As you (ha ha) regularly maintain your caches, or go for your regular walk, run, swim, commute, shopping trip (not from your couch), don’t you just always see that untidy corner — the trash wind-blown or dumped into that unsightly pile?
Did you know you could make a cache from trash? We held a CITO on that theme back in 2012. Now it’s 2025. What’s changed? The trash still keeps arriving. We’re still caching…
So why not make a pledge to do your bit today? Contribute some time — not much effort — and clean up one of those annoying areas for an hour. Your local society will thank you! Possibly on the way to, well, that Mystery Location? Cache along the way? Place a cache maybe?
This will be the least-organised event I’ve ever hosted. Trash, really… I know people are busy, so it will be short and sweet.
Logging requirement:
Log online, having turned up and assisted:
Optional:
- A photo of yourself (or at least part of you!)
- A photo of trash that we've / you've picked up at this CITO
When & Where:
I’ll be cleaning up along the Te Ngae Shared Path (on both sides of the ditch) on the North side of Te Ngae Rd, opposite and between Marguerita St and Sala St, from 11:00am to 12:00pm on Saturday, 4 October 2025. You’re most welcome to join me.
This is also the same area as my 🦬🚌🛑🤿 Bison Bus Stop #16 🤿🛑🚌🦬 cache — so if you’ve met The General and the other forest critters before, don’t be surprised if you spot them lending a hoof, claw, or wing to help out this time.
Souvenirs:
The General stood at the bus stop on Te Ngae Road, scarf blowing gently in the spring breeze. Beside him, Baxter the floral-scarf-wearing bison was peering into a plastic bag.
“This is ridiculous,” Baxter huffed. “I came here to watch buses, not collect… whatever this is.” He poked at an old gumboot with a stick.
Kiri the kiwi bird appeared from behind the bus shelter, clipboard in beak. “According to my checklist, we’ve got three bags of bottles, two bags of cans, and one mysterious traffic cone.” She ticked a box with authority.
A giant shadow fell over them. Winston the weta shuffled forward, balancing a dusty car tyre over his back. “Found this in the ditch. Do I get extra points for style?”
The General grinned. “Style doesn’t win points, Winston — but effort does. And today, effort’s what matters. We’re doing our bit for A Virtually Trash-less Cach-more Society.”
Just then, two human geocachers walked up wearing hi-vis vests, gloves, and broad smiles. “Need a hand?” one asked.
“Absolutely,” the General replied. “There’s plenty of trash to go around — and a couple of geocaches nearby if you’ve got the energy afterwards.”
Somewhere in the trees, a skink dragged a soda can into a growing pile, while a squirrel tried to wedge a pizza box into a bag far too small.
Kiri made another tick on her clipboard. “Teamwork, critters and cachers together. This is how we win.”
Supported by
Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC)
Te Kaunihera o ngã Roto o Rotorua
Illegal Dumping & Litter: What you can do to help
HEALTH & SAFETY
RLC Requirements
- A briefing and H&S sign-in will be held at the Parking Coordinates. 11am
- Covered shoes must be worn
- Gloves and hi-vis vests are being supplied by RLC
- Rubbish bags are being supplied by RLC
- Rubbish disposal will be undertaken by RLC
- Any sharps will be collected by me in a hard container
- No trash collection on the road side of the footpath / cycle way
- No descending into the ditch (* See note below). I’ll have some basic facemasks
- I will supply some rakes and hoes to hook anything out of the ditch. If you can also, that would be awesome
- Please bring your own snacks, water, sun-block, hats (or wet weather gear if needed)
- I will have a basic first aid kit. Please be responsible for your own actions
* Note from RLC
Please do just be aware that the open culverts along that road stretch are known to have hydrogen sulphide (H2S) present at times – this will need to be incorporated into your safety planning.