2019 – Another Year of Progress in the Central Highlands

WORDS WENDY TAVERNA - CHOC PRESIDENT PHOTOS MARK HENNESSEY

Thanks to our club members and supporters who have assisted with our events over the past 12 months, an enthusiastic community of local orienteers is growing in the Macedon Ranges area. Without the time, energy and enthusiasm of our local people we really could not have put on such a successful and diverse range of events. Our 2019 season commenced in May, with a MelBushO event held at Macedon Regional Park. Many groups of families and friends completed courses together, exceeding our estimations. With close to 200 participants on the day we were

Lois Ewels with grandchildren; David Gossip; Jane Ewels.

at risk of running out of maps. Fortunately Kathryn had brought spares and additional courses were quickly handdrawn so all could run / walk with a map. With a more challenging bush setting compared to some MelbushO events, we were very impressed that all beginners finished their courses without mispunching. Partnering with Eureka – a small group of club members ran an event on the Blowhole – Hepburn map as part of their winter series. The opportunity to course set in this physically challenging terrain was much appreciated. With the assistance

of Dale and his trail bike, control placement and pick up was less arduous in this terrain. Many thanks to the Dowlings, White family and Mark Hennessy for helping with control pick up in the downpour! And to Brodie McCarthy for running valuable training courses for the Vic juniors.

Roch Prendergast, Sophie Taverna, Wendy Taverna and Bruce Arthur

Macedon Ranges Sprint ‘O’ series

This was a new series developed in partnership with local secondary schools in the Macedon Ranges and supported by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council. Events were held at Gisborne Secondary College, Alice Miller School, Sacred Heart College and Braemar College. Several club members took up the challenge to map and course set a sprint event for the first time. We explored how to run a sprint with minimal IT equipment, and successfully integrated use of SI-APP on an android tablet/phone and bluetooth printer. Other innovations developed for the series included use of redgum sleeper offcuts to support bush orienteering stands on paved surfaces, and approaching a local sponsor to assist with printing maps. Thanks to the Neylon and White families for assisting club members throughout the series.

Frederic Tranchand at Braemar College

Some key insights learnt from the series:

Participants feel more comfortable trying new activities in pairs or small groups than on their own. We should not assume that all beginners want to do the short / easy course - families in groups enjoyed the longer hard course problem solving together and walking for a good 30-40 mins. The easy course was the least popular. Come n Try approach proved to be a softer marketing approach for new participants. Series catered for different abilities - beginners to advanced adopting a similar framework to the ’Sprint into Spring’ series, and allowing for progression as newcomers gained confidence. Set in a relatively safe environment without traffic, parents were willing to let primary school aged children try orienteering by themselves after the first event. Sunday mornings avoided clashing with more formal sports and enabled volunteers to have the afternoon free to spend with their families.

Scheduling foot and mountain bike events on same day in close proximity is possible with some participants willing to attend both. Developing partnerships with schools takes time but worth the investment. Schools were provided with pdf copies of maps and educated how to course set with Purple Pen for their own orienteering programs and competitions. Important to have additional events (different formats) ready for new orienteers to attend once series finished, to build momentum.. Consider a long easy course option in bush events to entice trail runners / bush walkers to come and try our sport. Grouping events into a short series encourages newcomers to commit to multiple events as a family.

Macedon Ranges Summer Series

It was encouraging to see many new participants continue on to attend our Wednesday night summer series. Held in the townships of Macedon, Kyneton, Woodend, Romsey, Sunbury and Gisborne, these events allowed participants to explore local towns in more depth. Course setting took advantage of picturesque creeks, park and bush settings with these events having a rural vibe. Sharing fruit afterwards always assists to engage participants to stay and socialise, and discuss route choices. Whilst I wrote this on the eve of our cancelled bush event at Glenlyon, I am sure it will be worth the wait to get out of the house and run in our proposed Xplore O Series in early 2021. This new series of events in the Macedon Ranges and surrounds aims to encourage local community members and orienteers from further afield to explore our picturesque local towns, parks and forests….. whilst enjoying orienteering.