Dry feet are overrated (Wairarapa) Multi-Cache

I have heard this phrase a lot, as have quite a few Wellington geocachers.  Today you can decide if you agree with it or not.

The stream at GZ is a tributary of the Moroa Water Race which is used primarily for stock watering purposes in the area between the Waiohine and Tauherenikau Rivers.

Screen shot of the Moroa Water Race Scheme taken from the GWRC map website

The Moroa Water Race Scheme was first proposed to the then Wairarapa South County Council in 1897 and the Council then proceeded to meet with the Greytown Borough Council to establish a Moroa Water Race District.  In 1898 it was resolved by Special Order to raise a loan of 3,000 pounds to construct the scheme and Messrs Meason & Marchant of Timaru were appointed as the Engineers.  In December of 1898 a tender price of 3218 pounds was accepted from Hunt & Co of Timaru to build the scheme which was subsequently completed in January 1900 at a cost of 2617 pounds, 1 shilling and 2 pence.

An intake structure was built on the banks of the Waiohine River approximately 1 km upstream from the present railway bridge.  Handmade boulder-filled wire baskets (groynes) were built to protect the intake from the river.  The channel downstream was dug by hand through the deeper areas and horse-drawn swamp ploughs were used where the stream was more shallow.

In March 1900 the first committee to administer the scheme was elected with Coleman Philips appointed Chairman and Mr W Workman Caretaker.  Mr Workman was paid a salary of 118 pounds per annum.  At this time there were three other Water Race Schemes operating in the Wairarapa at Upper Plain Masterton, Taratahi/Cläreville in Carterton and Dry River in Martinborough.

At its inception in 1900 the Moroa Water Race Scheme serviced approximately 70,000 acres of farmland (28,000 hectares).  However, in the township of Greytown the water race channels were also used to discharge the town's storm water and in addition proved to be an invaluable source of water for firefighting.  The scheme was expanded in the 1920's to an approximate length of 240 miles (380 kms) to cater for the multitude of farms established for the soldiers returning from the Great War and has largely operated unchanged to the present day.  The water race, which takes water from the Waiohine River, divides into eight separate branches cutting across the breadth of Greytown and south.

The Moroa Water Race Committee was disbanded in 2008 and the responsibility of administering the Scheme has been undertaken by the South Wairarapa District Council who are its present owners.

Just before you arrive at the above coordinates you will drive across one of the tributaries of the scheme (marked by the light blue marker).  Here you will find a power pole with a 6 digit Chorus ID number on it which you need to find the final coordinates.  And here, you will keep your feet dry.  Will this be the same for GZ?

You can find the final here: S 41° MO.ROA' E 175° WA.TER'.

M = 2^nd digit – (1^st digit + 4^th digit)

O = 5^th digit

R = 3^rd digit

O = 5^th digit

A = 2^nd digit – 3^rd digit

W = 3^rd digit – 1^st digit

A = 5^th digit

T = 2^nd digit – 1^st digit

E = 5^th digit

R = (3^rd digit + 4^th digit) – ( 1^st digit + 5^th digit)