Rogaining Tasmania
From the President’s desk
Happy New Rogaining-Year.
The big event on the 2019 calendar, which I’m sure you are all training for, is the Australasian Championships which Rogaining Tasmania will be hosting on the weekend of 9-10 November. Planning is well underway for the Binalong Day And Night Rogaine. Bernard Walker has put in a huge effort to improve the base-map beyond what we get from government-supplied data. In particular, he has been examining aerial photography in fine-detail to get the tracks and varied vegetation correct as possible. His computer has been glowing red-hot from processing LiDAR data to generate accurate contours. Event Director Peter Tuft reports that some key volunteer positions are still vacant. We need people for hash house and campsite logistics, assistance with the catering at the All-Night Café (a second hash house), and an experienced first aid officer. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to assist.
Mountain Bike Orienteering – 3 March 2019
All rogainers who have enjoyed an MTBNav are invited to a mountain bike orienteering event under the auspices of Orienteering Tasmania (OT) to be held on Sunday 3 March 2019 near Karanja in the Derwent Valley.
Participants will ride solo, and need to complete a set course by visiting controls in the order stipulated on the map. A compass is not required, although a means of carrying the map on the bike is needed.
Start at any time between 10 am and 11 am, and finish before course closure at 1 pm. Entry cost for an adult who is a casual member of OT is $16 including the hire of an e-Stick - an e-Stick is compulsory for every rider.
There are four courses available, all with similar, relatively simple navigation on gravel roads and 4WD tracks with only a little climb. Shorter courses follow the easier riding terrain. All courses require at least basic confidence in riding a mountain bike off road - the event is unsuitable for very young riders.
- Long Course – 22.6 kms with 20 controls.
- Medium Course – 16.8 kms with 14 controls.
- Short Course – 12.5 kms with 12 controls.
- Very Short Course – 7.5 kms with 7 controls.
So organisers know how many maps to print, please email Mark Hey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by COB Tuesday 26 February 2019 with name(s) and course(s). Payment (cash only) on the day at the event.
More information: https://tasorienteering.asn.au/events/2019-events , or contact Mark Hey on 6272 7233.
Bangor 3 - winners report
2018 was a good year for us: six 24-hour rogaines (including the 29 hour Bush Search and Rescue NSW Navshield). It was going to be five, ending with the NZ Champs in Dunedin, but with the horrible weather combined with the rugged terrain it turned into the toughest we’ve ever done. Back in Sydney two days later, still bummed with our performance, we made a last-minute decision to enter ‘Return of the Oysters Rogaine’ the following weekend.
24hr event winners Toni Bachvarova and Andrew Smith
We flew to Hobart after work Friday night, had a comfortable sleep in a lovely B&B in Sorell, picked up some treats from the Dunalley bakery Saturday morning.
Bangor 3 – Return of the Oysters Event Write-up
The nostalgia I had felt about returning to Bangor after events in ‘98 and ‘03 had nearly entirely evaporated as I stepped on or near my tenth snake for the day with no water left, and another five checkpoints to hang. The beauty of the northern farmland and the beaches a distant memory as I pushed on through the scrub in the south. Looking at the map on the kitchen table it all seemed so straight forward…

Bangor 3 - Return of the Oysters Rogaine – Forestier Peninsula
December 1st saw competitors head to the Bangor farm to revisit an area previously used in 1998 & 2003 to compete in either the 24 hour, roving 15-hour event and 6-hour events.
The course saw those entered taking in scenic soaring coastal cliffs, beaches, historic monuments, broad acre paddocks, the occasional burnt out Hyundai Excel, and if they got your timing right, a cheeky stop for oysters and coffee. The link to the event results is below.
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