Our Lady Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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A shrine, a church,a winery & a cache. What more could you want?
Sevenhill Cellars was established in 1851 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order known as Jesuits. They came from Austria seeking a settlement free from religious and political persecution. Arriving in 1848, they settled South-West of Clare near Neagles Rock. In 1851 they brought the property which they named Sevenhill, after Rome the City of Seven Hills, planning that it would become a Catholic Cultural Centre like Rome. The first vines were planted in 1852 to supply their Altar Wine and from that beginning the vineyard has grown to 59 hectares, growing 16 varieties.
Building began on the church, which was originally intended to be the College Chapel, in 1864 but ceased in 1866 due to lack of funds and because of the mass exodus of people seeking their fortunes in the Victorian Gold Fields which were booming at the time. Work resumed in 1870 and the tower and the nave were completed by the end of that year. The walls are built of stone quarried on the property, and the roof arches are local red gum timber (put up as a temporary measure). The slate floor is of Mintaro flagstone and the roof is Welsh Slate. St Aloysius Church is one of the few churches in Australia to have a Crypt. It is situated underneath the church, and the entrance is on the outside on the northern side. The first burial was that of Brother George Sadler SJ in 1865, killed when blasting stone in the quarry for the building. The church was finally consecrated on 7th February 1875, and today is a well attended parish church.
On the left of the driveway just inside the entrance is the Grotto, a stone shrine with a beautiful white statue of the Virgin Mary. In the early years this small building was the smokehouse where the meat was cured, and it was in the early 1950's that a wall was removed and a archway set in the side.
The cache is located about 5m west of the Grotto, in a convenient group of rocks.
Please take care replacing rocks back on top of the cache
Those of a more religous persuasion than myself might like to continue down the hill behind the Grotto, for one of the best "Stations Of The Cross" I have seen. If you are into a glass of wine, then the winery is located behind the Church. If into neither then the area is public access during the day so just call in and admire the scenery. Close to the Riesling Trail if you are cycling or walking the area as well.
Cache placement has been approved by the Winery Operations Manager.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fznyyre ebpxf pbire vg.