Neville’s News – Final Update – March 2026

🎉 Thank You for an Incredible Tassie Mega! 🎉And just like that… it’s all over!

After more than two years of planning, countless meetings, ideas, problem-solving sessions, and plenty of late nights, the Tasmanian Mega Event has officially come to a close—and what an unforgettable weekend it was.

From the first trail event, the atmosphere was electric and just built with every event. Seeing the community come together—sharing stories, exploring caches, and simply enjoying everything Tasmania has to offer—was exactly what this event was all about.

💛 A Huge Thank You

To every single person who attended, supported, contributed, and cheered us on—thank you.

To our volunteers, sponsors, and the incredible community behind geocaching—you made this event what it was. Events like this don’t happen without people willing to give their time, energy, and passion.

🤝 Giving Back

One of the most rewarding parts of the event is being able to give back to the community. The Tassie Event geocaching community raised a record-breaking $2,161 in support of the Midway Point Neighbourhood House.

We are so thrilled to see that those funds will go towards much needed programs within the community that hosted the Mega! Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets—your contribution will make a meaningful difference.

📍 Don’t Forget to Log Your Attendance!

If you joined us but haven’t logged your attendance yet, now’s the time!

All GCAZTAZ mega attendance logs go into a random prize draw for an unobtanium. Entries close sunday night 8pm. So log yours now to be in for a chance.

🎟 Winner will be drawn at upcoming event Victorian COTY Awards 2025 – Nominees Announcement – GCBJQQ9

Dont forget to log the other events also. See the geocaching bookmark list of all events here
👉 https://www.geocaching.com/plan/lists/BMF8C23

📝 Have Your Say – Survey Closing Soon!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the event—what you loved, what worked well, and any ideas for the future.

Our event survey closes this Sunday night, so don’t miss your chance to have your say!

As a thank you, everyone who completes the survey will go into a random prize draw to win:

  • 🪨 An Unobtanium geocoin
  • ⭐ 1 of 3 Premium Memberships on the Geocaching website

🎟 Winners will be drawn at upcoming event Victorian COTY Awards 2025 – Nominees Announcement – GCBJQQ9

Your feedback is incredibly valuable and helps make future events even better.

🎁 Prize Winners
We were thrilled to give away an amazing range of prizes across the weekend! Congratulations to all our winners:

Unobtanium winners are:
Scavenger huntnyrrikat
crosswordJamesAlled69
bingo gameDaryvafder
merchandise supporterBarbara
lead-up event attendeeRVRobot
volunteerscramping
Geocaching Premium Memberships
VolunteerTheHancockClan
VolunteerTazzie_Devil
VolunteerBudgietas
New to major eventDaryvafder
New to major eventCrowscaching
New to major eventSilence49
New to major eventulyssia
Raffle prizes
Maccamob Raffleimbunda
FTF 1stVK7HCH
FTF 2ndmclookers
FTF 3rdGurtheWonderr
FTF 4th Otter61
Garmin InReach Devices thanks to TasWater
Tardis
hevwalker
The Roadies
ahomburg
EeePees
TheHancockClan
nana nel
Lil Rafa
Team_Crumble
JA69

Congratulations also to the recipients who won the Tasmanian Based Maze Banners at the closing ceremony.

⏳ Farewell for now

While the event may be over, the memories, friendships, and adventures will last a lifetime. Whether you travelled from near or far, we hope you had an amazing time exploring Tasmania and being part of something special.

Until the next adventure… happy caching!

tasmaniamega@geocachingvictoria.com.au

Neville’s News – Update 5 – Feb 2026

G’day mates! Neville here 🐾 – your favorite Tasmanian Devil, and this is my final blog before the mega event kicks off. The countdown is almost over, so listen up – I’m giving you all the tips to survive, thrive, and have a devilishly good time!

 Two Weeks to Go – Get Your Tail in Gear!

  • 🗺️ Plan your route & strategy – don’t get lost in the maze!
  • 🧩 Solve puzzles – keep your devilish brain sharp
  • 🎒 Check your gear – comfy shoes, raincoat, water, and powerbank
  • 🏷️ Prep TBs & Pathtags – trading is serious business
  • ✍️ Log “Will Attend” – let everyone know you’re coming

✨ Tassie tip: explore local trails, grab treats, and support local businesses!

🎶 Saturday Night Dinner Event!

Just a reminder — you do not need to purchase a meal to attend this event. The evening is open to everyone, so come along and enjoy the great company, the band Tasmania’s Devil’s Own , and the atmosphere.

If you’d like to have the paella dinner (vegan option available) by Kiltro Streetfood , you’ll need to pre-purchase your meal ticket.

Meal pre-orders close midnight Tuesday 24th so catering numbers can be confirmed.

For full event details and to log your “Will Attend,” please visit  GCAZTAM

🐜🐍 Geocaching in Tassie – Stay Alert!

  • ⚠️ Jack Jumpers – Native ants can deliver painful stings and may trigger severe allergic reactions. Watch your step and avoid disturbing nests.
  • 🐍 Snakes – All Tasmanian snakes are venomous, including species like the Tiger snake and Lowland copperhead. Wear boots, stick to paths where possible, and give snakes plenty of space.
  • 🌿 Bush Safety – Let someone know your plans, carry water and a first aid kit, and check conditions before heading out.

Tread carefully, stay safe, and enjoy the adventure! 🧭

🚗 Driving in Tassie – Slow Down, Mate!

Tasmania is breathtaking — but our roads can be very different from what you’re used to on the mainland.

⚠️ Increased risk of wildlife

Tasmania has the highest rate of roadkill in Australia. Animals like wallabies, wombats and possums are most active at dawn and dusk, but can appear at any time — especially on rural and forested roads. Slow down, stay alert, and avoid driving at night where possible.

🛣 Appreciate Tassie Roads are different

Not all roads are equal here:

  • A Roads – Main highways between major towns. Generally sealed and in good condition, but can still be winding and narrow.
  • B Roads – Secondary roads. Often narrower, hillier, and more winding.
  • C Roads – Local or rural roads. These can be quite narrow, steep, and sometimes unsealed.

Even short distances on the map can take much longer than expected! Especially when towing!

⏳ Allow Extra Travel Time

Tasmania’s roads are scenic — and slow. Twists, hills, single-lane bridges, and changing weather conditions all add to travel time. If you’re towing a caravan or driving a campervan, allow significantly more time between destinations and use designated pull-over bays to let local traffic pass safely.

🔥 Fire Season Awareness

During bushfire season, conditions can change quickly. Check alerts before you travel and stay informed by downloading the TasALERT app for up-to-date fire warnings and road closures.

Neville’s Essentials

Have a look at this checklist below to make sure you don’t miss anything at this mega event.

Got Questions?

If something’s unclear, confusing, or keeping you awake at night—send your questions through. Better to ask now than panic later.

💚 Tip from Neville: This is it – your last guide before the mega event! Tasmania isn’t a place to rush. Take it slow, enjoy the scenery, and go wild… in a safe, devilish way. 🐾

Check the full schedule here so you don’t miss out:
👉 https://geocachingvictoria.com.au/tassie-event-schedule/

See the geocaching bookmark list of all events here
👉 https://www.geocaching.com/plan/lists/BMF8C23

Thats all from me now, mates! Time to get packing, get moving and get ready to go wild at the mega event. Be safe, stay sneaky and may your caches be plentiful.

–– Neville the Devil

tasmaniamega@geocachingvictoria.com.au

Neville’s News – Update 4 – Jan 2026

Alright folks, listen up. We’re officially five weeks out, and things are heating up nicely for the Tassie event. Neville’s been busy preparing checklists, so here’s your latest update.

Merch Alert 🚨 – Orders Close TONIGHT

Important one, so pay attention 👀

🧢 Clothing merchandise orders CLOSE TONIGHT.
If you were thinking “I’ll do it later”… this is later.

AND—because Neville enjoys a good incentive…

We are excited to announce that all Tassie Event merch orders placed by Jan 31 will go into a RANDOM PRIZE DRAW to win an incredible $360 Gift Voucher thanks to our wonderful sponsor Pennicott Wilderness Journeys

Prize: Voucher for two adults on their wilderness cruises valued at $360

Important info:

– One entry per order, and

– Only one entry per person.

– For any Tassie Event merchandise, not just clothing, including prior orders

– Entries close Jan 31, 2026

Grab your merch, support the event, and you could find yourself cruising Tasmania’s stunning waters. And remember if you choose shipping – it doesn’t happen until after the event.

Which leads us onto our Sponsors.….

The updated list of sponsors aka the Legends Who Make This Happen has been updated.

The website includes details on our latest offer from Pennicott Wilderness Journeys for 15% discount on their tours. Head over to the website for more details. 

👉 https://geocachingvictoria.com.au/tassiesponsors/

Volunteers: Neville needs you

Volunteer shifts have now been sent out to everyone who registered.

  • Please reply and confirm your attendance (Neville likes certainty)
  • If life throws you a curveball, let us know as soon as possible
  • We still need a few extra hands, especially on Sunday

Even a short shift helps keep the chaos… organised.

Pets

A friendly reminder since all our main events are indoors, Pets are unfortunately not permitted inside. Trained Assistance dogs are of course welcome.

Geocaching Victoria’s policy on dogs is available on their website in case you are planning to bring your pet to Tassie.

https://geocachingvictoria.com.au/home/tips/new-to-geocaching/caching-with-our-geo-dogs

Got Questions?

If something’s unclear, confusing, or keeping you awake at night—send your questions through. Better to ask now than panic later.

That’s it for now. Five weeks. The countdown is on.
Neville’s ready… are you?

–– Neville the Devil

tasmaniamega@geocachingvictoria.com.au

Wrapping Up Another Great Year of Geocaching in Victoria

As the year draws to a close, it’s a great time to pause, reflect, and celebrate another memorable year for Geocaching Victoria and our community.

It has been a huge social year, marked by the 25th year of geocaching. Across Victoria, there were 625 events, including 65 Community Celebration Events and clost to 9,500 attendances. Cache hiding also surged, with 41% more hides in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Here are just some of the highlights from 2025:

  • January – We unveiled plans for The Tassie Event, the first-ever Mega to be held in Tasmania in 2026. Working alongside an enthusiastic Tasmanian team, this is shaping up to be a truly huge event.
  • March – Our first-ever Block Party in Sunbury saw over 500 teams join in the fun.
  • April – Excitement buzzed at Darebin Parklands as we announced the nominees for the 2024 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards.
  • July – It was plants aplenty, with geocachers volunteering alongside Manningham Council to plant thousands of trees for National Tree Day.
  • August – International Geocaching Day was celebrated across the state, including events such as The Great Victorian Cache Crawl.
  • October – The winners of the 2024 Victorian Cache of the Year Awards were revealed at another gala evening, complete with a special guest appearance by Elvis.
  • November – Lights, camera, action! The GIFF event at the Clayton Theatre rolled out, followed by a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of Victoria’s first Mega at Casey Fields.
  • December – Preparations for The Tassie Event have stepped up a gear, with exciting announcements including the GPS Adventures Maze, event merchandise, and more details about the weekend festivities. We’d love your help as a volunteer – Register now to get involved.

Many of these events wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible efforts of volunteers, reviewers, committee members, event subcommittees and the wider community – thank you all. And of course, this is just part of the story, with geocaching information sessions, community event weekends, CITOs, cache releases, BBQs, and countless other activities happening right across Victoria.

2025 By The Numbers

For those that like stats, here is a snapshot of caching in Victoria this year (prior year in brackets):

  • Total 2025 hides: 2,296 (1,657)
  • Event type caches (incl above): 625 (490)
  • Favourites accumulated on new hides: 3,795 (2,939)
  • Total finds on 2025 caches (non event): 46,915 (24,818)
  • Event attendances: 9,433 (5,575)
  • Average new hide D/T: 2.01 / 1.81 (2.05 / 1.86)
  • Most common/Least common difficulty: 1.5 / 5.0 (1.5 / 5.0)
  • Most common/Least common terrain: 1.5 / 4.5 (1.5 / 4.0)
  • No. of D/T combos with nil placements in 2025: 17 (17)
  • Most common/Least common size: Micro / Large [Small / Large]
  • Most common/Least common type: Traditional / Wherigo (Traditional / Wherigo)
  • LGAs with most new hides: Ballarat, Yarra Ranges & Latrobe (Golden Plains, Glenelg & Indigo)
  • LGAs with no new hides : Gannawarra & Yarriambiack (Ararat, Brimbank, Gannawarra, Greater Dandenong, Horsham, West Wimmera & Yarriambiack)
  • LGAs with most events: Ballarat, Hepburn, Melbourne (Ballarat, Hepburn, Greater Geelong)
  • No. of unique cachers with 12 or more finds (average 1 per month): 2,158 (2,386)
  • No. of unique cachers with 366 or more finds (average 1 per day): 156 (152)
  • No. of unique hiders (inc events): 350 (347)

*Data as at 27 December 2025

You can find more statistics on all active caches in Victoria on our website at https://geocachingvictoria.com.au/victorian-geocache-statistics/ 

Looking Ahead

With a new year just around the corner, there’s plenty to look forward to. More events, more adventures, more creative caches, and more opportunities to connect with fellow geocachers.

Whether your goals for the coming year include hiding your first cache, attending more events, tackling a long-standing D/T challenge, or simply getting outside a bit more, we look forward to playing a part in your journey.

From all of us at Geocaching Victoria, thank you for a fantastic year. We can’t wait to see where geocaching takes us next – happy caching, and we’ll see you in the new year.

Neville’s News – Update 3 – Dec 2025

G’day geocachers,

Neville here — currently looking at the calendar, crossing off days like a kid waiting for Christmas. Yes, I’m fully aware we’re still three months away, but time works differently for geocachers. Three months is barely enough time to find your tent pegs, recharge your GPS, and pretend you’re not going to buy more path tags.

Soon enough, the Spirit of Tasmania will be packed with people nervously checking their phones for reception, and the mainlanders will realise the weather app means nothing in Tasmania. Four seasons, in a day. That’s the local forecast.

The Event Schedule Is Live

Good news for all the planners, list-makers and colour-coded-spreadsheet people out there:
The full Tassie Event schedule is now up here.

There’s trail events, socials, activities, and enough fun to justify telling your boss you “need the experience for professional development.”

Print it. Screenshot it. Stick it to the fridge so every time you reach for snacks, you’re reminded that The Tassie Event is coming.

Saturday Night Event

Let’s talk about the Saturday night gathering — the big social highlight where we eat, chat, swap stories, and find out who discovered geocaching because “someone at work mentioned it once”.
If you would like a meal on the night, these must be booked in advance through the Geocaching Victoria Shop.

The catering team Kiltro Streetfood  is local, legendary, and used to feeding hungry adventurers. The food will be excellent — unless you’re only there for the band.

Speaking of band… we’ve locked in the Tassie Devil’s Own — and they’re not just “some band who plays covers.” They bring a delicious mix of traditional and contemporary Celtic, Australian and American-roots folk music. You will hear some festival favourites, plus some unique Tassie tales.

They feature strong vocal harmonies and enough energy to get even the quietest cacher up on their feet. So come for the dinner — and stay for the music, the stories, and maybe an impromptu jig or two.

We Need Volunteers

We’re gearing up for an amazing event in Tassie, and we’re calling on our incredible community to get involved!

Volunteers are the heart of what we do — whether it’s helping with setup, helping with gadgets, registration or new members, your support makes all the difference.

If you’re willing to give a little time, we’d love to have you on board.

👉 Sign up here:https://forms.gle/9p4jEBNtiV1FfPwg6

Thank you in advance for stepping up and helping us create something unforgettable!

Merch Pick-up and Shipping

Important merch announcement, so focus: Pick-up is at the event.

If you pick shipping instead — it will not be sent until after the event. That’s just logistics.
The system might default to shipping – don’t panic. You will have the option to choose free pick up at checkout before payment. The system is a bit quirky. Like most of us.

Get excited

That’s the latest update!

Three months will fly by faster than a cacher spotting a trail of fresh footprints leading toward an unfound container.

We’ve got:

🎯 a full schedule

🍽️ a big Saturday dinner

🎸 live music

🛍️ shiny merch

🌄 and the best caching landscape in the country

Whether you’re coming across the Strait, road-tripping from Devonport, or just popping in from down the road, I can’t wait to see everyone in Tassie. Bring your friends, bring your GPS, and bring your sense of adventure.

And seriously — book that Saturday dinner meal. Future-You will thank you.

Enjoy the end of year celebrations and see you next year.

–– Neville the Devil

tasmaniamega@geocachingvictoria.com.au