Halswell Quarry Park O'cache (Canterbury) Multi-Cache

Halswell Quarry is a unique 60.4 hectare park, with an unusual combination of recreational walks, a dog and horse exercise area, historic sites and botanical collections. Important historic buildings from the quarrymen’s days are being preserved and the once noisy rock face is now a quiet amphitheatre facing onto a parkland of short walks and wetland ponds.  

A permanent orienteering course available for public use has been established at Halswell Quarry Park courtesy of the Peninsula and Plains Orienteering Club, the Rata Foundation and the Christchurch City Council. This cache makes use of some of those controls.
This cache will take approximately 45 minutes to complete traveling at an easy walking pace. The course distance is approximately 1.6km (as a bird flies).
Though there are many tracks in the park, all the orienteering controls for this cache are either situated on tracks or level grassy areas. It is recommended that you utilise the tracks as far as possible – if you find a track that looks like it goes in the required direction then follow it.

Orienteering Controls: Each control is a post with a orange/white marker plate. On each plate is a two-digit number and a two-letter alphabetic code.

Instructions: From the start location (posted coordinates in a car park) you are required to visit 15 orienteering controls to obtain details that will enable you to calculate the final cache location. At each control note down the two-letter alphabetic code. The first letter is used to calculate the cache’s decimal latitude minutes and the second letter is used to calculate the cache’s decimal longitude minutes. Convert each letter to a number value in accordance with the following table: A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, …… Z = 26. After visiting all 15 controls add up the values you have obtained for each of the latitude and longitude letters.

Formula: Now apply your totals to the cache location. Cache location is: S43 35.(638 + your latitude total) E172 34.(213 + your longitude total).

I trust that you will enjoy your exploration of Halswell Quarry Park. Don't forget to bring your sunblock and a picnic meal for afterwards.

CHRISTCHURCH ORIENTEERING INFORMATION: The Peninsula and Plains Orienteers hold regular orienteering events in and around Christchurch. Everybody is welcome to participate in events the club holds. Check the web site for details.