This magnificent bluestone “pre-separation Colonial Gothick” (Heritage Victoria) mansion was built for Sir James Palmer, the first Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Council. Construction of the house, then known as Burwood, began in 1846.
In 1869 the property was bought by theatrical entrepreneur George Coppin. It was later leased by the founder of the Australian Church, Dr. Charles Strong, and by distinguished architect Joseph Reed.
William McPherson, who was Premier of Victoria in 1928, owned the property by 1907. In the early 1930’s Invergowrie, as it was then known, was granted by the McPherson family to the Australian Headmistress’s Association for use as a Homecraft Hostel.
This period in Invergowrie’s History is the subject of the book “Home Management” by J.L. Chirnside and H.B. Ronald (Landvale Enterprises 1984). The founding Principal of Invergowrie Homecrafts Hostel, Mrs. James Weatherly, “intended that students would make immediate use of what they learned, either to run a home or to earn their living. They were trained to be good housewives and mothers; to run their own homes or be able, as professional housekeepers, to run other people’s homes efficiently and economically.” (Home Management)
In 1992, Jacky Taranto, then owner of iconic Australian knitwear label Coogi, paid $2.7 million for Invergowrie. In 2002, he sold the 1.1 hectare property for a reported $10.75 million.
The initial coordinates should see you standing at a small plaque. To find the cache, look at the first line of the plaque. There are three digits in the first line, the title line. Ignore the first digit, call the second digit A and the third digit B. To find the cache, go to S 37° 49.22A, E 145° 01.00B
GZ can be accessed two ways, by private road or the small laneway further along. The walk is not far, but it is hilly. Parking is not permitted in the private road and there's no need to enter any private property.
You are searching for a heavily camouflaged nano container hidden in a traditional, easily accessed spot. Please mind the plants when retrieving. Muggles can approach from all directions, and you are visible to those waiting at the tram stop above. Please make sure you replace the cache with the business end away from casual view; you’ll see what I mean!
BYO Pen