Category One on Queen
Queen Street is the main street in Auckland's commercial district, more or less following the path of the Waihorotiu Stream which regularly overflowed its banks, leading to the stream being culverted beneath the street in the 1870s.
Home to a number of historic buildings, most of which are recognised by being included in Heritage New Zealand's list, buildings are category one or two, with category one buildings being recognised for their outstanding or special historical or cultural significance or value. To claim this virtual as a find, you will go from Customs Street to the Auckland Town Hall collecting some information along the way by visiting some of Queen Street's Category One listed historic buildings.
For this cache you will need to collect the digital roots of some words, SUMMED DOWN TO A SINGLE DIGIT. For the digital root, A=1, B=2, C=3...Z=26. For example, if the word was CAT, C=3 A=1 and T=20. 3+1+20=24. Now add 2 to 4 and you would have 6.
Sometimes you will need to collect the word following (after) a word and sometimes preceding (before) a word. Make a note of whether you are collecting the word before (preceding) or after (following) so you collect the right word.
Dilworth Building
Originally intended to be one of two similar structures on either side of the road, creating a gateway, the building was erected by the Dilworth Trust in 1925-1927 to provide regular rental income for a school for disadvantaged boys (Dilworth College still exists).
The building was partly occupied by the American consulate for many years, and used as US Army headquarters during the Second World War. Rumour has it it was the secret command centre for the US military operation in Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands during World War 2.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately following "1927" =A
Collect the digital root for the word immediately following "classical"=B
Gilfillan's Store
Built in 1865, this is a rare existing commercial warehouse and store built on Auckland's original shoreline as you are now more or less standing on the original foreshore. It is the second oldest known surviving commercial building on Queen Street. The Commercial Bay shoreline was an important area of activity for Māori before colonial arrival. Former tenants included NZ household names Collins Brothers (publisher Harper Collins), Arthur Yates and Company (Yates Seeds) and tailor Hugh Wright (Hugh Wright's clothing). There is no street information here, so you get a freebie! CD=50.
Guardian Trust Building
Built during WW1 as the headquarters of the New Zealand Insurance Company, the eight-storey structure housed head and branch office, as well offices for let to other firms. The size of the new HQ dramatically exceeded most other office structures in the city, enabling the company to project an image of solidity while generating rental income. It is the earliest remaining high-rise office block in Auckland.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "William" =E
Collect the digital root for the word immediately following "to a"=F
The Vulcan Building
Erected in 1928, reflecting the pre-depression flamboyancy of the time, the external appearance of the building is much as it was when first constructed. Displaying 'modernity' through the use of Chicago-style and Art Nouveau imagery, its up-to-date construction technology was similarly underplayed, with its reinforced concrete frame either being detailed to look like masonry or faced with brick. This approach differed considerably from the monolithic appearance of larger office blocks and later Modernist design in the area. It is a reminder of the importance of small businesses to urban centres in the early twentieth century.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately following the first mention of the word "corner" =G
Collect the digital root for the word immediately following "accomplished"=S
Landmark House
Built as the headquarters of the Auckland Electricity Power Board (AEPB) in 1928-1930 it's an eight-story Art Deco tower with a corner turret. Electricity had recently superseded gas and coal as a major source of power, and the AEPB celebrated the dawning of a new era by opening this building on the same day as the hydro-electric dam constructed by the Public Works Department at Arapuni. Described as a 'miniature skyscraper' when built, it was one of the tallest structures in Auckland and a celebration of communal pride, with New Zealand motifs being used and local firms preferred in its construction.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "Chicago" =T
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "of architects"=U
The Strand Arcade
Constructed in 1899-1900, an ornate surviving example of a shopping arcade in New Zealand reflecting the growing popularity of specialty shopping as a leisure activity at the time. It was the 2nd major shopping arcade in Auckland following construction of the Victoria Arcade (now demolished).
It reflected new trends in retail, incorporating a glass-covered passageway linking Queen and Elliott Streets. The basement housed reputedly New Zealand's largest restaurant, the ground floor promenade accommodated nineteen specialty shops and on the floors above were warehouses, sample rooms, a meeting and gathering venue, a photographic studio and several offices. It is one of the grandest surviving shopping arcades in New Zealand.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "before" =V
Civic Theatre
The Civic Theatre was built in 1929 as the largest 'atmospheric' picture house in Australasia. They aimed to heighten a sense of escape for the early movie-goer by providing a fantastical environment, built just seven years after the first example in Houston. Innovations included a tearoom or Wintergarden in its basement, from which patrons could observe the main screen, a rising orchestra pit, and the 2nd largest wurlitzer organ in the Southern Hemisphere. It's the largest surviving atmospheric cinema in Australasia.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "top" =W
X=0
Auckland Town Hall
A prominent civic landmark in Auckland, constructed in 1909-1911, with a distinctive clock tower, and is unusual in that it occupies a triangular site.
Before construction, council business was carried out in other buildings, including the library. Partly modelled on overseas examples, including Lambeth Town Hall in London and, like them, combined council administration and public entertainment.
It is one of the most intact town halls in NZ built in the early twentieth century, showing progress from colony to Dominion.
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "Oamaru" =Y
Collect the digital root for the word immediately preceding "limestone"=Z
Task One: At the coordinates S AB CD.EFG E STU VW. XYZ is a historic building. Please send me EITHER the coordinates of the building, or even better, send me which building you believe is the correct Category One historic building. For your calculations, A=1, B=2....Z=26 etc.
The Auckland we have today owes much to the legacy of Mayor Sir Dove Myer Robinson. The sparkling waters of the Waitematā Harbour are that way due to Mayor Robbie campaigning against a sewage output to Browns Island. The Auckland super city we now have had a forerunner in the Auckland Regional Authority, created in large part due to lobbying by "Robbie". He also was a strong advocate for public transport including rapid rail, which the city is now getting, some 50 years after being raised by Robbie. Pop over and say hello to Mayor Robbie - feel free to tell him he was right about rapid rail.
Task Two: Go to Aotea Square and find the statue of Auckland Mayor Sir Dove Myer Robinson. To claim the cache, warm Robbie up by placing an item of clothing on the statue of Mayor Robbie, and take a picture, be it hat, scarf, draped sweater or cap - the choice is yours! Don't forget to remove it afterwards! Post this in your log, and feel free to include yourself in the picture celebrating with Mayor Robbie. Being in the picture is not a requirement.
Please note that Mayor Robbie's statue may be difficult to reach in a wheelchair - in this case, a photo of your item of clothing and Mayor Robbie in the background is welcome proof of your visit.
You can log your find immediately, but if you don't send the correct answer and post a picture with your log as requested, your log will be deleted - no exceptions.
If English is not your first language, please contact me in advance of your visit and I will try to provide you with a google translated set of instructions for your visit.
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