On 15 April 2008 heavy rain (thunderstorm) caused a rapid rise in the water level in the Mangatepopo stream canyon.
At the time students and staff from Elim Christian College (Auckland) were canyoning with an instructor from the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre (OPC, now called Hillary Outdoors).
Seven died, six students and one teacher in the flash flood.
An enquiry Report (2009) lists almost 200 recommendations and lessons learned from the disaster, click HERE to view.
The Outdoor Pursuits Centre was fined $40,000 and ordered to pay $440,000 in reparation to the victims' families and the survivors of the trip.
There is a memorial to the disaster (not at this location) engraved is this message:
"Enjoy the outdoors but take heed of its dangers"
It has been 15 years since the tragedy.
This cache is hidden to acknowledge the loss, and the lessons learnt.
Upstream from the cache is the Mangatepopo intake structure and spillway, ahead is a ford crossing the Mangatepopo stream.