Searching for geocaches Credit: Jessica Palmer

I first discovered geocaching as a way to occupy the kids ‘on the cheap’ on long road trips – but it didn’t take long to realise that this free-to-play treasure-hunting game is a hit for adults as well. I daresay many of you have already found a few on your travels. But for those of you who haven’t heard of geocaching before, you’re about to discover a new hobby.

WHAT EXACTLY IS GEOCACHING?

Geocaching is the world’s largest treasure-hunting game in which you search for ‘geocaches’ on your travels or even around your hometown. A geocache is a small container that is hidden for you to find in the real world. It is not a virtual thing (like when your kids or grandkids play Pokémon-Go and catch Pokémon) but an actual physical container for you to find. Some geocaches contain a ‘treasure’, usually a small trinket that you take out and replace with one of your own. It’s usually something of token value such as a key ring, small memento or novelty toy. Some geocaches don’t contain anything; and the thrill is in the find.

There are over three million geocaches hidden worldwide, spread over 191 different countries on all seven continents. The best part? If you already own a smartphone, it does not cost a cent to play.

Winter geocaching Credit: Groundspeak Inc. (dba Geocaching)

HOW DO I PLAY?

Visit geocaching.com/play/mobile on your phone or tablet and download and open the free Geocaching App to find geocaches or GeoTours near you (more about GeoTours a little further down). Open the map within the  app, locate a geocache near you and begin navigating closer to it.

When you get close to the location, you will need to begin hunting around for it. Clues and messages are left by previous treasure hunters, in the app. When you find it, swap out the treasure (if there is some), write your name in the log, and return it exactly where it was found.

You can also play with a hand-held GPS device if you have one – but I find using a mobile phone easier as the coordinates of the cache need to be loaded onto the GPS device.

AUSTRALIA BOASTS THE WORLD’S LONGEST GEOTOUR

Tourism boards all over the world have jumped on the fun, creating curated ‘GeoTours’ that help visitors highlight the best of a destination. If you ever head to the USA for an RV trip, Butler County even has a donut GeoTour trail with 14 sweet stops across the county. 

Geocaching in Australia, is of course, amazing. We boast a lot of big things and having the world’s longest GeoTour is one of them. The Outback Way Finder GeoTour has been established along ‘Australia’s longest shortcut’, traversing 2,800 kilometres from Winton in Outback Queensland through to Laverton in Western Australia. The 35 caches on this trail are placed at sites of natural, cultural, historic or scientific interest. Seeking these caches provides plenty of opportunity to experience the best of the Australian Outback.

I should know, I’ve convinced my family to do it twice with me now. However, we are yet to finish the GeoTour and actually make it to Laverton. The first time we tried back in 2017, we were thwarted by rain which made the Outback roads impassable, even with a high-clearance 4WD. The second time in the Easter of 2021, WA snapped its borders shut and wouldn’t let us in.

Searching for geocaches Credit: Jessica Palmer

WHY SHOULD I TRY IT?

Searching for geocaches breaks up the long roads that Australia is famous for. Although our landscape is fascinating, there are sometimes hundreds and hundreds of kilometres between towns.

It’s free to play, gets everyone outdoors, and the caches are often hidden in spots where you wouldn’t consider looking. I have found geocaches on a ‘jump up’ on the lonely road between Winton and Boulia, in the fork of a tree, wedged behind a road sign at a rest area, stuck by a magnet to the bottom of a car wreck, and even inside an abandoned termite mound. The clue for the latter being ‘white ant hotel’.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and download the app and see what’s around.

Geocaching App Credit: Groundspeak Inc. (dba Geocaching)

Category: Features
Written: Thu 01 Feb 2024
Printed: February, 2024
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