When the first geocache was placed back in May 2000, it did not take long for the game of Geocaching to spread throughout the world. Nine days after the first stash was hidden, GC45 was placed near Rotorua in New Zealand and was the first cache placed outside of the United States. Australia got its first geocache a week after GC45 was created, with GC3E Lane Cove being placed in suburban Sydney. It was not until December 2000 that South Australia got its first Geocache, with GCEB Sandy Creek placed in the Sandy Creek Conservation Park, located between Gawler and Lyndoch. Unfortunately, however, this cache has not survived and was archived towards the end of 2001. This Virtual Cache commemorates the original Sandy Creek Cache and is placed at the same location in the Sandy Creek Conservation Park.
The Sandy Creek Conservation Park is an interesting area that lies on the boarders of the indigenous Permangk people, Kaurna people and Ngadjuri people. During the early 20th century, the area was cleared and planted with vines before this was abandoned and the area was turned into a conservation park. It is one of the few undisturbed and undeveloped areas of native bushland in the Barossa Valley and plays an important role in providing a habitat for native birds and wildlife. There are numerous walking trails that can be followed through this area: the Wren Walk, a 3.5 km looped walk that takes roughly 1 hour to complete and the Boundary Walk, a 4 km looped walk that takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete.
This Virtual Cache will require you to visit this beautiful place and the location of South Australia’s first geocache, along with an additional waypoint, to complete a few tasks and gather some information in order to claim a find.
Logging Requirements:
In order to claim a find on this Virtual Cache, you are required to visit the listed coordinates of this cache along with the additional waypoint and complete the tasks given below.
Listed coordinates (S 34° 36.355 E 138° 51.211):
At the listed coordinates, take a photo of yourself, or something that identifies you such as a caching stamp or your name on a piece of paper, and upload this with your log.
Additional Waypoint (S 34° 36.195 E 138° 51.281):
At this waypoint is a plaque placed for The Cecil Rix Area in honour of Cecil Rix. You are required to get information from this plaque in order to answer the following questions.
- What does this plaque commemorate?
- Who was Cecil Rix (three words)?
- Additionally, what was Cecil in 1965?
If a group of cachers attempt this together, I am happy for one person to submit answers on behalf of the whole team. However, if you are doing this, please clearly identify the members of the group on whose behalf you are submitting the answers.
Answers to these three questions are to be sent to me either via E-mail or the geocaching messaging system. This cache may be logged as soon as answers have been submitted; however, logs that do not meet the requirements (this includes incorrect answers) will be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.