2023-08-25 -37 145

From Geohashing
Fri 25 Aug 2023 in -37,145:
-37.8696749, 145.0565193
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Location

In someone's driveway, Glen Iris.

Participants

Expedition 1 (Steve)

On a glorious sunny day, I sally boldly forth from an extended Fitzroy lunch and work my way down towards the Main Yarra Trail. There is the small matter of Fitzroy Gardens to cross first, which I turn into a large matter by dismounting and strolling through. It's too nice a day not to enjoy a garden in fine form, and I'm feeling quite unhurried.

The trail hasn't changed much since the first time I rode it as a teenager, the series of pontoons just as clankily annoying as ever, although the presence of electric scooters dispels any notion that we might be in 1998.

On Gardiner's Creek Trail, I pass a spot where there is a distinct abesence of broken wine bottle, although I don't make much of it at the time.

Through the maze of golf courses, sports ovals and barbecues, I find what I'm looking for: the tunnel under the Monash Freeway leading to the Hedgley Dene Gardens. These I take a cursor look at before finding my destination: a garage roller door on a funny laneway street in rich-person-land.

A moment's anxiety as I'm not entirely convinced that the point is definitely outside the roller door, but I'm satisfied that it's at least a 50% chance with the odds in my favour. I admire a sprawling eucalypt, and am silently grateful to the homeowner that allows it to flourish there.

I'm not sure how far away Laura might be, so I take a less cursory glance at Hedgely Dene Gardens. It packs a lot into a small area. Almost a mini Botanical Gardens in feel, there's a lake, a bridge, cute little pathways and secluded spots, and of course grass to lounge about on and stare upwards.

Which is how I come to notice a tiny fig tree growing out of the top of a much larger palm tree, directly overhead. Sharing this observation with my friends leads to a discussion about the merits (or otherwise) of palm trees, and my frantic wikipedia-researching in order to sound like an expert. You see, dear reader, palm trees actually aren't technically trees at all, joining that dubious list of non-trees-called-trees that includes the grass tree, the tree fern and the Joshua tree. This particular one was probably a Canary Island Date Palm, adding to its list of accomplishments that it also doesn't produce dates, canaries or islands.

The news arrives that Laura has waylaid herself at a brewery and will be some time, so I saunter off home.

On the Gardiner's Creek Trail, the spot that previously lacked a broken wine bottle has had that lack rectified.

In Abbtsford, I am momentarily surprised to discover that the trail is closed, before eventually remembering that I had learnt this fact last week, when I returned from a different geohash this way. I take the same escape route, with much the same results.

Expedition 2 (Laura)

Laura hoped to join Stevage at this hash but was waylayed by a brewery. Nevertheless, she made it to the hash after a long, circuitous bike route. More details may (or may not) be forthcoming.

Expedition 3 (John)

John reached this hash by bike after dark. Definitely, hopefully, more details to come here.

John at the hash

Achievements

Bikegeohash.png
Stevage earned the Bicycle geohash achievement
by cycling 40km to the (-37, 145) geohash on 2023-08-25.