Latest ONSW News
ONSW is planning for a successful Xmas 5-days in the Southern Highlands in the hope that the current covid restrictions will be eased.
At its meeting on Tuesday night, the Board agreed to advertise for the (paid) position of 2020 Xmas 5-days Co-ordinator.
The attached Call for EOI provides further details. Applications should be lodged with the Admin Officer by Monday August 17.
It seems to be wet whenever Bennelong Northside host a round of the MetrO League at Manly Dam - and the competition's resumption on Sunday was no different.
While only 6mm fell overnight, almost an inch (in the old scale) fell throughout the event by the time the saturated organisers had packed up at a new assembly area at a rebuilt Manly Vale Public School.
This allowed setter Terry Bluett and controller Rod Parkin to explore the very southern part of the dam, an area previously only used for summer series and the annual Bennelong Xmas party.
The mass of bare rock in the middle of the courses was fiendishly tricky to navigate and cost many participants vital minutes. (Average times were already longer than usual due to the slow, slippery going.)
We also offer a big welcome to first-time MetrO competitors Becki Stein (GO), Carol Anne El-Chaar (UR), David Christie (UR), Alex Morris (BN) and Heather Hozack (GO).
Results are on the ML web page.
Thanks to BN for hosting, Manly Vale PS for the wonderful location, and to all participants for observing covid protocols. Our next round is Sunday August 16 on a new SHOO map at Lemueah.
More than 350 keen orienteers were back in action across the state last weekend as four of our clubs resumed activities and the junior squad put on a camp near Cowra.
On Sunday, Waggaroos hosted four newcomers from Leeton, two of whom took out the Moderate course on the steep slopes of Rocky Hill in the city's east!
Although visibility was excellent, the steep ascents, difficult descents and profusion of grassy regrowth following the recent rains made the courses physically demanding and relocation difficult if navigation was not perfect. Missing a control site meant some more hard scrambling across the hillside and significant time loss.
At the same time near Mittagong, SHOO started their Highlands Forest Series at Boxvale Tramway where rookies cleaned up in several classes.
Meanwhile, more than a hundred people enjoyed Newcastle's first NOY event for 2020 at Pelton, drawing competitors from Sydney and the Central Coast.
And in Mosman, Garingal had nearly 100 people for their come and try it event - including two dozen newcomers.
Meanwhile, as we reported earlier, 82 eager parents and juniors from across NSW and the ACT had four action-paced days in the central west for a school holiday camp. It was great to see so many new faces at this camp.
Sue Lane from the nearby Goldseekers club added: "My son took a friend along to the camp last weekend and after the first activity the friend said 'I didn't know how much fun orienteering was!'.
"All of the kids that I took (4 of them aged 11-14) all had a fabulous time. Thank you so much to all of the organisers."
A massive 82 juniors and adults enjoyed a school holiday development camp in the state's central west last week.
Families from as far away as Coffs Harbour and the ACT gathered at Wyangala Dam and Roseberg State Forest for four days of top-class training under the guidance of NSW Junior Squad coach Rob Bennett.
First-time camp attendee Nick Stanley, 13 (Garingal) said the camp was "really really good" and the best thing he learnt was "compass bearings and handrails".
