1971. Regular orienteering established in Canberra; ACT Orienteering Association formed.
THE FIRST YEAR
April 1975. Proposal in ACTOA Secretary’s report to the AGM for forming ACT clubs within ACTOA.
21 May 1975. A Belconnen-based orienteering club was formed – the first ACT club.
16 July 1975. Parawanga Orienteers adopted its name, colours and logo.
7 September 1975. Informal Parawanga club championships held at Mount McDonald event.
9 November 1975. Parawanga teams competed in the inaugural Australian Club Relay Championships near Wagga Wagga.
THE REST OF THE 1970s
April 1976. Design for the first Parawanga T-shirts adopted, cost $4.00 per shirt.
26 August 1976. First Annual General Meeting of Parawanga Orienteers was conducted with its Constitution adopted.
1976. Parawanga was the first club to organise the ACT Championships, including making a new map for the event (Oakey Creek in Pierces Creek Forest).
1977. Several members left Parawanga to join with departing Majura Macropods members to form Northside Navigators (which later formed Bush Flyers).
12 November 1978. Parawanga organised the inaugural ACT Relays in Stromlo Forest.
1979. Parawanga organised the Australian Club Relay Championships at Burra Creek, including making the map – the first ACT club to organise a national event.
17-18 November 1979. The first of several Parawanga social weekends at Guthega.
THE 1980s
1980. Parawanga was the main club involved in organising the inaugural Pacific Orienteering Championships at Mulloon Creek, with club member, Maurice Ongania, winning the M21 title.
1982. The first Parawanga Pent-O was held in Canberra, with courses set by young Parawanga juniors – the first of several such events.
1984 to 1987. Parawanga teams, variously composed of Maurice Ongania, Roger Nicoll, Geoff Lawford and Ian Prosser, won the M21A class for four successive years at the Australian Club Relay Championships.
December 1984. End of year dinner with 52 attendees and the first presentation of the Blue Man Award (a blue garden gnome) for services to the club. The recipient was Peter Plunkett-Cole.
January 1985. The first Parawanga O-suits were produced, including a club badge.
1985. Parawanga was responsible for managing the parking at the World Orienteering Championships at Bendigo.
1986. A night Street-O event was held in Weetangera, in conjunction with a club meeting.
1987. Parawanga organised the Australian Individual Championships at Corin Forest.
1987. Parawanga fielded 28 full teams (an all-time record?) at the Australian Club Relay Championships held at Ed’s Hollow (Ballinafad Creek), but finished just behind Red Roos on points.
1987. Parawanga Paragraphs was established as a printed club newsletter, continuing until 1994, when it was incorporated in the ACTOA newsletter.
1987, 1989 and 1991. Parawanga teams won the W21A class at the Australian Club Relay Championships. Team members included Mary McDonald, Kathryn Weir, Jenny Bourne, Ljubov Simson, Liz Abbott and Nicola Plunkett-Cole.
1988. The Parawanga Constitution was amended to bring membership dates in late with the amended ACTOA Constitution.
1988. Parawanga was the leading interstate club at the Australian Club Relay Championships in Western Australia, with the event dominated by local club teams.
1989. Parawanga organised a weekend orienteering camp at Birrigai.
THE 1990s
October 1990. One of the club’s founders, Mike Cassells, died when returning home following the Australian Championships Carnival in Victoria. He is commemorated through the Mike Cassells Award, crafted by his son, Graham, and awarded each year for services to ACT orienteering.
1991. Several experienced Parawanga members left the club to help form Abominable O-Men.
1992. Parawanga organised the Australian Individual Championships at Non-Smokers Flat (Corin Forest).
1993. A streak of yellow was incorporated into the new Parawanga O-suits, imported from Sweden, price $67.
1995. Parawanga organised the Australia–New Zealand Challenge Individual event in conjunction with the ACT Championships at Orroral Crossing on Parawanga’s first OCAD map.
1997. The Parawanga Constitution was amended to change the dates of its financial year.
1997. Parawanga organised the Australian Relay Championships at Timbertops.
January 1998. Parawanga members organised the High-O at Perisher.
1998. Parawanga windcheaters were produced (several members are still wearing them).
1998. The ‘Hasten Slowly’ Snail Award was instigated.
THE 2000s ONWARDS
Easter 2000. Parawanga members were the Carnival Directors and all 3-Days course planners for the Easter carnival, which included two World Cup races. Ex-Parawangan, Geoff Lawford set the World Cup courses.
2004. Parawanga Paragraphs was revived as an electronic newsletter.
2004. The ‘Most Improved’ Award was instigated.
2011. Parawanga organised the Australian Long Distance Championships (World Ranking Event) at Badja.
2016. Parawanga organised Day 2 of the Australian 3-Days on the Murdering Shed map.
PARAWANGANS IN NATIONAL TEAMS
WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS
From 1976 to 1993, there was at least one current, past (*) or future (**) Parawanga member in every WOC team, as follows:
Maurice Ongania – 1976, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987
Rudi Huettner – 1979 (NN*)
Jenny Bourne – 1981 (WR**), 1983 (WR**), 1985, 1987
Kathryn Weir – 1987
Liz Abbott (Kessell) – 1987 (KO.W**), 1989 (also Team Physiotherapist in 1991)
Ljubov Simson – 1991 (AO*), 1993 (AO*)
Cathy Hogg – Team Physiotherapist 2005
JUNIOR WORLD ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kirsty Bruce – 1991, 1992
Susie Hogg – 1991
Andy Hogg – 1992, 1993
Cathy Hogg – 1994
Nick Hain – 1999
Geoff Stacey – 2008
Tara Melhuish – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Zoe Melhuish – 2018
Ella Cuthbert – 2019
Owen Radajewski – 2024, 2025
