Category Archives: Events

The Sunbury Event: Block Party – November Update

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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!

The Sunbury Event: Block Party – September Update

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In May we broke the news that our next big event in Victoria would be in 2025. We mentioned it wouldn’t be a Mega… because it will be even BIGGER – Victoria’s first ever Block Party – The Sunbury Event (GCAP417). Mark your calendars for March 22-23! This rare opportunity to add a new cache type to your finds simply cannot be missed (the stats hounds are no doubt already drooling over the opportunity!).

Did you know? According to project-gc, there are currently only 8, yes 8, Victorian cachers who have logged this cache type. Australia wide, there are only 32!

What Makes a Block Party Special?

Forget about Scott Cam and Shelley Craft – this Block Party is all about geocaching! Aside from being a unique icon/cache type, we’re combining the best elements of our mega events with unique Block Party action. The worldwide release of Block Parties for 2025 (which were previously only held in Seattle, and only between 2011 and 2015) is to help celebrate 25 years of Geocaching. A key part of the privilege of being allowed to host a Block Party, instead of a Mega, is the ability to join the global celebration of 25 years of Geocaching. So, expect a distinct 25 year flavour right across the event and associated activities.

Did you know? On 2 May 2000, ‘selective availability’ was removed from the Global Position System (GPS). The very first geocache (as we now know them) was placed by Dave Ulmer and shared via a newsgroup on the internet on May 3, 2000. It now exists (mostly for posterity) on geocaching.com as GCF – The Original Stash

No doubt many of you have been itching to hear more about what’s in store, so here is one of many updates to come in the lead up to March 2025.

Introducing…. Your Event Mascot!

With the Block Party being located in Sunbury, on the urban fringe, it is home to a number of indigenous fauna species, providing a rich range of choices for our mascot. After deliberating over a shortlist of fantastic options, the committee has settled on…. 

Ornithorhynchus Anatinus (meaning duck-like bird-snout), or the platypus as it’s more commonly known (meaning flat-foot).

The platypus is endemic to the east coast of Australia, and is well represented within the Hume region, living in Emu Bottom Wetlands, which includes Jacksons Creek.

A baby platypus is known (among other terms) as a puggle, which just so happens to rhyme with muggle. So please welcome, our Sunbury mascot…. Muggle the Puggle!

Fun Fact: Melbourne Water conducts platypus monitoring throughout its catchment area. In 2015, the largest platypus discovered in the monitoring program was found in Jacksons Creek, weighing in at an impressive 2.7kg! If you happen to spot a platypus in the wild, you can report your sighting and assist with ongoing research & conservation of this iconic species by visiting platypusspot.org for more info.

Event Details

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

Further accommodation options have been added to the website, with plenty of camping, cabin & Hotel/Motel options provided. Some have special rates available to event attendees so be sure to check it out.

Sunbury Block Party Committee

An event of this magnitude requires the support of a team of many people to be successful. Central to this success is the the event committee. We’ve assembled an all-star team to make this event unforgettable and are thrilled to introduce ConnieandRick, Crack’n’LeeLee, BFMC, FMH1977, and ILookedThere who are hard at work, firming up the many block party elements including mascots, merchandise, information sessions, event related caches, ad labs and much more! You can read more about your block party team at this link.

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!

We look forward to sharing more details with you over the coming months. Stay tuned.

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

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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

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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.

Introducing The Next Big Event

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Geocaching Victoria is thrilled to mark 25 years of geocaching by hosting Victoria’s first ever Block Party, set to take place in Sunbury on the north western fringe of metropolitan Melbourne. The Sunbury Event (GCAP417) will be held on March 22nd – 23rd, 2025 and promises to be a celebration of all things geocaching. Anticipate lead up activities, side events, and plenty to see and do during the weekend. The Block Party event is now live so ensure it finds a place in your calendar by logging your will attend now! Only 5,064 geocachers worldwide have found the rare Block Party cache type, so don’t miss this unique local opportunity to add it to your own find list!

The event will be held at the Hume Global Learning Centre in Sunbury, a state of the art facility boasting a $21m investment and a mere four years old. Conveniently located within close proximity of Melbourne Airport, it offers easy access via a short stroll from both trains and buses servicing the airport, Melbourne CBD, and regional Victorian locations. In addition it has ample free onsite parking.

We look forward to sharing further plans over the coming months, so be sure to stay connected via the following communication channels to receive all the latest updates:

There are plenty of travel and accommodation options already listed on our Block Party website, so be sure to log your will attend and start planning your Blocktastic adventure today.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Sunbury in 2025 to help celebrate 25 years of geocaching, and Victoria’s first ever Block Party.

Want To Get Involved?

If you’re interested in joining the organising committee or lending a hand with cache placements and other pre-event activities, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us via email at sunbury2025@geocachingvictoria.com.au.