Inspired by the Dohertys’ “A Walk in the Park” this cache hunt is a tour of several points of interest in the Redlands area of bayside Brisbane. Along the way there are plenty of places to have a bite to eat, a coffee or a beer as well as places to cool off or have a cycle or rollerblade.
The hunt involves collecting clues at various locations and then using those answers to calculate the co-ordinates of the next checkpoint and, finally, the location of the cache. I borrowed heavily (i.e. blatantly copied) the format used by the Dohertys primarily because it was very logical and simple to follow.
You will need the following:
These instructions,
A GPS (though you probably knew that, didn’t you?),
A calculator (if your maths is anything like mine),
A pen and paper,
A street directory with UTM coordinates (not mandatory but really helpful),
A keen eye for observation.
The answers required are in a format that indicates how many digits are in the answer and which location the answer came from. Therefore, answer A1 is a single digit answer from Checkpoint 1, EEEE2 is a four digit answer from Checkpoint 2, CC4 is a two digit answer from Checkpoint 4, and so on.
After you have gathered your answers to the clues given for each location, you can then perform a check sum to ensure you’ve got the right numbers. This should stop you hurtling off to goodness knows where, which would definitely happen if you had the wrong data to begin with. Once you are sure the answers are right, you make a few more quick calculations to obtain the co-ordinates for the next checkpoint. Easy, huh? All co-ordinates were averaged for at least ten minutes with 4-5 metres indicated accuracy. Okay…let’s begin.
CHECKPOINT 1
Location: South 27° 27.926’ East 153° 14.406’
Clues:
A1 = The total number of small picnic table/bbq gazebos along the northern end of the reserve (hint: there are two groups of them).
B1 = The number of days in a normal week you can have lunch with your dog in the area.
CCC1 = The total of the whole numbers on the sign with GPS coordinates on it.
Treat the 3 parts that make up a coordinate as if they were separate.
eg 27d 31.45’S and 153d 18.32’E would be 27+31+45+153+18+32 = 306
D1 = The number of circular tiled mosaics surrounding the turtle.
EE1 = The number of letters in the name shared by the restaurant and the ice cream parlour.
Check sum:
A1 + B1 + CCC1 + D1 + EE1 = 393
Calculate:
FF1 = A1 + B1 + D1 + EE1 + 2
GGG1 = (A1 x EE1) + CCC1 + 11
HH1 = B1 + EE1
JJ1 = (CCC1 - D1 + 3) / 10
Check sum:
FF1 + GGG1 + HH1 + JJ1 = 524
Then use these results for the following:
CHECKPOINT 2
Location: South 27° FF1.GGG1’ East 153° HH1.0JJ1’ (note the zero before JJ1)
Clues:
AAAA2 = The year the memorial tree was planted.
B2 = The total number of bowsers at the fuel pontoons.
C2 = The number of bolts holding down the sail mast of the sculpture.
DD2 = The number of concrete posts/bollards used in the railings around the wooden decking.
EEEE2 = The last four digits in Peter Hansen’s telephone number.
Check sum:
AAAA2 + B2 + C2 + DD2 + EEEE2 = 6179
Calculate:
FF2 = C2 + DD2 -1
GGG2 = (EEEE2 - 524) / 10
HH2 = B2 + A1 + C2
JJJ2 = (AAAA2 - 439) / 10
Check sum:
FF2 + GGG2 + HH2 + JJJ2 = 566
Then use these results for the following:
CHECKPOINT 3 (Qld’s oldest licenced premises!)
Location: South 27° FF2.GGG2’ East 153° HH2.JJJ2’
Clues:
AAAA3 = The year this building was used as a polling booth.
BB3 = The number of palm trees along the front footpath.
C3 = The total number of streetlights in the off-street customer car park.
D3 = The number of timber uprights in the entry structure through which you walk to get to the beer garden.
Check sum:
AAAA3 + BB3 + C3 + D3 = 1887
Calculate:
FF3 = AAAA3 / 62
GGG3 = BB3 x 43
HH3 = HH2
JJJ3 = (C3 x D3) + GGG1 - 99
Check sum:
FF3 + GGG3 + HH3 + JJJ3 = 1031
Then use these results for the following:
CHECKPOINT 4
Location: South 27° FF3.GGG3’ East 153° HH3.JJJ3’
Clues:
AAA4 = The number of letters (not numbers) on the plaque on the small pyramid.
B4 = The number of picnic shelters.
C4 = The number of sides on the prominent tall structure.
D4 = The number of separate window openings in the northern wall of the restaurant (a double window in the same opening counts as one).
EEE4 = The distance some larger species fly non stop DIVIDED by 10
Check sum:
AAA4 + B4 + C4 + D4 + EEE4 = 724
Calculate:
FF4 = (B4 x C4) + HH1
GGG4 = AAA4 + EEE4 + JJJ2 + FF3
HH4 = BB3 + C3
JJ4 = (C4 x D4) + D1
Check sum:
FF4 + GGG4 + HH4 + JJ4 = 996
Then use these results for the following:
CHECKPOINT 5 And you’re nearly there!!!
Location: South 27° FF4.GGG4’ East 153° HH4.0JJ4’ (note the zero before JJ4)
Clues:
AA5 = The number of white topped piers at the end of the jetty
B5 = The number of electric barbecues on the island.
CC5 = The number of kilometers of sandy beach on the island MULTIPLIED by 10
D5 = Determine the colour of the jetty walkway - how many letters in this word.
EE5 = The number of steps to the upper parking level.
Check sum:
AA5 + B5 + CC5 + D5 + EE5 = 123
Calculate:
FF5 = CC5 – B5 – AA5 + D5
GGG5 = CC5 + GGG4 + JJ4
HH5 = EE5 / D5
JJJ5 = GGG3 - CCC1 - (D5 x 3)
Check sum:
FF5 + GGG5 + HH5 + JJJ5 = 1259
Then use these results for the following:
CHECKPOINT 6 – The Final Cache!
Location: South 27° FF5.GGG5’ East 153° HH5.JJJ5’
Congratulations! You’ve made it and hopefully had some fun along the way. Please swap any trinkets you may have and log your find in the logbook and here on the website.