final?
The start icon is at the Gardens Information Centre (open 10am to 4pm). The cafe and toilets are nearby.
You can pick up a map of the Gardens at the Information Centre.
Alternatively, download the map here: Dunedin Botanical Garden Map
Please note: Waypoints in the Lower Garden are only available dawn to dusk.
Once you've answered the Questions at Waypoints A to I:
Checksum (adding together A to I) = 61
Arithmetic to find the final coordinates:
W = B minus F
X = C minus I
Y = G minus H
Z = E minus C minus I
The final is a short walk away at: S 45 51.WDX E 170 31.YAZ
You're looking for a 2 litre sistema at ground level in a place which locals will have seen, but probably not bothered to go to (no spoilers, please!). A hint object has been planted at GZ to help you.
There is an easy way to the final for people with a stroller, young children or a skerrick of common sense.
The sensible route starts from GZ South plus .055 minutes, GZ East plus .005 minutes.
The story of the Dunedin Botanic Gardens - New Zealand’s oldest – began on 5 January 1863 when Alexander Begg was appointed as “Gardener of the Recreation Grounds”. A site bordering the Water of Leith, originally set aside as a cemetery but unsuitable for that pupose, was developed for recreation and plant propagation. After extensive damage by the great flood of 1868, and debate by both the Acclimatisation Society and the Provincial Council, the gardens were moved to their current site in 1869.
150 years later, the Garden covers 28 hectares of ground between 25 - 85 metres above sea level and includes over 6,800 species of plants. It is ranked as a "Garden of International Significance" by the New Zealand Gardens Trust, one of only five such gardens nationwide.
The flat Lower Garden is open dawn to dusk every day and includes a formal rose garden, hothouses, duckpond, knot garden, Japanese garden, information centre, cafe and children’s playground. Over the Lindsay Creek and a 15 minute climb up past the rock garden are the bush-surrounded sunny slopes of the Upper Garden. These are ideal microclimates for geographic collections (South African, Australian etc), native wetland and alpine plants, as well as the daffodil lawn, the rhododendron glen and the aviary.
Waypoint A: Winter Garden
Find a plaque by the entrance of the cactus wing commemorating the opening of the building on 3 October 1908.
Number of words in the third line of the plaque = A
Dunedin was the first city in Australasia to establish a winter garden complex. The Edwardian building, registered as an Historic Place, was restored in 1990. The glasshouse is open 10am to 4pm.
The central Tropical House is kept at 22 to 28 C – look out for the banana palm, papyrus, goldfish and pitcher plants. The subtropical East wing includes a coffee shrub. In the west wing are cacti from the American desert (don’t stroke, however furry they look!), succulents and carnivorous plants.
Waypoint B: Duckpond
You will see a statue of a leaping trout with a plaque commemorating the release of brown trout in 1869.
Number of lines of words on the plaque PLUS 2 = B
This duckpond began life as the Acclimatisation Society waterfowl lake in 1867. Collect your free bag of rolled oats from the Information Centre and see who’s hungry. If you’re especially patient you can attract rock pigeons to perch and eat from your hand – parents, put your children into washable parkas for this!
The Acclimatisation Society released brown trout into the nearby Water of Leith in 1869. Although not the first release of game fish, this was the first successful release of acclimatised fresh water game fish in New Zealand. Butt It’s Muddy multi takes you past the Society’s original hatchery ponds in Opoho Creek.
Waypoint C: Peter Pan statue
There are many animals snuggled in with the Lost Boys, and some mice out in the open around the base of the statue
Number of mice around the outside of the statue base = C
Dedicated to ‘the Children of Today, Tomorrow and the Future’, this statue was donated by Mr Harold Richmond of Green Island. Crafted by English sculpture Cecil Thomas and cast by John Galixia & Son, Bronze Founders of London, Peter was installed in 1963. You can see by the polished bronze that thousands of children's fingers have stroked the animals - and now, if you have children with you, a detour to the playground will come next...
Waypoint D: Woolf Harris fountain
This classic fountain has cherubs holding crocodiles, plus other wildlife.
Total number of animals (dolphins, crocodiles and herons) on the fountain = D
Woolf Harris, director of the merchant firm of Bing, Harris and Company, gifted this fountain to the citizens of Dunedin in 1890. It was first erected in ‘The Triangle’, later named Queens Gardens, but removed to make way for the Cenotaph after World War One. It was held in storage until the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition at Logan Park in 1925-26 when it was resurrected and erected in the ‘grand court’. After the Exhibition, it was relocated to the Botanic Garden.
Waypoint E: Tannock Memorial, Rock Garden
There is a plaque at the David Tannock Memorial.
Number of letters after David Tannock’s name = E
David Tannock was a Scot who trained at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. As Superintendent 1903 – 1940 Tannock shaped the present Gardens, including developing this steep northwest facing bank above Lindsay Creek as a Rock Garden. Peak flowering time is October/November.
Waypoint F: Mediterranean Garden
A sign titled "History Happened Here".
The date on the sign is XFXX.
The upper part of the Dunedin Botanic Garden has a lovely microclimate and great views up the Leith Valley. Apart from the steep slope, it was the ideal spot for Mr G P Clifford (Manager of the Otago Acclimatisation Society 1864 - 1870) to live when the society occupied this site.
The Mediterranean garden has recently been established here, one of several Geographic Collections in the Garden.
Waypoint G: Aviary & Sid the sulphur crested cockatoo
Sign outside Sid's cage, towards the right-hand side of the top section of the aviary. The sign says "Sid is living solo for now".
Reading the sign, the number of letters in the word AFTER "enclosure" = G
The first aviary was built by the Acclimatisation Society in 1866, well before the Gardens moved to the site in the winter of 1869. As part of their programme of introducing foreign birds to New Zealand the Society kept robins, blackbirds, thrushes, rosella parrots, emus, jackdaws, black swans etc for public viewing.
In 1899 the Acclimatisation Society re-established an aviary. Birds kept or liberated in the Garden ponds included kiwi, emus, weka, kaka, swans and mallards – and also some opossums.
A new aviary was built in 1941 near the present carpark; the Acclimatisation Society donated peacocks and pheasants. In the 1950s and 60s turtles, a kiwi and Bonnet monkeys were kept as well as birds. The aviary was relocated to its present site in 1985. The four flights hold over 200 birds and all native birds are part of the national captive breeding programme. Recommended visiting times are morning and late afternoon when the birds are most active.
Waypoint H: Azalea Garden
The sign titled "A New Scene Each Season" gives the history of the azalea garden.
In 1923, H00 azaleas were planted
The nucleus of the azalea garden was a collection of deciduous azaleas ordered by Tannock on a visit to Belgium in 1921. Some still survive, surrounded by the Japanese maples and magnolias added in the 1930s. It is a favourite spot for wedding photos. Enjoy the magnolias and bluebells in spring, azalea blooms in summer and the leaf colours in autumn.
You will pass the Upper Garden toilets in the carpark close to the azalea garden, and a drinking fountain is at the top of the azalea lawn.
Waypoint I: Rhododendron Dell
The sign titled "It Started on this Spot" gives the history of the Rhododendron Dell.
The photo of David Tannock was taken about 190I (last digit of date = I)
David Tannock loved beautiful and hardy rhododendrons, writing that they “should occupy an important position in groups, beds, or among trees in a sheltered dell". So it’s no surprise that the Rhododendron Dell was his first major development in the Upper Garden. In 1914, 500 rhododendrons were planted and newer species and hybrids continued to be added. Among the largest trees is the first New Zealand-bred rhododendron to be officially registered, Marquis of Lothian, bred in the 1870s by William Martin, of Fairfield. The blooms are at their best September/October.
This multi could only go to a few of the many beautiful places in the gardens - what is your favourite area of the Botanic Gardens? (Apart from GCB2?)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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