Please visit each Waypoint in turn to collect the information needed to find Ground Zero.
Please also take note of the “Getting To WP2” note at the bottom of the page.
WP1 – Sarah
(this is the posted co-ordinates)
William Duncan was a timber getter in the late-1850s. He and his wife Rose settled in the Burleigh Heads region. At that time the Gold Coast was pretty much an area of isolated camps where the men were involved in timber harvesting or early farming. In March 1859, William and Rose’s 12 month old daughter Sarah passed away. It is unknown why she died, simply that at the time William was away working in the Hinterland, leaving Rose and some local Aboriginal women to bury the child.
Her gravesite may have been marked in some way, but while with the passage of time, any marker was obliterated. When the library was built on this site, encouraged by the Duncan family who still live in the area, the council erected the current memorial. Descendants of Sarah’s family are known to visit Sarah’s grave from time to time leaving flowers picked from library gardens.
WP2 – Emily and Thomas
The West Family, Ernest and Emily and their son’s Ernest and Thomas (aged 8 and 6 respectively) were on holidays at Burleigh Heads in 1922. On the afternoon of 16 March the family were fishing in a boat near the mouth of Tallebudgera Creek. With a strong outgoing tide, Mr West dropped the anchor to stabilize the boat. Unfortunately the anchor fouled on a rock and the boat capsized and sank leaving all four occupants in the water.
According to newspaper reports Mr West grabbed hold his youngest son, whom he placed on his back and held his wife up but the force of the current tore the child away and Mrs West let go her hold. When Mr West made it to the creek bank he saw his son in the breakers but he soon disappeared from view.
The alarm was raised and two members of the Life Saving club were soon on scene with a reel to attempt rescue. The body of one of the sons was seen near the rocks but the lifesaver who attempted to retrieve the body was injured in the attempt.
The remains of Emily and Thomas were found washed up on the beach a considerable distance from the creek. The body of the other son, Ernest, was never found. Emily and Thomas were buried in what was then a gazetted cemetery but for some reason there are no other interments and it was eventually closed as burial place. It was a tragic story which made national papers.
To Find The Cache
At each of the Waypoints is a grave marker and plaque remembering those buried there.
At WP1 answer the question
Sarah’s grave has an epitaph. Her epitaph (A) is….
- Sadly missed (A= 5)
- Always in our hearts (A=2)
- God’s little angel (A=1)
- Our little angel (A=6)
- Rest in peace (A=4)
At WP2 answer the following question
What are the middle names of Emily and Thomas (B)
- Esther and William (B=9)
- Elizabeth and Wallace (B=2)
- Elizabeth and William (B=3)
- Emily and Walter (B=7)
- Ella and Warner (B=1)
Ground Zero is S28 05.63A E153 27.15B not far from WP2
Getting to WP2
Access to Waypoint 2 – Emily and Thomas is difficult due to the speed and volume of traffic which flows past on the Gold Coast Highway. Please DO NOT attempt to cross the highway at this point.
Yes you could park on the highway, close to WP2 would would save you a bit of a walk but if there is no space or the traffic is heavy, you'd need to drive around to do the loop again. However, at any at any of the three travel options below you are guaranteed of a carpark in safety. The three options are:
- Walk up Ocean Street to the intersection of Brake Street, then down Brake Street. There is a walkway at the bottom of the hill which parallels the highway, this will lead towards the waypoint. This will give you some interesting views with ocean glimpses.
- Walk down Ocean Street and follow the northbound side of the highway past the Swell Resort until you see the traffic lights which allow southbound traffic into the complex. The road which heads up the hill is Tweed Street, and the end of the street before it turns into Brake Street is the walkway mentioned in Option 1. This is probably the easier walk.
- Drive back towards Tallebudgera Creek, turning right into Koala Park at the traffic lights. Turn right into Djerral Ave. At the parking co-ordinates listed you will find a set of stone stairs which will take you up onto the footpath leading to the Waypoint. This is a nice walk through some remnant bushland. This is the shortest distance to walk.