The walk through Riccarton Bush only takes about 5 minutes although it is possible that your GPS may be affected by the trees causing some confusion.
On his deathbed in 1854, John Deans asked that his wife Jane make sure that Riccarton Bush was preserved forever. As a result Riccarton Bush is probably the oldest protected natural area in the country. It is a reminder of what the Canterbury Plains would have looked like before human settlement. The trees are mostly Kahikatea (between 400 and 600 years old), Totara, Matai, Kowhai, Hinau and other species. Native climbing plants and a wide range of ferns and mosses are also found there. At present much work is being done to rid the area of pests and reintroduce native bird species.
The cache is a 500ml snap-lock plastic container that is camoflagued with the word geocaching written on the lid. You do not need to leave the track to find the cache. To find the coordinates of the cache you will need to read the information board within Deans Cottage and answer the following questions to find the seconds coordinates of the cache which is located at: S 43° 31.ABC E 172° 35.DEF
A = plate number that describes the fate of William Deans.
B = final digit of the year featured in Plate 6.
C = plate number explaining when Deans brothers left Scotland.
D = last digit of the year that Jane and son moved into the original Riccarton House.
E = last digit of the year that Ngai Tahu negotiated a 21 year lease with the Deans.
F = last digit of year described in Plate 2.
Cache originally contained notebook, pencil and sharpener, one of Mordor's minions 'Sooki', torch and batteries, backgammon game and flashing jewellery.
You should plan to spend a little time at this very special cache site to enjoy the serenity and reflect on the changes to the Canterbury Plains following settlement by the Maori and then European peoples.