10 years ago today, on the 21 October 2014, an enterprising bunch of Victorian geocachers got together with the lofty idea of hosting the first Victorian Mega. The pioneers, Day1976, LouiseAnn, BernieH, °, ahomburg and sharkiefan got the ball rolling, and as history now tells us, their efforts early on, along with a lot of support from the community, was a great success. In fact the first mega, The Melbourne Event, is still the largest ever mega held in Australia. That initial planning marked the start of Geocaching Victoria (or Geocaching Melbourne as it was known in the early days).
It didn’t stop at just one Mega, with plenty more in the years following. Other events and activities began to be hosted, and involvement in advocacy and support for the geocaching community grew as did the thriving community.
Over the years, there has been a total of 20 individuals who have volunteered and dedicated their time on Geocaching Victoria’s committee. Their energy and guidance have helped to nurture the organisation in continued support of the geocaching community.
In addition there have been numerous sub committees filled with dedicated volunteers who have worked tirelessly to provide major activities and events. These include but are not limited to:
Mega sub committees
GPS Adventure Maze sub committee
Ballarat GeoTour sub committee
Block Party sub committee
and countless volunteers who have supported our megas, BBQs and other events throughout the years
Without all of these volunteers, Geocaching Victoria wouldn’t be what it is today. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has volunteered and contributed over the past 10 years.
For those that love their stats, here are the last 10 years by the numbers:
8 Mega events delivered
1 Block Party in development
4 GPS Adventure Maze exhibits
1 GeoTour
250+ events hosted
14,000+ attendances
573 geocaches hidden
As we look forward to the Anniversary and Cache of the Year Celebration event on 16 November (GCAWDFX) and our first ever Block Party in March 2025 (GCAP417) there is no shortage of activity to come. Don’t forget to log your will attends for these events.
As always, none of this is possible without fundraising, and you can commemorate the occasion, and support future Geocaching Victoria activities by purchasing our limited edition 10th anniversary geocoin through our online store.
We look forward to what the next 10 years has in store, and we hope that you will continue to join in all the fun.
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:
Subscribe – Don’t miss any of the updates by subscribing to our blog below.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Geocaching isn’t just about finding hidden treasures in the bush, it’s also about discovering a wonderful community of like-minded cachers. Geocaching events can be a place where friendships are formed, puzzle-solving partnerships are born, and camaraderie among caching enthusiasts thrives. Yet, for some, stepping into these social arenas can feel daunting.
A recent exchange with fellow geocacher horror.fan.jm, served as a timely reminder that the social experience within our community is not the same for everyone. Fascinated by his insights, we are thrilled to welcome him as our guest author for this blog post. Join us as we delve into his experiences and enjoy the valuable insights into how we can all navigate the social landscape of geocaching events.
The Introverts Dilemma, by horror.fan.jm.
I recently found ahomburg’s “The Monthly Event Challenge (GC7Q9TN)” cache, which requires a geocacher to attend one event type cache (Event, CITO, Mega, Giga) in every month of the year. As someone who loves challenge caches, I had recently qualified for this challenge, which is why I was here today to finally find it. However, what I couldn’t remember was the events that I attended to help me qualify for it. So, when I ran the Project-GC challenge checker to attach it to my “Found It” log, I was reminded of some of the great events that I had attended over the past few years.
However, there was one event on the list, my very first event, Geocaching Victoria’s “Welcome To The Newbies – Whittlesea Lead Up Event (GC9WXFY)“, that really caught my eye and flooded me with memories. This event was specifically held for newer members of the geocaching community, aka people like me. It was a chance to tour the location for that year’s Mega event, and to answer any questions about what occurs at a geocaching Mega, as well as to meet some other geocachers.
It was that third one, “meet other cachers” that made me quite nervous to attend. As an introvert who suffers from mild social anxiety, the idea of meeting new people always makes me feel stressed. However, I was just getting into challenge caches at the time and I noticed a few challenge caches required you to attend events, and with hearing about all the fun a geocaching Mega can be from various podcasts, I decided to try and overcome my social anxiety and attend the event.
And after only one small panic attack in the car before the event, I got up the courage to actually leave the car and attend the event and I am so glad I did.
The event was great and everyone was so friendly. However, there was a few key individuals that made me feel so welcome…
…and if it wasn’t for their warmth, and taking their time to make sure I felt like I belong, I don’t know if I would have ever really attended another event.
As someone who got back into caching during the pandemic, after a very slow start years before, I cached to give me a reason to get outside for those few allowed hours a day. Even now, I cache 95% of the time alone. So, I honestly think if I didn’t have a great time at that event, or even if that event would have just gone “ok”, I don’t know if I would have ever attended another event again.
So, I want to say to those geocachers who made such a positive impact on me at that event, THANK YOU! I am not sure you even remember our interactions, but for me I will never forget it.
So, now for the real reason I decided to write this piece. I was incredibly lucky to have had such a positive first event, and I am hoping that the following will help event hosts to recognize introverts in attendance, and give you some tips on how to help us feel welcome. It is also a chance to share some tips to those who may have been in the same boat as me, attending their first event.
How might you spot an introvert like me?
Introverts are likely to be timid, quiet, or reserved, especially when they don’t know anyone.
We may have difficulty in introducing ourselves, and we may appear to be stand offish or even just seen playing on our phones.
We can avoid big crowds and may be sitting on the outside of a group or nearby to a group.
We may clam up amongst larger groups and might be more comfortable talking in small groups.
Of course, many introverts may exhibit extroverted behaviours once they feel more comfortable, or once in smaller groups. I think I do ok at small events, but you can tell I am a bit quieter when the groups get larger, and the conversations get louder.
So how can you help us introverts feel more comfortable at an event?
Consider fun conversation starters. My first event had a geocaching bingo card that gave me an excuse to approach anyone to start up a random conversation. In fact what actually happened was it allowed people to approach me and start a one-on-one conversation to ask me if I could sign their card.
Try attempting to have a one-on-one conversation with us and avoid moving us into a into a bigger group conversation. As geocachers we all have one thing in common, so easy questions like “Have you found any great caches lately?” or “Where have you been caching lately?”, are great ways to open a dialog by creating a common connection that any cacher, regardless of experience will likely be able to answer.
If you find that we are having trouble answering direct questions, perhaps try opening up about yourself first. This might ease us into sharing more about ourselves.
Be ok with some silences and respect our silence time. We may just be thinking about what to say or how to answer.
Be mindful of our boundaries and our time. Everyone has different thresholds of energy expenditure and sometimes we just don’t have capacity for a full hour of socialising at an event.
Now for some advice from one introvert to another
Try attending your first event with a friend. That way you can support each other, and if you feel uncomfortable you can take the pressure off by at least talking to each other.
After an event, plan some time to recharge. Events can be overwhelming and take up a lot if not all of your social energy. Make sure you are able to get some quiet time after the event for yourself.
Don’t forget to smile – it helps make you more approachable – however only if you feel like it.
Remember, every single person at the event has at least one thing in common with you. You all like to go geocaching. You can literally ask anyone about geocaching and they will be able to respond, at least to some degree.
Last but not least, please don’t give up. I have found that the geocaching community are some of the nicest and friendliest people you will ever meet and my life has only become better my meeting them.
Thank you Jason (horror.fan.jm), for bravely sharing your insights. Your perspective shows just how inclusive the geocaching community is, and offers the opportunity for us all to be involved. Whether you are contemplating your first event, or are a seasoned attendee, we hope Jason’s words serve as encouragement.
With so many great events happening across Victoria each week, there is bound to be one near you. Explore our events page to find your next adventure. We look forward to seeing you out there!
Do you have inspiration for a future blog post or a story to share? Reach out to us at president@geocachingvictoria.com.au. We’re all ears and excited to hear from you.
