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Directions:
From Newcastle / Speers Point take the B53 south through Toronto. Take the exit to Eraring power station 10 km south of Toronto and turn left to go 800 m km east on Rocky Point road. Park on the left side of Rocky Point road.
From Sydney take the Morisset exit from the M1. Proceed through Morisset traveling north on the B53. 2.8 km after Dora Creek take the exit for Eraring power station, turn right (east) on Rocky Point road for 1.3 km. Park on the left side of Rocky Point road.
Map: Whiteheads Lagoon
Terrain:
Planner: Jim Lee
Vetter: Peter Charlton
Courses:
Very Easy, Easy, Short Moderate, Moderate, Short Hard, Medium Hard. A Longer extension to the Medium Hard may be offered.
| Course | Length(km) | Controls | ||
| Very easy | ||||
| Easy | ||||
| Moderate short | ||||
| Moderate long | ||||
| Hard short | ||||
| Harm medium | ||||
| Hard long |
Facilities: Toilets 500 m from assembly (in competition area)
Safety:
- Safety bearing: South to Rocky Point road.
- Rocky Point road is not permitted to be used except in emergency.
- There is dangerous fast flowing water in Eraring outlet channel (mostly fenced off).
- Courses are in places near the edge of the Lagoon and Lake Macquarie. Tracks near the lagoon are inundated at times.
- The Very Easy (and most other courses as well) crosses an inlet from the Lagoon on a fallen tree. There is a rope hand rail, and this crossing is on a main walking track.
- There are a number of small piles of rubbish including broken glass in the competition area. Other debris (e.g. wire mesh) may also be encountered.
Start times: 9:30 to 11:30am with course closure at 1pm. Please ensure you start your course with enough time to complete it prior to course closure
Notes:
- Rocky Point road is not permitted as a route choice (for your safety).
- On one part of the map the Scouts have made new plantings which are marked with red/white tape and/or logs. Please avoid damaging the plants when running in this area.
- Fire and regeneration activities have made some of the area easier running.
- Tracks near the lake edge may be inundated in places. The adjacent forest is usually open and runnable. I don’t expect there will be any problem with inundation, but I could be wrong.
- Tree root mounds have been used for control sites and these should be reliably mapped, but some older ones are no longer obvious and not all of the numerous new ones are mapped.
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Directions:
From the north. Navigate to Kitchener via Cessnock or Abernethy. From the junction of Abernethy Rd. and Cessnock Rd. (which becomes Quorrobolong Rd.) Head south for approx. 840m and look for suitable parking on the western side of the road.
From the south. Look for Sandy Creek Rd. (Just south of Mulbring) and follow this road (to the west) for approx. 12KM., then turn right onto Quorrobolong Rd.. After approx. 3.5km look for suitable parking on the western side of the road.
Parking: Parking can mostly be right angled to the road, but may have to be parallel behind the roadside barrier.
Assembly Area: The assembly area will be adjacent to the southern end of a roadside barrier on the western side of the road. Toilets should be open at the Poppet head park. (1km north of the assembly.)
Map: the Decapitated Poppethead (1:10 000)
Terrain:
Planner: Denis Lyons
Vetter: Graeme Taplin
Courses:
| Course | Length(km) | Controls | ||
| Very easy | 1.6 | |||
| Easy | 1.9 | |||
| Moderate short | 2.5 | |||
| Moderate long | 3.4 | |||
| Hard short | 3.6 | |||
| Harm medium | 5.4 | |||
| Hard long | 7.3 |
Safety:
Start times: 9:30 to 11:30am with course closure at 1pm. Please ensure you start your course with enough time to complete it prior to course closure
Notes:
(a) The area is frequented by trail bikes and 4WD vehicles. IF YOU HEAR OR SEE THEM COMING, GET OFF THE TRACK AND OUT OF THEIR WAY.
(b) The tracks created by these trail bikes and 4WD’s are often badly eroded. Think SAFETY rather than speed when using these trails.
(c) Native cherry trees and tree-root mounds will NOT be shown on this edition of the map. Termite mounds (brown X) and meat-ant nests (see symbol in legend) have not all been checked, but appear reasonably accurate. ONLY TERMITE MOUNDS (not meat-ant nests) HAVE BEEN USED AS SOME CONTROL SITES.
(d) Take care on any steep gravel slopes.
(e) Very Easy and Easy courses will have marked trails which use black /yellow streamers.
(f) The area includes spikey vegetation. Full body cover is advised.
(g) Help with collection of controls will be needed, and very much appreciated.
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As part of World Orienteering Day, our club will be holding an event this Wednesday afternoon. It will be a Park style event starting near the rotunda at King Edward Park.
Starts are from 2:00 pm with courses closing at 6:00 pm.
Three courses will be on offer:
Very Easy 1.3 km;
Easy 1.4 km;
Moderate 1.7 km.
Novices and first timers especially welcome. Bring along a friend and introduce them to our fabulous sport.
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Last years “Newcastle Pairs” attracted 31 teams (19 short/12 long) and was enjoyed by all.
This year we'd like to eclipse that mark, so grab a friend and enter now or let us team you
with somebody if you cannot find your own partner.
Date: Sunday 20th May 2018
Location: Tank Paddock, Minmi
Concept: 2 people – 1 SI stick - Middle distance style courses (moderate navigation) with some butterfly and open loops allowing teams the flexibility to split up and choose which partner visits which controls. “Newcastle Pairs Champs” might be competitive, but at its heart is a spirit of camaraderie and fun.
Pairs Pre-entry: No later than Thursday 17th May - please pre-enter your Pairs team so we can ensure map availability. If you wait until the morning of the event we cannot guarantee you will get a start/map.
Entries to Geoff Peel 0422471353 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with name(s), Long/Short, SI number and mobile.
All other courses are Enter on Day.
Cant Find a Partner?
Advise us which Pairs course you prefer and your SI number and we'll try and find you a partner.
Entry Fee
$18 per pre-entered pairs team (members or non-members)
Regular club fee structure for other courses.
Courses:
Long Pairs: 6.7km
Short Pairs: 4.5km
Moderate Long: 3.5km
Moderate Short: 2.3km
Progressive: 2.3km
Easy: 1.9km
Very Easy: 1.8km
Start Times:
Pairs Mass Start 10:00am (briefing 9:45am)
All other starts: 10:10am - 11:30am
Map: “Tank Paddock” 1:7500 5m contours (cut down excerpt for this event)
Control Descriptions: Control decriptions in IOF symbols will be printed on the map for ALL courses. Separate English description will be available for Very Easy, Easy, Progressive & Moderate Short only.
Terrain: Extensive track network, mild undulating spur gully. Run and visibility mostly good with a few slower thicker areas spread across the map. All courses avoid most of the waist high open grasslands which are very hard to run through. There is one marked route (on map and with streamers in field) across a creek which may or may not be a useful route choice on your particular course. Long leg coverings or tights are advised.
Rules
- Teams will consist of any two people.
- Other groupings, including singles will be considered as unofficial.
- Teams shall be given 2 minutes (or more) planning time prior to starting.
- The race will commence with a mass start.
- Navigation will be of moderate standard or easier.
- The event will utilise SportIdent punching.
- Each team shall carry one SI stick between them.
- The SI stick must visit every control in the correct order.
- SI sticks of one team cannot be carried by another team.
- The course utilises (at least one) pivot controls. You need to register at every visit.
- Team members can split at any time or place & as often as they want, but must finish together.
- Sprint finish results will be based on the second member’s finish placing.
- Teams may carry mobile phones for communication (and safety)
Directions & Parking
From Newcastle
Head north-west along the Newcastle Link Road, straight ahead through 2 roundabouts. At the major intersection with Cameron Park Drive/Woodford Street (traffic lights), turn right towards Minmi. Continue 1.6 km beyond Minmi on Lenighans Drive to the event site. There is some parking on the power line easement adjacent to the tank paddock and on both sides of Lenaghans drive. Take care crossing the road if you park on the western side.
From Sydney/M1 (northbound only)
Take the Newcastle exit. A few hundred metres after joining the Link Road turn left into Woodford St (traffic lights). Continue 1.6 km beyond Minmi on Lenaghans Drive to the event site. There is some parking on the power-line easement adjacent to the tank paddock and on both sides of Lenaghans drive. Take care crossing the road if you park on the western side.
From the North/M1 (southbound only)
Travel 750m from the start of the M1 at the Wheatleys Dr/John Renshaw Dr roundabout and turn left in Lenaghans Dr. Travel a further 5.2 km to the event site. There is some parking on the power-line easement adjacent to the tank paddock and on both sides of Lenaghans drive. Take care crossing the road if you park on the western side.
Safety/Drinks Motorcycles may be present on the tracks but there seems to be little activity there lately. There will be limited drinks controls & depending upon how you split the course, you may not even visit one. If it is particularly warm you may wish to carry your own supply.
Course Closure
1:00 pm. Please be back at the finish no later than this time.
Presentation & BBQ Presentations will be held as soon as the majority of Pairs teams have finished. To celebrate the social nature of the day we will be having a sausage sizzle - Gold coin donation.
Event Timing Systems: Jeff Guy
Planner/Organiser/Entries/Enquiries: Geoff (or Margaret) Peel Ph: 49680977 Mob: 0422471353 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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NOY2: POST-EVENT REPORT
You would be hard pressed to find a better day to have seen the Butterwick Crown Reserve than Sunday 6th May, 2018. Beautiful mild, sunny conditions – perfect orienteering weather. Over 90 entrants enjoyed the conditions to experience an area not previously used for orienteering.
Rob Bennett’s blistering 50:58 time on the 7.0 km Hard Long (edging out Justin Stafford by the smallest of margins) suggested fast, open running conditions. Which is true – in part. The trick was not getting tangled in any green along the way, of which there was plenty. Although a few entrants returned bearing the scars of battle, most seemed to have enjoyed the experience. And many felt better upon administration of a chilled beverage and an egg & bacon roll or a sausage sandwich. Apparently, Peter Newton ended up feeling REALLY good – and he didn’t even run a course!
Thank you to those who took time to provide constructive feedback about the map. While updating an existing map is not too threatening an activity, starting one from scratch offers somewhat different and more complex challenges. Will everyone else see what I’m seeing – and the way I’m seeing it? And just how should that be put onto paper? The verdict amongst those I spoke with was that the “Rough Open with Scattered Trees” areas did not really benefit competitors, as the distinction between that and “Open Forest” was not sufficiently clear in the forest itself. Future versions of the map are unlikely to have a lot of yellow on them (sorry, Justin). Maybe if OCAD had a way that you could gradually fade in the colour at the edges of an area... But I enjoyed the experience, learnt a lot from it and am glad that people thought the area was worth mapping.
As always, there were others who pitched in to make it all happen. Peter Newton took on the (often thankless) task of vetting, offered helpful suggestions, set up, packed up and drove the gear van. And it is worth remembering that had it not been for a chat between Peter and Russell Rigby (the master of the base map), this area might still be “undiscovered”. Joy Guy was stalwart, as ever, on the desk, then took time to help collect controls. Jeff Guy coped with an error in the course files that were on the computer, as well as 2 malfunctioning SI units, while manning the finish. Geoff Todkill deserves thanks for the printing, Geoff Peel & Margaret Peel for the string course. Rudi Landsiedel, Denis Lyons and Rob Vincent also went back out to gather in controls, signs and streamers. I was otherwise occupied during the setting up, so apart from Carolyn Chalmers, I’m not sure who helped, but thank you nonetheless. If I have missed you or forgotten a job, please accept my apologies. Of course, thanks are also due to the members of the Hinton Wallalong Pony Club for use of their facilities. Emma and her team provided some wonderful catering - and the very sociable atmosphere that goes with the food & drink. They look forward to seeing us next year. I trust we look forward to seeing them!
Finally, a request. Please take time to post your route on RouteGadget (just follow the link). It doesn’t have to be pinpoint precise and I promise no-one will laugh if you took what I might call “an unconventional route choice”. (Trust me – we have all been there at some stage!) It is easy to do it manually – just tick the “Draw Your Route” box (top right of the screen), select your course and name, then click on the start triangle. Every time you click, it adds another point and joins it up to previous points to show where you ran. Those with GPS units will probably have a rough idea how to load a .gpx track using the “GPS upload” link instead.
“But, why?” I don’t hear you ask. (I’ve got the speakers off.) I find it helps, as a course planner, seeing how people approach some legs. In my head, I have an “ideal” solution, but other orienteers sometimes see good ways of doing things that have never occurred to me. Understanding how people think while on a course helps to design better courses. And you might just get something from seeing how others compete. Give it a go!
David.
