I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which this cache is placed, and recognise their continuing connection to the land, water and community. I pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.
All stages of this cache are placed inside the Banyule flats reserve. The wetlands in this reserve are over 46 hectares, that’s the largest in Melbourne. Believe it or not, in the 1800s the wetlands were drained and used for cattle grazing until the early 1900s. There is a variety of indigenous and exotic historic vegetation throughout the reserve, with some vegetation species in the area classified as endangered. These support the wide range of fauna seen at Banyule the reserve, including Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Echidna, Swamp Wallaby and Wombats. Due to the constant water sources of both the Yarra River, the wetlands and the Banyule Swamp, bird life (both bush and waterbirds) is plentiful. A total of 153 bird species have been sighted within the reserve, including Powerful Owl, Black-winged Stlt and Catle Egret. Some species are rare or threatened in Victoria, while others are significant migrants, such as the Latham’s Snipe.
The cache itself is made up of two stages and is very simple, it is more about the location than the cache. Along the trail there are plenty of signs with infomation about the history of this beautiful place. The final is a 400ml sistema container hidden right where you would expect it to be. There is room for small swag. It is a beautiful five minutes walk between the stages along the Main Yarra Trail bike/walking path. If you park at the carpark waypoint I have recommended you should be able to complete it in under 30 minutes.
Good luck and most importantly, have fun!