A Brief History of Freemasonry:
No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. It is believed that the first Freemason to set foot on Australian soil, Joseph Banks, arrived here with the HMS Endeavour.
Finding the Cache:
The listed coordinates will take you to a building in the heart of Alexandra. You will need to gather some information at each waypoint before progressing to the next.
Waypoint 1:
S 37° 11.506 E 145° 42.593
Photograph of the hotel taken in 1917
Masonic meetings in Alexandra were initially held in the Corner Hotel, on the corner of Grant and Downey Streets. This building, one of the first buildings in Alexandra, was burnt down in 1872 (taking the whole east side of Grant St with it and resulting in the establishment of the district’s first Rural Fire Brigade). The hotel was rebuilt as one of the first substantial stone buildings in the township. The Corner Hotel was renamed the Commercial Hotel in 1915 in an effort to appeal to commercial travellers who typically travelled by train to country towns and stayed in hotels, reflecting the importance of the Commercial Hotel Alexandra as a civic and business hub for the township.
What year was the Commercial Hotel established (1abc)?
For instance, if the year was 1987 then a = 9, b = 8 and c = 7.
Waypoint 2:
S 37° 11.5ab E 145° 42.c94
In 1913 land was purchased from Mr W. Fenton, and a new building was built on the corner of Nihil and Webster Streets. The consecration and later installation of Brother Creighton as Worshipful Master was a celabratory affair with an annual installation picnic excursion being held at Tumbling Waters, on the Rubicon River.
What year was the Masonic Lodge building built (1def)?
Waypoint 3:
S 37° 1b.7e7 E 145° 47.dca
Please make sure that the cache container is well hidden before you leave!