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...on the 2005 Postcard Chase

(The 'Chasers' in the 2005 Postcard Chase)

The Postcard Chase began at about 9am on the 9^th of January 2005. The Chase started at the Allan Green Plant Conservatory near the corner of The Esplanade and William Street, Perth, Western Australia. Four teams (pictured above) meet, nice and early on this warm Sunday morning, to compete in the first-ever Chase. Apposed to subsequent events, the different rules saw the first team to a clue, won that postcard. In addition, after lunch, teams were given a clue to the final destination. If a team worked out the location, they could leave for it at anytime. Since this first Chase, two major changes to the current rules  have seen all teams have to travel to every location, and even if it is known, teams must locate every postcard on the Chase in order to win.

(At the Allan Green Plant Conservatory, the chase is on...)

This first Chase saw teams on foot to race (pictured above) to find their first postcard located on the opposite end of the grounds of the Gardens. All teams were then instructed to open their next envelope. This clue lead teams to the permanently moored boat in Claisebrook Cove, East Perth. The Red team (Stewart, Lin, Zeus and Ozmos) (Lin pictured below) was the first team to arrive at Henry Lawson Walk, and therefore claimed their first Final Destination Clue (Tan). Leah and Maria, of the Yellow team (Leah, Maria and Tony) arrived minutes late, and just missed out.

(... and Lin locates the first postcard in Claisebrook Cove)

Teams then raced to the first True or False of The Chase. In this case, the teams had to choose between 'Fire' or 'Power'. The True clue was at the Fire Grove, located in front of the DNA tower, King's Park. This time the Green team (Brett and Alize) was victorious, beating the Yellow team by seconds to discover the True postcard. The False clue was located at the Energy Ball in the Western Power Parklands, also in King's Park. This was claimed by the Blue team (Meagan, Sven and Tegan), followed closely by the Red team who both received nothing for finding this location. The next Clue (Yellow) sent teams north to Lake Monger, where the first group to the location was the Blue team, however the Final Destination Clue was not found straight away. Hidden in the sign of the wishing well, Megan and Tegan (pictured below) nearly lost the clue when the Green team arrived moments after them, almost stealing the clue from right under their noses.

(Megan and Tegan had trouble finding this clue at Lake Monger...)

The next envelope lead teams to a secret location marked with an 'X', and the first twist of the event. From their envelopes, teams received a key and an All for one clue, instructing all teams to head for one location. In Bold Park, at the corner of the Possum walk and Camel Lake trails, teams found a locked box. Here, each group needed to use their keys to unlock the padlocks holding their next clues. This required all of the teams open all four locks, although Brett was there first, any lead quickly evaporated. All teams received a Final Destination Clue at this location as well as their next two clues. The first Bonus clue, at the 19th Hole Retirement Home (Davis street Claremont) was found by the Green team, however they just missed out on being first to the other location which was only two blocks away. Red team was victorious in claiming yet another Final Destination Clue, this time at the Number One gate entrance into the Claremont Showgrounds.

(...Tony struggled to find the postcard hidden on Buckland Hill...)

The second True or False, 'Pillar' or 'Post', lead Tony from the Yellow team (Leah, Maria and Tony) to victory. Both locations, found in Mosman Park, were less than one kilometre away from each other; yet both required long hiking up steep hills. The True postcard (pictured above) was found at a pillar of sand near the Buckland Hill Military Museum. The False postcard was located at the end of Boundary Road, at the monument to the old water works station. The Green team (Brett and Alize)  and the Blue team (Meagan, Sven and Tegan) located this False location; and was the second false clue found by the Blue team False clues don't make a True one, ed.).

(...however teams had no trouble finding the shovels in Mt Lyell Park)

The next clue lead all teams to both an All for one and a Bonus clue which could earn two Final Destination Clues (Tan) for each group. At Mt Lyell Park, still in Mosman Park, the Bonus asked teams to count the steps leading up to the Pagoda (at the top of Mt Lyell) or read the sundial at the base of the stairs. The Blue team was the only group to secure the two postcards that were available to everyone (perhaps two false do make a true? ed). They completed this Bonus by standing on the January symbol of this Aboriginal sundial, and eventually reading the time by the shadow of their body on the ground. Teams had to find the shovels (pictured above), located on the corner of McCabe and Hutchinson. After the shovels, the last Clue (Yellow) before lunch was almost claimed by the Red team (Stewart, Lin, Zeus and Ozmos), who searched for the hidden Final Destination Clue, only to be upstaged by the eagle-eyed Yellow team. At Sorrell Park, under Stirling Bridge in North Fremantle (pictured below), both these teams struggled to find the hidden clue, however Tony's persistence searching payed off.

(The bench under the Stirling Bridge was hard to locate for Lin...)

After lunch, held at the Beach Street Cafe in Fremantle, teams raced to the next location. At Webber Reserve Willagee, a giant maze (pictured below) became a huge obstacle for all teams. This All For One required at least one team member from each group to successfully navigate the puzzle. When teams finally made it to the red square in the centre, they found a box containing their next three postcards. The first postcard was a Bonus, which was not completed by any team. The second Clue sent team to the Dinosaur Park, on on Carrington Street, Palmyra, however only two teams travelled to this point. At this location, the postcard was claimed by the Blue team, just beating the Yellow team. What happened to the other teams? What was the third postcard in the box? The final postcard was the 'Final Location' clue, a clue that finally received the cryptic clue describing the final location.

(... the Willagee Maze was difficult to complete for most...)

 The 'Final Destination' Clue read... 'In the university hall, by the old remedy waters, I saw Woody in the distance by an engine'. Both the Red team and the Green team raced to what they incorrectly believed to be the final location. The other teams continued to Dinosaur Park, and after this win, the Blue team travelled to what they thought to be the 'Final Destination'. The Yellow team also left for find the finish line, however were also incorrect. How did the Yellow team eventually get it right?

(...yet the 'Final Destination' was the hardest to locate for all teams)

Both the Red and Green teams travelled to the University of Western Australia. The Blue team travelled south to South Lakes, incorrectly believing the final location was in the Beeliar Wetlands. Initially, the Yellow team believed they needed to travel to Murdoch University to the wind turbine, just off Murdoch Drive. The Yellow team realised that it wasn't that wind turbine and then eventually made their way to the Piney Lakes Reserve wind turbine (pictured above).  Blue team eventually worked out where to go, however it was too late.  Maria, Tony and Leah (pictured from left to right below) claimed victory by  narrowly beat Megan, Sven and Tegan to the 'Final Location'.

(Official winners of the 2005 Postcard Chase. Congratulations, Yellow team !!!)

Read on to find out about the different rules only associated with this Chase @...

The Postcard Chase rules

View 'The Chasers' from the Postcard Chase 2005...

   Blue Team     Red Team   Green Team     Yellow Team

Send mail to thechaseison@optusnet.com.au with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: March 26, 2009