About SideTracked Caches
This simple multi-cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breathtaking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveller, but anyone else can go and find it too. More information can be found at the SideTracked Series website.
**Please Note**
At all times, for safety, you must remain behind the YELLOW LINE on the platform while searching for the information you need. According to the regulations, anyone entering a railway platform must have tapped on with their Opal or debit card, even if there is no barrier and they don't intend to board a train. After gathering the information for this cache, they can then tap off. That will reverse the transaction. Apparently, transport inspectors can and occasionally do check the Opal Cards of people on railway platforms.
Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria is the westernmost village in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. The village's elevation is 1052 metres AHD. Located 120 kilometres from Sydney CBD and 15 km from Katoomba. Originally known as One Tree Hill, it was marked on an early map dating from 1834 by NSW Surveyor General, Sir Thomas Mitchell. When the township was established in 1866 - it was still known as One Tree Hill. It was formally renamed as Mount Victoria after the first Post Office was built in 1876.
Today, Mount Victoria is a small township with a large number of historic buildings and a few attractions including the Post Office, a Hall which is used as a cinema, the Imperial Hotel, the Toll Keepers Cottage and a museum at the railway station. The town is the starting point for many bushwalks and features several lookouts over the Kanimbla Valley. At time of this cache's publication, over 25 geoaches can be visited out there.
According to Census 2021, total population was 945 individuals. Rail passengers represented 2.5%, based on data collected on the Census Night, 10 August 2021. A well known goat, named Gary the Goat, lived on Mt. Victoria Pass and was viewed as a symbol of the town before he was struck by a car and died in 2024. A memorial may or may not appear in the near future.
Mount Victoria Station
Mount Victoria has always been an important railway centre since its opening in 1868. It was the first platform structure made of material other than timber built after Penrith station. The original station building still remains and was to a design consistent with the time of John Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief of the NSW Railways. It was a vital terminus, facilitating tourist traffic to Jenolan Caves and serving as a principal refreshment station for travellers. The Main Western Railway Line reached Lithgow in the following year of 1869.
The Platform 2 building dates from 1868 with a railway refreshment room added in 1884. The Platform 1 building dates from 1911 when the line was duplicated. The historic station also has a heritage-listed former barracks and now staff accommodation, an elevated signal box. The pedestrian footbridge linking both platforms was of a standard Warren Truss trestle form and built in 1911, replacing an earlier c.1896 bridge.
The Cache
The cache is not at the posted coordinates, but you need to visit the station to collect some information.
WP2 = Visit the "Old Railway Track and Signalling Equipment" plaque. Nearby, you could pull one or two levers on the ground frame to move the semaphores on display. Subtract the number of blue levers from the number of red levers to get A.
WP3 = The station's height above sea level is displayed on the wall here. The 2nd digit of 4 numbers (in feet) is B.
WP4 = Count the old-style lamps (not lampposts) on the footbridge, stairways and east approach. Add both digits to get C.
WP5 = Old Signal Box. There's an informative panel. The photo was taken in which year? This is DEFG.
Cache can be found at S33 35.ABC E150 15.(F-D)G0.
You can check your answer at GeoCheck.
Please bring your own writing stick to sign the log.
If you have not signed the log you have not officially found the cache,
Invalid logs can be deleted.
Well done to Joshwa27 for being the first finder.
