The Parawanga event at Mount Taylor was a special celebration for the club, which reached its 50th anniversary three days earlier. When the ACT Orienteering Association established a series of clubs in 1975, Parawanga Orienteers was the first club to be formed. Its first meeting was held on 21 May 1975, with its name, colours and logo adopted at its next meeting on 16 July.
To mark the occasion, there was a display listing historical highlights, a selection of club photographs, and a selection of early maps prepared by Parawanga club mapping teams. The maps included several areas which are no longer suitable for orienteering.
In addition to David and Sandra Hogg, who hosted the first meeting, two other foundation members, Maurice Ongania and Trevor Dowling, attended. Maurice has been the club’s most successful elite orienteer, representing Australia at WOC on six occasions and winning three Australian Individual Championships and the inaugural Pacific Orienteering Championships. Trevor was a driving force in forming Northside Navigators in 1977, which attracted several Parawanga members, and later gave rise to Bush Flyers.
Former Parawanga and ACTOA President, Tim Pulford, was welcomed back to orienteering after a long absence, along with his daughter, Jane.
The cutting of the 50th anniversary cake was scheduled for 12 noon and, right on cue, the cloud which had been around all morning began to clear away and, a couple of minutes later, the club President, Liz Dunbar, arrived back from her course to conduct the cake-cutting ceremony. Extra cupcakes in Parawanga colours were made by club members and donated to the Blue Lightning stall for sale.
For those who missed it, the display can be seen at the OACT Office, where copies of the old maps are available. The historical highlights and photographs can also be viewed here.