GPS Treasure Hunt an Australian First

A Melbourne charity has turned to using state-of-the-art GPS technology in its latest fundraising drive – claiming a high tech treasure hunt around the Melbourne CBD is the first charity event of its kind in Australia.

Melbourne based Not for Profit, Big Brothers Big Sisters, says it hopes that its Chase the Cache – a treasure hunt around Melbourne CBD using Geo-caching technology- will become its signature fundraising event.

The event will see teams of four scouring the Melbourne CBD with GPS devices, trying to find hidden caches by following GPS coordinates, with points assigned for each cache found.

Organisers say the event is the first of its kind in Australia and is based on similar geo-caching events overseas which have had great success.

Cash the Cache is described as a fast, interactive technology-based activity, likened to the popular television show The Amazing Race.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Executive Officer, Tricia Ciampa says after the success of the event run by their colleagues in Canada (where it has been held twice), they hope this will become one of the benchmark charity events in Australia.

Ciampa says having seen the creation of so many clever charity events over the years, Big Brothers Big Sisters really wanted to deliver something fresh and exciting.

50 teams will use portable GPS units preloaded with coordinate information, and will be given two hours to locate the caches, which are small plastic boxes hidden around the CBD with points assigned to their discovery.

Ciampa says with a number of teams signed up even before the launch, they are confident of raising the target $80,000.

Chase the Cache takes place on May 22nd 2011 around the Melbourne Docklands area.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentoring program for young people, matching screened, trained and supported volunteer adults to young people experiencing difficulties or disadvantage in their life. Click here for more information. www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.au