Latest ONSW News
This story proves two great statements: “Never say never” and “Orienteering is truly a sport for all.” Barbara Hill and her Bold Horizons team spent time recently with a truly inspirational and adventurous group of people.
Vision-impaired adventurers from Blind Citizens Australia, with guide dogs and carers, navigated a course through the Chatswood Mall and shopping district using a map created especially for them.
Printed in 3D, the map provided a basic idea of the area with activity bases and instructions provided in braille. Touch, smell, sound, taste, games and other activities, combined with visits to T2 Tea, the Chatswood Library and Gelatissimo along the way made for an extremely entertaining day.
Barbara reports: "I worked closely with Blind Citizens Australia to develop the event. It was designed as an enjoyable team-based activity with the primary object of having some fun but also to build confidence and mobility skills in the Chatswood area.
"There were activity bases spread around the Chatswood CBD that teams of visually impaired participants could navigate to.
"We were able to have all the directions printed in braille and the map transferred to a 3D print with braille labels. Of course all the activities relied on non-visual skills: sound, taste, touch, smell and lots of laughs.
"It was a highly enjoyable, inspiring, yet humbling day that was terrific to be involved in. Overwhelmingly positive feedback has been received on the event."
Participant Graeme Innes (pictured, far left) was Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner from December 2005 to July 2014.
To view all the photos, see the Facebook article about the event. We also have a small Braille permanent course at Hughes Park in Lane Cove. See here for details.
Newcastle prodigy Alvin Craig has capped a stellar year with a promotion in the 2020 Orienteering Australia High Performance Squads.
Alvin, 15, won all three races at the 2019 Australian Schools Champs to help NSW regain the trophy for the first time in 17 years.
He jumps from the Targeted Talent level to the Junior Development Squad to join Garingal's Duncan Currie and Big Foot pair Ewan Shingler and Alastair George.
NSW junior squad coach Rob Bennett (NC) is in the second-tier National Development Squad with Toby Wilson (GO).
Duncan's sister Ellen enters the program at the Targeted Talent level.
Garingal has three representatives, Newcastle two and Big Foot two. Congratulations to these seven orienteers on their selections.
Entries are open for the annual Big Foot Sprints which this year are on Sunday December 22 at Callan Park in Rozelle.
This is a unique two-race event, with the first starts from 9-10am and a chasing start from 11am for the second run.
If you don't fancy the idea of doing the chasing start, just enter the Short course.
Entries are open via Eventor, where you will also find the event briefing notes.
Entries close on Thursday, 19th December at Midnight.
Orienteering Australia has published the criteria for selection for the four world championships of interest to Australian athletes in 2020.
These are:
* Junior World Champs - Turkey, June 28-July 3
* World Champs (Sprint format) - Denmark, July 6-11
* World Uni Champs - Russia, July 14-18
* World MTBO Champs - Czech Republic, August 17-22
For the three Foot O teams, selection criteria can be found here. Nominations are via the online form here. OA is also seeking volunteers to fill team management positions.
Team managers and coaches will have their travel costs paid for by OA.
For JWOC and WOC it is expected that the team will convene a week before the championships for final training and familiarisation.
If you are interested in any of the positions please contact Ian Prosser (
Jim and Ian can provide more information on the roles if required. It is possible to be team manager or coach for JWOC and WUOC, or for WOC and WUOC, but not for JWOC and WOC.
For the MTBO champs, trials will be held on the weekend of April 4-5 in Beechworth, Victoria for both the elite and junior teams. A maximum of 6 men and women in each category are eligible for selection. OA would especially like to see many junior representatives try for the team. All enquiries should go to Kay Haarsma (
Applications are also sought for a team coach and manager for MTBO. Both officials will need to be overseas for about 2 weeks (approx Aug 9-23) to allow for a training period before WOC.
The coach will conduct at least one training camp within Australia, organise the 7-day camp overseas and lead the team during the championship week.
The position is voluntary in its nature. However, at least 75% of the overseas flight costs to and from WOC and all expenses and on the ground costs there will be met, except for meals.
Some funding is available to support squad & team activities and coach expenses within Australia. For more details, click here.
The manager will co-ordinate the daily arrangements of team members whilst overseas, manage the team budget on a daily basis and maintain financial records of items spent whilst overseas.
All expenses for the 2 weeks in Czech Republic will be met. More details about this position are here. Applications are due by December 13.
