New Zealand

Table of Contents;

COVID 19

Kauri Dieback

Christchurch Flat Lands Residential Red Zone.

Power boxes, Utility Boxes and Phone Booths

NZTA and local road structures

COVID 19
https://covid19.govt.nz
Update 26/09/2022;

Please remember to be kind to each other.

 The following is to keep the wider community and players safe and has been prepared by the NZ Reviewers in line covid19.govt.nz and is supported by Geocaching HQ. 

• If you are unwell, tested positive for covid, or been told to isolate - stay home. 
• If your cache or event is based in a local building, check to see if they require visitors to wear masks and include this information on the cache page.
• For updates on what changing rules mean for geocachers - you can either place this page (wiki) on a watchlist or follow the reviewers page on Facebook; 'Frie-NZ of the Frog'. 

Remember to look after yourself and each other, be kind and be safe.
If you have any queries feel free to message any of the reviewers.

Kauri Dieback
North Island cachers need to be aware of a serious danger currently threatening Kauri trees throughout the North Island. This information link https://www.kauridieback.co.nz/ has details of the problem and what you can do to minimise the spread of the disease. For cache owners, it is important NOT to go off the track to place caches in certain forests.

Christchurch Flat Lands Residential Red Zone.

The Manager of Community and Customer Services for Crown Property, within Land Information New Zealand has been consulted and advised about geocaching and has no issues for having geocaches placed within the Flat Lands Red Zone, but the Port Hills Red Zone is out of bounds (This area has been zoned red because of the life risk posed by rock fall and/or cliff collapse, and land slips. Please note this is an extremely dangerous area for the general public – there are natural hazards present and heavy machinery may be in use.)

A Map of the red zones is available here, and the RedZone is a layer that can be added to the map.

https://mapviewer.canterburymaps.govt.nz/?webmap=8e2a6565eb084801afec078813296080

Caches within the Flat Lands Red Zone are to have this text added to the listing.

‘This geocache is placed within the Christchurch Flat Lands Residential Red Zone.  Please follow all warning signs that you may come across.  It there are areas that are fenced off with no access, then this is for a reason.  There are to be no motorised vehicles (cars, motorbikes etc) used to travel through the Red Zone land or on roads where barriers are in place.  People used to live in these areas, so please be respectful when in the Red Zone.’

Power boxes, Utility Boxes and Phone Booths

As these are owned and maintained by their respective companies. Some have warning signs of different types and some don't.

Power boxes/Transformers

"Geocaches or any other material should not be attached to any electricity reticulation or equipment and we also encourage the public to keep clear of any electricity or other infrastructure.
There is a hazard if people are looking for the geocache feel for boxes in or under parts of the equipment. While the equipment is basically safe and is regularly inspected, we cannot guarantee this if there is a fault or damage that has not been identified.

It should be noted that transformers have 11,000 Volt wiring present inside the case."

Phone Booths

"Our (Spark) preference is that the Geocaching community not affix containers to the phone booths, magnetically or otherwise. While I don’t believe the containers would cause any technical disruption to the service, or control panel access issues, it’s more about setting a precedent of allowing the public to place items on the booths - however unobtrusive they might be.
Also, the booths are regularly serviced by maintenance crews so which would probably result in a higher rate of container loss than some of the other locations your players use."

NZTA and local road structures

NZTA and local authorities require all users to ensure the safety of others. Geocachers (hiders and finders) have a responsibility to protect ourselves and other road users. We can do this by;

• Not placing any containers on bridges or structures which could drop on to live traffic lanes/hard shoulder (if any are found NZTA have stated before they will revoke rights for geocaches to be placed in their corridor.) If paths below think about the damage it could cause if it was to be knocked off and someone was below.
• Caches should not be in areas where there are no public access allowances i.e. motorways, gated walkways 
• Ensuring caches are placed in an area where there is safe parking. 
• Think about the safety of others, can someone slow down or reach the cache without causing a distraction which can cause a crash?

Remember if co-ordinates are a bit out due to coverage/proximity to buildings or the hints are not explicit - would someone search in wrong area and cause damage to anyone above or below.