MelbushO 2021

Words Debbie Dodd

One series that wasn’t too decimated by lockdowns in 2021 was MelbushO, with 7 out of the 10 events able to take place –the others were postponed until 2022.

The MelBushO season started early in 2021, with the Woodlands Historic Park event being held in early March, tucked between events 3 and 4 of the MFR Sprints. It was a warm day for dressing up in bushO clothes but the seasonal long grass and swathes of Pattersons Curse across most of the course made leg covering the most sensible choice. Warwick’s courses featured long legs across the park, dodging groups of (rather large) kangaroos, controls located within the vague forest area near the Vicparks office, then finally into the detailed area near the finish. It was a good way to remind ourselves of what bush orienteering is all about.

Next up was Police Paddocks, making its MelbushO debut. The map is very varied, with forested slopes in the north and east, a network of intricate tracks and tiny watercourses, plus the sporting fields with their buildings and fences providing more sprint-style terrain. A dose of summer rain had greened up many areas, and the consensus was that the longer track routes were a time saver, thanks to the undergrowth in the offtrack areas.

Maroondah Reservoir Park was another new map for MelbushO. The day was another unseasonably cold and damp one, but the beautiful tall trees with their autumn foliage made a picturesque setting, and running over the dam wall was a definite highlight!

We managed to squeeze in another four events in the two months before lockdown. At Banksia Park we had a taste of European-type terrain, with controls hidden in small depressions; while at Westerfolds, it was more “Aussie” forest amongst the eucalypts. Both these events were popular and we started to see participation increase again while we were in the “covid zero” phase.

You Yangs was a trip down the Princes Highway, with nicely set courses which showed off the spectacular granite, and kept us (mostly) clear of the thick vegetation. It was a glorious sunny winter day. Wellington Chase was the last event before we bid