Elizabeth Quay Tour (Virtual Rewards 2.0)
This virtual cache will take you on a tour of the magnificent Elizabeth Quay. Elizabeth Quay was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. The $440m construction of the Quay began in 2012 and the project was completed in 2016. Elizabeth Quay has since become a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, boasting many attractions and features. This geocache will take you to some of the most iconic features of the Quay, however there is plenty more to see and do.
Rather than rush from waypoint to waypoint, I encourage you to take your time, enjoy the stroll and ruminate on the unique beauty and significance of each site.
For greater visual aesthetic and ambience, complete the tour at night when the Quay is illuminated by an array of colourful lights.
To claim this geocache, you will need to answer the questions below and take a photo as requested.
Enjoy your walk!
Waypoints
WP1 - First Contact Sculpture
First Contact is a stunning five metre tall, cast aluminium artwork by renowned indigenous artist, Laurel Nannup. Located at the William Street Landing, the work depicts the arrival of European settlers to Perth. As the European boats arrived, the local Noongar people believed that these ships, were their past ancestors returning from the sea.
At night the sculpture illuminates creating a majestic viewing point on the Swan River.
WP2 - Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian Bridge
The 20-metre high suspension bridge is open to pedestrians and cyclists and is an iconic architectural feature of the quay.
The bridge forms part of the popular 'bridges' recreational route along the Swan River and provides a link between the promenades, the island and Barrack Street Jetty.
Offering spectacular views towards the river and back to the city the bridge is a popular photo point for tourists and locals alike.
WP3 - Swan Bell Tower
The Bell Tower offers fascinating displays of these famous bells and the ancient art of bell ringing, as well as spectacular 360 degree views of Perth city and the Swan River from the stunning open air Observation Deck.
The Tower houses the oldest bell in Australia dating back to 1550.
The boardwark entrance to the Bell Tower displays thousands of engraved 'Love Locks'.
WP4 - School Signature Ring
This public art piece at Barrack Street Jetty is titled Signature Ring and is a collaborative effort by local artists Simon Gauntlett and Matthew Ngui. It reflects a headphone-shaped design featuring fibre optics that illuminate interactive panels representing the passage of time from 2000 to the present.
In 1999, as part of a community project to support the opening of the Bell Tower and celebrate the millennium, school students from around Western Australia were invited to sign their names into history as part of the Sign In 2000 project. More than 200,000 students’ signatures were etched into 2,375 tiles and laid in a pathway at the foreground of the Bell Tower.
The signature tiles were removed aas part of the 2015 revitalisation of Barrack Street Jetty, with Signature Ring created to bring the signatures into the future with this original interactive sculpture.
WP5 - Spanda ('The Paperclip') Sculpture
The 29m tall sculpture Spanda is located on The Landing and links between the river, the land and the sky to welcome visitors to the quay. Suitably, its form creates a feeling of openness and inclusion.
The form of the sculpture represents ripples or orbits, referencing the ripples of water in the pavement design of Elizabeth Quay and its connection to the sky and the universal form of elliptical orbits from atoms, to planets and galaxies.
Spanda has been designed by internationally-renowned artist Christian de Vietri to be appreciated from all angles and interpreted in many different ways. Its height gives visitors the opportunity to see it from afar and to interact with the art piece by walking through it.
(Source: www.mra.wa.gov.au)
Logging Requirements
To complete this cache, please send me the answer to the following questions and task at the end.
Questions
1. At WP1, there is a pattern of large black tiles with white cursive writing encircling the site of the sculpture. How many fish are depicted on this strip?
2. At WP3, you will find the Signature Ring with signatures organised alphabetically by school name. What is the name of the last school (alphabetically) on the Signature Ring?
Your answers can either be emailed to me or sent via the Geocaching message function.
Task
Once you have these answers, I also need a photo sent through of at least one of the following:
- The Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian Bridge (WP2)
- The Swan Bell Tower (WP4)
- Spanda (WP5)
Bonus Points: Send pictures of all three features
Note: One of the following has to be included in the picture.
- An individual or group selfie, (any body part is acceptable)!
- A hand pointing at the feature.
- Your GPS device.
- A personal item that you have with you.
You may submit your log at any time but logs submitted without answers sent and photos attached may be deleted. Also, if you fail to meet the requirements of this cache, your log will be deleted.