Fresh from a week's holiday cruising the Middle Sea on a paddle steamer, Constable Plodfoot entered the gaolhouse to find everyone in a flap. "What's wrong?"
"The sheriff's missing."
"Missing?"
"Last Monday he took off into the wilderness after receiving a tip-off about the bushranger from Fred the Fishmonger, but that's the last anyone's seen or heard of him."
A cold shiver ran up and down Plodfoot's spine. "Something's happened to him, I'm sure. I'll go and see Fred; he owes me a favour."
Dashing back out before anyone could stop him, Plodfoot mounted his horse and headed across Elephant Ridge to Fred's shanty on Betonga Creek.
"I saw a campfire near the Little Beach a few nights back," Fred said, "but as I approached I heard raised voices followed by a gun-shot. After that I weren't going no closer, you understand?"
"You did the right thing," Plodfoot said, giving him a sixpence. "If I don't return by sunset, raise the alarm."
"Me memory's not as good as it once was, you know. What did you say to do?"
Plodfoot grimmaced before handing him another sixpence. "That's all I have, I swear."
"All right then, I'll do right by you if you don't come back. Even send flowers to yer funeral, I will."
"I'm not planning on coming back dead, Fred. Is there anything else you can tell me?"
"Take care poking around that camp fire, okay? The bushranger's as cunning as a thylacine and I hears he'd like nothing better than to see your name carved on a stone in the boneyard."
"In his dreams," Plodfoot said, mounting his horse and turning down the narrow track into the wetlands.
Footnote: GPS reception can be quite poor at WP2, WP3, WP4 and GZ, so helper photos are provided below. There are also additional hints at each of the preceding waypoints. Take care on the loose pine needles and slippery rocks, and watch for leeches, ticks and bull ants.
You'll likely have no mobile reception here so come prepared with everything you need.
When you find the cache, make sure to read the front page of the logbook to discover the fate of the sheriff.
Waypoint 2
Waypoint 3
Waypoint 4
GZ
Congratulations to the bushranger's creator Elev8!on who was first to track down the sheriff!