Author Archives: Bendigo Orienteers

The weekly e-newsletter of

Bendigo Orienteers Inc.

Issue 17/14: 14 May, 2014

Contact (for this publication): Peter J. Creely: luddcreely@impulse.net.au (Ph. 5443 1975)

Web site: www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au

If you wish to unsubscribe from this bulletin, please click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of this email. If you would like this Bulletin to be emailed directly to you, please email bendigo.orienteers@gmail.com

Space Racing, 10 May: there are some things that we can be sure will happen in our lives – taxes, death and – the Certainty of the Unexpected! Saturday at Kangaroo Flat Gardens we had the drizzly rain — I suppose we expected that, it was forecast. But the unexpected: the closure of all the roads by which we could gain access to the start area! Anyway it seemed that everyone got there and it was a good morning.

Thank you to everyone – parents and helpers for their assistance on Saturday – it was greatly appreciated! Special thanks to Michael and Leisha for their help and example and for injecting into orienteering the vision of young junior elites in action!

Upper Crusoe. A good attendance in spite of the weather. A full report and results can be found on our webpage.

Coming Events: Bendigo Bush Classic – Kangaroo Gully Challenge
On Saturday the 17th of May, Using the 1996 Victorian Championship elite (men’s) course as a template, this event will offer the opportunity to run that course and challenge yourself to compete against the original winner’s time! There is also a wide range of alternative courses to choose from.

Kangaroo Gully offers an enjoyable blend of spur gully terrain with areas of gold mining detail. Runability is generally very good through open Box-Ironbark/Heathy Dry Forest vegetation, with good visibility throughout.
Directions: From Bendigo: From the Hattam St intersection, travel south along Allingham Street. Continue south into Kangaroo Gully Road. Turn hard right at Read Lane (O sign) and park immediately in open area adjacent. Walk to registration 300m southeast following tape.

Early arrivals before 1pm drive through (along Read La) into paddock.

Later arrivals after 1pm park in large clearing adjacent to Kangaroo Gully Rd

From Melbourne: turn right off Calder Hwy into Taylor St at the second set of traffic lights along Hwy (Wesley St to the left). At the top of the hill follow around left into Railway St. Turn right at end of Railway St (watch for traffic coming under the bridge!) Travel under bridge for 250m and turn right into Allingham St. Continue south along Kangaroo Gully Rd and turn hard right at Read Lane (O sign), park immediately in open area adjacent.

CAUTION: DUE TO A CROSS-COUNTRY RUN IN THIS AREA, THERE MAY BE A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITHIN THE VACINITY DURING SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

PLEASE WATCH FOR RUNNERS AND ORIENTEERS CROSSING or MOVING ALONG TRACKS WHEN ENTERING/LEAVING THE EVENT/PARKING AREAS

Next Bulletin 21 May

The weekly e-newsletter of

Bendigo Orienteers Inc.

Issue 16/14: 7 May, 2014

Contact (for this publication): Peter J. Creely: luddcreely@impulse.net.au  (Ph. 5443 1975)

Web site: www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au

If you wish to unsubscribe from this bulletin, please click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of this email. If you would like this Bulletin to be emailed directly to you, please email bendigo.orienteers@gmail.com

Tio Mila – Sweden all night relay

While we were all tucked up in bed Saturday night, 3 of Bendigo’s top Orienteers, were getting ready for the biggest Club relay in Sweden. Running for their Swedish clubs, Evan Barr (Lidingö) and Leon Keely (Sävedalens) ran the long (17k) night leg, starting at 1:30 in the morning, while club mate, Toph Naunton was running the slightly shorter, 15.6k morning leg for his club, Nolaskogsarna.

As one of the competitors was heard to say ”Fun is not the word I would use to describe that. Survive is more apt. 17k night orienteering in green grunge, 1 degree, I’m stuffed”

Space Racing: It was a good opening day for Space Racing last Saturday. We had about twenty kids try out the course at Kangaroo Flat and the enthusiasm (and enjoyment) level seemed high – next Saturday will tell the tale! A lot of the people on Saturday had been in SR’ing last year and it was good to see them back. Next Saturday (10 May) we will register and organise teams and competition rules will apply as a try out for them before the main competition starts.

SR Registration

Day and date: Saturday 10 May

Place: Kangaroo Flat Gardens.

Time: Assemble by 9.45, planned to wind up by 11.00am

Directions: From Bendigo: travel south through Bendigo to Kangaroo Flat. At the traffic lights at the Lockwood Road intersection turn left into Camp Street and continue for approx. 200 metres until it ends at the Gardens. From Castlemaine and points south: travel to Bendigo on the Calder and turn right into Camp Street at the Lockwood Road traffic lights in Kangaroo Flat, then as above.

Again, it would be great if we could have a good roll up of members to help.

Coming Events. Saturday 10 May

Map: Upper Crusoe.

Organisers/Course Setters: Neil Barr

Start: 12.30 to 2.00 pm

Format: Bendigo Bush Classic – five courses: 1 difficult, 2 shorter difficult; 3 shorter still, difficult; 4 Moderate and 5: easy.

Comment: This will be e good event – don’t miss it! A good course setter and a map relatively new in Bendigo. See you there!

Directions: The assembly for this event is at Tuckerman’s Lane, off the Calder Highway. Access to the event and exit from the event requires careful driving because of the speed of traffic on the Calder Highway (at this point 100km/hr) and because there is no crossing of the divided Calder Highway at Tuckerman’s Lane (west).

FROM BENDIGO Drive 300 metres south past Tuckerman’s Lane (east side) to a Calder Highway crossing point. At this point you can do a U-turn . Take extreme care making this U-turn as the traffic from Melbourne will be travelling at 100 km/hr. You need to cross into the far lane and travel back north for 300 metres and then turn left into Tuckerman’s Lane. It is a rough dirt track and you will need to slow down significantly to make the turn. Watch for traffic coming from behind you.

Exit is simpler, requiring a left turn only to travel back to Bendigo. Again, be very cautious.

FROM MELBOURNE/CASTLEMAINE Tuckerman’s Lane is 1.9 kilometres towards Bendigo after crossing the high point of the Calder Highway on the Big Hill Range. There is no signage. It is a dirt track. Take care slowing on approach. To exit and return south you need to exit left from Tuckerman’s Lane and travel 300 metres north towards Bendigo to a crossing point. Here you can do a U-turn into the opposite lane of the Calder Hway and resume your journey southwards.

Next Bulletin 14 May

The weekly e-newsletter of

Bendigo Orienteers Inc.

Issue 15/14: 30 April, 2014

Contact (for this publication): Peter J. Creely: luddcreely@impulse.net.au (Ph. 5443 1975)

Web site: www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au

Important! If you don’t want to receive the bulletin, or if, at any time, you wish to discontinue receiving it, please advise me by return e-mail and your name will be taken off my list.

 Norfolk Hero: a great event! Thanks and congratulations to Michael Loughnan for the courses and organisation and to Colin Walker for his tireless watching eye (and advice) over all the preparations. As a club we are gathering a very valuable group of junior course setters, and of Mentors who generously give of their time (and effort) to assist them. Our JSquad is a very valuable asset to our club. Its members are not only the future of the sport in Bendigo, they are very much the present – have a look at the results. Well done Michael and thank you Colin!

A footnote: On his Course 5 (easy) Michael arranged for a large tree to fall over the track between two of the controls, creating an obstacle. This is, to my knowledge, the first time a course setter has been able to achieve this feat (probably it was just as well that it happened a few days before the event!). And of course, don’t forget the flat tyre on the Volvo out in the middle of the forest! Full results are on our web page.

 Space Racing – Introduction

Day and date: Saturday 3 May

Place: Kangaroo Flat Gardens.

Time: Assemble by 9.45, planned to wind up by 11.00am

Directions: From Bendigo: travel south through Bendigo to Kangaroo Flat. At the traffic lights at the Lockwood Road intersection turn left into Camp Street and continue for approx. 200 metres until it ends at the Gardens. From Castlemaine and points south: travel to Bendigo on the Calder and turn right into Camp Street at the Lockwood Road traffic lights in Kangaroo Flat, then as above.

At this Intro we will accompany kids/parents around a short SR course and show them how controls are presented, what they need to do to register their visit, what features on the ground look like on the map — all the stuff that we all take for granted.

It would be great if we could have a good roll up to help.

 Coming Events. Saturday 3 May

Map: Lyell Forest .

Organisers/Course Setters: Julie Flynn

Start: 12.30 to 2.00 pm

Format: Bendigo Bush Classic – five courses: 1 difficult, 2 shorter difficult; 3 shorter still, difficult; 4 Moderate and 5: easy.

Comments: Lyell Forest is a spur/gully area – very subtle. There are few steep hills and a sparse track network. Come out and experience some beautiful forest and some challenging courses from Julie.

Directions: Travel out from Bendigo through Strathfieldsaye. Continue to the Axe Creek Catholic Church where you turn right. Drive 3.5km along Axe Creek Rd to Paton’s Rd where you turn left. Continue for 6km to Doles Rd. Travel south along Doles Rd for 4.9km and follow the orienteering signs to the assembly area. Park as directed.
DO NOT attempt to drive out the way you drove in. Doles Rd is too narrow for vehicles to pass.
On leaving the assembly area after the event, follow directions south along Doles Rd and along McLeod’s Lane to Kelly’s Rd.
To Bendigo: turn right at Kelly’s Rd, then right into Myrtle Creek Rd. Follow this road into Strathfieldsaye.
To Redesdale: turn left into Kelly’s Rd and right into the Bendigo Redesdale Rd. At Redesdale, travel south to Kyneton.

Next Bulletin 7 May

The weekly e-newsletter of

Bendigo Orienteers Inc.

Issue 14/14: 23 April, 2014

Contact (for this publication): Peter J. Creely: luddcreely@impulse.net.au (Ph. 5443 1975)

Web site: www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au

Important! If you don’t want to receive the bulletin, or if, at any time, you wish to discontinue receiving it, please advise me by return e-mail and your name will be taken off my list.

The Black Crow is awarded each year to the club member who is responsible for the most spectacular misadventure of the year. Again, no new nominations this week – at least none that have been reported to me. So, what about it? Surely someone has done something out of the ordinary?

Easter Results. I haven’t had time to check through the Easter Three Day results yet (Space Racing preparation is rather time demanding!) but I will get there – I hope!

Editors Note: Easter Prologue, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 (Scroll down to find Bendigo)!

Space Racing – Introduction

Day and date: Saturday 3 May

Place: Kangaroo Flat Gardens.

Time: Assemble by 9.45, planned to wind up by 11.00am

Directions: From Bendigo: travel south through Bendigo to Kangaroo Flat. At the traffic lights at the Lockwood Road intersection turn left into Camp Street and continue for approx. 200 metres until it ends at the Gardens. From Castlemaine and points south: travel to Bendigo on the Calder and turn right into Camp Street at the Lockwood Road traffic lights in Kangaroo Flat, then as above.

At this Intro we will accompany kids/parents around a short SR course and show them how controls are presented, what they need to do to register their visit, what features on the ground look like on the map — all the stuff that we all take for granted. It would be great if some of you could be there to help.

Special Call to Newcomers and Beginners.  So – who are ‘Newcomers’ and who are ‘Beginners’? Let’s say that Newcomers are those who have come to our recent 2014 events at Guys Hill and Beginners would be those who have done some orienteering previously and probably have started at Course 5 level but may have proceeded to be doing Course 4.

This Saturday at Spring Gully there will be the opportunity, rather than to get just advice from someone at the Beginners table or learn out there by yourself, solely by ‘experience’, there will be club members available to go out on a course with small groups. If you are wanting to advance from the course you are doing at the moment then this is a good opportunity.

This will be a ‘walk and talk’ exercise (no running). Come to the assembly area at 12.00 pm for a start at about 12.30. You will be back at the finish area with your mentor in no more than an hour.

It would help if you can indicate ahead of Saturday whether you would like to participate in this special club offering. Please call Terry on 0427 844817.

Special Call to Experienced Club Members. Please be aware of the offer above to Newcomers and Beginners so that we have the mentors available to meet the number who want to benefit from those who have the experience. Take up of your offer will depend on the demand that emerges on the day.

You would need to be at the start at 12.00 and to be prepared not to have your run until 1.30 – 2.00. Please let Terry (0427 844 817) know if you can be available, preferably before Saturday.

Coming Events. Saturday 26 April

Map: Norfolk Hero.

Organisers/Course Setters: Michael Loughnan/Colin Walker

Start: 12.30 to 2.00 pm

Format: Bendigo Bush Classic – five courses: 1 difficult, 2 shorter difficult; 3 shorter still, difficult; 4 Moderate and 5: easy.

Directions: From Bendigo – Start is opposite Spring Gully Pony Club. Travel out of Bendigo on Spring Gully Road. O signs at Wattle Drive at the roundabout. From Melbourne – take the turn off the Calder Highway at Elphinstone, through Sutton Grange and look for the One Tree Hill Hotel on the right and turn left at the roundabout.

Next Bulletin 30 April

The weekly e-newsletter of

Bendigo Orienteers Inc.

Issue 13/14: 16 April, 2014

Contact (for this publication): Peter J. Creely: luddcreely@impulse.net.au (Ph. 5443 1975)

Web site: www.bendigo-orienteers.com.au

Important! If you don’t want to receive the bulletin, or if, at any time, you wish to discontinue receiving it, please advise me by return e-mail and your name will be taken off my list.

The Black Crow is awarded each year to the club member who is responsible for the most spectacular misadventure of the year. Again, no new nominations this week – at least none that have been reported to me.

Easter: Best wishes to all who are taking part in the Easter 3 Day carnival.

Space Racing 2014. The program for the 2014 SR series has been finalised:

May   3: Introduction to SR

       10: CATI and Registration

       17: to June 14 inclusive: Races 1 to 5

June  21: Kids Rule and Presentations

SR 2013 was a rather disappointing experience so the opportunity has been taken to bring the Space Racing (orienteering) experience into line as many other sports involving kids have done recently. We need a pathway out of the school yard (boring!) into the forest (adventure!).

We have reinforced the ‘Space’ theme and have introduced Andy the Astronaut to put a face on SR and to bring it into the kid’s sphere of fun and enjoyment.

We will probably need people to help on the days so if anyone would like to be involved please let me know. PeterC

Hey – Share your experience!

We have had a successful start to the year with a good number of newcomers. Rather than newcomers learning slowly and frustratingly the finer things about navigation and orienteering techniques, we can help maximize their skill in the sport.

Please get in touch with me (tands2@aapt.net.au or 0427 844 817) to offer as a club member who will go out on a course with a small group (preferably no more than two or three) on Sat 26^th April – Norfolk Hero. The idea is to do at least part of a course more advanced than Course 5, deciding on which is best in terms of the group. The intention would be not to run or ‘ be competitive’ but to view it as mentoring.

I will contact newcomers offering them this chance to go out on a course with an experienced club member and suggesting an assembly time of 12.00 so as to organize for a prompt start at 12.30. I believe that a 1 hour max. will suffice for the mentoring which will still allow the volunteer the time to go for a normal competitive run on the map.

Please offer to pass on some of your hard-earned experience! Thanks, Terry

Golden Sandshoe   12 April 2014

Thank you to everyone who took part in today’s event that was run in fine conditions on the Clinkers Hill map, Castlemaine area. Solomon Cameron won the Golden Sandshoe and gets to set next years event (with help from his dad Andrew). 2^nd was Glen James and third Tavish Eenjes. Thank you to the people who stayed behind to help collect controls. Full results and report on the web. John W.

Working With Children (repeat).It may be an idea for people who have a WWC card to check the renewal date. They have a run-out date on them and should be renewed before they expire. It can be done on www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au Register and log in to MyCheck, then select the option to ‘Renew your Check’; update your personal and/or work details.

Victorian Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships 2014
Entries for this event are now being taken!

Deadline for Vic Secondary Schools Champs is 1 May, 2014.entries is Thursday 1st May.

Peta Whitford, Event organiser

There will be no event next Saturday 19 April (Easter Saturday)

Coming Events. Saturday 26 April

Map: Norfolk Hero.

Format: Bendigo Bush Classic – five courses: 1 difficult, 2 shorter difficult; 3 shorter still, difficult; 4 Moderate and 5: easy.

Directions: From Bendigo – Start is opposite Spring Gully Pony Club. Travel out of Bendigo on Spring Gully road. O signs at Wattle drive at the roundabout. From Melbourne – take the turn off the Calder Highway at Elphinstone, through Sutton Grange and look for the One Tree Hill Hotel on the right and turn left at the roundabout.

Next Bulletin 23 April