“Eudunda Extraterrestrial Encounters”
Eudunda is often referred to as the “Valley of Hidden Treasures”. Well, on the June Long Weekend (6th – 9th June 2025), Eudunda was inundated with approximately 130 geocachers from across South Australia and some from interstate for their annual JLWE event titled “Eudunda Extraterrestrial Encounters”.
Geocaching is an activity or pastime where an item or a container is hidden in a particular location for GPS users to find by means of coordinates posted on the internet.
Many treasures were placed around the town and district and then found by the passionate geocachers under a competition event with points awarded for many different achievements.
The geocachers were accommodated in their caravans, camper vans and tents around the Eudunda Caravan Park, Oval & Sporting
Clubrooms complex as well as other accommodation places.
Mel Zerner, the Deputy Chair of Eudunda Community Business and Tourism Committee (ECBAT) and other committee members, facilitated the connection of the geocachers to the local businesses and community organisations for hire of facilities, meals and other services.
They each received a specially made bag of Eudunda goodies and information and signs were erected at the entrances to the towns to welcome them.
Mel indicated that this initiative was developed by the Eudunda Tourism Subcommittee & has helped to bring people and tourists into our beautiful area to experience our “hidden treasures.”
The main street was a buzz on the weekend and a “Flashmob” was performed in the Centenary Gardens area on the Saturday at lunchtime.
The geocachers participated in a general cleanup of the old Eudunda Railway Sation building as a contribution back to the community on the Monday morning.
L-R at front: Julie Mathews, Mel Zerner, GeoCacher from Canberra (who is an artist and took many items home with her in her small car for various projects).
The Regional Council of Goyder generously funded $2000 towards the event through the South Goyder Community Event Grant Fund.
Many thanks to John Baxter from the group for producing and sharing this video summary of the event. See Below.