Manawatu rail: Carnarvon Traditional Cache
Hidden : 2/13/2013
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

One of a series of simple, easy to find, caches at railway stations in and around the Manawatu.

Welcome aboard the Foxton-Palmerston tram service to Palmerston! Last stop Motuiti Pa, next stop Bainesse. Manawatu County Council tram service to Sanson also leaves here, next stop Oroua Downs.

Carnarvon has the odd distinction of being the world's largest town by land area. After the New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s land was issued to soldiers in recognition of their service and to assist in their rehabilitation. Many soldiers did not want farm land and sold their entitlement to speculators. This meant that no cash went into the Government purse for land bought with soldier scrip. And soldier scrip could not be used for buying town land. The Government therefore made life as difficult as possible for would-be speculators using scrip for purchases by calling land offered for sale 'the township of …' , preventing purchase by soldier scrip. Carnarvon and Sandon (the area around Sanson) are examples of this. Carnarvon alone was 400 sq. kilometres, which is larger than Greater Auckland and Wellington combined! The first sales of Carnarvon land to speculators (with real money) was in 1872.

The Foxton tramway came north from Foxton, crossed Platform Road here, then turned inland to follow the road to the new settlement of Palmerston. The rail right of way is clearly visible on the left side of the road as you drive to Palmerston North. This area was sometimes called Junction as, in 1886, 10 years after the rail was completed, new tramway to Sanson connected here.

In 1911 the station building was extended. However the station was never more than a depot serving the local farming community. By then the stop had also been renamed to Himitangi.

The last train, a special commemorative passenger service, travelled through here in 1959.

Have a look at the driveway to number 21, across from the cache. The kink in the driveway is the bend in the road showing on the right edge of the photograph. The photo shows the train crossing Platform Road, heading south.


Himitangi station, 1955
Note the grassed loading bank, common at stations on this route.

The cache is on Platform Road itself (not the private driveway leading to where the station was). Easy parking and turn around space. The owners at No. 21 know about the cache and are expecting you!

You are looking for a 200ml Sistema container. FTF gets to FTF a new TB. Happy caching!

References:
Cassells, K.R.: "The Foxton and Wanganui Railway", published by the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, 1984.
archive-nz.com: "The World’s Largest Townships of Sandon and Carnarvon"

Additional Hints ()

Oenpr

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)

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