AWARDS
Quiet Achievers in Australian Orienteering:
Basil and Jean Baldwin MARY JANE MAHONY (ONSW)
T
he story of Orienteering in Australia is full of quiet achievers. Orienteering Australia does its best and so does ONSW, but those who should be recognised are often ‘under the radar’. On June 17th last, Sport NSW presented Basil and Jean Baldwin (Goldseekers Orienteering, Orange, NSW) with the Distinguished Long Service Award for Orienteering at its annual NSW Community Sport Awards. Their contributions to Orienteering – not only in NSW but over nearly 50 years in Tasmania, South Australia and finally New South Wales – were fittingly acknowledged. Basil and Jean have organised, coached, course-set and provided club leadership in Orienteering since 1975. They have been key in establishing Orienteering as a community sport for all ages and provide pathways to elite competition. They have also ‘walked the talk’ winning numerous State and National Championships in their age classes and both have represented Australia at the Oceania Championships, not to mention participating in events in Slovenia (BUBO Cup), the French 5 Days, the Lakes and Welsh 5 Days, the Scottish 6 Days, the Fin 5 Days and Kainuu Week in Finland, and the World Masters in New Zealand, Latvia, Denmark and Lithuania, receiving awards in many of those events. Their life in Orienteering commenced south of Hobart in Tasmania in June 1975 on a black and white map (Tinderbox). They started their first Orienteering club as part of the Runners club in Burnie in November 1975, the second in South Australia and the third in NSW. They are still going strong in 2021.
Basil and Jean have promoted Orienteering to newcomers and developed the orienteering skills of the inexperienced from their first days in Orienteering in Tasmania. Their methods have ranged from informal and formal club-based coaching sessions to structured programs for both senior and junior age groups within and beyond the Orienteering community. Basil and Jean continue to make a sustained effort towards ensuring there are many Orienteering events suitable for all ages and abilities through Goldseekers Orienteers. This has required not only their direct involvement but also mentoring of other club members to extend the range and depth of skills associated with providing Orienteering events.
Basil and Jean have worked together not only in Orienteering but in their other major endeavour as farmers and horticulturists. They say that working together as a couple has been the most satisfying aspect of their lives.
Tinderbox event map 1975.
30 THE AUSTRALIAN ORIENTEER SEPTEMBER 2021
