About orienteering

• 

 

Calendars and event details for major Event Series are available from the menu to the left. There is also a full NSW/ACT Event Calendar. Details of local street/park and bush events in the following regions may also be found via the links below:

• Newcastle
• Central Coast
• Illawarra
• Southern Highlands
• Orange and Bathurst
• Armidale
• Wagga Wagga
• Coffs Harbour
• Port Macquarie (Facebook page)

Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) combines navigation and bush track riding skills. These events are run by our clubs - look for them on Eventor.

Types of orienteering events include:

Summer Series, Street and Park Events
These are informal events held in metropolitan Sydney and NSW regional centres using small, easily accessible local maps which may include parks, residential streets and small adjacent areas of bush. The standard of navigation is fairly easy and these events are often held on weekday evenings. The Sydney Summer Series is a popular series of 45 minute events held on Wednesday evenings between October and March each year.

Club Events
These are small local street/park or bush events where beginners are especially welcome to come and try orienteering. Instruction is provided and courses of different length and navigational standard are available to suit both beginners and experienced orienteers.

Sydney MetrO League
The MetrO League competition is a series of 6 events held from March to September, in which club teams compete in a number of Divisions. MetrO League events are generally held in small areas of bush in metropolitan Sydney or nearby areas within about 1.5 hours drive from most parts of Sydney. Regular venues include Centennial Park, Manly Dam, Darks Common, Oatley and Mt Annan. Orienteers who are not part of a club team are also welcome at these events and a range of courses is always available for individual entry on the day.

Saturday Orienteering Series 
Run by our partner organisation Bold Horizons, the SOS is run on Saturday mornings during school terms in northern Sydney. This is an ideal series for beginners, and for experienced orienteers to test their route choice skills.

Schools Championships
ONSW and its clubs conduct regional schools championships in Terms 2 and 3. No qualification is necessary and participants receive basic coaching at the start. The NSW and Australian Schools Championships are conducted each year. A NSW Schools Team is selected annually to represent NSW at the Australian Schools Championships.

NSW State League 
State League events are a series of 10-13 high-quality bush events held between March and September each year. They are usually held outside of Sydney and individuals compete in a range of age classes and grades.

State and National Championships
State and Australian Championships (over Long, Middle and Sprint Distances) are conducted each year in a range of age classes and grades. The Australian 3-Day Championships are held during the Easter weekend and the Australian Championship Carnival is normally held in September or October. Entry in State and Australian Championship Events is acceptable only from full members of affiliated clubs (associate members are not eligible). There are otherwise no qualifying requirements for entry and all orienteers are encouraged to compete.

SILVA National Orienteering League
The National Orienteering League (NOL) is a national competition for Open and Junior representative State teams.

International Events
Australia sends representative teams to the World Orienteering Championships (WOC), World Cup races, World University Games and Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC) each year, and to the World Games every four years. A team of orienteers in Junior, Open and Masters age classes competes in the Australia-New Zealand Challenge, which is held at the Oceania Championships.

The World Masters Orienteering Championships (WMOC) are held in a different country each year. Entries are open to all orienteers aged 35 years and over (within the calendar year).

The experience of orienteering in another country can also be simply an enjoyable and interesting part of an overseas holiday. Orienteering is practised world-wide on a variety of terrain and entry at most events is open to all. For links to orienteering organisations and listings of events in other countries, see the International Orienteering Federation website.

• 

Within orienteering there are plenty of opportunities to represent your club, State or Australia. Opportunities are available at junior, elite and masters levels.

International Competition

Each year Australia sends representative teams to the:
* World Orienteering Championships (WOC)
* Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC)
* World and Junior World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships (WMTBOC)

Every two years Australia sends a team to the:
* World University Games (WUOC)
* Australia-New Zealand Challenge, which is held at the Oceania Championships, conducted in junior, open and masters age classes.

Every four years Australia sends a team to the World Games (an event for sports not in the Olympic Games).

Each year the World Masters Orienteering Championships (WMOC) are held in a different country. Entries are open to all orienteers aged 35 and over.

The experience of orienteering in another country can also be simply an enjoyable and interesting part of an overseas holiday. Orienteering is practised world-wide on a variety of terrain and entry at most events is open to all. For links to orienteering organisations and listings of events in other countries, see the International Orienteering Federation website.

World Orienteering Championships - these are conducted annually for both foot and mountain bike orienteering. The team is selected by Orienteering Australia. A number of National League events each year will be nominated as selection races. Australia has a proud tradition at world level and boasts some world champions. The World Championships are usually conducted in Europe or Scandinavia.

Junior World Orienteering Championships - Orienteering Australia selects both foot and mountain bike teams in the under-21 age class to represent Australia each year.

World Masters Orienteering Championships - these championships are open entry and conducted annually in both the foot and mountain bike disciplines. Many NSW orienteers base their overseas holidays around the championships as they offer high quality orienteering at some amazing and interesting locations with great company.  Age classes range from 35-95 years!

Oceania Championships - conducted every two years and usually alternating between Australia and New Zealand as the host nation.  Orienteering Australia selects a team with representation from 16 years through to over 70s.

Bushrangers - Orienteering Australia selects a squad of developing elite orienteers to compete regularly against New Zealand.

National Level Competition

Australian Championships Carnival and Easter Carnival - these are the highlights of the year and attract athletes from across the country. The Australian Championships are conducted in late September or early October. Both Carnivals rotate around the states. Long, middle and sprint distance events feature in each Carnival as well as relays. Both Carnivals are open entry with no qualification necessary.

Australian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships - these are conducted each year and no qualification is necessary.

National Orienteering League and Junior National Orienteering League (under 21) - this national series is open to elite orienteers only. The NSW team is called the Stingers.

Australian All Schools Orienteering Championships - Each state selects a squad of high-school aged students to compete. Based on the results of the two days of competition an Australian Honour team is named each year.

State Level Competition

NSW Long Distance, Middle Distance and Sprint Distance foot orienteering Championships - these competitions are conducted in association with the State League series each year.  Entry is open to members of any orienteering clubs.

NSW Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships - conducted annually with entry open to all club members.

Training Squads

Orienteering Australia selects squads of foot and mountain bike orienteers at both the elite and junior elite level.  Squad members receive additional coaching opportunities.

Orienteering NSW selects a squad of junior orienteers who are also able to benefit from squad training camps.

Improving Basic Skills Materials

British Orienteering Improving Performance

World of O: O-training.net (High quality training exercises)

• 

Orienteering NSW Contacts - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Director) and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Coach). 

Beginner program for newcomers of all ages.

Learn to Orienteer is a national program aimed at anyone who wants to start orienteering.

All ages are welcome – children, adults, and parents. Lessons are conducted in small groups.

We focus on different skills and give participants plenty of opportunities to have fun exploring techniques to build confidence in using a map to navigate.

Orienteering Australia Learn to Orienteer Overview (New 2024)

Coach or Instructor Documents to Download: 

Program Delivery Guide Learn to Orienteer.pdf

Session Planner.docx

Certificate.pdf

Participation Documents to Download:

Participants Handbook condensed A4 8 page.pdf

Participants Handbook condensed A5 12 page.pdf

Updated 28th March 2024.

Old Learn the Skills webpage Information:

If you've been through the Newcomer Information and are ready to take your orienteering to a new level, here's a few tips!

1. Talk to a coach or experienced orienteers.

Find out who is an accredited coach in your club and have a chat to them.  It can be enormously beneficial to discuss a map and course before you head out and then to review how you went afterwards. 

2. Attend a coaching/training day or weekend.

Each year there is usually a coaching/training day or weekend conducted by Orienteering NSW.  These days are generally open to all members and will be advertised on the website or through the weekly E-bulletin.

Clubs also offer training opportunities, so check with your local club on what is coming up.

2. After each event, review your course.

Draw your route (or at least where you think you went) on your map.  When you are not tired, have a look at where you went and why.  What did you do well?  Where did you lose time and why?  Are there any lessons to be learn't from the event or from a series of events?

Livelox is a useful course for comparing your route against other people. Download your GPX track and see how you compare to other competitors.

If electronic timing was used, how did the timing splits for each leg compare?

There are various course or skill review templates available or you can create your own.  Here's a few that might be helpful:

Skills self-evaluation template

Race Analysis template

3. Know your map and control description symbols.

OA symbol information sheets:

• Map Symbols for Orienteering Maps (2017 edition)
• Map Symbols for Sprint Orienteering Maps (2019 edition)
• Control Descriptions 2024

Take an online quiz to learn your control descriptions.

4. Practice

The more events you do, the more experience you will get and the faster you will learn.  Different areas demand different navigation techniques and it takes time to gain experience in a wide variety of terrain.

5. Fair Play

The IOF has released a set of Fair Play principles to serve as guidelines for different client groups within orienteering. Read about them here.

6. Do some self-help homework

There are a variety of How To orienteering books available but you may need to order them online.

A fun way to practice is through the virtual orienteering game, Catching Features.  You can download a demo version for free.

See getting started page at Orienteering Australia.

Check out some useful sites such as the ones below.

Orienteering Australia coaching materials

Orienteering ACT coaching tips

Orienteering Queensland coaching tips

7. Do some training at State Leagues

For primary school aged orienteers, the Bluebottles group get together at State League events.  Apart from having some fun and games they also build their orienteering skills.

Ask for an early start at a State League event and after completing your easier course and gaining some familiarity with the map, enter on the day and try a slightly harder course.  In need, head out with a more experienced orienteer and take the opportunity to learn and practice some skills.

Control collecting at your club's State league event is also worthwhile.  Volunteer to assist with control collecting at the end of the event and ask to go out with an experienced orienteer.  Try some harder level controls without the pressure of competition and with some backup!

8. Get involved in course setting

Course setting forces you to learn the map and how a course setter might be thinking.  Often clubs will have a buddy system for new setters to guide you through the process and help you learn how it's done.

9. Get fitter

Your fitness will improve just by doing more events.  However if you would like to get even fitter then you will need to do more running or cross-training.  Often some club members will do long runs together regularly or may even attend an externally run training group.  Elite level orienteers will have comprehensive running programs that include long runs, intervals, hill runs and more.