Newcastle Orienteer of the Year Event # 7 - Belford National Park - Sunday 14 November 2021
COVID CONSIDERATIONS
* All competitors over 16 must be double vaccinated to attend this event (proof will be requested)
* please use the NSW Covid check-in on arrival
* Do not attend if feeling unwell or have any COVID symptoms or are a close contact of a positive case.
* Please conform to any Covid restrictions in place at the time of this event.
Map: “Belford National Park” (Scale 1:10 000, 5m contour interval). Updated - Ian Dempsey July 2021.
Planner - Glenn Burgess. Vetter - Greg Bacon.
Directions: From Newcastle/M1 travel northwest on the M15/Hunter Expressway. Continue onto the A15/New England Highway (past Branxton towards Singleton). Turn right at the "Lower Belford 3" sign into Kirkton Road (this is approximately 3.0km after the Branxton Heavy Vehicle Rest Area, just past and opposite the large brown “Hunter Valley Vineyards” sign). Follow Kirkton Road for 700m. From the west/Singleton turn left from the A15/New England Highway into Kirkton Road at the "3 Lower Belford" sign and follow Kirkton Road for 700m.
Parking: Park on the left side of Kirkton Rd. Do not park directly in front of the assembly area. Kirkton Rd is an 80 kmh zone and traffic is infrequent but fast moving. Ensure your vehicle is fully off the road. Take care with children.
Assembly/Start/Finish: The assembly area is through a gate in the fence on the left (southwest) side of the bend in Kirkton Rd. The start and finish are on the opposite (northeast) side of the road through a marked fence crossing. There is a 75m walk to/from the start and finish from the fence crossing. TAKE CARE WHEN CROSSING THE ROAD TO AND FROM THE START AND FINISH. LOOK OUT FOR TRAFFIC.
Terrain: Mostly gently undulating with some more moderate slopes. Generally open to very open forest offering fast running and high visibility. Areas mapped with light green (“slow run”) can be quite runnable but have variable visibility. Green stripe (“slow run, good visibility”) is mostly low tussock which varies between slow run and run. Larger areas of darker green (“walk”) are predominantly either distinct denser stands of Casuarina trees, or areas of feral African Olive (mostly poisoned by National Parks and now dead, hard “skeletons”). Numerous termite mounds, Native Cherry trees of various sizes and the occasional small Lantana thicket are scattered across the area. Erosion detail occurs along some of the watercourses. The track network is sparse in much of the park.
Course notes: Fresh growth of groundcover has made some of the tracks indistinct and harder to see in parts, particularly when crossing over them. Unmapped animal trails may be encountered in some areas.
The fences along each side of Kirkton Rd road have recently been renewed resulting in narrow cleared areas and piles of vegetation along the fencelines. These are not shown on the map.
The Very Easy course follows streamer trails between some controls. (These are not shown on the other courses.)
On the Very Easy and Easy courses parts of some tracks, where new growth has made them harder to follow, have streamers to aid navigation.
The Hard Long course crosses Kirkton Rd twice. The new wire fences along the roadsides are tightly strung but there is no barbed wire and runners should be able to pass through between the strands. Beware of traffic when crossing the road.
Control Descriptions are included on the maps, however if you would like a copy for your holder you can copy then print them here - WORDS or SYMBOLS
Special map symbols
Brown triangle = termite mound >0.3m
Small green circle = Native Cherry tree(s)
Small green dot = Lantana thicket
Green cross = tree root mound >1.5m
Black circle = man made feature
Black cross = car wreck
COURSE LENGTH CLIMB (approx.)
Very Easy 2.1 km 35 m Follows tracks, streamered routes, a watercourse and a fenceline.
Easy 2.6 km 50 m Controls near tracks and watercourses. Some options to cut across.
Moderate Short 2.8 km 55 m Moderate cross country navigation.
Moderate Long 3.9 km 60 m Moderate cross country navigation.
Hard Short 4.3 km 80 m More difficult navigation.
Hard Medium 6.1 km 105 m More difficult navigation.
Hard Long 8.2 km 160 m More difficult navigation.
Control descriptions will be printed on the map and will also be available to print from the club website.
No water will be provided on the courses or at the assembly area. Please bring your own and consider carrying water on the course.
Warmup area: The track and forest south of the assembly area.
Safety: Safety bearing is WEST to the Kirkton Rd (or East if on Hard Long and have crossed the road). Beware of traffic on Kirkton Rd.
Start times: 8:30am to 10:30am. Course closure at 12:00pm (ensure you start in time to finish by course closure).
Results: Live results should be available at http://sportident.itsdamp.com (click on Live Results) and later on Eventor.
Help with collecting controls following the event closure will be needed and very much appreciated (all controls are within 1km of Kirkton Rd).