Cache #79
While driving the road between Culcairn and Holbrook I noticed this significant, but no longer used, bridge over the Billabong Creek (just upstream from its junction with the Ten Mile Creek). With nice safe parking this looked like the perfect place to place a cache.
As far as I can see the bridge was replaced in 2010 to assist HML (High Mass Load) vehicle movements along this road - mainly as this the detour when the Hume Highway is closed between Holbrook and Albury (often to HML vehicles turning over!). Enter from the east and park on the old road access - the cache is on the bridge (no need to go under!). Also please stay off the main road - this can be busy at times and no space for pedestrians on the new bridge
Bring your own pen for this one. Please be gentle with the cache container.
Greater Hume Back Roads Series
Surrounding the NSW city of Albury is the Greater Hume Shire. The Shire was formed in 2004 incorporating Culcairn Shire, the majority of Holbrook Shire and part of Hume Shire. The population in 2016 was 10351, but it is scattered over lots of small towns – Jindera (2222), Holbrook (1715), Culcairn (1473), Henty (1237) and Walla Walla (836) and a number of smaller villages including Morven, Gerogery, Walbundrie, Burrumbuttock, Bungowannah and Woomargama. I suspect many of the residents commute to Albury/Wodonga for work, but there are also a lot of small farms that would be a key income source for many of the residents.
While there are a number caches within the shire, compared to the adjacent north east Victoria and Albury, they are still few and far between. This series hopefully fills some of this gap - there are so many back roads where a cache could be placed. We have also tried to add a little bit of local history or information to make the caches interesting.
There are a variety of hides in the series, but each should be near a safe spot to park – they are all on sealed roads though some of the connections may be gravel (check in wet weather). You should be able to get your car well off the road (or if keen you could ride a bike!), and there should be no need to cross the road either. Despite most of these roads being relatively quiet, as always please be careful with kids and dogs. Snakes in warmer weather may also be a hazard.
We hope you enjoy this series. Look out for clues in some of the caches for a few Mystery caches that are part of the series.
FTF - Congratulations LOP833