COMMUNITY CACHE
This cache has historical or local significance and is now being monitored/looked after by heymissjo on behalf of the Geocaching community. Any queries regarding this cache should be addressed to that geocacher account.
Train whistle blowing, makes a sleepy noise,
With their GPS'es go all the girls and boys.
Rocking, rolling, riding, out along the bay,
All bound for an Eltham Park, not so many miles away.
This multi-cache was hidden for Chookies' "Fun & Exciting Caching Activity 2006" (GCXEA0). It is a kid-friendly, short multi at the Eltham Lower Park featuring the Diamond Valley Railway, a volunteer miniature railway in a bushland park.
Kids (young and old) love trains, whether it be Morningtown Ride, Thomas the Tank Engine, or the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 3/4. This is a chance to ride the best miniature railway the Pickup family has come across. The best time to do this cache is of course a Sunday when the trains are running (plus extra days in the holidays) but you can do it at any time. You do not need to ride the train or enter the train "park" enclosure to do the cache.
WPT1 will have you near the main station. On the outside awning, there is a sign with information on the Diamond Valley Railway.
C = 6.
Find D = the number of platforms at the main station here (look for the signs nearby).
Staying outside the fence, walk east along the carpark to WPT2 at S 037° 44.028' E 145° 08.564' which will have you near a big turntable. (For fun see if you can count how many tracks go into the turntable, it's tricky.)
Find FG = the number of tracks which go into the William G Pert Railway Workshop building. (A "track" is a pair of rails.)
Work out H = D + G.
The final cache is a 100m-ish walk around behind the Pert workshop, staying outside of the railway fence to GZ at:
S37 43.9C7 E145 08.5H9
The cache is a 1L screw top container. Be careful (as usual) to supervise small children as the river banks are steep and this is a good area for snakes. Access is along a dirt path. No fences need to be crossed, no bushes trampled, and the cache (and all the clues) can be accessed even when the trains are not operating. The cache is in an obvious location and is easier found by kids than adults.
Beforehand or afterwards, feel free to take a train ride, if you are there on a Sunday, highly recommended by the Pickup family, great value and great fun. More information at www.dvr.com.au. Picnic facilities, playground and pony rides also available in the park.