Another in a series of caches highlighting the Central Coast's lesser-known waterfalls.
The Girrakool loop is a 2km walk starting and ending in the car park at the Somersby entrance to Brisbane Water National Park. A park entry fee (currently $8 per vehicle) applies to the car park, with the gate on Girrakool Road open between 9am and 5pm year round. Completing the walk and locating the cache should take about an hour.
To reveal the location of the cache, at each waypoint answer the question below to identify the digits A through to F. The cache is within the national park and is hidden with permission. No swag or trackables are allowed in this cache.
Stage 1: The Start. At the listed coordinates is a sign showing four yellow diamonds warning of possible hazards. Which of these is NOT included?
- Cliffs (A=5)
- Uneven surfaces (A=6)
- Unsupervised children (A=7)
- Slopes (A=8)
- Snakes (A=9)
Stage 2: Aboriginal Engravings. This area was home to the Darkinjung people, with permanent water, abundant food and shelter provided by sandstone caves and overhangs. Although the engravings here are mostly indistinct, they remain an important part of their heritage. According to the sign, how many years of imprisonment awaits anyone who harms or desecrates them?
- 1 year (B=3)
- 2 years (B=4)
- 5 years (B=5)
- 10 years (B=6)
The next three stages are at waterfalls and for these you need to match the falls to one of these images:
Stage 3: Broula Falls. Although there is a lookout on the track for these falls, it's now mostly overgrown so for a better view follow the side track down to the water's edge where this waypoint is set. Match the falls to the image to obtain a value for C.
Stage 4: Bundilla Lookout. The Illoura Lookout (reference point) on the Girrakool Loop is now also mostly overgrown, so instead for this waypoint take a detour down the Piles Creek Loop track to where the Bundilla Lookout provides a better view of these falls. Match the falls to the image to obtain a value for D.
Stage 5: Andamira Falls. Return to the Girrakool Loop track and follow Leask Creek upstream to these falls. Once again the viewing platform has become overgrown so proceed down the sidetrack to the waypoint at the water's edge. Match the falls to the image to obtain a value for E.
Stage 6: Boondi Lookout. This lookout is the final stop on the Girrakool Loop. Which of these can be seen from here?
- A waterfall lined with ferns (F=3)
- A slanting tree trunk with a large hollow (F=4)
- A cliff face with several large caves (F=5)
- A cascade down a series of small rock ledges (F=6)
Return to the car park and picnic area from where it's a short walk to find the cache at
S 33° 25.ABC E 151° 16.DEF
Checksum A+B+C+D+E+F = 36
Brisbane Water National Park, created in 1959, extends along the northern side of Hawkesbury River from Mooney Mooney to Umina and north to Somersby, encompassing 12,000 hectares of mainly open forest and woodland. Hawkesbury sandstone is a Triassic sedimentary quartzose rock laid down from Antarctic sands some 200 million years ago and uplifted to form a plateau. Erosion from running water has formed deep valleys, creating many waterfalls as it continues to cut back into the rock. Aboriginal engravings are also located on many of the exposed sandstone shelves.
Other important information about the National Park is here:
Congratulations to crash2079, the first to chase these waterfalls!