Can you hear the drum roll…… yes it is getting louder! The excitement is building…
As the dust settles on our Whittlesea Mega, the planning and rumblings of the next big event is not just starting to get traction… it’s in full planning mode! Geocaching Victoria is super excited to announce the Rutherglen Event April 2023 (GC9MH9M). So be sure to register your interest and log a “will attend”.
Our new Mega Committee has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to plan the next amazing experience for our community.
Here are some key points of information that you should read to get the best out of the next Mega in Victoria.
2. Accommodation is available and is coordinated by Rutherglen Agricultural Society (not Geocaching Victoria)
3. To make this a successful event, we certainly need volunteers, so please let us know if you can help out in anyway over the course of the event.
4. We have some merchandise available (jackets and shirts) in the shop. We hope to announce coins and Pathtags soon.
5. There are already an incredible amount of new geocaches hidden for the event including many new multi’s, letterboxes, wherigo series, new beginner series and more. Be sure to plan your visit to maximise how many new caches you can collect.
6. Our favourite Facebook group has now adopted a new name – Rutherglen Reflections, so be sure to keep in touch for the updates as they come out in coming weeks and months.
There will be more updates to come in the weeks and months ahead, so be sure to keep an eye on our webpage and facebook page.
What a weekend! Around 500 teams, including close to 70 cachers attending their first ever Mega, descended on Whittlesea for an epic weekend of fun, friendship and caching. Melbourne showed our interstate and overseas visitors why we say we have four seasons in one day, but that didn’t stop us. A puzzle room, petting zoo, fireworks, Signal, gadget alley, lackeys, GPS Adventure Maze, awards, a CITO, caches, and more kept attendees entertained across the whole weekend. Thank you to everyone for making this yet another very memorable Victorian Mega!
Alas, all good things come to an end, and as we look forward to The Rutherglen Event (GC9MH9M) in April 2023, there are a few final things to wrap up.
Post Mega Feedback
Gathering feedback on your Whittlesea experience is very important as it helps us to shape future events. Follow the link below to share your experiences and let us know what you thought of The Whittlesea Event.
Provide your feedback by Wednesday 30 November to be in the running to win a Whittlesea Event Unobtanium coin, or one of five annual Geocaching.com premium memberships.
We couldn’t have delivered The Whittlesea Event without a massive team of volunteers and supporters. You can view the list of the more than 100 people who contributed to make Whittlesea a success HERE. Thank you to each and every one of them.
We are pleased to announce the winners of our random volunteer prize draw who each win a $50 Bunnings voucher and a 3D Event Coin:
Pre Mega Volunteers – Cathlud
Friday Mega Volunteers – chooknchunk (Glen)
Saturday Mega Volunteers – skuzzybear
Sunday Mega Volunteers – Spenna1211
We have also randomly awarded a Whittlesea Unobtanium Coin to one lucky volunteer – Congratulations to Harrowang (Sally) on your win!
Complete your logs and post your photos to win a Whittlesea Unobtanium Coin
There are still a handful of Whittlesea Unobtanium Coins up for grabs. A Whittlesea Unobtanium Coin is available for one lucky attendee at each event across the weekend. All you need to do, is ensure your Found It log is posted by Wednesday 30 November and that you signed the event log book.
If you haven’t already done so – post your photos in the Whittlesea Whispers Facebook group to go into the draw to also win a Whittlesea Unobtanium Coin.
All winners will be announced in the following week close of entries.
A full list of all of our Whittlesea Event prize winners can be found HERE. We are pleased to announce the following additional competition winners:
Whittlesea Unobtanium for one lucky camper– Lorigus74
Whittlesea Unobtanium for one lucky merchandise buyer (preorder) – Smrff78
Whittlesea Unobtanium for nominating/voting in the Annual Cache Awards – LetThemEatCache
First Time Mega Attendees – 5 x Annual Premium Memberships –
icybeetas
Lani-B
chapples284
BrandenAdams
TomAndSnail
We will be in contact with you in the next 2 weeks to arrange to get your prizes to you.
Final Date to Order Whittlesea Event Clothing
Final orders for The Whittlesea Event clothing range (Polos, Hoodies, Beanies & Caps) end this Sunday 27 November. If you missed out, CLICK HERE to place your order now.
Limited stocks of the pathtag set and event coins from The Whittlesea Event are available to purchase from the Geocaching Victoria shop.
Thank You
On behalf of the Whittlesea Mega Organising Committee, thank you to everyone who supported and participated in The Whittlesea Event 2022. It has been our pleasure to bring this event to you all. Bring on Rutherglen!
It’s hard to believe that this time tomorrow many of us will start to arrive in preparation for the Mega – the Mega that nearly didn’t happen – the Mega we started planning in 2020. Well it’s nearly here and I don’t know about you – but we am super excited!! To support your arrival, here are some final thoughts… #whittlesea2022
Arrival
For those that are camping check in will be via Showgrounds Rd
The day visitor parking entrance is via McPhee Rd – there is no entry to the showgrounds from the Whittlesea-Yea Rd
Parking is available along either side of McPhee Rd in the concrete and gravel areas, as well as surrounding the Chandler/Football Club.
Campers are asked to park at their site while at the showgrounds
Covid Safe
We are mindful that there is still Covid within the community – so just a friendly reminder that if you do have Covid, are infectious or have symptoms to consider staying home.
Updates Over Weekend
Over the course of the weekend – we will be using “Whittlesea Whispers” Facebook page where any new announcements or updates will be shared. However any changes to individual event locations or details will be updated via the respective GC page .
Registration Desk
The registration desk will be open from 9.00am both Saturday and Sunday, where you can receive both your registration pack and for any merchandise purchases, please collect those from the GVI Shop.
Official Welcome and Mega Opening
Don’t forget the the Official Welcome and Mega Opening starts at 8.30am – so see you there! (GC9YKBR) – Welcome to Whittlesea
Unobtaniums are an extremely limited edition geocoin – almost unobtainable in fact. There is no way these can be purchased and as such are highly sought after. Mega Events are traditionally the only way you can secure one of these rare coins and so obtaining the unobtainable has become a highlight for many geocachers since the inaugural Mega in 2015.
Over the weekend of the Whittlesea MEGA, there are fifteen ways to win an unobtanium geocoin. Will you be one of the lucky ones?
Be the lucky draw prize winner at the Social Night Event on Friday*
Be the lucky draw prize winner at the Welcome to Whittlesea Event on Saturday*
Be the lucky draw prize winner at the Tambo CITO Event on Saturday*
Be the lucky draw prize winner at the Awards and Celebration Night Event on Saturday*
Be the lucky draw prize winner at the Farewell Whittlesea Event on Sunday*
Be the lucky draw prize winner from all MEGA attendees who have signed the log book*
Be a lucky random draw prize winner from all camp sites at the MEGA*
Win the Cachers Bingo Draw (all squares)
Find one of the random caches in the Whittlesea LGA over the weekend that has one of these coins in it.
Win the FTF raffle
Win the Maccamob hamper draw
Completing the post Mega Evaluation Survey*
Best public photo posted on designated “Photo Comp” Post in Whittlesea Whispers – available from Friday 18th November and Closes Sunday 27th November. Be sure to use #whittlesea2022 as the tag.*
Be a lucky winner from those that pre-purchased Whittlesea & Maze Merchandise*
Be a lucky winner from those that either nominated or voted in the Victorian Cache of the Year*
Winners will be advised after the Whittlesea mega assuming all log are posted by Sunday 27th November 2022
For those that are coming to the Mega – you may be interested in knowing more about the Puzzle Room. It is similar to an Escape Room, where Professor Cachington’s Laboratory contains 5 mystery words to unravel.Bookings are required (at the puzzle room).
So what do you have to do?
You have been asked to assist Professor Cachington in developing an antidote for a new disease known as Geopoxitis – a debilitating disease that causes the human body to create its own magnetic field, interfering with any navigational instrument that comes near them. The professor was only 5 ingredients short of finishing the antidote. However while stopping to get a cache on his way to the lab, Professor Cachington contracted the terrible disease. It is now up to you to finish his work, by identifying the 5 crucial ingredients and completing the antidote. The effects of Geopoxitis become permanent after 20 minutes, so time is of the essence. Hurry, the caching world is counting on you!
In teams of six, you will have 20 minutes to discover the five mystery words. You will be teamed up with others where possible.
Bookings are required (at the puzzle room booking table in the Chandler Pavilion) as follows:
For a Friday adventure (volunteers only): Bookings can be made Friday afternoon.
For a Saturday morning adventure: Bookings can be made Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.
For a Saturday afternoon adventure: Bookings can be made any time Saturday.
For a Sunday morning adventure: Bookings can be made Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.
For a Sunday afternoon adventure: Bookings can be made any time Sunday.
Please arrive 10 minutes before your allocated timeslot for a short briefing before you enter the Professor’s Lab.
