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 wherever you may be heading.

There are geocaching guru's located across the state. To see if there is one in an area you are planning to visit check out the guru page

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 are 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 do attempt them, please be aware of the guidelines for moving around cliff areas.

If you are after a day trip or two, you may be interested in heading south to Victor Harbor/Goolwa/Hindmarsh Island, where there is 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

The Flinders Ranges is a sparse area, that covers many hundreds of kilometres. The area is best traveled in a 4WD and preferably with at least one other vehicle. There are many towns and areas that can be visited by 2WD as well, and caches can be found without having to venture into rough tracks or remote areas.

When visiting the area, prior preparation and planning is a must. Things like water, fuel, camping, food, and rescue equipment should be looked at and planned for. If you are unsure about the environment, or what would be required, ask on the GCA forum, and past visitors to the area will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

The area plays host to many hundreds of caches, quite often considerable distances apart. Due to the harshness of the land most caches placed in the area are Ammo cans, due to their toughness, and inability to rot/melt.

Yorke Peninsula

The Yorke Peninsula is located 2 hours north of Adelaide, and contains numerous caches spread from Kadina at the northern end, right the way down to Innes National Park in the south west of the peninsula. There are currently over 150 caches on the peninsula, that range from drive bys, to difficult 5 star terrain caches that require planning for tides.

In recent times there has been an explosion of cachers and caches in the Kadina & Moonta areas. This has seen the area become a well visited spot by people from Adelaide, due to the different style of caches, puzzles and scenery. The Copper Coast Cachers have been active in hosting events, placing new caches and maintaining old ones.

South East

Like the Flinders Ranges, the south east of the state covers a large piece of the state, and hosts many caches, with some requiring a 4WD and a sense of adventure. Mt Gambier is the base for most visitors to the area, with an abundance of caches to chose from that take you to some of the best places the area has to offer. From the blue lake, to the wineries, Coorong, beaches, and national parks, there is always something to see, and abundance of caches to chose from.

Mt Gambier itself is located 4 hours from Adelaide, and is home to a number of cachers, that often hold events, and will always make sure that they place devious hides, or creative puzzles in order to challenge each other and visitors.

Riverland

The Riverland is host to not only hundreds of caches, but also the first cache in the state. With a 3 hour drive from Adelaide, the area is enjoyed by many people for its fresh food, water skiing, house boating, and great caches. With highly active cachers living in various parts of the Riverland, caches are located in some of the most historic, scenic, and interesting spots, that will not let you down. Events are held frequently, and attended not only by locals, but those from Adelaide, who enjoy coming up to the area visiting the continually expanding cache placements in the area.

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 Barramundi'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 Picnics held across the state. There is traditionally a large showing at the Adelaide event, which is held in early December. Areas 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 or the SA Dashboard. 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.

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 temperatures vary depending 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

Travelling

Time/Distances

South Australia, and Australia itself spans a very large area. Travelling 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 areas. Travelling 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.

Midden meets Veenstra

A long way to the top to find a rock that rolls

Watch out for that......Rock

An Appila Day

Warren Gorge

Thanks for Leven me alone

Sleeping dunes