Geocaching policy

1. Geocaching can occur in parks where consistent with the objects and management principles of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act) and the plan of management for the park.
2. The placement of a physical cache in a park requires written consent from the park authority (NPWS) under clause 13 of the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019 (NPW Regulation).
3. Virtual caching, including EarthCaching, does not involve leaving any type of physical object in a park, and does not require consent under the NPW Regulation. Although legal approval is not needed to develop virtual caches, virtual caches can impact on park values and visitor safety if they are located in unsuitable areas.
4. Before you create a cache, you should discuss the proposed location with NPWS and seek guidance on the information to be given in the cache listing.
5. There is no fee for applying to place a physical cache in a park.

6. NPWS will seek to foster a cooperative working relationship with the Geocaching Association of NSW to promote the objectives of this policy.
7. EarthCaches (a 'virtual' geocache where the Earth's natural and geological features are the treasure to be discovered) have educational merit and may help make visitors more aware of park values. Because of this, EarthCaching in parks will be given favourable consideration.
8. Geocachers are encouraged to adhere to the principles of 'leave no trace' outdoor ethics and the Geocaching Association of NSW Code of Conduct.
9. Caches must not be buried and geocachers must not dig holes, construct stone cairns, or damage vegetation to hide or find caches.
10. The cache owner must assume all responsibility for the accuracy of the online content of their cache listings.
11. The online information provided for a cache should include:
    • an educational message about the natural or cultural values of the cache location
    • the difficulty of the route and any other relevant safety precautions that should be taken
    • appropriate footwear and clothing
    • applicable park regulations (for example, no dogs allowed in the park)
    • a link to updates about park closures

12. Because of specific conservation requirements, physical caches will not be allowed in:
    • Aboriginal areas
    • declared wilderness areas
    • nature reserves
    • caves.
13. You should only place caches where people can reach them with existing tracks and trails and won't create new ones. It is a good idea to use reference points (a set of coordinates) to ensure geocachers take appropriate pathways. All caches must be accessible from areas open to the public (marked tracks, trails and visitor use areas) and comply with the park's rules and regulations about public access.
14. Caches must not be located:
    • in areas which may create a risk to the safety of a person visiting the cache or other park visitors
    • within 50 metres of Aboriginal objects
    • in, or within 50 metres of, Aboriginal places
    • in dams, lakes, watercourses, or wetland areas
    • in areas known to contain endangered ecological communities, threatened species or populations, or their habitats
15. It's not usually appropriate to place a physical cache at a historic heritage site because doing so can affect the site's heritage values. However, it may be acceptable if a cache will increase understanding of the cultural and/or historic themes of the site and have minimal impact.
16. When determining the suitability of a proposed cache location, NPWS should also consider how many caches a park or particular site can sustain. This should include assessing:
    • the location and number of existing caches
    • any access constraints
    • the potential environmental impacts of any expected increase in visitation
    • whether clustering or dispersing caches would reduce potential impacts.

17. NPWS accepts no responsibility for the security of physical caches (for instance, it will not take special measures to prevent them being stolen or moved). The cache owner is entirely responsible for maintaining the cache, including checking it from time to time.
18. There are standard conditions for consents to place a physical cache in the park. They are listed on the Geocaching Application Form (PDF 94KB).
19. The maximum term of consent for a physical cache to be placed in a park is five years. NPWS may issue consent for a shorter length of time in some circumstances, such as when there are concerns over cumulative impacts.
20. Consent may be revoked if the cache owner breaches the consent conditions or NPWS concludes that unforeseen cumulative impacts on the surrounding environment make the location of the cache unsuitable. If consent is revoked, the cache owner must remove the cache and cache listing (that is, take it offline) as soon as possible.
21. Consent to place a cache does not guarantee that the location will remain open to the public, as parks or parts of parks may be closed either temporarily or permanently for park management, emergencies or environmental reasons.

Policy adopted December 2010
Policy last updated December 2020

Scope and application

This policy applies to all lands acquired or reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act) except for lands reserved under Part 4A of the Act (unless the Board of Management for those lands has adopted the policy). However, NPWS staff can use the policy as guidance in their dealings with Boards of Management.

Objectives

The objectives of this policy are to:

• minimise the impacts of geocaching on the natural and cultural values of parks
• provide an opportunity through geocaching for more people to enjoy and appreciate parks and to raise awareness of parks and their conservation.

Definitions

Aboriginal area means lands dedicated as an Aboriginal area under section 30K of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act).

Cache includes physical caches, virtual caches and multi-stage caches (multi-caches).

• Physical caches are also known as traditional geocaches and consist of a sealed container that typically contains a logbook and a pen or pencil.
• A virtual cache is a cache that exists in a form of a location where no physical object is left.
• Multi-caches involve two or more locations, with the final location being a physical container with a logbook inside. Each stage (except the final) typically contains a clue to the next one.

Declared wilderness areas are those lands declared as wilderness under the Wilderness Act 1987.

An EarthCache is a type of virtual cache that is the site of a unique geological feature. To have an EarthCache listed on www.geocaching.com it must meet the website's guidelines. These guidelines require EarthCaches to be educational as well as adhere to the principles of 'leave no trace' outdoor ethics.

Geocachers are individuals who practice the activity of geocaching, placing and/or seeking caches.

'Leave no trace' outdoor ethics are techniques to prevent and minimise impacts on the environment while undertaking outdoor activities. 'Leave no trace' is best understood as an educational and ethical program, not as a set of rules and regulations. More information is provided at Leave No Trace Australia.

A waypoint is a set of coordinates that typically include longitude, latitude and sometimes altitude. Reference points are waypoints where no physical cache is placed.

Memorandum of understanding between NPWS and Geocaching Association of NSW

NPWS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) (PDF 216KB) with the Geocaching Association of NSW to promote sustainable and culturally sensitive visitor use of parks. The MOU also seeks to encourage:

• improved understanding and awareness of geocaching
• mechanisms for regular communication and issue resolution
• improved compliance with government policy and guidelines.

Accountabilities

This section outlines NPWS staff with significant responsibilities for ensuring implementation of the policy.