2023-04-10 -37 143

Mon 10 Apr 2023 in -37,143: -37.5531272, 143.9358337 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

Just past Kirks Reservoir. Gong Gong, Victoria

Participants

• KT
• Dangermum
• Dangerdad

A Wholesome Family Adventure

I’ve tried explaining GeoHashing to my parents a few times, usually when they ask about the dent in the back of my car.

Generally there’s frowning, some confusion, and questions like, “So… what is it you’re supposed to find at the point?”

Anyway, Dangermum recently had a health wobble so I’ve been staying with them in Ballarat.

Now that she’s out of hospital and the adrenaline of medical excitement has worn off, everyone in the house is cranky and a little stir-crazy.

So I look up today’s location on a whim and lo it is 6km from the house, 250m from the nearest road, and situated inside the picturesque Kirks Reservoir Park. I declare a Family Adventure.

“Why?” “Where are we going?” “Do we have to take a selfie?” “Are you taking us to get hash?”

Gosh, parents have so many questions.

We drive to the reserve, and on the way we see some crimson rosellas and a wedge-tailed eagle so it’s already a win.

Dangermum says she is confident she’ll be able to walk the required 250m, however once we get to the park she decides she might just stay by the car and look at the water. Fair enough, she still isn’t allowed to get her heart rate up.

Dangerdad and I leave her to it and soldier forward, promptly encountering a No Trespassing sign.

The gate isn’t locked, so it’s clear they don’t really mean it.

We walk awkwardly on the steep side of the reservoir, the grass boggy from the recent (and also sort of current) rains. The hashpoint is about 150m away.

Dangerdad, for at least the third time, “So what are we supposed to find at this place again?”

Me, “Nothing.”

Dangerdad, “Nothing?”

Me, “The respect of our fellow GeoHashers.”

Dangerdad, “Hmm… how many of those are there?”

Me, “About four.”

Dangerdad, “Four?”

Me, “One of them lives in Germany though, which is exciting.”

What initially looked to be a wide waterway across our path turns out to be dry, so we easily clamber down, across and up the other side. After engaging in the traditional GPS shuffle, we are greeted with the happy green flag of success and take another selfie.

On the way back, Dangerdad finds a sign and we stage a small protest against spraying. We take the higher path along the top of the reservoir back to the car.

We also find some mushrooms to forage. Hello, lunch. And also some mushrooms to not forage. As we head back through the No Trespassing gate I realise that Dangerdad has been wearing his house slippers the whole time. He claims they are his ATSs, or All-Terrain Slippers.

Back at the car, Dangermum has befriended a local family and the children are excitedly showing her a collection of leaves.

Dangermum, to me, “So did you find the thing you had to find?”

Dangermum wants to see more things, so we take the backroads home. Here is a list of the things we see: · Crimson rosellas · Horses · Cows · Wedge-tailed eagle · A pig · Sheep · Camels · Alpaca · Corellas · Swans

I didn’t photograph any of them, but you can imagine them if you like – especially the camel, that’s fun to imagine.

We make it home, and everyone is much less cranky. Such is the healing power of GeoHashing and mushrooms on toast. Delish.