Stinson Crash Site Multi-Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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The cache is not at the published coordinates which is the site of the historic Stinson Plane Crash.
In February 1937 Australia was shocked with news that a Stinson airliner was reported missing on a flight from Brisbane. The news did not reach the local residents for almost a week until Herb O'Reilly in Kerry informed his brother Bernard that it flew up the Kerry Valley and disappeared into cloud towards the McPherson Range. Bernard decided to search the vast area where the flight path of the Stinson crossed the McPherson Range.
He left O'Reilly's Guesthouse and followed the rugged and then untracked McPherson Range to the west. He pushed his way through dense rainforest and spent the night huddled with his back to a tree. Next morning he climbed Mt Throakban and sighted a tree 8 kilometres away that appeared to have been burnt. Eight hours later a 'coo-ee' was answered and he came upon the crash site to find two men, John Proud and Joe Binstead, still alive after 10 days.
An epic rescue ensued which is now part of Queensland folk-lore. A hike to the crash site should be on most cacher's ammo can(bucket) list. It will certainly make you fully appreciate Bernard O'Reilly's and the many other local rescuers magnificent achievement.
This cache can be reached either from Green Mountains Section of Lamington N.P. (O'Reilly's Guest House) or from Christmas Creek, which is shorter and recommended. Both options require some planning and a good level of fitness. The Christmas Creek route will allow you to reach the cache as a one day hike (allow 7-8 hours), whereas the O'Reillys route will require either a car shuttle or a 2-3 day walk.
The cache is not at the published coordinates but is situated outside the National Park boundary, somewhere in Christmas Creek Valley. To find it, you will need to locate the Stinson Crash Site wreckage and answer some questions.
To get there from Christmas Creek, follow the track along the Creek to WP1 where the track leaves the creek and heads up towards the crash site. Continue up, and we do mean UP! following the track to the Stinson bush campsite where you can find Culture50's original "Stinson" hide. Then follow the track down to the crash site WP which is only approx. 150m away.
At the crash site you will need to answer these questions:
A: Locate the memorial plaque dedicated to the 4 who died in the crash. It is the furthest along the path with the 4 smaller plaques below it. Which direction does the plaque face? North=8, South=7, East=6, West=5.
B: Stand in front of the Stinson commemorative plaque (with picture of plane on it), Which direction are YOU facing? (not the plaque). North=8, South=9, East=7, West=0.
C: The largest piece of wreckage remaining is likely a section of landing gear. It has a metal disk fastened with some rusty castle nuts. How many castle nuts are there?
GZ is located at: S28 17.AC1 E153 04.BA7
Checksum A+B+C=22
Hint: If your GPS/compass does not function very well at GZ, take note of the plaque directions relative to the gradient at the crash site. You should be able to deduce the directions from looking at a topographic map.
Enjoy and respect this historic site.
***Congratulations to Crooked Pete for the FTF on this cache***
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vafvqr ubyybj onfr bs gerr.
Treasures
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