Our new Port Macquarie club has had a stunning first event, attracting 103 entries and around 200 participants all up.
The HOGs (Hastings Orienteering Group) committee were flat out from the first start at 11am to the last finisher about 2pm as dozens of families enjoyed a gorgeous winter's day at Kooloonbung Creek.
The club formed following promotional weekends in November 2017 and June 2018 that drew promising attendances.
Sunday's assembly area was in the lovely arboretum on Gordon Street. This has a historical cemetery, picnic shelters and a huge stone lizard sculpture that the kids found irresistible as a climbing frame.
The first event was a 45-minute score course with 30 controls, the same format as the Sydney Summer Series. We won't mention the very experienced orienteer who managed to go to a control a second time - despite the punch card clearly showing he'd already been there!
Many great Test cricket careers were launched with a century on debut, and this incredible start by the HOGs shows there is huge potential on the mid north coast.
A free BBQ further added to the strong sense of community. We spotted former independent federal MP Rob Oakeshott and his family among the happy orienteers. "Can we do this every week?," he and his kids asked HOGs president Matt Bell.
Better let them catch their breath first!
ONSW says a huge thank you to: Dan McLachlan for course setting, the Peels from Newcastle for assisting on the day, the Woolfords from Bush N Beach for making the trip from Coffs Harbour, and the HOGs for a wonderful start.
Facebook users can follow the HOGs here. You can see the local paper's article and photos here, and Clifford Hoefft's FB album here.
And the ultimate in good karma - after everything was packed up, we went back out on course for a stroll and saw a koala high up a ghost gum near control 27.
