Organizer:
Salome Hussein
Date/Time:
Date(s) - Saturday 26 August, 2023
All Day
orienteering
rogaining
G’day,
For the uninitiated, rogaining is the sport of cross-country navigation. You’re given a map with marked locations on it and you have a limited time to collect as many of these as possible– highest score wins, but being late back has a penalty. It’s a great way to practice off track skills.
At long last, after much rain and disappointment, we finally get to partake in the Watagans Mountains Rogaine. There are 2 options, 6 and 12 hour, with much later starts than usual (11am and midday). 1st North Sydney is catering again and bringing the lovely fire pits you may recall from Paddy Pallin. I intend to camp nearby and help out, but we’ll match people to drivers if that’s the avenue you’d prefer. Camping is 7km away from headquarters this time.
Price: Adult/Concession $80/$60
If you’d like help finding teammates, when you sign up, make sure to specify your preferred pace and event duration e.g. “I’d prefer to walk slowly for 6 hours” or “I’d like to win and I will run at marathon pace for 12 hours if that’s what it takes.”
Also specify if you’d like to camp the night before or drive down the morning of the event. We’ll all drive back to Sydney on Sunday.
“The Watagan Mountains are West of Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake. The event will be held near Heaton Lookout with spectacular views of Lake Macquarie and only 2 hours North of Sydney.
The Course traverses both Watagan National Park and Forests NSW areas. Entrants will experience fascinating rainforest, pristine creeks and friendly fauna.
Large areas of the flora open up into stands of spotted gum, turpentine and ironbark. There are stunning spurs and gullies with gymea lillies abound, banksias in the drier flats, and amazing bungalow palm forests in some creeks.
There are many unsealed roads, 4WD tracks and foot single trails criss-crossing the Course to allow easy access to different parts of the forest before careful navigation into checkpoints.
The quality of the map and contours supports unambiguous, accurate navigation across the area, even through the deepest rainforested valleys.
This is a popular event on the Annual Rogaining calendar. Entrants have the option of either a 6 HOUR or 12 HOUR event. There will be user-friendly options and routes for Novices or family groups closer to the Hash House, while longer technical routes for the experienced, fitter competitors will provide challenges that are both navigational and physical.
No matter which route you choose to follow there are plenty of checkpoints boasting spectacular views! ”
