This is a Lord of the Rings (LOTR) location cache. You may wish
to leave LOTR related items (if you have them). See below for more
details.
Initial Cache Contents:
* A blue key ring
* A novelty ping-pong ball
* A PG12-06 slingshot glider
* A tin of spiced pork cubes
* A space station super flyer
* A roll of red electrical tape
* A set fo four lacqured chopsticks
Directions:
The cache (Accuracy 20 m Elevation 640 m) is buried under sticks
and leaf litter in a 5.3 litre rectangular translucent plastic
snap-lock container within moderately dense bush near the edge of
the road, avoid the boggy ground. See the hints for more
detail.
You may get there via State Highway 94 by turning off at the
Mavora Lakes sign between The Key and Mossburn and following the
gravel road for about 35 km.
Nearby are several locations used for the filming of the
Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers. The cache itself is
hidden in one of the forests used to depict Fangorn Forest. About
60 m east is where a mound of Orcs was burnt in the Two Towers (S
45°19.966' E 168°10.401'; there is a slightly greener patch of
grass that marks that location).
Around 5 km north are several other locations. Here the shore of
North Mavora was used to depict Nen Hithoel. Both the campsite at
the end of the Fellowship and Frodo and Sam's crossing were filmed
here (S 45°15.993' E 168°10.411' ). Nearby in the forest, as far as
I recall, on top of the hill is a large tree behind which Frodo
avoided the Uruk-hai (S 45°16.013' E 168°10.509') and at the bottom
is a large tree stump behind which Merry an Pippin hid from the
Orcs (S 45°16.030' E 168°10.490'). Note that the last two locations
are highly inaccurate, simply look around the general area, you
will be surprised at what you recognise.
For more information see: Brodie, I. (2002), The Lord of the
Rings Location Guidebook, Harper Collins, Auckland.
Also nearby was Rediguana's Secret
Swings virtual cache. It has been archived, but the location is
worth visiting anyway.
Camping is allowed along some of the eastern shore of North
Mavora Lake for a small donation to DOC of $10 per site. There are
toilets, BBQs, and running water. It is a quite a spectacular
location that I highly recommend. There are a number of moderate to
long walks that you can do also.