Welcome to 2023!
With the second half of the Twilight season now well under way, the Short Course series completed, and a new Sprint series also on our calendar, it is very timely to wish everyone a very happy New Year, even one month into it!
Welcome especially to our new and returning members, including Susan Bruce and John Spooner. I am aware that I may have missed some newer members who joined last year; please know that you are all very welcome! I have certainly met some of you, of course, but do make yourselves known to other Bushflyers at any event you are participating in (or where you are watching family members participate).
We are a large club, with a strong local (and even national) profile, and we want every member to feel welcome and included, no matter what level of orienteering – or supporting – you have.
This newsletter is going out to the 2022 membership list as well; this might be a timely reminder to some that memberships are now (over)due for renewal for 2023. The change in membership structure, following a national review, has been well advertised in the weekly bulletin. Do not let this be the last issue of ‘The Buzz’ that you receive as your membership lapses!
A 2023 New Year Swarm and Annual Awards
We are planning to have our first Swarm of the year after the Twilight event at Gossan Hill on Wednesday 1st March. We will provide pizzas and fruit for all; please bring your own drinks and other refreshments. More details will follow, but it will help with catering if you could let me know () if you plan to attend. Please include dietary requests as well.
At that event, we will be able to make a number of presentations: 2022 OA Merit Badges, the Ian Booth Award for the most improved Bushflyer at Masters level (based on ACT League Events), and the Bushflyers’ own
special annual awards.
Nominations: If you have nominations for the Blue Bottle (Services to Bushflyers) Award and the Fly Swat Award (for the silliest mistake, biggest blunder, heroism under fire, most humorous moment etc.), please email Valerie with these at . We are aware of one possible contender for the Fly Swat award…! Are there others?
Events – National
Since our last newsletter, in December, a number of Bushflyers participated in the Christmas 5-Days events in Lithgow (Blue Mountains), the Oceania Championships in Tasmania (Launceston/St Helens), and in the Hobart Shorts events.
Place-getters in the Oceania Championships were:
| Sprint | Naomi Penton | W12A – 3rd |
| Caitlin Young | W21E – 2nd | |
| Long | Naomi Penton | W12A – 1st |
| Natalie Miller | W20A – 3rd | |
| David Penton | M35A – 3rd | |
| Toni Brown | W60A – 2nd | |
| Toby Lang | M20A – 3rd | |
| Middle | Naomi Penton | W12A – 1st |
| Toni Brown | W60A – 1st | |
| Valerie Barker | W70A – 1st | |
| David Stocks | M20A – 3rd | |
| David Penton | M35A – 1st |
2023 Orienteering Australia National Squads
I remind you of the following Bushflyers who have been selected for 2023 National Squads:
- High Performance Squad (HPS): Caitlin Young
- National Development Squad (NDS): Justine Hobson, Natalie Miller, Toby Lang, David Stocks
We know that all of these younger orienteers will benefit enormously from participating in these squads, and we wish them success in all of their training and competition in 2023.
Bushflyers Events
Thank you very much to Jo Hobson who is now managing the Bushflyers roster. I remind you that Jo has taken over from Matt Stocks, who has given many years to the role. It is timely to thank Matt very much for the considerable time and effort he has put into ensuring that Bushflyers presents events of a high calibre, and where all Bushflyers are able to contribute to the success of these events: course-setting, controlling, organisation, and general help.
Without you all, we would not be able to meet our club obligations.
Club events in the next few months
You may have received a request from Matt and/or Jo for your assistance in several scheduled events in the 2022/2023 Twilight Series.
The next events that Bushflyers are responsible for are:
- Twilight #12, Mt Mugga Mugga, 22 February 2023 (From postponed event in December 2022)
- Twilight #13, Gossan Hill, 1 March 2023
If you have recently indicated to Jo Hobson your interest in taking on a role for any of these events, thank you!! Contact her on
READ CAREFULLY! Looking ahead – Easter 2023
The Easter 2023 Australian 3 Days (7 -10 April), will be brought to you by Orienteering ACT, who are looking forward to presenting a fun-filled carnival of events in the corroboree frog country of alpine NSW, in the Snowy-Cooma region. Note that the Prologue event (on Good Friday) will now take place in the ACT, because the original venue at Jindabyne has proved unsuitable.
Thank you to those Bushflyers who are taking on major roles in the carnival:
- Matt Stocks & the Stocks family – Day 1 Course-planners
- Valerie Barker – Day 3 Organiser
- Ross Stewart – Day 3 Controller
We are now calling upon the assistance and support of all Bushflyers, especially on Day 3.
The organisation is progressing very well for this event. But – we will need your help on the afternoon of Sunday 9th April, and all day on Monday 10th April.
How can you help? Note that there are separate, dedicated Start and Finish teams, and a Parking team. While the Start and Parking teams may also call for volunteers, these teams are separate of our own organisational needs. Your help will be needed:
- Sunday afternoon: Arena set-up (e.g. bunting placement, tent erection, placement of signs…), etc.
- Monday (through the day): Arena monitoring (rubbish); toilets check (supplies top-up); Registration desk assistance, Clothing return (from Start); assistance at presentation/movement of equipment, etc.
- Monday afternoon (after the event): full pack-up of all equipment; control collection; removal of all tapes and signage; general clearing of event area, etc.
It is expected that all helpers who wish to compete will be able to do so; we will be able to arrange early or late starts if you wish.
Please offer to assist. The more people we have, the less work everyone does, and the more successful the day will be. All offers should come to me, Valerie, at . Identify any particular times and/or jobs that you might be willing to do. As the Day Organiser, I will collate all of these and draw up a roster. I am aware that a number of you have already offered me your support; thank you in advance!
The website is live, with Bulletin 1 now available. Check the event website easterorienteering2023.com.
Entries are also open – why not organise your entries now! We hope that you have secured accommodation too – it has been quite a challenge as this is a thriving tourist region, with the extra demands of the Snowy 2.0 construction project putting pressure on accommodation too.
National Events in 2023
- 11-12 March, Sydney Sprint Weekend, NSW
- 7-10 April, Easter 3 Days Carnival, ACT/NSW
- 30 Sept-8 Oct, AOC & ASOC, WA
The Bushflyers flag will be flying at several of these events. Do come to join us there.
Other news
- I remind you again to check out the OACT Facebook page for 21 November. Bob Mouatt has posted a digitised version of a video of an ACT Bush Relay from 2002, originally created by our own Geoffrey Dabb, ornithologist, photographer and orienteer.
If you look carefully, you will see a number of our Bushflyers competing although we are, of course, twenty years younger, twenty years faster and twenty years less grey! You will note that the event was organised by our own Bushflyer, the late Ian Booth. - Do you subscribe to the OACT weekly e-bulletin? What about the Orienteering Australia monthly e-bulletin? Find the latest OA e-news, January 2023. As always, this edition has a wide range of articles to suit the interests of all orienteers. There are overviews of several major international events, training opportunities, interstate innovations, skills development and more.
- I encourage you to subscribe to these bulletins, to enable you to keep up-to-date at both a local and a national level. They have so many links to interesting and inspiring articles, news items, YouTube videos, health and fitness advice…
- And I continue to remind you that I have a range of Bushflyers’ clothing (O-tops and jackets mostly) for sale. The range of sizes is becoming a little limited, but we will still be able to meet the needs of quite a few of our members. Please check with me if you would like wear our Club colours.
Did you know…
Bushflyers has a Facebook page. “Like” our page and keep up to date with what’s happening in our club.
Keep safe; keep well; keep moving; and keep apart!
Valerie Barker (Club Convenor)
6251 5459 / 0410 151 554
For Bushflyers Orienteering – where no-one gets left on the bench!