A traditional Geocache located on the South Coast http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/fiordland/southern-fiordland/south-coast-track-to-port-craig-school-hut/ and Hump Ridge http://www.humpridgetrack.co.nz/ tracks. To get here is a significant undertaking, requiring at least one night's stay in the Port Craig School Hut or if you are doing the Hump Ridge Track, you will reach this cache just before arriving at the Port Craig Village Lodge on the second day of your journey. The walking distance from the Rarakau Car Park (coordinates provided) is 20 km. Please check track conditions on the links provided and weather conditions before setting out to attempt this Geocache.
It is located just a few metres from the school hut in native bush. This area is full of history as Port Craig was a timber milling settlement in the 1920s. During its operation Port Craig sawmill was the most technologically advanced and most productive mill in New Zealand. Today it is an archaeological site – the country’s most complete sawmilling complex featuring all stages and aspects of the timber industry.
The old wharf piles remain, along with the bakers’ oven and first mill, the Lidgerwood hauler chassis, and a Priestman wharf crane. You can stay in the Port Craig School, the only remaining building on the settlement site, which has been converted into a hut for trampers.
A short interpretive walk around the mill site provides an insight into the milling with panels and a self guided pamphlet. The tramway away from the mill to the workings features spectacular cuttings, and the Australian hardwood railway sleepers are evident along most of its length.
There is more detailed information about the history of the site in the Port Craig School and in the Port Craig Village Lodge operated by the Hump Ridge Track Trust, and on panels and in a pamphlet for the interpretative walk around the site.
GPS accuracy was at +/- 3m when placed