ONSW Technical Director Rod Parkin

Details

Last Updated: Thursday, 28 October 2021 11:51

Meet your Board member.

This is the fifth in a weekly series where we introduce you to the people entrusted to run our sport in NSW.

Technical Director Rod Parkin (Bennelong Northside). Joined the Board 2020.

Rod wasted no time making his mark on our sport by becoming Australian Junior Men’s champion in 1973. 

At the time he was in senior high school and heavily into outdoor activities. One of his teachers had heard about orienteering (then very much in its infancy in Australia) and suggested he try it.

Rod’s first event was at “Camp Coutts” just south of Waterfall in July 1972.  It was run on a hand-drawn black-and-white map at 1:25,000 with very little detail. Imagine that! 

As befits a sporting career nearing the half-century mark, Rod can’t single out a highlight but says he’s had many very satisfying times with orienteering. 

His contribution to the sport extends well beyond being pretty handy with a map.

He has been on the Bennelong committee for quite a few years, including a number of years as Treasurer.

Rod is a Level 2 Controller and has been both Planner and Organiser for quite a few events, including at State and National level – most recently he set Day 1 at Easter this year in the rock of the new map Noah’s Ark Ridge. 

Rod was asked to consider coming onto the Board because of his vast experience and the need to replace retiring directors. He was quickly convinced of the idea and is now our Technical Director. 

He has been a director/owner of a few small-medium incorporated businesses and has held prominent positions in (smallish) publicly listed multi-national companies. 

Rod’s also an SES volunteer. With that comes various levels of training in First Aid, storm damage, height safety, rescue, and chainsaw use. He has particular responsibility for the business administration of the North Sydney unit.