Category Archives: Event2024

The Sunbury Event: Block Party – November Update

Posted on by
Reply

Caches, places and famous faces

So, you’re coming to join us in Sunbury, or at least hoping to? That’s Blocktastic! There are plenty of wonderful things you can see, do, and of course find while you are visiting, so we wanted to share a few. Of course if you haven’t done so already, we encourage you to log your will attend to assist us with planning.

Did you know? Rupertswood Mansion is a short stroll from Block Party GZ. The former home of Sir William Clarke is widely considered the birthplace of The Ashes after Sir Williams wife,  Lady Janet Clarke, presented a small terracotta urn to England captain Ivo Bligh, believed to contain the ashes of bails from a cricket game played at Rupertswood during England’s 1882-83 tour of Australia.

 Caches to visit in Sunbury, the Hume region & surrounds (as at 3/11/2024)

There are plenty of geocaches all over the Hume region, including the famous The Woodlands series containing 100 caches around Woodlands Historic Park, which is immediately opposite Melbourne Airport. Here are some of the others to put on your list.

Top 5 favourited caches in Hume region:

  • GC35E2X Woodlands 100 – Final (165 FP)
  • GC35X2N Woodlands 16 – Platypus (126 FP)
  • GC8D73 Aeroplane Gelli (67 FP)
  • GC9P5Y2 Melbourne Airport ✈️ Virtual Reward 3.0 (59 FP)
  • GC1ABT8 Victoria’s Oldest Homestead (57 FP)

  • GCAT82P SSID? (MkII) Honourable mention (<5 months old and 21 FP’s already) It’s also one of only fourteen active caches Victoria-wide that has the Wireless Beacon attribute.

5 oldest caches in Hume region:

  • GC8D73 Aeroplane Gelli (Sept 2002)
  • GCM2VW Not a peaceful resting place (November 2004)
  • GCKVJ5 Cumberland Walk V.2 (January 2006)
  • GCWVM4 NO FORDS allowed! (June 2006)
  • GC1259CAsian Work In Progress (April 2007)
  • GC7A Victoria’s 1st (Melbourne’s 1st) Honourable mention. Not too far away is the oldest cache in the state of Victoria, placed on 8/10/2000. (1,293 finds and 497 favourites)

Are there new caches coming for the block party?

Rest assured, the Block Party Committee (with the wonderful support of some local CO’s and other volunteers) are working feverishly on adding more caches to the map prior to the big event. Stay tuned for further information.

Places to visit in Sunbury, Hume & surrounds

Below are just some of the things to see & do during your visit. Be sure to check opening hours and admission fees using the links below.

The Gatehouse Cafe is a wonderful bluestone building constructed in the mid 1870’s and is located at the entrance to Rupertswood Mansion. The Gatehouse Cafe is open to the public, however the mansion itself is a private building for Salesian College.

Woodlands Homestead was established in 1843 and is a rare example of a large, pre-constructed timber kit house brought to Australia from England. It is home to an extensive art collection and horse racing memorabilia as part of Living Legends, which provides a life after racing for race horses including including former Melbourne Cup winners Doreimus, Rogan Josh & Saintly, to name a few.

Organ Pipes National Park is situated in the traditional country of the Wurundjeri people and sits on the edge of one of the worlds largest ancient volcanic lava flows. It includes Rosette Rock, the Tessellated Pavement and the basalt columns, formed around 1 million years ago, that the park is now named after. Keep an eye out for echidnas, kangaroos, wallabies and last but not least, you might even spot a platypus! Note: accessing this site includes navigating a short but steep hill.

Animal Land Children’s Farm in Diggers Rest provides the opportunity to take a self guided tour around a working farm. Book in advance for the best prices. A great experience for both the young and the young at heart.

Jacksons Creek Rail Bridge is one of the many significant bridges in the area and is Australia’s oldest girder bridge built in 1861.

Emu Bottom Homestead is a rare example of early Australian Colonial Architecture and is the oldest existing farmhouse constructed by settlers in Victoria.

Faces at lead up events

Our first official lead up event (GCAYT3D) was held in Wangaratta on Saturday 2 November – thanks to those that came along. The next event (GCAYRZZ) is in Ballarat on Sunday 8 December at 10am. Check out the cache page for information on how you can go into the lead up events draw to win a custom pack of event coins from previous Victorian Mega events (prize to be drawn at the Sunbury Event). More lead up events will be coming soon!

Last but not least, GCAWW61 is at Bunnings Mernda on Sunday 1 December from 9am-4pm. Come down to say hi, and if you like, purchase a snag (or two) and a cold drink & help raise funds to support the Block Party.

Block Party Event Details

Don’t forget to keep updated on all our Block Party news by engaging in the following channels:

Want To Get Involved?

Over the coming months we will be reaching out to the community for volunteers to assist with various support activities in the lead up to, and during the event. Every little bit helps, and you can support the event experience for all involved with as little as a few hours of your time. In the interim, if you would like to get involved in some of the background activities as we build up to the event, you can email sunbury2025@geocachingvictoria.com.au. No experience necessary!

A recap of recent events, future adventures, and our shiny new geocoin!

Posted on by
Reply

It’s been a whirlwind of activity for us over the past couple of months, and the excitement is far from over! Join us as we recap our recent Cachemas in July, National Tree Day, and SideTracked Day – 17th Anniversary celebrations. If that’s not enough – we’ve got even more events on the horizon, including a fundraising BBQ and a special celebration honouring the 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year winners and the 10th anniversary of Geocaching Victoria.

Oh and the best part? We’ve just unveiled a one-of-a-kind, premium 10th anniversary geocoin that you won’t want to miss! Take advantage of our early bird offer and save $5 off the regular price. Don’t let this opportunity slip away – read on to discover how you can secure your piece of geocaching history today!

Events galore

Cachemas In July Lunch – 27 July (GCAPPGD)

The Kensington Town Hall was transformed into a Cachemas wonderland as geocachers from near and far gathered for a day of delicious food, exciting games, camaraderie and plenty of Cachemas cheer! It was the perfect way to cap off the 12 Days of Cachemas, which saw the placement of 30 new geocaches across Victoria as part of the celebration.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the TDOC24 COs and community reviewers who made this possible. We’d also like to extend our thanks to everyone who helped put together the Cachemas event and volunteered their time on the day, including our Bingo team Snips and Co and Kristysadventures, and our special guest Santa.

National Tree Day – 28 July(GCAQ560)

Across the state, geocachers came together to celebrate National Tree Day on 28 July through a series of CITOs hosted in Hume, Knox and Wangaratta LGAs. In anticipation of the upcoming Sunbury Event – Block Party (GCAP417) in 2025, Geocaching Victoria collaborated with the Hume City Council to help plant an impressive 1,800 native grasses in a local conservation reserve, which is home to the black-shouldered kite, Thara.

As the sun broke through the clouds, attendees enjoyed an enlightening talk followed by a fast-paced planting session, all made possible by the enthusiastic support of goecachers, locals and various community groups. The activities concluded with a live animal exhibit that captivated both young and old, along with pizza for lunch. Thank you to everyone who pitched in.

SideTracked Day – 10 August (GCAPPGF)

All aboard the excitement train! Geocaching Victoria’s SideTracked Day 2024 celebration was an absolute smash hit, with over 130 enthusiastic geocachers and train enthusiasts gathering to mark the 17th anniversary. With exclusive access to the Diamond Valley Miniature Railway and the sun beaming down, it was the perfect location for this fun filled day and there were smiles for miles!

The festivities included a delicious free BBQ and an array of tasty treats. Attendees were also treated to a Thomas themed geotrail, a colouring competition, a “guess how many lollies in the jar” contest (over 300!) and more. However, the true highlight of the day was the opportunity to catch up with fellow cachers, and enjoy riding the incredible minature railway, all thanks to the brilliant idea proposed by Long John Silver, and the dedicated volunteers of Diamond Valley Railway Inc.

In SideTracked terms, this event was no ordinary celebration – it made history! SideTracked Day in Victoria was the largest attended SideTracked event globally in 2024, and the second largest EVER in the 17-year history of these events worldwide. It was only surpassed by a gathering scheduled at the end of a Mega Event! What an achievement and a testament to the vibrant geocaching community in Victoria!

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped out on the day to make this a resounding success. Your enthusiasm and support are what makes events like this so special.

Upcoming Activities

Fundraising BBQs at Bunnings – 6 October & 1 December (GCAWW4Z)

The first ever Block Party in Victoria is scheduled for 22-23 March next year, don’t forget to mark your calendars! It is set to be a huge event, and to help fund this free weekend we’ll be hosting two Bunnings fundraising BBQ’s later this year. The first one is set to take place on Sunday, 6 October, in the Mernda Bunnings carpark. If you can spare just 2 hours to volunteer on the day, we’d love to have you join the team. Simply reach out to grub62@geocachingvictoria.com.au to sign up.

Even if you can’t volunteer, we encourage you to stop by, show your support, and sign the logbook. And while you’re there, why not treat yourself to a delicious sausage? You can also contribute by purchasing a packet of sausages and a loaf of bread for us to sell on the day via our Geocaching Victoria Shop.

2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards & Geocaching Victoria 10 Year Anniversary – 16 November (GCAWDFX)

Join us for a fantastic night as we celebrate all of the nominees and announce the winners of the 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards. Voting will open in early October, so make sure to explore as many of the 2023 nominees as possible before you vote.

This event is also a chance to celebrate a decade of Geocaching Victoria. We’ll take a nostalgic journey through the past ten years, reminiscing and celebrating the adventures and memories we’ve created together.

The celebration will be held at the Yarraville-Footscray Bowling Club, where we’ll kick off with some casual barefoot bowls and drinks. Following that, optional meals will be available, as we toast the winners and celebrate the journey of the past decade.

Don’t forget to log your will attend to reserve your seat at GCAWDFX.

Geocaching Victoria 10th Anniversary Geocoin (Pre-sale)

Don’t miss your chance to own this one-of-a-kind geocoin commemorating a decade of Geocaching Victoria adventures! Whether you’ve been with us since the very first Mega Event in Casey Fields in 2015, attended recent events like our SideTracked Day celebration above, or have been following along online, this special coin lets you be a part of our history.

This premium 10th Anniversary geocoin was meticulously designed by Chris Mackey of AURA Design Group. At 3 inches wide and 4mm thick, it’s a substantial piece of memorabilia that will stand out in your collection. Each coin comes with its own unique tracking code.

You can purchase your coin for pick up at our Celebration event (or delivery afterwards) by visiting the 10th Anniversary Geocoin on our website.

Early Bird Offer – Expires September 22!

As a thank you to our loyal early adopters who dive in headfirst and support us, we’re offering a limited time $5 early bird discount until 22 September. Check out the coin link for more details on how to secure your discount and take home this premium coin.

Cachemas In July 2024

Posted on by
Reply

After the success of Cachemas in July last year we are pleased to bring back this caching festival in 2024.

  1. Cachemas in July Lunch – 27 July
  2. Twelve Days of Cachemas (TDOC24) Cache Series
  3. Victorian Geocache Statistics

Cachemas in July Lunch – 27 July

Be sure to mark 27 July in your calendar as we welcome all cachers and muggle families to join us to celebrate Cachemas in July, an afternoon of fun, food and good times with fellow cachers. There has been a short delay in event publication, however we expect this should appear next week and will be available at GCAPPGD once published. All the details are below:

  • GCAPPGD (publication pending)
  • Saturday 27 July 2024
  • 11:30am – 3:00pm
  • Kensington Town Hall, Kensington
  • Fully catered lunch (lunch and dessert)
  • Soft drinks available for purchase
  • Games, prizes and Kris Kringle (optional)
  • $28 per person – Book your tickets at https://www.trybooking.com/CRXGK

We can’t wait to celebrate with you on the day.

Some snaps from last years event.

Twelve Days of Cachemas (TDOC24) Cache Series

We were thrilled by the response to last years Twelve Days of Cachemas (TDOC23) cache series and are pleased to welcome it back for 2024.

This year we are opening the series up to the community so that more people can participate. Are you interested in submitting a hide to form part of TDOC24?

To register your interest, create a cache page (it can be blank for now – you just need a GC code), and then complete the cache registration form by 2 June. You don’t have to have hidden your cache or completed the cache page details by then, we just need an idea of your hide so we can plan for it in the series. You can start working on your cache straight away. We will touch base with you once registrations close to confirm your hide and supply cache page artwork.

Importantly you should initially plan to have your cache submitted for review no later than 7 July 2024, however earlier is better. If this is one of your first hides, or your hide has some tricky review elements, you should initiate the review process a week earlier.

If you need to change your submission or have a specific question you can email us at cachemas@geocachingvictoria.com.au.

Some guidelines to help with your Cachemas geocache are as follows:

  • The final and any associated waypoints need to be within Victoria.
  • We encourage use of the Cachemas theme throughout your hide, however it is not essential.
  • Include “TDOC24:” at the start of the cache name and include the series banner and intro on the cache page (content will be provided at a later date). The remainder of the cache name and cache page are entirely yours to design as usual.
  • The cache will be published at a designated date and time per the series schedule (with reviewer support). This will be advised.
  • Please keep your cache and timing to yourself to enhance the enjoyment for everyone during the festival.
  • You can accommodate multiple attributes into your cache (ie it can be proposed in the Mystery cache category and still incorporate a rare LGA type or rare D/T.). The broader the mixture of types, sizes, locations and attributes the better.
  • You can propose a cache in more than one Cachemas category, although we recommend focusing on quality and variety vs quantity.
  • Use your main CO account (no sock puppets).
  • We may reach out to you for help if there are limited caches in a particular category or location

Victorian Geocache Statistics

If you are wanting to add an extra dimension to your Cachemas (or other) hides, you may like to visit our new Victorian Geocache Statistics page. This page has various statistics for caches placed in Victoria. You may like to work towards adding a cache to one of the rarer spots shown in the statistics grids.

We can’t wait to see the ideas the community has for this years series, and look forward to joining you on July 27 in Kensington for the Cachemas celebration event.

And The Nominees Are…

Posted on by
1

Over the past month, geocachers from all over the state have been reliving their favourite caching adventures from 2023. Combing through their geocaching lists in search of the cream of the crop to add to the nominees list for the Victorian Cache of the Year Awards. From mind-bending puzzles, to magnificent views and cunning hides, the floodgates opened as nominations poured in. In fact, this year saw a staggering 800 individual cache, Adventure Lab and log nominations – a new record! Thank you to everyone who added their voice to the list of geocaching greatness.

The nominations covered all corners of the state, with half of this years shortlisted nominees coming from regional Victoria. From night caches in the bush, lake paddles, and urban watering hole walks, there was a wide range of nominations. The list included quests to find white rabbits, bollards or ice cream, and field puzzles and mysteries that left many scratching their heads in search of the elusive log. It could have been a great view, a tricky find, or an amazing story that piqued interest. However, they all have one thing in common – the geocaching community thought they were something truly special.

The nominations were carefully tallied, verified and cross checked, and those pesky O’s converted to 0, I to a 1 and some Z to a 2 so that all the GC codes validated. With the nominations counted and shortlisted, the stage was set to share the amazing news with the community on the banks of Cherry Lake in Altona. (GCAK9V2)

As the autumn sun gently broke through the clouds, and the aroma of the sizzling BBQ wafted through the park (with thanks to the Sausage King, aka JohnnyGoldCoast), over 60 passionate geocachers gathered to celebrate as the shortlisted nominees were unveiled. A shout out to the HoodedHooligans and Bunadoorian also for their support on the day.

For those eager to dive in, the full list is available on our website’s 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards page, complete with links to each cache, Adventure Lab and log. There are an incredible 54 individual caches, 190 caches from the top 10 nominated cache series, 7 Adventure Labs and 6 entertaining Found IT/DNF logs to enjoy. Congratulations to everyone that was shortlisted.

Don’t forget the 2 geocaching.com cache lists to help you find them all.

It was evident that the volume of nominations for categories like “Best First Hide”, benefited from the new 2023 cache lists, which were made available this year via our website and geocaching.com. Kudos to BernieH along with support from our Victorian reviewer Bunjil for their efforts in delivering these invaluable tools. The 2024 lists are already online and are periodically updated throughout the year. The committee has also spent a great deal of time reviewing the program in detail, and updating the guidelines, to improve the awards and incorporate community feedback. Thank you for your tireless efforts.

Hold your breath however, as the journey is far from over! Voting won’t commence until later in the year, with the final winners slated to be revealed at a gala event in October/November (TBA). So grab your GPS device, lace up your caching boots and start the hunt for as many nominated caches as you can.

To all those whose geocache, Adventure Lab or log has earned you a spot on the coveted nominations list for 2023, congratulations on your nomination and thank you for bringing so much enjoyment to the community – Good Luck!

So what hides do you have planned for 2024?

March Spotlight: Award Nominations Begin As the Ballarat GeoTour Wraps Up

Posted on by
Reply

As the curtains close on the film and television awards season, the caching awards season is only just starting. Dive into the details below to discover how you can participate, relish in the highlights of the Ballarat GeoTour, and mark your calendar for our upcoming April fundraising BBQ.

  1. 2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards – Nominations Open
  2. Ballarat GeoTour Farewell
  3. Bunnings Fundraising BBQ

2023 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards – Nominations Open

We are excited to launch the Victorian Cache of the Year Awards for 2023. Each year we continue to be amazed by the creative, inspirational and adventurous caches that are created within our community and the awards are a great way to celebrate them.

This year, the committee has invested time to enhance the nomination resources, guidance, and program transparency. This includes incorporating community feedback into the program. For comprehensive details on the program, including eligibility and nomination criteria, please visit our awards webpage: Cache of the Year Awards

The 2023 award categories are:

  • Best Traditional Cache
  • Best Multi Cache
  • Best Mystery Cache
  • Best Other Cache (incl Wherigo, Letterbox, Virtual and Earthcache)
  • Best First Hide
  • Best Cache Series
  • Best Cache Location
  • Best Regional Cache (non metro LGA)
  • Best Adventure Lab
  • Best Cache Log (includes Found It and DNF)
  • Best Overall Cache

Nominations are now open and will remain open for 4 weeks, closing on Wednesday 17 April. If you haven’t already, take the opportunity to reflect on some of the remarkable 2023 caches you have discovered to ensure your favourites are recognised. You might even like to embark on some new adventures to uncover even more 2023 hides. These geocaching lists can help you to pinpoint the caches eligible in this years awards:

The shortlisted candidates will be announced at our awards nomination event at Cherry Lake on Sunday 21 April (GCAK9V2). Everyone is welcome to attend and there will be a free sausage sizzle so be sure to log your will attend for catering purposes.

The awards have a tradition of being generously sponsored by fellow cachers within our community. If you’re interested in learning more about sponsoring one of the 2023 awards, please visit the donations section of our shop or reach out via email at president@geocachingvictoria.com.au. Sponsors have the option to remain anonymous if they wish.

While you are nominating, give some thought to what amazing caches you are planning for 2024.

Ballarat GeoTour Farewell

After three very successful years, the Ballarat GeoTour officially concluded on Monday, 4 March. The final weeks were bustling with activity as teams from all across Australia (and some international guests), pushed to complete the tour before its closure.

Being the only GeoTour in the country it was no surprise the tour attracted an incredible turnout, drawing over 1,700 unique geocachers to explore Ballarat. The 25 caches and Adventure Lab garnered nearly 13,000 logs and close to 1,600 location completions respectively. Remarkably, 340 geocachers successfully completed the entire tour, earning themselves the coveted GeoTour souvenir. GeoTour participants journeyed from every corner of Australia, along with visitors from 19 other countries. Geocaching teams collectively spent 3,853 days searching for GeoTour caches!

Behind every one of our successful adventures lies the invaluable support of dedicated volunteers, and the Ballarat GeoTour is no exception. GemmaSistema spearheaded this remarkable project with incredible commitment and vision from the beginning. A huge thank you is owed to her for her leadership, drive, and determination. With the support of her Geocaching Victoria committee colleagues, Gemma was able to turn this ambitious idea into a reality. The financial backing provided by Vic Health played a pivotal role in bringing this dream to fruition. However, it was the collective effort of the Ballarat and surrounding caching community that truly brought the GeoTour to life.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed their time and expertise to help design the tour, place and maintain caches, and ensure the seamless operation of the GeoTour over the past three years.

– ChooknChunk
– GemmaSistema
– Feathertop
– Fergzter
– Glanville Girls
– Kenare 		– LouiseAnn
– Mazzy May
– McAdies
– McLookers
– PerpetuallyLost
– Saint Anthony 		– Sally Mally
– Sean.75
– Sunset62
– The_Tritonz
– Wozzle68

In addition a massive thank you to our reviewers Bunjil and GeoAwareANZ2 for their ongoing support throughout. To each and every participant of the tour, as well as those who bought GeoTour coins and those who contributed to the nine GeoTour events, thank you for being a part of it.

The winners of our final 3 GeoTour unobtanium coins have now been drawn and they are:

  • jaamc_3335 (Completed the whole tour)
  • BlackOpal2005 (Completed the whole tour)
  • SciFiRulz (Supporting merchadise purchase)

Congratulations to all of the winners and we will be in contact with you soon to arrange your prize. If you haven’t ordered your GeoTour coins yet to celebrate, there are still a small number of each coin left available on our website.

Bunnings Fundraising BBQ

Join us for our upcoming fundraising event at the infamous Hammerbarn, scheduled for Sunday April 14 at Bunnings Mernda. Led by our fundraising champion, Grub62 (Belinda), our team of volunteers will be cooking up a storm, enticing the public to support us with their generosity.

We’re still in need of a few extra hands on the day, so if you can spare a couple of hours, we’d greatly appreciate your assistance. Feel free to reach out to Belinda at grub62@geocachingvictoria.com.au. Alternatively if you can’t stay for long, why not drop by anytime between 9 am and 4 pm to meet fellow geocachers and enjoy a snag. Don’t forget to log your ‘Will Attend’ at GCAK9VM.

If you can’t make it but would still like to support our fundraising efforts, why not donate the equivalent of a packet of sausages and some loaves of bread towards the day. Simply use the ‘Give ingredients for a fundraising BBQ‘ option on our website or explore one of the other donation alternatives.

We extend our gratitude to Bunnings Mernda for their ongoing support of Geocaching Victoria. Special thanks to the activities team, Michelle, and Chloe, for providing us with this invaluable opportunity.