On driving into Walgett for the first time, you could be forgiven for thinking
that Walgett is in a high rainfall area and has not just begun to emerge from
one of the worst droughts it has experienced on record. It becomes even stranger
after visiting one of Australia's big cities: regraded as water sinks, sucking
the valuable resource away from those who need it, by most, the wasteful ways
of the cities look frugal compared to what you are about to see as you walk past
overly green lawns and playing fields and are cooled by the mist of midday sprinklers
as their water runs into the gutters. To dispel the mystery of Walgett water this
geocache will take you on a tour of the supply, from finish to start.
At this point how many spouts of water are shooting into the sky?
Answer = A
Before you move on particularly if it's a hot day, go to the nearby barbeque
area and enjoy the pleasure of sampling some of the fine local product. We must
admit it's not quite Evian. Certainly a distinctive flavour.
Proceed to S 30° 01.[A + 67]2 E 148° 07.0A4
At this point we discovered some distant GeoQuack cousins playing in the water.
However, for the purposes of this cache, this is where water is stored before
making it to the taps of Walgett - like the one you hopefully had a drink from
earlier. Take the numbers off the level indicators on both tanks:
Westerly tank maximum = BC minimum =
D
Easterly tank maximum = EF minimum
= GH
Proceed to S 30° 0[F - E].[B - G]DC
E 148° 0[E + H].[E - D]3D
This is the Walgett water treatment plant. You now know who the culprit is
if ever there is a chlorine shortage.
How many wires supply power to the plant?
Answer = J
How many rows of barbed wire?
Answer = K
How many horizontal rails on the bridge across to the top of the big black
tank?
Answer = L
Proceed to S 30° 01.J4K E 148° 07.K[J
+ L]7
On this sign, for how many minutes should one boil the water?
Answer = M
How many letters in the first word on the sign?
Answer = N
How many letters in the last word on the second line?
Answer = P
How many letters in the word prior to "HEALTH RECOMMENDS"?
Answer = Q
How many letters in the word following "ROLLING"?
Answer = R
Proceed to S 30° 01.MNP E 148° 07.QRQ
On what day of the month was Norman "Tracker" Walford born?
Answer = S
How many years of community service did "Tracker" provide?
Answer = TU
Proceed to S 30° 01.S0U E 148° 07.UT7
This is where Walgett water comes from. Still feeling thirsty? For a closer
inspection go to S 30° 01.195 E 148° 07.523.
How many steps are there up to the red door?
Answer = V
Proceed to S 30° 01.08V E 148° 07.[V x 2]77
If you needed convincing, here it is! What is the information number?
Answer = abcd efg hjk
Now you know enough about Walgett water that you can find the cache.
Proceed to S 3c° da.2fe E 148° 0g.[j - a]bh
After all that walking you probably feel like a nice glass of water. Hang-on
better make that an Evian.
This cache was originally going to be a small clip-top container, but we found
a good spot that only a large micro would fit into. The cache contains a whistle,
smiley bubble blower, fake tattoo, bracelet, 2 ring puzzle, clicker toy, a balloon,
stash note and log book. There were a few extra things that we couldn't fit
into the new smaller container. The most important of these was a PEN. Could
the first visitor please bring along a small pencil for the cache. Other things
missing include a yoyo, more balloons and a couple of stickers.