Poppykettle
We’ve all misplaced or completely lost a set of keys before. It’s frustrating and annoying, however never does their disappearance become a curious city story like the mysterious Geelong Keys tale.
Stories of the origin of a set of iron keys that were discovered in 1845 at Limeburners Point vary. From supposedly belonging to a treasure chest accidentally lost from a Spanish or Portuguese ship, charting the waters of Victoria long before Captain Cook. Or maybe they were intentionally placed there as a method of soil testing as has been said was a common practice at the time.
The number of keys is debated, the description of the keys is varied, the location not confirmed and the accuracy of the discovery date questioned. A sketch of the keys was supposedly done, but it has been lost. As for the keys, well, like every good tale (and set of keys) they too have mysteriously disappeared.
Whether the Geelong Keys are legend, an urban myth, part fact or total fiction we will never really know, however a little mystery in a town’s history makes for wonderfully intriguing stories.
Move forward 130 years - In 1975, Robert Ingpen (a renowned author and illustrator based in Geelong) worked with the United Nations in Peru. While there he was researching ancient Inca fishing stories. Inca dolls, pottery and a plaque commemorating a 16th century expedition from the headland at Callao bound for the Pacific Ocean, formed the kernel of the Poppy kettle idea.
In 1980 Robert Ingpen wrote the children's book "The Voyage of the Poppykettle" and later a sequel “The Unchosen Land” both about a group of "Hairy Peruvians" setting out from Peru to discover Australia.
These stories which contain reference to the Geelong Keys were so popular in Ingpen's, hometown Geelong, Victoria that a fountain and an annual Poppykettle festival to celebrate the mythical landing of the "Hairy Peruvians" were established.
If you would like to read the book or share it with your children/grandchildren, it is readily available on line or your local library. Ingpen won the 1986 “Hans Christian Anderson Award for Illustration” for his first book.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Take a photo of one of the Hairy Peruvians holding a set of your keys and post it with your log.
You may wish to add a “lost key” story of your own.
(Don’t forget to collect the keys after you have taken your photo)
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.
We would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of Aussieben.