This may make some Australians cry...

[rediguana]

Given some of the recent issues in Australia with Park Services locking out geocaching in QLD, NSW and VIC, this item might bring a wry smile, and perhaps even a little ammunition to take back to some of these park services.

We've recently discovered that the New Zealand Department of Conservation has just placed their very first geocache - and it is actually managed by a DOC officer as well.

In search of a new hobby? (DOC blog)
Matiu/Somes Historic Trail

Probably won't achieve much for you in the short term, but might be another useful point that you can add in your communications to AU Park Services with respect to geocaching.

Cheers Gav

[Papa Bear_Left]

Thanks for that info, Gav.

Given how far ahead the Kiwis are in terms of public access to their public land and information, it's not surprising to see this initiative across the Ditch first. The maintenance of trampers' huts, the public release of mapping information, the consultation with interested parties, etc. are all streets ahead of their Aussie counterparts.

It might seem frustrating dealing with DOC at times, but it's a lot better than trying to get GIS info or similar out of the local authorities!

[rediguana]

the public release of mapping information... are all streets ahead of their Aussie counterparts

Not quite Much of the release of mapping information is being based upon the experience of WA work - e.g. WALIS. Likewise, an AU report on The Value of Spatial Information (direct pdf link) puts us behind AU. That Australian report was done by the same company that did a 2004 report report for WA on the value of their geospatial information - so WA has clearly been the lead in understanding the value of geospatial information.

Yeah there are some things we're doing well, but quite a few we are still following Australia's lead.

But you're perhaps right that we are leading in some of the groundroots effort to get data out and available using the likes of Koordinates.com, and getting it into GPS maps for cachers to enjoy

Cheers Gav

[Richary]

Slightly OT, but given the restriction on holiday caches I was thinking along these lines today. Places like Norfolk Island. Get the tourism department interested and get them to put out 100 caches on the island. Would that encourage more tourism?

A week's holiday would suddenly become a whole lot more interesting.

As for NZ DOC, I am just back from there and enjoyed the parks I visited near Wellington, my sister works for Maritime NZ in environmental science and so has a lot to do with DOC. The ones I saw seem pretty well maintained and they seem pretty good, though of course never had to deal with them.

[Yurt]

Slightly OT, but given the restriction on holiday caches I was thinking along these lines today. Places like Norfolk Island. Get the tourism department interested and get them to put out 100 caches on the island. Would that encourage more tourism?

A week's holiday would suddenly become a whole lot more interesting.

Certainly needs something to make it interesting!
I know a lot of people love it - I've only been there for work once and I reckoned then that about two days would do it.

As for Lord Howe Island - that's a different matter! Doesn't need geocaches there to improve anything - I'd be worried about cacher damage more than anything else.

But back on topic it's good to see NZ encouraging use of national parks. In NSW it seems the aim is to shut them off with high entry prices, poor roads and facilities, low staff morale - they spend their lives in the office, and other issues.
No I'm not supporting letting the shooters in to blast goats (and hikers) but better access and maintenance would help a lot.