As soon as I caught on to geocaching, I knew I wanted to place one of my first cache activities here at this marvellous riverside treasure: the Barwon Valley Fun Park. After working out that hidden Multi and Mystery caches were already everywhere around the Barwon area, I was astonished to learn that this space was still available!
The Barwon Valley Fun Park was upgraded in 2013 as part of the City of Greater Geelong's Play Strategy. It's connected to the Barwon river cycling paths, has plenty of parking, and is well stocked for picnic tables, shaded areas, BBQs, and public toilets. There is a wide variety of interactive playground activities that cover all ages. From rocking cars and swings, to flying foxes and a basketball half-court. For the big kids and adults, there is also a full 18-hole free-to-use disc-golf course here, so bring your frisbies!
If you've got some geokids and you haven't already spent some quality time at this great outdoor playspace, then I am pleased to provide the excuse. Make a picnic of it and challenge your kids to chase down the answers for you while you break out the snacks and drinks. Most of these questions should be managable by the younger ones, while I've thrown in one or three that should keep the "bigger kids" challenged.
The questions
To locate the cache, use the answers from the following questions to decode the GZ coordinates. Part of the challenge here is in discovering the relevant aspect of the fun park for each question.
- AB = How many vertical wooden poles/masts are scattered around in the sandy areas and on the wooden prows?
- C = How many black spots are there on the red ladybird?
- D = Which of the following animals are not represented on the roundabout? (Take the number)
- Snake (=1)
- Kangaroo (=2)
- Turtle (=0)
- Fish (=9)
- EF = There is a cluster of large polyhedrons with climbing rocks on them. How many sides can you see and count from their combined shape? (Tip: no sides are flat to the ground. All lower sides should be counted.)
- G = How many basketball rings are there?
- H = How many slides can you find?
- J = There are many picnic tables around the park. How many of them are under a shelter?
- K:LM = It's near to two o'clock on Tony's shed. What is the precise time?
- N = How many wave peaks are there on the blue surfboard?
- P = How many police cars can you ride on?
- Q = How many fire engines can you ride on?
The cache
GZ is not located within the playground space, but it is only a short walk away. As this is a public park you will have to keep a watch out for muggles as you approach the hide. The hide itself is not intended to be difficult, just out of the muggle's way.
As local geocaching legend Bushfire might say: "Now for the good part".
RS = (LM x H) - (K x H)
S38 (B)(D).(A+G+G)(R)(S)
E144 (N/J)(Q).(C/D)(E+F-P)(M)
Check sum for GZ: S = 41; E = 25