Details

Created: 18 July 2021

NOY 6 Ryhope - Sunday, 25 July 2021

Click here for the RESULTS

COVID RESTRICTIONS
* Due to current lockdown rules we cannot accept entrants that either reside, work in or have visited the Greater Sydney Region in the last 14 days.
* Masks should be worn in the assembly area unless ready to go to the start.
* Please check in using the QR code available on the day.
* Please observe the ONSW “arrive - compete - leave” directive.

Thank you for PRE-ENTERING (CLICK HERE) before 12 midnight 24 July 2021 so we can have sufficient supplies for you to compete. Entering on the day is welcomed, however not all Course maps will be available depending on demand.

Fees & Charges 

Directions
From the junction of the M1 at head east towards Toronto (Palmer's Road). Entry to the event is via The Lake Macquarie Memorial Park (Crematorium) 500m along this road.

Participants are welcome to park in the car parking spaces provided but please do not drive or park on the grass!

From Toronto head west from the traffic lights at the junction of The Boulevard and Carey Streets along Awaba / Cessnock road. Turn into the Lake Maquarie Memorial Park approx 8kms. Follow instructions as above.

The assembly area is a 200m walk from the western carpark.

Map
"Heart Rate Hills" 1:10000, 5m contours.
Very Easy and Easy courses will be printed on a 1:7500 scale map.

Special symbols
Tree roots above 1m are be marked with a green cross.
Black crosses show car wrecks.
Black circles indicate man made rubbish or features.
Brown triangles show termite mounds.
One leg on the Very Easy course has blue and white taped section to follow to their next control. This is not mapped on other courses.
The Very Easy and Easy courses use watercourses as their "hand rails" one leg (V. Easy) and two legs (Easy).
The Hard Long course has a pivot control which must be punched on each visit.
The vegetation has become generally more open following fires a few years ago. Some of the previous darker greener areas have been downgraded.
A number of previous minor tracks have been removed and others downgraded.
A number of new tree roots have been added as well as some new motor bike tracks.
Trail bike riders are active in this area so there may be some new unmarked tracks.
The main ridge fire roads have been recently graded by National Parks, so please do not rely on mounds or road drainage detail along these ridge roads for navigation.

Terrain
As the map name suggests expect some hills, spurs and gullies. Most of the undulating bush is open with occasional patches of slow run and intricate detail along the watercourses. There is an extensive track network.
Expect to enjoy good open running and plenty of route choice especially on the harder courses.

Safety
There are a number of patches of mine subsidence that are shown on the map with purple dots.
Steep sided ridges can be slippery especially with the amount of dry leaf litter around and loose gravel.
Courses have been set to avoid these hazards as much as possible.
There are some derelict barbed wire fences marked on the map and the longer courses will cross passable fences.
Leg protection is recommended.
If you hear or see motorbikes move off your track and let them pass.
The safety bearing is north to the fences and then either east or west to the assembly or crematorium.
Event telephone for the day: 0490 686 207

Start
100m west from the assembly area for all classes.

Times
Starts between 9.30 and 11.30am. Course closure at 1.00pm.

Control descriptions
Control descriptions will be printed on the front of the map for all courses. The will also be available to download and self print from the website.
Click here to download the Control Descriptions - WORDS or SYMBOLS

Water
No water is provided on the courses or at the assembly area - please carry your own.

Courses

Acknowledgements
Planner: Steven Roberts
Vetting: Shane Trotter
Access and parking: Lake Macquarie Memorial Park

Details

Created: 15 June 2021

Details

Created: 14 June 2021

Sunday 11 July 2021 NOY 5

RESULTS can be found here.

COVID restrictions are still in place - Central Coast and Greater Sydney (or any hotspot) people will not be able to attend this Event. Masks must be worn by non competing people and social distancing is in place.  No water will be provided - please bring your own.

Click here to PRE-ENTER before 12 midnight 10 July 2021 (This will help us to provide ample maps and other consumables and covers for landholders and Covid tracing).

Start Time: 9:30am to 11:30am

Course Closure 1PM

Click here for Event Entry Fees 

Map “Tumblebee trail” (South and east of Mt. Tomalpin.) 1: 10 000 5M contours

Planning Denis Lyons

The area is reasonably flat for most courses. Hard Long and Hard Medium will visit the ridges to the south of Mt. Tomalpin. Extensive re-growth has taken place in some sections, but numerous bike trails will allow some access across these areas. This impacts all moderate and hard courses.

DIRECTIONS: From Leggetts Drive turn west onto the HEZ Road. This “T” junction is 1.2 km south of Pelaw Main and 1.5 km north of the entrance to the Richmond Vale Rail Museum.

PARKING: Follow the HEZ road for approx. 2km and look for signs which indicate where the roadside gutter, on the left, is silted enough to allow cars to leave the road. Then continue to head west on the track beside the road. The first cars will travel 550m and park, mostly at right angles to the track.

The registration will be at the western end of the parking.

You will then follow a streamer trail 450m to the start. This trail will take you past the finish, so you know the way back to download at the end of your course.

You can download the Control Descriptions if you'd like a spare copy (Control Descriptions are printed on the maps) - Click here - WORDS or SYMBOLS

COURSES

Notes

(a) The start TRIANGLE will be at the map collection area.

(b) TRAIL BIKES and 4WD’s use the area. KEEP OUT OF THEIR WAY. (new trails can appear at any time).

(c) The area does contain SPIKEY VEGETATION hidden in areas of light or dark green, as well as isolated bushes in “white”.

(d)  1. Brown triangle represents small termite mounds.

       2. Prominent tree-root mounds are shown with a green X. Meat-ant nests are NOT SHOWN.

       3. There are two control sites at rock faces where there is some rock visible on the uphill side, especially at the ends.
           Read control descriptions for detail on control placement.

(e) Streamer trails are shown on all maps with pink dashes.

(f) Firewood gatherers have been active recently. Slight changes may be noted.

(g) At least 5 helpers are needed to collect controls at every event. For this event collection would work best with 7 helpers.
This is because the van will be at the NE. part of an A4 map and there are 11 controls in the ridges and valleys of the SW. corner of the map. It would be good if some fit and energetic people only had to collect 3 or 4 controls each.

Details

Created: 13 June 2021

 RESULTS - Click here

Due to the latest announcements...

We cannot accept anyone from either the Central Coast, Sydney, Wollongong or the Blue Mountains.

We also cannot accept anyone who has visited Greater Sydney since 21/6.

At the event please wear a mask when not exercising and practice physical distancing in shared areas such as assembly, start and finish.

We encourage you to come, enjoy your run, then leave and not socialise or interact widely with others.

Hopefully if we all play our part we may return to “Covid normal” conditions soon.

Those that have pre-entered but are now not able to participate have two options, either get a full refund or apply your entry fee to a future club event.

A full refund will need to be actioned by ONSW so you might as well request this directly via John at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here to PRE-ENTER by 12 midnight 26 June 2021 to allow us to provide sufficient maps etc for the Event (Thank you for pre-entering - this helps with COVID procedures, landholder indemnity, map numbers etc)

Click here to download the Control Descriptions if you'd like an additional copy (they are included on the maps).

Map: Rail Trail West 1:10 000 scale with 5 metre contours. New map with base map from Russell Rigby and fieldwork/cartography by Ian Dempsey.

Directions: From the South

Travel north on the M1 and exit the freeway at the Cardiff Exit (B89). Turn left (Kurri Kurri/Cessnock) at the roundabout on to George Booth Drive. Continue through Seahampton and for about 5km before turning right (east) at the orienteering sign onto a gated and sealed road into Stockrington State Conservation Area. This road has no centre line so keep left and drive slowly for about 1km to parking.

From the East

Travel north-west on George Both Drive through Seahampton and continue for about 5 km before

turning right (east) at the orienteering sign onto the gated and sealed road mentioned above.

From the West

Travel south and east on George Booth Drive. Continue for about 800m past the Orica plant (Echidna Drive) before turning left (east) at the orienteering sign onto the gated and sealed road mentioned above.

Access gate to the area -32.865283, 151.549526

Terrain: Flat to steep eucalypt forest with minor rock detail and a helpful track network. There’s a patch of complex man-made-detail and the map has extensive areas of runnable terrain with sections of variable, but passable, slow run and walk vegetation. Part of the abandoned Richmond Vale rail line is included on the map, with associated embankments and cuttings.

Parking: Only on the left hand side (north side) of the access road that is to the west of the assembly (i.e. don’t park beyond the vehicle in front of you). There may be up to a 400m walk to assembly.

Start window: 9.30 – 11.30am

Courses close: 1pm

Special symbols:
Black circle = survey marker
Black cross =  wreckage or rubbish
Brown triangle = termite mound >0.3m
Green circle = native cherry tree

Safety:

• Runners will be crossing the access road. Please drive slowly.
• No water will be provided on courses or at the finish. We encourage you to carry water on the longer courses to prevent dehydration.
• 4WD vehicles and trail bikes use this area. Do move off tracks if you encounter them.
• The easy and very easy courses have streamered legs.
• Safety bearing is south to sealed roads.

Courses:

Details

Created: 10 May 2021

Sunday, 30th May 2021

NOY3 Bellbird

Apologies for today's Event.  We were prevented from running the planned event by security personnel from the mining company that says it holds a mining lease over part of the area.  Crown Land didn't advise us of this lease.

Those who competed had a great day and enjoyed improving their navigation skills.

Non-competitive RESULTS.  A replacement NOY event will be organised if possible to replace this event.

Click here to Pre-ENTER.  Please pre-enter by 12 midnight on Saturday 29 May 2021. There will be limited maps available for people who enter on the day.

Directions

From Cessnock, drive south-west on Wollombi Rd about 5 km through Bellbird Heights to Bellbird.

From Ellalong, travel north on Ellalong Road through Pelton to the intersection with Wollombi Rd. Turn right and proceed about 2 km to Bellbird.

It is recommended to park along the north-western side of Wollombi Rd on either side of Bell St or in Bell St itself.

The assembly area is on the south-eastern side of Wollombi Rd south of the Bell St intersection. Look out for orienteering signs. Wollombi Rd can be busy – cross with care!

Map

"Bellbird / Pelton North", 1:10 000, 5 m contours

Special symbols: Black crosses show car wrecks. Black circles indicate wreckage and rubbish. Brown triangles show termite mounds.

Some indistinct tracks and watercourses used by the Very Easy and Easy courses have been taped for clarity in the terrain.

There are some new motorbike tracks and termite mounds not shown on the map, mainly in the southern section affecting the longer courses.

Terrain

Mostly undulating forest with occasional patches of slow run and walk, but with an extensive track network. There are three terrain types. First, spur/gully terrain characteristic of Werakata State Conservation Area, with minor rock detail. Second, highly detailed abandoned mining land with embankments, mounds, pits, ditches, ruins and variable, but passable vegetation. Finally, slow run along the main creek with some contour and side watercourse detail.

Full body cover is recommended.

Safety

There are a few deep and potentially dangerous subsidence pits that are shown on the map with a black V and marked with red/white hazard tape in the terrain. There is also rubbish, rusty metal, broken glass, etc on the ground in some places. Please take care.

Trail bikes are active across the whole area. Move out of their way if you encounter them.

The fenced off gas pipes in the northern area of the map make some noise at regular intervals but are nothing to be concerned about.

All railway lines on the map are no longer in use and are safe to cross.

The safety bearing is west to Wollombi and Ellalong Roads.

Event telephone on the day: 0490 686 207.

Start

About 200 m from the assembly area for all classes. Follow the streamers north-east from the assembly area, across the disused railway line to the start.

Time

Starts between 9.30 and 11.30 am. Course closure at 1.00 pm.

Control descriptions

Control descriptions will be printed on the front of the map for all courses except Hard Long that will have control descriptions printed on the back.

Water

No water is provided on the courses or at the assembly area – please carry your own.

Courses

Planner - Stephen Craig

Details

Created: 24 April 2021

NOY 2 Balickera - Hamburgers Trail 2021 - Sunday 2 May 2021

RESULTS - Click here 

Map: Hamburgers Trail 2021, 1:10 000 5m contours

Setters: Oskar and Tommy Mella

Vetter: Bjorn Mella

Directions: Head north from Hexham on the highway. Approximately 13.5kms after the Raymond Terrace roundabout turn LEFT onto Italia Rd. (Just after the speed limit changes from 110km/h to 100km/h). Follow Italia Rd. for 3km and turn LEFT into Hunter Water’s Balickera Park.

Park inside the park, mainly on the right hand side of the road. Do not block access to a gate. There is a toilet at the Park. (Hopefully, it will be open).

Start and Finish: Starts will be available between 9:30am and 11:30am and course closure is at 1 pm.

The Start is located a 600m flat walk from parking and the assembly. The Finish is located 100m past the start. THE IS A ROAD CROSSING ON THE WAY TO THE START AND FINISH TAKE CARE WHEN CROSSING IT.

Courses:

Notes:

• Water will NOT be available on the course. Participants are encouraged to bring their own drinking water.
• Control Descriptions will be printed on the map. All courses will have them on the front of the map. Except the Hard Long and Medium which will be printed on the back.
        You can download & print Control Descriptions here - Words - Symbols
• ALL tree root mounds have been removed from the map.
• Italia Road is 90 km/h and can be busy. Take extreme care if nearby.
• Motor bikes and 4wds often use this area, if you encounter them on your course give them a wide berth.
• The area has been through major bushfire and regrowth since last revision. In general, green areas are given reasonable indicators of run ability but should not be relied upon for navigation.
• Trailbike tracks have not been updated. Some mapped tracks may be hard to see while newer unmapped tracks may be more obvious. Do not rely on them for navigation.
• Generally, most major tracks on the map are well used but some may not be as obvious.
• In some areas there are a lot of controls close together make sure to check your numbers.

Details

Created: 12 April 2021

Sunday 18 April (2021) 9:30am to 11:30am Course Closure 1PM

RESULTS - click here

New map – New area. “HEBBURN ROAD” 1:10,000 5 metre contours

Please REPORT TO REGISTRATION before going to the Start.

Planning team: Denis Lyons and David Kitchener.

The area is part of Werakata National Park. Which straddles the flat (Southern) end of Hebburn Rd. There are no large hills, but a number of areas of thick ti-trees will add to your route choices.

DIRECTIONS: From the junction of Leggetts Drive and Lake Road travel on Lake Rd for 4.8km to turn right onto Hebburn Rd. (GRAVEL road –SPEED HUMP and CAMERA).
From Kearsley, follow Lake Rd (to the east) for 3km to turn left onto Hebburn Rd.
The registration area will be (Approx) 1.2km from the turn off.

PARKING: DO NOT PARK IN THE FIRST 600M FROM THE TURN OFF. “Runners will be crossing.”
Most parking can be found in mowed areas on the western side of the road.
Park at right angles to the road. This would be from adjacent to the Start area to north of Registration.
Additional "parallel" parking may be possible on the east side of the road.
MAKE SURE WE LEAVE ROOM FOR TWO-WAY TRAFFIC. Don’t block trail bike tracks.
You may need to follow Hebburn Road, until it leaves the powerline, to find a few other "non-mowed' spots.

COURSES: The three HARD courses will cross the road twice. Drivers and runners please show caution.
The start will be just off the eastern side of the road, 180m south of the registration area.
Preliminary information only, as many sites and tracks are currently underwater.

Click here to download the WORD Control Descriptions
Click here to download the SYMBOL Control Descriptions

Control Descriptions are printed on the maps.

NOTE: There is NO DRINKING WATER on the Course. Please bring your own drinking water.

Notes
(a) The start TRIANGLE will be at the map collection area. The VERY EASY, EASY, MODERATE SHORT, MODERATE LONG courses will use a streamer trail along an old indistinct track to move away from the start. The HARD courses will “go bush”.(With water views.)
(b) TRAIL BIKES and 4WD’s use the area. KEEP OUT OF THEIR WAY.
(c) The area does contain SPIKEY VEGETATION hidden in areas of light or dark green.
(d)  1. Brown triangle represents small termite mounds.
      2. Prominent tree-root mounds are shown with a green X. Meat- ant nests are NOT SHOWN.
      3. Streamer trails are shown on all maps with purple dashes.
(e)  At least 5 helpers are needed to collect controls at every event.

2021 Bush Event Entry Fees:

*Family - Two Adults and two children (or more children)

Second map $5

SportIdent stick hire $2

Details

Created: 24 March 2021

Bush Event Entry Fees:

*Family - Two Adults and two children (or more children)

Second map $5

SportIdent stick hire $2

Details

Created: 06 November 2020

  Newcastle Orienteer of the Year (NOY) Series Standings - click here

Here are the links to the Results.