This cache is dedicated to one part of Australian military history specially remembered at the Memorial Wall in Queen St, about 250 metres away.
One lesser-known military facility in the local area during WW I was the Australian Light Horse Camp, based on the Menangle Park racecourse. The Light Horse were to become famous for the last successful cavalry charge in history when they took Beersheba in the late afternoon of 31st October, 1917. They were the subject of the 1987 Australian film, “The Lighthorsemen”. It seems the beginnings of the Light Horse were a little less glorious. Their Menangle training camp was established as a result of drunken unrest amongst the troops at the Casula and Liverpool military camps in February 1916 (later referred to as ‘The Battle of Central Station’).
After these riots the Casula camp was closed and the ‘troops in training’ were redistributed to other locations, including Menangle Park. When troops arrived in March 1916, conditions were less than adequate, and the men had to grub out stumps and prepare the site for a permanent camp to be set up. Many felt it would have been more effective for a private contractor to do this job, enabling military training to get under way.
When training did get under way, it involved forced marches in the local area. On one of these, over 1000 men, accompanied by over 100 horses, marched to Camden by way of Campbelltown, headed by a military band. While the Camden press reported that it was an imposing spectacle, you can’t help but feel this was still not particularly ideal preparation for the rigours of war.
In June 1916 reinforcements for the Camel Corps were also posted to Menangle camp for training and exercises. These had been provided by an operator at Bourke for the Camel Corps’ training exercises,arriving by rail under the care of an Afghan camel driver.
In July 1916 a further 1000 men from the Australian Light Horse and Trench Mortar Batteries at Menangle Camp did a route march through Camden. They stopped for lunch, after which they gave a demonstration of high explosives, grenades and bomb throwing for the amusement of the local community.
Eventually, when hostilities on the Western Front began to wind down, the need for training facilities also diminished considerably, leading to the closure of Menangle camp in May 1918.
from "Menangle History Notes"
The cache is visible from the correct angle, but you have to look hard.. It wasn't originally set up quite this way. Most of the cover was provided by foliage. But a lot of that's been mangled by over-enthusiastic searchers who don't read instructions. Makes me glad a chainsaw isn't regulation TOTT!!. It's squoze in tight. Be guided by the co-ordinates on satellite view, (not the GPS's idea of where YOU are ... you're too close to a building for it to be reliable) Observe from a few different angles and locations, and you ought to find it. (Which means it’d be good if you set it back in the same spot for the next person). THE CACHE IS ACCESSIBLE FROM THE PARK. There should be no need to cross over to the driveway of Campbelltown Mall.
(This park is adjacent to Campbelltown Mall. Refreshments and toilets available. Safest entry via Queen St. Fast food also close by.)
☝️ Yes, it's another one down, which makes an FTF hat-trick for Jaybeem! Congratulations.