A day out geocaching Old Junee, Kapooka and Wagga Wagga NSW. We located 22 of them. We headed out from home in Cootamundra at about 9am and didn’t get back until around 6.00pm. It was a very full day.

Out and about today doing some more geocaching this time around Old Junee, Kapooka and Wagga Wagga. Most of the ones we found were pretty easy except for the ones in the Old Pioneer Cemetery at Old Junee and the one near the welcome to Wagga Wagga sign. We spent quite a bit of time finding those two. The one we found outside of the John Deere dealership in Wagga Wagga was also an absolute beauty. We walked past it a load of times, I even looked at it closely then dismissed it before going back to it again.

Amanda Found Another Geocache

What Did We Find Geocaching Old Junee, Kapooka And Wagga Wagga NSW

• Found Pioneer Cemetery | GC4XVE8
  Took us a while but found in the dead end
• Found Old Junee Cemetery | GC4XVFV
  Found it. Lovely old cemetery
• Found Community Hall | GC6P6CG
  Found it giddy up
• Found Bus Stop | GCAJY56
  On our way home from Wagga great quick find TY
• Found Dame Mary Gilmore | GC61H9N
  Thankyou for the hide
• Found Flowerdale #3 | GC2425Y
  Great hide the tip for needing a tool was a godsend. Plenty of kisses in the ear from a friendly neighbour
• Found WT – Flowerdale | GCAKFAD
  Nice easy find
• Found No iDeere | GC2ZXAC
  Wow wow wow found it also replaced clip seal bag
• Found P.M.G. Shack | GCAPHE4
  Love these hides
• Found Roostaman – Old Way Home | GC7VB57
  Thanks for the hide
• Found Private “Dalkenny” | GC7D1A8
  What a tragedy. Thankyou for the hide and bringing us to this place
• Found Farewell Wagga – West | GC8GTFW
  What a way to find out 100th cache “Farewell Wagga”
• Found WT – The Tunnel | GCAGN96
  Awesome hide.
• Found WT – Fore | GCAPHBB
  Great hide
• Found WT – Dead Tree | GCANAR8
  Found. Watch out for the spider
• Found WT – Branching Out | GCANAR7
  Found it quick and easy find
• Found WT – Edwards Street West | GCANAR3
  Clip seal bag damaged so we replaced it.
• Found WT – Flowerdale Lagoon | GCANAR0
  Once we got down low we found it. No trolls just a couple of young lads fishing
• Found Wagga Travel Bug Highway | GCQ7QT
  Great hide thankyou
• Found Welcome To Wagga – North | GC8GYMZ
  Great hide took a while but got there in the end. Watch where your walking unpleasant deposits everywhere.
• Found Mt Pleasant Legend | GC8GRB7
  Quick find on the way to Wagga
• Found Houlaghans Creek | GC8WWFH
  Great hide nice crisp winters walk

Notable Caches And A Bit About Them

Dame Mary Gilmore

Dame Mary Gilmore can be found on our ten dollar note. This cache takes you directly to the school where Mary attended on the outskirts of Wagga Wagga. Even though the school is unused today, it is a reminder of the much history that took place here.

On 16 August 1865, Mary Jean Cameron was born near Goulburn, New South Wales, at Cotta Walla. In 1866, her maternal grandparents, the Beatties, had moved from Penrith, New South Wales to Wagga Wagga with her parents, Donald and Mary Ann. In 1989, her father was hired as station manager at Cowabbie, 100 km north of Wagga. After a year, he left that job and became a carpenter, constructing homes on properties in Wagga, Coolamon, Junee, Temora and West Wyalong. Despite their frequent itinerant lives, Mary received some formal education on their frequent trips to Wagga, either staying with the Beatties or renting a house. Brucedale on the Junee Road became her family’s permanent home after her father bought land there and built his own house. When Colin Pentland’s private academy at North Wagga Wagga closed, she attended Wagga Wagga Public School for two and a half years before returning to North Wagga Wagga Public School.

To prepare for becoming a teacher, she worked as an assistant at her uncle’s school in Yerong Creek at the age of 14. one of her uncles Charles White (1845–1922) was a journalist and author of books on bushrangers. After Mary completed her teaching exams in 1882 she took up a position as a teacher at Wagga Wagga Public School working there until December 1885. After a short spell teaching at Illabo she took up a teaching position at Silverton near Broken Hill. At Silverton Gilmore developed her socialist views and began writing poetry.

Private “Dalkenny”

Kapooka Army Camp was established in 1942 during the Second World War. In response to the Japanese threat to Australia, the Army was being significantly expanded and reorganized under the new Commander-in-Chief, Thomas Blamey. To streamline the training of engineers, or sappers, six of the seven engineer training depots (excluding the one in Western Australia) were consolidated into a single establishment.

A site near Wagga Wagga was selected for the Royal Australian Engineers Training Centre (RAETC) because it was strategically located halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. This location was easily accessible by both road and rail, and it was near the RAAF bases at Forest Hill, Uranquinty, and Temora. At approximately 2:45 PM on Monday, May 21, 1945, a devastating explosion occurred in a dugout in the Demolition Area at Kapooka Camp. The blast resulted in the immediate deaths of 24 soldiers, and four others were seriously injured, with two of them succumbing to their injuries within hours of being admitted to the hospital.

This explosion remains the worst training tragedy in Australia’s military history. Here you will find a memorial dedicated to these soldiers.

Notice Board At Site Of 1945 Explosion That Killed 26 People Near Kapooka

Pioneer Cemetery (Old Junee)

This was the first cemetery in the area and is locally known as the Original Junee Cemetery. The sign out the front of it notes it as the Original Junee Cemetery. You can access the cemetery by a style over the front fence near the roadway.

As it stands at the moment it is a small cemetery, about the size of a residential block of land, and contains only 5 original headstones dating back to 1863.

The cemetery is located just past the Old Junee Cemetery and about 0.3 kilometres to the left from the main road from Wagga Wagga to Temora. It is on Murrulebale Road which is the extension of the road from Junee to Old Junee.

Old Junee Pioneer Cemetery

Geocaching Old Junee, Kapooka And Wagga Wagga Gallery

Getting To Old Junee From Sydney By Car

Begin your journey in Sydney. Ensure your vehicle is ready for the trip, check your fuel levels, and set your GPS for Old Junee.

• Distance: Approximately 460 kilometres
• Driving Time: Around 5 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Exit Sydney
   Start your drive on the M4 Motorway heading west. This road will take you out of the city and towards the Blue Mountains.
2. Merge onto the M31 Hume Motorway
   Continue on the M4 until you reach the interchange with the M31 Hume Motorway. Merge onto the M31 and follow signs for Goulburn/Canberra.
   The M31 is a major highway that will take you southwest through the picturesque countryside.
3. Pass through Goulburn
   As you drive through Goulburn, consider taking a short break to explore this historic town. Goulburn is home to several attractions, including the Big Merino and Belmore Park.
   Continue on the M31 after your break.
4. Turn onto the A41 Sturt Highway
   After Goulburn, stay on the M31 until you reach the turnoff for the A41 Sturt Highway. Follow signs for Wagga Wagga.
   The Sturt Highway will take you westward through more rural landscapes and small towns.
5. Approaching Junee
   Once you’re on the A41, continue driving until you reach the town of Junee. Here, you might want to explore some local attractions, such as the Junee Roundhouse Museum or the Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory.
   From Junee, you will take local roads to reach Old Junee.
6. Final Leg: Junee to Old Junee
   From Junee, head northwest on Old Junee Road for about 10 kilometres.
   Follow the signs and local directions to reach Old Junee. This part of the journey will take you through beautiful farmlands and rural scenery.

A day out finding geocaches in Boorowa, Harden, Murrumburrah and Wallendbeen. We headed out from home at about 9.30am and didn’t get back until around 4.30pm. It was a full day. 

Found a heap of them today and couldn’t find a few as well (Wallendbeen you suck). Started out in Wallendbeen then moved on to Murrumburrah and Harden then rolled on and found some more geocaches in Boorowa and finished by cleaning up a few in Coota. It was a pretty cold day but an enjoyable one. We finally managed to get up close to the Bill The Bastard statue in Harden-Murrumburrah. It’s very impressive and quite detailed up close.

View Of St Clements Geocache

Geocaches We Found Or Didn’t Find In Boorowa, Harden, Murrumburrah And Wallendbeen

• Found Trains & Planes | GC2MCTQ
  Great quick find
• Found Nanna “Angel” Ward | GC5MQKP
  Good find on a bitterly cold afternoon
• Didn’t Find Cattle Loading Ramp | GCA0DHV
  No good today with this one
• Found Frogs Of The World – Black Rain Frog | GC9PNNT
  Replaced the bad as wouldn’t seal but another great find
• Found Turtles of the World – Ornate Box Turtle | GC9PMEC
  The plastic container was badly disintegrated so we replaced it with the best we had.
• Found Frogs Of The World – Surinam Horned Frog | GC9PNR8
  Another great hide. Thankyou
• Found Old School | GC2AYCP
  Very interesting hide
• Found Turtles Of The World – Green Sea Turtle | GC9PMFT
  Found it. A geocache in Boorowa. Was a bit of a walk from where we parked but it’s another one marked off
• Didn’t Find Acramans | GC2AYAR
  Gave it a good go but not found
• Found St Patricks | GC4TFTH
  Great historical place shame it was knocked down. Great find – geocache in Boorowa
• Found Turtles Of The World – Dinner Plate Turtle | GC9PNM5
  Awesome hide
• Found View Of St Clement’s | GC8F1B8
  OMG what a view
• Found Galong To Boorowa Rail Trail #1 | GC8ETKE
  Replaced the bag on this one as it was not sealing. Great hide
• Found Galong Uniting | GC8F1AZ
  Great hide took a while but got there in the end
• Found Galong Half Railway Station | GC774MQ
  Great hide in beautiful country landscape
• Found A View From Heaven | GC201N2
  Found it what a beautiful old church and great view
• Found Hardly Welcome | GCQDAA
  Great hide thankyou
• Didn’t Find Match Point | GCA0DGZ
  No good today finding this one
• Found Milestones | GCA0DHE
  Thanks for the hide
• Didn’t Find The Others | GCA0DHN
  Looked for over half an hour no luck with this one
• Found Can You Hear The Kookaburra? | GCA0DH6
  Found but couldn’t stamp as at our age not worth breaking a bone

Dave The Bastard Amanda The Bastard And Bill The Bastard

Geocaching Boorowa, Harden, Murrumburrah and Wallendbeen Gallery

Getting To west Wyalong From Sydney By Car

Driving from Sydney to West Wyalong is a journey of approximately 470 kilometres (about 292 miles) and typically takes around 5-6 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Here is a step-by-step guide.

1. Start in Sydney
   Get on the M4 motorway from your starting point in Sydney.
2. Follow the M4 Motorway
   Head west on the M4. The M4 will eventually become the Great Western Highway/A32.
3. Continue on the A32
   Stay on the A32/Great Western Highway for about 55 kilometres until you reach the junction with the M7 motorway.
4. Take the M7 Motorway
   Merge onto the M7 motorway (North-Western Motorway) via the ramp to Liverpool. Follow signs for M7/Goulburn/Canberra.
5. Exit onto the M4 Motorway
   Continue on the M7 for about 25 kilometres. Then take the exit onto the M4 motorway toward Penrith.
6. Continue on the M4
   Follow the M4 motorway for another 30 kilometres until you reach the junction with the A32 at Lapstone.
7. Continue on the Great Western Highway (A32)
   Stay on the Great Western Highway (A32) through the Blue Mountains, passing through towns like Katoomba and Lithgow. This part of the journey will take you through scenic mountain roads and small towns.
8. Merge onto the Mitchell Highway (A32) at Bathurst
   When you reach Bathurst, continue following the A32, which becomes the Mitchell Highway. This highway will take you through Blayney and on to Cowra.
9. From Cowra to West Wyalong
   At Cowra, follow signs for the Mid Western Highway (B64) toward Grenfell. Continue on the Mid Western Highway until you reach West Wyalong. This section is about 150 kilometres.
10. Arrive in West Wyalong
    Follow local directions to your specific destination within West Wyalong.

Summary

• Sydney to Blue Mountains: Follow the M4 and A32.
• Blue Mountains to Bathurst: Continue on the Great Western Highway (A32).
• Bathurst to Cowra: Stay on the Mitchell Highway (A32).
• Cowra to West Wyalong: Follow the Mid Western Highway (B64).

Make sure to check for any roadworks or closures that may affect your journey and consider breaks for rest and fuel. Have a safe trip!

A day out geocaching West Wyalong and Barmedman NSW. We headed out from where we were camped at Bimbi NSW at about 9am and didn’t get back until around 4.30pm. It was a pretty full day. 

Out and about today doing some more geocaching this time around West Wyalong and Barmedman. Most of the ones we found were pretty easy except for the one in the war memorial park in Barmedman. That one had Dave on his hands and knees and lying flat on his back with a torch for about ten minutes trying to find where the geocache was hidden. After checking everything over and over again finally it was found. . All in all though it was a good fun day – we can highly recommend getting off your arse and getting out and about geocaching West Wyalong and Barmedman!

Geocaching west Wyalong Dave Being A Billygoat

What Did We Find Geocaching West Wyalong And Barmedman NSW

• Found Rocky | GCA86ZZ
  My hubby the old Billy goat gruff found it again
• Found Barmeds Dead End | GC45DDQ
  Great quick find on our way back to Bimbi
• Found Lest We Forget Barmedman | GC45DDK
  Hubby found because I don’t put my hands where they are not wanted ????
• Found YIDDA | GC45DBR
  Very wet thought we might need a boat June 2024
• Found Cooinda Park | GC2P5ZX
  Great easy find ty
• Found Charcoal Tank Road | GC7PZDY
  After a trip and a stumble I gathered myself an found it
• Found Charcoal Tank Rest Area | GC7PZC7
  Watch your not stepping in someone’s business
• Found Fallen Giant On The Road To Nowhere | GC7T9QP
  Nice easy walk to find

Amanda Found Another Geocache

Geocaching West Wyalong And Barmedman Gallery

Getting To west Wyalong From Sydney By Car

Driving from Sydney to West Wyalong is a journey of approximately 470 kilometres (about 292 miles) and typically takes around 5-6 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Here is a step-by-step guide.

1. Start in Sydney
   Get on the M4 motorway from your starting point in Sydney.
2. Follow the M4 Motorway
   Head west on the M4. The M4 will eventually become the Great Western Highway/A32.
3. Continue on the A32
   Stay on the A32/Great Western Highway for about 55 kilometres until you reach the junction with the M7 motorway.
4. Take the M7 Motorway
   Merge onto the M7 motorway (North-Western Motorway) via the ramp to Liverpool. Follow signs for M7/Goulburn/Canberra.
5. Exit onto the M4 Motorway
   Continue on the M7 for about 25 kilometres. Then take the exit onto the M4 motorway toward Penrith.
6. Continue on the M4
   Follow the M4 motorway for another 30 kilometres until you reach the junction with the A32 at Lapstone.
7. Continue on the Great Western Highway (A32)
   Stay on the Great Western Highway (A32) through the Blue Mountains, passing through towns like Katoomba and Lithgow. This part of the journey will take you through scenic mountain roads and small towns.
8. Merge onto the Mitchell Highway (A32) at Bathurst
   When you reach Bathurst, continue following the A32, which becomes the Mitchell Highway. This highway will take you through Blayney and on to Cowra.
9. From Cowra to West Wyalong
   At Cowra, follow signs for the Mid Western Highway (B64) toward Grenfell. Continue on the Mid Western Highway until you reach West Wyalong. This section is about 150 kilometres.
10. Arrive in West Wyalong
    Follow local directions to your specific destination within West Wyalong.

Summary

• Sydney to Blue Mountains: Follow the M4 and A32.
• Blue Mountains to Bathurst: Continue on the Great Western Highway (A32).
• Bathurst to Cowra: Stay on the Mitchell Highway (A32).
• Cowra to West Wyalong: Follow the Mid Western Highway (B64).

Make sure to check for any roadworks or closures that may affect your journey and consider breaks for rest and fuel. Have a safe trip!

Another day out geocaching around Tumut NSW. We headed out from home at Cootamundra at about 8.00am and didn’t get home until about 4.30pm. It was a pretty full day. 

Out and about today doing some more geocaching this time around Tumut. We had a bit of a mixed bag success wise. I think there were about four we couldn’t find. I suspect that one was actually AWOL but the rest of them I think were just too deviously hidden for us to find. All in all though it was a good fun day – we can highly recommend getting off your arse and getting out and about and doing some geocaching around Tumut!

Geocaching At The Dirty Bird

What Did We Find Geocaching Around Tumut NSW

• Found Betelgeuse | GC62X7D
  Great hide found on our way home from Tumut
• Found 397 Gocup | GC4F2M8
  Great hide and a nice chat to the farmer even wished me happy Mother’s Day
• Found On Ya Bike | GC75BXC
  This was easy
• Found Give It A Burl | GC1WZDF
  What a great hide and walk
• Found Pirate’s Booty | GC43E2P
  Found thank goodness hubby has long arms
• Found Roosta | GC7Z1WW
  Found it although my husband thinks he is a better looking rooster
• Found Old Town Bridge | GC1YNZB
  Great hide definitely need a torch
• Found Roostaman’s Nemesis | GC5F2JG
  Easy find this one
• Found Roostaman’s Nemesis Too | GC7Z02Q
  This was a sneaky hide
• Found Raz’s Stash | GCA26WR
  Breakfast in the park and then on to find

Geocaching Brings us Closer Together No Arguments Ever Yeah I’m A Liar

Geocaching Around Tumut Gallery

Getting To Tumut

Tumut is just over a 4-hr drive from Sydney and 2hr 15min drive from Canberra. You can also fly into Wagga Wagga Airport and hire a car for the 90min drive.

Another day out geocaching around Marrar, Coolamon and Berry Jerry NSW. We headed out from home at Cootamundra at about 9.00am and didn’t get home until about 6.00pm. It was a pretty full day. All up I think we covered around 350km.

Out and about today doing some more geocaching this time between Marrar and Berry Jerry taking in Coolamon. Found 27 of them and had no fails except for one at the old schoolhouse at Kinilibah that was clearly missing. We replaced the cache as best we could with an old lolly tin and a piece of paper inside a zip lock bag. I had to shovel in 30 grams of cashews to empty the bag. Have you ever had to shovel down a bag of nuts in a hurry? It’s bloody harder than you think! It was a ripper of a day exploring the countryside.

Click here if you’d like to find out more about geocaching

Out The Back Of Berry Jerry Geocaching

We had lunch at Redgrave Park in Coolamon. It’s a really nice park that backs onto the caravan park. It’s got electric BBQs, undercover tables and like everything else in Coolamon it’s all exceptionally well looked after. Coolamon is a very pretty town.

What Did We Find Geocaching Around Marrar – Coolamon – Berry Jerry NSW

• Found NAR – Old Junee | GCA3VXZ
  Nice cache in very good condition.
• Found WHEAT – Riverina Crops | GC7XCC3
  Nice find still a bit damp
• Found TD 047 – Riverina Crops | GC7XCAN
  Great hide still a bit damp
• BARLEY – Riverina Crops | GC7XCCD
  Another great hide but the smell was ripe
• OATS – Riverina Crops | GC7XCCH
  Found it but wire is broken handle with care
• CANOLA – Riverina Crops | GC7XCCP
  Great hide but no good for hobbits
• SAFFLOWER – Riverina Crops | GC7XCCR
  Bushier than first thought but found it
• LUPINS – Riverina Crops | GC7XCCV
  Sneaky little hide walked pass it 3-4 times
• FABA BEANS – Riverina Crops | GC7XCD6
  Great hide
• FIELD PEAS – Riverina Crops | GC7XCD8
  Found it. I use to be young and green now I’m old and decrepit
• SORGHUM – Riverina Crops | GC7XCDA
  Found great hide
• CORN – Riverina Crops | GC7XCDD
  Found it. The angle has to right
• RICE – Riverina Crops | GC7XCDF
  This one we found easy
• Coolamon Cemetery | GC9MK54
  Great hide
• A Little Rocky | GC9MMHA
  Emeralds are hard to find
• No Rubbish, No Shooting | GC67HCT
  Great little hide
• Coolamon TSR | GC9N7GG
  If dogs could bark this would be easy
• Welcome to Kindra | GC9GV7Y
  Nice walk in the bush not to far from garden table
• Kissing Rock Lookout | GC67HC2
  It’s a long way down to the bottom. Nice hide
• Kinilibah School Site | GC67HEF
  Unfortunately I think this cache has been lost so we have replaced it as best we could
• Olives for T? | GC67HE1
  Great hide watch out for the burrs
• Berry Jerry Drive-By | GC67HB7
  Cowabunga we found it
• Who Drew The Short Straw? | GC67HER
  Had to fight the ants for this one but I won
• North Berry Jerry Fire Station | GC67HDV
  We are on fire today
• North Berry Jerry Cemetery | GC67HDD
  Very old cemetery
• Environmentally Friendly | GC95D14
  Great hide be careful where you walk 8 legged friends everywhere
• NAR – Truckless Parking | GC7WH69
  Need to dig deep for this one

Another Geocache

Geocaching Around Marrar – Coolamon – Berry Jerry Gallery

Getting To Coolamon From Sydney By Car

Here are driving instructions from Sydney to Coolamon NSW.

1. Start on the M1 motorway heading south from Sydney.
2. Stay on the M1 until you reach the exit for the M5 motorway towards Canberra.
3. Merge onto the M5 motorway and continue driving west.
4. After approximately 30 kilometers, take the exit onto the Hume Highway (M31) towards Goulburn.
5. Stay on the Hume Highway for about 250 kilometers, passing through towns like Goulburn and Yass.
6. As you approach Wagga Wagga, take the exit onto the Olympic Highway (B41) towards Junee.
7. Follow the Olympic Highway for around 35 kilometers until you reach Junee.
8. In Junee, continue straight through the town on the Olympic Highway.
9. After leaving Junee, drive for about 30 kilometres until you reach Coolamon.

You’ll arrive in Coolamon after approximately a 4 to 5 hour drive depending on traffic and road conditions. Enjoy your trip!