This cache is located at the site of the sediment trap used to clean the water supply for Camps MacKay and Russell during World War Two in what is now the Whareroa Farm. It is still in use today, providing water for the ablution block at the entrance to the park. If you take the shortest route, you’ll pass a number of signs marking where various buildings were sited. You’ll also pass a row of concrete pillars that once held the pipes that carried the water supply to Camp Russell.
The information below has been gleaned from a number of web sites including the marinesnz, Department of Conservation and Naturespace. I'd link to them; however that would probably be in breach of the geocaching rules...
Four thousand, six hundred and fifty men were accommodated within Camp Mackay. As you walk up to the cache (assuming you take the shortest route up the farm road and don’t go via the bush loop), you’ll pass the area where the concrete floored tents were located. There were also Officers’ billets and Club, recreational buildings, canteen, jail, laundries, toilets and shower blocks and the Divisional Headquarters. Some of these are marked with wooden signs on the way up the farm road.
Until 1850, Whareroa was used for horticulture by Maori, who established their pa sites on the flat land.
The area was first farmed by Alexander MacKay in 1850 and it was later passed to the Wellington Hospital Board as a potential site for a chest hospital.
In 1942 Whareroa was acquired for defence purposes and became a training and recuperation camp for US Marines fighting in the Pacific campaign.
After World War Two the Lands and Survey Department developed Whareroa as a public recreation and education farm park.
In 1987, Lands and Survey underwent restructuring and was divided to form Landcorp and the Department of Conservation. Landcorp managed Whareroa and it was closed to the public.
In 2003 rumours emerged that Landcorp was planning to sell Whareroa Farm to developers for subdivision, a plan that the local community strongly opposed.
Supported from many quarters, including the Kapiti Coast District Council, the community mounted a campaign to save the land from development. It was felt that the land, which had historical and intrinsic links to Queen Elizabeth Park, was a recreation ‘hub’ with huge tourist and recreation potential for the Kapiti Coast.
The Guardians' campaigning was successful and in 2005, the Government purchased Whareroa to be managed by the Department of Conservation.
Since then, the Whareroa Guardians Community Trust, using grants from the Ministry of the Environment and WWF-NZ Habitat Protection Fund, Tindall Foundation, has worked on substantial bush and stream restoration projects involving over 200 volunteers and 30,000 plants. This is ongoing and the community is invited to join in this activity.
On 30th April 2011 Whareroa Farm was opened for public use as a recreation reserve with a major celebration.
You will cross several small streams while going up to the cache. It's about 20-30 minute walk across fairly flat ground.
You could make this a round trip and cover a number of other caches in the area including: