Waypoint 1 (posted coordinates)
You will be standing outside the heart of the Arboretum, The Village Centre. Inside you will find visitor information, Sprout Café, The Curatoreum gift shop and The Conservatory Restaurant. Bring your kids as outside you will also find the very popular "Pod Playground".
Instructions: Head into the building and walk towards the middle. Look down at your feet and you should be standing on the "Tree Ring" artwork. The Tree Ring represents the average grown trunk diameter of every tree planted in the National Arboretum, so walking across the tree ring experiences a sense of the scale of the trees once fully grown.
TASKS:
1. Take a photo of your feet whilst standing in the middle of the "Tree Ring". Bonus points if you include your Geocaching Username or GPS in the photo as well! Click HERE for an example photo
Upload this photo to your log!
2. How many black periscope shaped vents are protruding from the roof's on both your left and right hand side.
Hint: Don't count the vents on the wall's + answer is an odd number
Answer = A
P.S While you are here, you might want to pick up a map of the arboretum. It might help with WP9. I have also linked two online maps however, so this is optional if you want to be more prepared. If you use a GPS rather than a phone, I highly recommend this
Waypoint 2
Instructions: Head out the double glass doors at the right side of the Village Centre and walk straight ahead. You should be at the entrance to The National Bonsai and Penjing Collection. Go in and take your time to admire the amazing collection!
TASK:
The bonsai nearest to the entrance is sitting on a large piece of Granite. From the plaque below it, where was this granite sourced from?
B = The second word (Hint:5 letters)
Optional: Post a photo of your favourite bonsai!
Waypoint 3
Instructions: After you are finished looking at the bonsai collection, follow the curved path along the top of the Amphitheatre. At the end you will standing infront of the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion
TASK:
There are two large wooden doors to enter the Pavilion. On the left hand side of them is a black key pass, with a silver key lock underneath it.
C = How many words in total are there on this silver lock? (P.S The random string of characters are not counted as a word)
Waypoint 4
Instructions: Head west from the Pavilion towards the Gallery of Gardens. Take some time to walk through the first 6 gardens until you reached the Children's Garden which is the final garden at the coordinates provided.
TASK:
i) How many pink arches are in the garden?
ii) How many yellow circles are in the garden?
Hint: Walk through the garden tunnel from one end to the other so you don’t miss any as the foliage can hide them. Double Digits
D = The sum of both answers
Waypoint 5
Instructions: Return to your car and drive to the FREE parking waypoint provided titled Himalayan Cedar. From here head west to the large Wide Brown Land sculpture. You should see an array of cursive letters made out of brown steel!
TASK:
Standing at WP5 - Wide Brown Land, there is a sign with a QR code on it. Scan the QR code! How many metres is trail C Himalayan Cedar Path? (one way).
Hint: Make sure your standing at WP5 and not at the nearby parking coordinates
Answer = E
Optional: Post a photo that includes yourself and part of the sculpture, be creative!
Waypoint 6
Instructions: Now that you know the direction and how far it is to the Himalayan Cedar Forest,. it's time to go there! Follow the curved path that heads down to the barbecue and picnic area. This is a great spot to stop for a lunch break if you brought a snack along!
TASK:
At the barbecue/lookout area, there are 2 seperate fences with wire mesh. In total, how many black, vertical fence posts are there between them?
Hint: The answer is an even number
Answer = F
Waypoint 7
Instructions: Return to your car and drive to the FREE parking waypoint provided titled Dairy Farmers. Follow the path up towards the Nest III sculpture near the top of the hill. You are looking for an eagle perched in it's nest overlooking Canberra!
TASK:
There is a large piece of white metal hanging amongst the rusty nest. What are the first two letters engraved on it? Click HERE for a hint as to what you are looking for
Answer = G
Waypoint 8
Instructions: Head up to the lookout nearby. You should see an array of leaves which have been hand-drawn and then etched into the handrail. There are 100 leaves which represent each of the forests within the National Arboretum.
TASK:
Your task is to identify the leaf which is pictured below. Then, from LEFT to RIGHT, what number leaf it is on the handrail? Count carefully!
Answer = H
You will now need to use this number, to visit the relevant numbered forest within the arboretum where your next waypoint lies. The maps provided below show the location of every forest.
(eg. If the leaf was the number 56/100 on the handrail, you will need to visit Forest 56)
Click HERE for a map of the arboretum including forest numbers (page 2)
Waypoint 9
Instructions: Return to your car and drive to the FREE parking waypoint provided titled Forest Trailhead. From here you will need to head to Forest (H). You should have worked out the value of H and used the map to work out where it is located. This Forest is home to a species of tree that is extinct in the wild!
TASK:
Within Forest (H) there is an extinct species of tree which has been planted in a circular formation. Locate the tree which is planted in the very CENTRE of this formation. You must take a photo which includes ALL of the following:
1. The Tree
2. The Two Blue Objects directly next to it
3. Either yourself, or your geocaching username written on paper
Please refer to the image below which is a very good hint of what you are required to do!
Upload this photo to your log!
Waypoint 10
Instructions: Follow your GPS to the final waypoint! 'In The Stream' is an art piece by Kozo Nishino which stands at 12 metres tall, and is designed to move in the wind!
TASK:
Take a photo that includes the artwork and either yourself or your geocaching username written on paper. Try and be creative or abstract in theme with the artwork itself! The photo should be taken at the waypoint and not from a distance!
Please refer to the image below which is a very good hint of what you are required to do!
Upload this photo to your log!
WELL DONE
You have now completed the National Arboretum Virtual and it is time to verify your answers!
Please do not post your answers in your log, or send them to me, instead I have created an auto-checker that will give you instant verification that your answers are correct.
First you must add all of your numerical answers together as such:
(A * 6) + (C * 20) + (D * 2) + (E) + (F) + (H) = X
B and G are alphabetic answers and will stay as such
You must now send an email to BGX@gmail.com
Replacing “BGX” with your relevant answers for each letter. All ONE string, no spaces
The subject of the email MUST be your geocaching username!
If your email address is correct, you will immediately receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive a reply, send the email a second time to bypass the spam filter. Please also check your spam folders. Read it carefully as it has some important information, including details for a bonus cache within! If you have any issues and require confirmation, feel free to send me a private message :) I will reply promptly!
Don't forget to upload your required photos in your log.
Waypoints 1, 9 and 10 have required photos, Waypoints 2 and 5 have optional photo's, and any others are warmly welcomed! No spoilers to any of the answers please!
There is also a BONUS cache upon completing this virtual! The coordinates and hint will be within the reply email upon completing this virtual! Below is the listing for this cache!
GC8JEKX - 🌲 TNA Virtual - Bonus 🌲
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.