South Australia
Contents
South Australia
South Australia plays host to over 3000 caches, with nearly half of those located within 50km of the CBD. There is a large number of cachers spread from either end of the state who enjoy caching, and the places that South Australia has to offer. No matter what part of the state you plan on visiting you will probably find at least one cache there, and plenty along the roads to where ever you may be heading.
Local Caching
Adelaide
With over 1300 caches within 50km of the CBD, there is no shortage of choices. The CBD contains the highest number of CBD caches in the country, mainly due to its layout. If you wish to stay very close to the city, you can have the choice of over 80 caches to find, many of which will take you to some of the best places that Adelaide has to offer, and many will take in the normal tourist locations allowing you to combine sight seeing and caching all in one!
When looking at visiting Adelaide, don't be put off by the number of puzzle caches. For those that love a good mental (and sometimes physical) challenge, there are over 330 mystery caches to chose from. If you enjoy some head scratching followed by a good hike, then Zytheran's caches should be looked at, though be warned they hard, and for some addictive. Whilst there are many puzzle caches that will really challenge you, there are easier ones as well that are kid friendly, and can be solved before you leave home.
For those that like the challenge of a long walk, and some great views, Adelaide is lined with hills to the east. The views from a lot of caches are amazing, and whilst the walks may not be for everyone, the end view is well worth the effort.
If you are after a day trip or two, you may be interested in heading south to Victor Harbor/Goolwa/Hindmarsh Island, where there are an abundance of caches, and plenty of fresh country air. Just a short drive to the north of Adelaide you can visit the Clare Valley, or the Barossa Valley, both of which are famous for their wines, and food. Naturally there is a selection of caches that will take you to some places you would usually miss out on, and also to the great tourist spots.
Flinders Ranges
Yorke Peninsula
South East
Riverland
Recommended caches
Inner City & Surrounds
Suburbs
The Ultimate in Pedestrian Safety
Some things are not what they seem
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, ADELAIDE!
Fun Puzzles with not too nasty final GZs
Nice (not too long) Hikes
Caches that provide a different experience (mostly terrain wise)
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
The night has a thousand eyes (Night time cache)
Adelaide Hills
Mid North
Riverland
Go'n'do - Eckerts Creek Entrance
Events
South Australia is a state that holds many events. Given the large area of the state, various areas often hold events for local cachers to gather. These events are open for anyone to attend, and are often visited by cachers from far away (including overseas).
A regular event on the Adelaide calendar is the Pub Lunch, which is held roughly every 6 weeks, and allows cachers to gather at a central location in the city for a feed, and a chat. If you are planning a trip to Adelaide, it may pay to get in contact with The Barramnundi's who organise the lunches, to let them know when you will be here, and often the event can be scheduled for the time that you are here. An example of this is Pub Lunch 17 which was attended by MaxB all the way from America
Other events are held regularly across the state, including the south east where they often hold SECS (South East Caching Society) events like dinners, or picnics. The Riverland is also home to some events each year, with events like the Riverland Rendezvous being held a couple of times a year. With a recent surge in cachers on the Yorke Peninsula, there are plans for regular events in the area, the first of which was the Beach Picnic Among the Pyramids
Every year there are numerous Christmas Picnic's held across the state. There is traditionally a large showing at the Adelaide event, which is held in early December. Area's such as the south east also hold events to celebrate christmas.
The easiest way to see if there are any events coming up in the near future is to check out South Australia's Newest Published Caches. If you are visiting a certain area, and you're unsure of whether there is an event on or not, ask in the South Australian part of the GCA forum, and let us know when you will be here, and chances are someone will be happy to meet up with you!
Shops/Handy Info
For all your mapping & GPSr requirements visit CartoGraphics, which is located just south of the city and open 6 days a week. Not only will you get great service and a wide range of products, but you can also speak with an experienced geocacher,Alex about your requirements for trips not just in South Australia, but all over the country
Traveling
Time/Distances
South Australia, and Australia itself spans a very large area. Traveling between cities/towns can take considerable amounts of time. A common misconception by overseas visitors is that you can duck over to Adelaide for the day from Sydney. In actual fact it would take a day of solid driving (which isn't advised, and really shouldn't even be considered) in order to get to Adelaide from Sydney.
As a general rule, if you are driving to/from the Victorian border to Adelaide, you should allow 4 hours, plus caching time. In order to travel from Adelaide to the WA border, it would take somewhere in the area of 16 hours, but would need to be broken over a couple of days with a stop in Ceduna
Mt Gambier is located in the south east of the state, and is a gateway to the great ocean road, and many other stunning area's. Traveling by car from Adelaide to the area takes about 4.5 hours, plus caching time, and you can have a couple of choices of highways to take on your journey
The Yorke Peninsula is located north of Adelaide, and travelling times to places such as Wallaroo takes roughly 2 hours, plus caching time. If you plan on visiting the bottom of the peninsula, such as Innes National Park, then you should allow for about 4 hours of driving, plus caching time, from Adelaide
Camping
With thanks to SA_ParrotHead, the following list of camp sites has been drawn up. Camping is generally available at or near to each of these sites. If you need any more information about the accessibility or facilities at each one, you would be best to contact the owner, or a previous finder.
A long way to the top to find a rock that rolls
An Appila Day
Yell What?
Neptune - Nullarbor Numbness (just find a spot)
Painted Canvas (Arckaringa HS)
Under the shade of the Coolibah Tree
Uranus (Arkaroola village)
APPEALINNA (Willow Springs HS)
Climate
With the average January temperature in Adelaide being 29 degrees, you can generally expect to be coming to a warm climate. Keep in mind that whilst the average is 29, you will generally find days in the mid to high 30's, and even up into the mid 40's, during the first few months of the year. Overnight temperature's vary dependant on the day time temperature, but you can usually expect the nights to be in the range of 15 to 30 degrees. The one advantage Adelaide has over some eastern states is that there isn't usually a very high level of humidity, so whilst the temperature might be hotter than what you are used to, you will usually find that there isn't the humidity attached to it as well.
The average temperature in Adelaide in July is around the 15 degree mark. You would generally expect the days to be overcast, and have a chance of rain. Generally there isn't high rainfall in the state, so you can expect to stay fairly dry, though it would be best to check closer to your trip for the predicted temperatures and rainfall whilst you will be in Adelaide. Night time temperatures at this time of the year can be cold, with some nights going down as low as 1 degree, with the average being around the 7 degree mark.
If traveling to other parts of the state, you can expect some variances of a couple of degrees above or below the temperatures mentioned for Adelaide. For example if traveling to the south east of the state, the weather is generally a couple of degrees cooler, whilst to the north and west, you will usually find it a couple of degrees warmer.
The best resource for checking the weather for the following week can be found at the BOM website
