As you have to cross private land to access this cache it is recommended that this cache be accessed ONLY during daylight hours.
The excavation of these trenches was instigated in about 1874 by a remarkable European, William Moffatt, a mill worker and outlaw, who had lived amongst the Maori of the King Country since the early 1860’s. He had the local Maori owners sign the land over to him on the pretext that they were gaining shares in a proposed flour mill, and he defended this ownership by carrying a loaded revolver.
He became an outlaw from both Maori and European societies, and was jailed for making and selling gunpowder to the Maori. In November 1880, while attempting to return to his land and a large number of gold sovereigns he had reputedly buried in this locality, he was killed by the Maori at Manunui, south of Taumarunui.
There is a rumour that the poplar trees, which stand on the opposite side of the road, were the corner poles of Moffatt’s house.
There is more information on the nearby Heritage Trails noticeboard.
The cache is a 200ml Sistema container.