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.

The post Parawanga Celebrates 50 Years at Mount Taylor appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

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

The post Parawanga Orienteers History Highlights appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

The presentation is scheduled to take place at about 10:20 am, shortly before the courses open. Please arrive early so you can enjoy the proceedings before you run.

Other ACT orienteers who received Orienteering Australia awards for 2025 at Easter were Tara Melhuish who received the Silva Award for Services to Coaching and Marina Iskhakova and Fedor Iskhakov who received the David Hogg Medal for Services to Event Management. Tara’s award recognises her work in coaching the Blue Lightning squad in recent years and the establishment of weekly Tuesday interval training open to all ACT orienteers. Marina and Fedor are recognised particularly for their organisation of the 2024 Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Carnival and also for their important contribution to MTBO generally and ski orienteering over many years.

The post Presentation of Silva Award to Ann and John Scown appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

Kevin took up orienteering in 1974, along with his children, Mark and Joanne, and was a founding member of the original North Canberra club, Majura Macropods, when it was formed in 1975.

He quickly became involved in the technical side of orienteering as a mapper, course planner and event organiser, and later as a vetter/controller. He drew the first coloured map of Mount Ainslie, participating in and probably coordinating the ten-person team of field mappers. He served on the ACTOA Committee, holding the position of Events Officer in 1979. His contributions extended through most of his orienteering career, including some international events in Australia. He was the event organiser for the relay competition at the inaugural Pacific Orienteering Championships, based in Canberra in 1980, and helped in the revision of one of the training maps (Turallo Creek) used by international elites during Canberra-based training camps for the 1985 World Orienteering Championships in Bendigo.

As one of Australia’s older competitors, he was near the top in his age class at the national level over many years and was an Australian team member for the Australia–New Zealand Challenge. His proudest orienteering achievement was perhaps winning the Gold Medal in the M80 class at the World Masters Orienteering Championships Sprint event in Sydney in 2009.

When mountain bike orienteering reached Canberra in 1997, Kevin took up this new sport. After he broke his collarbone at the 1998 ACT MTBO Championships, I offered to drive him to hospital but he declined and drove himself. Kevin was tough, not just as a competitor.

When Majura Macropods and Northside Navigators amalgamated in 1989 to form Bushflyers, Kevin became an active member of the new club. Over his lifetime he formed many friendships within his old and new clubs and some memories of club members are as follows:

From David Jenkins. As well as being a Bushflyers club colleague over decades, I had the good fortune to share car, accommodation (if not rooms) and several good meals with him during the World Masters carnival in the Lithgow–Rylstone area, staying together in Oberon and then Mudgee. In contrast to his prickly reputation with errant course-setters, he was very good, affable company and we became closer from it. I will always value that memory – probably also the high point of the carnival for me, if I’m honest.

From John Harding. I saw Kevin regularly as he lived in Ainslie and regularly walked his border collie on the Mt Ainslie reserve trails. When he was a bit younger, he regularly cycled to and from Lake George for training. I remember telling him one day that I was mapping Mt Majura and he said, “Whatever you do, don’t map the steep slopes. Otherwise some silly course setter will put a control there.” I remember several events where, after finishing, Kevin took a course setter to task for putting controls in steep or rough terrain that Kevin thought was ill advised.

From David Just. I attended his 90th Birthday. Have spent a lot of time with Kevin over the years, setting courses, seeking his advice as my controller in all areas of orienteering. We travelled to major events together.

From Phil Creaser. I started orienteering in 1977 and one of the first people I met was Kevin. I joined the Majura Macropods and learned so much from Kevin. He was a great mentor. Not just the finer points of reading maps and techniques but also course setting, planning and organising events. We often travelled to events in Australia and we also met up at events overseas. I still remember a wonderful week at the Scottish 6 Day in 1996. I also shared a special bond with Kevin as he was born on the same day as my father. He will be missed.

From Toni Brown. It was at Eugowra or somewhere close by about 2003, Noah was a baby, we were very new. I drove over with the boys early in the day, Kevin gave David a lift after work. They drove in the dark, in Kevin’s little hatchback. He already had a serious shudder in his extremities but drove as safely as he navigated! David arrived full of orienteering wisdom. Most significantly: “Ignore the rocks,” Kevin had said, “Read only the contours and you’ll be fine!” So true. Thanks Kevin!

Another memory, only a few years back, eavesdropping on Kevin and Hermann W. It was late January as I recall. They were both having a chuckle: “I guess we have to buy another calendar!” they said to each other.

Maurice Patten (Red Roos) also recalls Kevin and Hermann together: I remember driving him and Hermann to the start of the Hill End Middle Distance event in the 2017 Aus Champs. It was exactly like having those two crazy old guys, Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets, in the back. They were carrying on something fierce!

Kevin was an active and well-respected orienteer in Canberra, around Australia and overseas for about 45 years, and will be missed by those orienteers who knew him.

David Hogg

The post Vale Kevin Paine appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

A 50th Anniversary event will be conducted as part of the Midweek Series on Wednesday 19 May. This will include a short ‘Flashback’ event using part of the 1971 Black Mountain (black-and-white) map and 1971 style equipment, as well as a historical display.

The New Millennium: The Advance of Technology

Early 2000. SportIdent trialled at Summer Series events.

Easter 2000. ACTOA conduct two World Cup events in conjunction with the Australian Three-days. SportIdent is used at a major event for the first time in Australia.

2001. Award for services to ACTOA coaching introduced, awarded to Len Minty.

20 February 2002. ACT Orienteering Association becomes Orienteering ACT.

January 2003. Devastating bushfires burn out many orienteering areas in the pine forests west of Canberra and Namadgi National Park, and destroy the homes of three Canberra orienteering families. While OACT received ACT Government funding for bushfire recovery, many of the burnt areas have not returned to a condition suitable for orienteering, resulting in greater use of Canberra Nature Park for local events.

20 March 2004. First ACT Middle Distance Championships (Badja).

25-28 March 2005. OACT conducts Australian Three-days and Family Relays near Jindabyne (SnowE 2005) – the most significant move away from Canberra for a national carnival.

16 April 2005. First ACT Sprint Distance Championships (Yarralumla Bays).

4 June 2006. Death of Jim Sawkins while competing at Goorooyarroo. The Jim Sawkins Award for Services to Event Management was established in his memory and awarded later that year (to Anthony Scott).

Easter 2010. Major studies of environmental impact of orienteering undertaken in Namadgi National Park in association with Australian Three-days.

31 January 2011. Introduction of regular Street Orienteering to Canberra, assisted by the ACT Government Health Promotion Grants Program.

8 May 2011. 40^th Anniversary event held at Black Mountain.

2013. Eventor introduced on a regular basis for on-line membership and event registration management.

September 2013. Final edition of printed newsletter (ACT Orienteering News), replaced by electronic newsletter.

March 2015. SC-ORE (interschool relay competition for primary schools) started, following a trial in December 2014.

Easter 2016. SIAC contactless punching used for Elite Prologue at University of Canberra.

2016. New permanent courses (Weston Park, John Knight Park, Fadden Pines) established with assistance from ACT Government grant. Additional permanent courses followed.

September 2017. Final issue of electronic newsletter, replaced by website news.

October 2017. New website launched, with new OACT logo adopted.

Late 2019. Regular ACT Sprint Series initiated, expanded in January 2020.

Summer 2019-20. Bushfires burn several established orienteering areas in Namadgi National Park, as well as newly mapped areas at Broulee. Bushfire smoke in Canberra results in event cancellation for health reasons.

2020. Covid-19 pandemic results in temporary cessation of orienteering and cancellation of some major events. When orienteering resumes, development of a Covid Safe Plan results in changes in event management including:

• pre-entry for regular events;
• contactless punching (or no punching) at regular events;
• development and promotion of MapRun.

26 November 2020. Special General Meeting adopts new Constitution which abolishes the OACT Council and ends club representation in overall decision-making.

Photos in this article were provided by Tom de Jongh, Bob Mouatt and John Harding.

The post Significant Events in ACT Orienteering History No. 4: 2000 – Today appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

A 50th Anniversary event will be conducted as part of the Midweek Series on Wednesday 19 May. This will include a short ‘Flashback’ event using part of the 1971 Black Mountain (black-and-white) map and 1971 style equipment, as well as a historical display.

The 1990s: Becoming More Professional

27-28 January 1990. High O conducted at Kiandra by ACTOA members of ACT Rogaining Association – the first time this event was held outside Victoria.

February 1990. ACT Government approves use by ACTOA of a former City Parks depot at Curtin, enabling event equipment which had previously been kept at several members’ homes to be kept in a central location.

Early 1990. ACT Academy of Sport Scholarship awarded to Kirsty Bruce, the first of several such scholarships awarded to promising ACT orienteers.

7 October 1990. Death of former ACTOA Secretary, Mike Cassells, while travelling from the Australian Championships Carnival to the Victorian ski fields. The Mike Cassells Award for services to ACT orienteering was instigated the following year.

October 1990. Official launch by ACT Government of bid by OFA to host the 2001 World Orienteering Championships in the Canberra region as part of Australia’s centenary celebrations. The bid to the IOF was not successful.

1990. The Wehner Cup first awarded to the overall winner of the Orienteer of the Year competition (Jenny Bourne).

Summer 1990-91. Regular Summer Twilight series established. (Sponsored by the Runners Shop from 1995-96 onwards).

18 March 1991. Abominable O-men club formed mainly by former Parawanga and WASCO members.

1991. Commencement of Health Promotion Fund (Healthpact) sponsorship of orienteering in the ACT, with launch at the ACT Relays.

1991. First computer-drawn maps produced in Canberra using Corel Draw software (Deakin Telephone Exchange, Campbell Park Offices).

November 1991. Part-time Development Officer (Mick Finn) appointed, assisted by Healthpact sponsorship, with focus on schools promotion.

3 December 1991. Inaugural ACTOA Annual Dinner and Presentation Evening, including first presentation of Mike Cassells Award (to Phil Creaser).

18 October 1992. Event organised in Cooma (Mount Gladstone) by local Cooma/Jindabyne orienteers. Subsequent OY event organised in 1993 by Cooma orienteers at Big Badja with help from Canberra orienteers (mainly Parawanga). It was hoped that a club would be formed at Cooma, but this did not eventuate.

23 February 1993. New ACTOA Constitution adopted at AGM which established a Board of Management (six Directors) and a Council with club representation.

1993. Australian Orienteering League established with four teams, including the Canberra Cosmonauts. The Cosmonauts won the competition in 1994, the first of many wins.

February 1994. Trail Orienteering for wheelchair participants introduced to Canberra by Anne Braggins, Chairman of the IOF Trail O Group.

March 1994. First OCAD map produced in the ACT (Tharwa Tor remap, used for badge event on 15 May).

July 1994. Danny Flynn replaced Mick Finn as Development Officer, with position partly funded by ACT Bureau of Sport, Recreation and Racing.

12 May 1995. Heart Health Community Orienteering Program (midweek lunchtime) launched by ACT Chief Minister, Kate Carnell, at Commonwealth Park.

November 1995. WASCO disbanded with members going to other clubs.

December 1995. ACTOA began establishing its own office in the Jamison Centre, with the office becoming almost fully functional by June 1996.

Winter 1996. Ski orienteering reintroduced to Perisher Valley, including the second Australian Ski Orienteering Championships.

January 1997. Development Officer position replaced with appointment of Executive Director (Bob Mouatt) and Community Development Coordinator (Jenny Lawford/Bourne).

February 1997. Mountain bike orienteering introduced to the ACT with MTBO club formed in April 1997.

2 November 1997. First ACT MTBO Championships (Stromlo Forest).

24-25 January 1998. High O conducted at Perisher Ski Resort.

1998. Australian Orienteering League becomes National Orienteering League. Canberra Cosmonauts become Canberra Cockatoos and continue to dominate the competition.

May 1999. Administrative Officer (Gayle Radstaak) appointed to support the Executive Director and Community Development Officer.

1999. ACT Academy of Sport Orienteering Squad transformed from a collection of individual athletes into an organised training squad with coaches appointed.

The post Significant Events in ACT Orienteering History No. 3: The 1990s appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

A 50th Anniversary event will be conducted as part of the Midweek Series on Wednesday 19 May. This will include a short ‘Flashback’ event using part of the 1971 Black Mountain (black-and-white) map and 1971 style equipment, as well as a historical display.

The 1980s: International Involvement

April 1980. ACTOA conducts the inaugural Pacific Orienteering Championships (individual at Mulloon Creek, relay at Margarets Creek). The event continued to be held biennially to 2008, becoming the Asia Pacific Orienteering Championships in 1984 and rotating around the Asia Pacific Region.

May – June 1980. Numbers at three successive local events exceed 400 participants – an all-time peak in local event participation.

December 1982. ACTOA assumes responsibility for Audun Fristad awards for encouragement of juniors. Audun had previously made these awards himself.

31 July 1983. ABC Television makes a short film on orienteering, ‘Running the Country’, at a local event at Bungendore Hill.

2 February 1984. Red Kangaroos become Red Roos to distinguish them from the Victorian club the same name.

1984 AGM (28 February). Scheme for token payment to mappers adopted on an optional basis. Rates as subsequently determined were $12 per day for fieldwork, $1.50 per hour for cartography.

25 March 1984. ACT orienteers conduct the ACT’s first rogaine, and later help to form the ACT Rogaining Association and to conduct the first ACT Rogaining Championships (3-4 November 1984).

1984. Waggaroos return their affiliation from ACTOA to OANSW.

June 1984. OK Awards scheme for junior participation introduced.

October 1984. Australian Championships held at Mount Clear (individual) and Honeysuckle Creek (relay) as part of an international training camp for the 1985 World Orienteering Championships in Bendigo (WOC85).

April 1985. Second WOC85 training camp, partly in Canberra, with a badge event featuring international participants at Mount Clear and the National Score Event at Honeysuckle Creek.

Early 1985. The ACT Secondary Schools Sports Association accepts orienteering as an official sport.

September – October 1985. ACT members join with orienteers from throughout Australia in staging WOC85 in Bendigo, and participating in Australia’s largest orienteering carnival (10 events in 16 days).

October 1985. ACTOA acquires a trailer for transporting equipment to events.

26 April 1986. Junior Orienteering Program on Saturday mornings introduced.

12 October 1986. ACTOA conducts unofficial Australian Schools Championships separately from any state schools championships (Titree Gully, Uriarra Forest).

March 1988. Colour coding of courses introduced, based on NSW system. The previous system of designating courses A to H was considered unsatisfactory in providing an accurate and consistent indication of technical difficulty of courses.

1988. Defence Academy Orienteering Club formed.

25-27 March 1989. Australian Three-days conducted at ‘Big Badja’, based in Cooma with the Family Relays on Mount Gladstone on 24 March. This was the first time that ACTOA had based a national event outside Canberra.

3-4 October 1989. ACTOA conducts the first official Australian Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships (individual at Ingledene Pines, relay at Mulligans Flat). Won by ACT team.

6 December 1989. Majura Macropods and Northside Navigators merge to become Bush Flyers.

The post Significant Events in ACT Orienteering History No. 2: The 1980s appeared first on Orienteering ACT.

A 50^th Anniversary event will be conducted as part of the Midweek Series on Wednesday 19 May. This will include a short ‘Flashback’ event using part of the 1971 Black Mountain (black-and-white) map and 1971 style equipment, as well as a historical display.

The 1970s: Getting Orienteering Established

16 May 1971. First orienteering event (Black Mountain). Organised through Canberra College of Advanced Education Outdoors Club. Plastic buckets with pencils attached used as control markers.

September 1971. First edition of ACT Orienteering News.

14 October 1971. ACT Orienteering Association formed.

21 November 1971. First ACT Orienteering Championships (Murray’s Corner, Pierces Creek Forest) with New Zealand team participants.

20 February 1972. Australia’s first interstate orienteering competition – ACTOA vs Bennelong Occasional Orienteers in Penrose State Forest. ACTOA won.

10-11 June 1972 (Queen’s Birthday Weekend). Interstate team competition and Australian team selection trials in the ACT (Pierces Creek and Uriarra Forests).

January 1973. Swedish mapping instructor and coach, Roland Offrell, in Canberra as part of a visit to Australia to train Australian orienteers in mapping.

21 & 23 April 1973 (Easter). Two Interstate competitions in Canberra using ACTOA’s first coloured maps (Smokers Gap and Kowen Forest).

Early 1973. Cloth control flags (handmade by members) and pin punches introduced.

4 September 1973. ACTOA badge adopted from choice of 35 suggested designs.

21 October 1973. First use of a coloured map for ACT Championships (Orroral Valley, upper part).

16 June 1974. Australian Championships in Pierces Creek Forest (Murray’s Corner map). Most detailed and accurate coloured map produced to date in Australia.

22 September 1974. Ski orienteering event conducted at Perisher Valley.

23 March 1975. First ACT (and Australian) Badge Event conducted (Mount McDonald).

1975. First ACTOA clubs formed: Parawanga Orienteers (Belconnen), Majura Macropods (North Canberra), Weston Emus (Weston Creek), Woden and Southside (later South Canberra) Orienteers (WASSO/WASCO, South Canberra and Woden), Red Kangaroos (no geographic base but generally southside, later became Red Roos).

September 1975. ‘Permanent’ (‘Trim’) orienteering course established at Stirling Park on a trial basis. Several other ‘Trim’ courses established in following years.

3 May 1976. Annual General Meeting adopts revised Constitution with ACTOA becoming incorporated.

25-26 September 1976. ACTOA conducts (second) Australian Relay Championships (Goorooyarroo, NSW) and Family Relays (Narrabundah Hill).

Early 1977. Northside Navigators club formed from some Majura Macropods and Parawanga members.

24 April 1977. Australian Championships held at Orroral Crossing. First use of control stands for an event in the ACT.

25-27 March 1978. ACTOA conducts Australian Three-days (Turallo Creek).

1979. Waggaroos decide to affiliate with ACTOA rather than OANSW.

26 August 1979. Parawanga conducts Australian Club Relay Championships (Burra Creek).

16 September 1979. First ACT Schools Orienteering Championships conducted (Laurel Camp, Pierces Creek Forest).

October 1979. The Australian Army Orienteering Association (ACT Branch) opens its fortnightly midweek events to civilian orienteers.

A Sport for Life

ACT Orienteers From the 1970s Who Are Still Involved

The following orienteers took part in their first ACT events in the 1970s and still appear on the local orienteering scene, at least occasionally. Those who began their orienteering careers interstate or overseas before coming to Canberra are marked with an asterisk (*). Names in parenthesis are their names as listed in results during the 1970s.

1971. David Hogg*, Sandra Hogg*.

1972. Andrew Blakers, Hermann Wehner, Martin Wehner, Kirsten Wehner.

1973. Anthony Cox, Jack Palmer, John Foster, Ingrid Foster.

1974. Kevin Paine.

1975. Gordon Quantock, John Walker*.

1976. Ann Baylis (Derlacki), Ian Crellin, John Scown.

1977. Roger Nicoll, Bob Mouatt, Colin Mock, Eino Meuronen, Ann Scown (Brookes).

1978. Jane Saye (Bourne), Pauli Piiroinen, Dennis Trewin, Colleen Mock, Roy Meuronen, Susie Kluth (Hogg).

1979. Ari Piiroinen, Nicola Plunkett-Cole, Andy Hogg, Bob Allison*, Judy Allison*, Belinda Allison, David Jenkins, James Derlacki.

Orienteers who were active interstate and occasionally competed in the ACT during the 1970s, and now live here, include Edwina Mulhearn, Len Minty, Ian Prosser and Gareth Prosser.

Orienteers who were active here during the 1970s and are still associated with orienteering interstate include Gayle Quantock (1975), Jeffa Lyon (Jennifer Shaw, 1975), Val Hodsdon (Calder, 1977) and Ian McKenzie (1978).

Advice of any omissions or errors would be appreciated.

The post Significant Events in ACT Orienteering History No. 1: The 1970s appeared first on Orienteering ACT.