Discovering hidden treasures can be as much fun for an adult as it is for kids, but the rise of 'geocaching' means no one has to miss out.

For the unitiated, geocaching involves using a GPS to locate specific coordinates where hidden caches have been left by other players.

Kevin 'K-Star' Eldridge has placed eight of Port Douglas' 26 caches, and says the activity is a great way for people to see some of the town's best locations, and best kept secrets.

"I think it's a good visitor activity, and it's cool fun for families," he said. And with 70,000 registered geocaching participants worldwide, it's fast becoming an easy alternative to traditional orienteering.

Having reached the coordinates outlined on the geocaching website, participants still need a keen eye to locate the cache which is hidden away from the public.

Caches contain a log book, and often a small toy or trinket left behind by previous players. On finding the cache players register their name, take the trinket, and replace it with something of equal or greater value for the next geocacher.

So protective are participants of the caches, players have come up with a name for members of the non-playing public who may pry into the activities of the geocacher - 'Muggles' (from the Harry Potter series).

"You can't let the Muggles see what you're doing," Kevin said.

Most smart phones now contain GPS apps, and a geocaching app can also be purchased for $10 to make worldwide geocaching easy, so why not give it a try and see where it leads you?

If you'd like to learn more about geocaching visit the official website. Information on the geocaches in the Douglas region can be found here.