The 2021 ACT Rogaining Championships was held in the Abercrombie River National Park. The area features beautiful open bush with little scrub, tranquil watercourses, abundant wildlife, spectacular views, and possibly what it is best known for - steep climbs. With a small number of firetrails dispersed throughout the area, this will be a rogaine that tests your off-road navigation skills! The course has been designed with novice loops that use the well-defined features, and more challenging loops for those looking for a physical and navigational challenge. 

The starts of the 24 and 8 hour events will be staggered. The 8 hour event will be run from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm on Saturday, with the 24 hour event going from 12 pm to 12 pm as usual. Our permit allows a maximum of 300 people across both events so we will have to close entries early if this limit is reached.

Camping is available at the Hash House site on private property. You are welcome to camp on both the Friday and Saturday nights. Catering will not be available on the Friday night or Saturday morning so please be self-sufficient.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Final Instructions

Thank you for entering the ACT Rogaining 24 hour Championships or the 8 hour event. Team leaders, make sure that everyone on your team reads these instructions carefully.

COVID-19 Measures

• If you have recently returned from overseas, or if you have travelled from a known COVID-19 ‘hotspot’ without a designated period of quarantine/isolation; or if you are awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test; or if you are feeling unwell, or have flu-like symptoms, please stay home.
• We have tried to make this event as contact-free as possible. Gloved organisers will be handing out/collecting maps and tags with as few touches as possible. Please drop your team-numbered flight plan directly into the box provided. Touch points at the toilets will be cleaned regularly. Water drops will have hand sanitiser available - please use when you arrive and before you leave.
• Please maintain a safe 1.5m distance from other teams at all times - including while doing your route planning, at the briefings, at the start and finish, when approaching controls, when getting food, and during the award ceremony.
• We have made the Navlights hands-free by strapping them to the same feature as the control flag, mounted perpendicular to the feature and ready to use without needing to touch it with your hands - just present your Navlight wrist tag to the reader so the Navlight flashes in the usual way.

Indemnity Form

Please bring to the event a printed and completed indemnity form located here. Check the team list for your relevant event on the home page to ensure that all details for your team including category are correct. If incorrect, please contact the Event Coordinator prior to the event.

• Ensure that all team members sign a separate indemnity form. Parents or guardians must sign for people under 18. Also provide registration number(s) of your car(s) at the Hash House. Be sure to put your team number on the form.
• Present your completed indemnity form at the registration desk.
• Medical advice: All competitors should consider advising their partner of any pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, susceptibility to anaphylaxis) that may require first aid action on course. This should include a description of the symptoms, the required first aid action, and the location in their bag of any medication (such as sugar, Ventolin, epipen, antihistamines).

How to Get There

The Hash House is located on private property at the western entrance to the Abercrombie River National Park south of Abercrombie Firetrail. Camping will be available at the Hash House site on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Please bring these instructions with you to the rogaine. There will be limited rogaine signage to direct you the right way at intersections. Putting the end location into Google Maps will take you along a route that is slightly different to that described below and which has lots of aggressive potholes!

Travelling from Canberra

Allow 3.5 hours if travelling from the centre of Canberra (not including stops).

A google map with directions is here.

1. Travel to Goulburn and then to Taralga via Taralga Rd.
2. Continue on Taralga Rd for a further 29km. The road then crosses the Abercrombie River and becomes Abercrombie Rd. Continue on Abercrombie Rd for another 39.6km.
3. Turn left onto Isabella Rd. Continue for 3.4km.
4. Turn right to stay on Isabella Rd. Continue for 2.5km.
5. Turn left onto Arkstone Rd. Continue for 3.2km. You will come to a 4-way intersection which is where Arkstone Rd crosses The Blue Rd.
6. At the 4-way intersection, continue straight ahead to stay on Arkstone Rd. Continue for 14.9km.
7. Turn left onto Emden Vale Rd. Continue for 4.7km.
8. Turn left onto Abercrombie Firetrail, following the sign pointing to Abercrombie River National Park. Continue for 1.6km.

Travelling from Sydney

Allow 4 hours if travelling from the centre of Sydney (not including stops/traffic). You may want to check before you leave which way will be the quickest out of the route suggested below and a route that goes via Goulburn (described above – see “Travelling from Canberra”). It will depend on where in Sydney you are coming from.

A google map with directions is here.

1. Travel to Oberon and then to Black Springs via Abercrombie Rd.
2. Turn left to stay on Abercrombie Rd. Continue for 9.2km.
3. Turn right onto Isabella Rd Continue for 3.4km.
4. Turn right to stay on Isabella Rd. Continue for 2.5km.
5. Turn left onto Arkstone Rd. Continue for 3.2km. You will come to a 4-way intersection which is where Arkstone Rd crosses The Blue Rd.
6. At the 4-way intersection, continue straight ahead to stay on Arkstone Rd. Continue for 14.9km
7. Turn left onto Emden Vale Rd. Continue for 4.7km.
8. Turn left onto Abercrombie Firetrail, following the sign pointing to Abercrombie River National Park. Continue for 1.6km.

Registration, Map Availability, Start Times

The 24 hour event will commence by way of a mass start at 12:00pm sharp on Saturday 17 April, with a final briefing at 11:50am. Registration will open at 8:00am.

The 8 hour event will commence by way of a mass start at 11:30am sharp on Saturday 17 April (before the 24 hour event starts), with a final briefing at 11:20. Registration will open at 8:00am.

The staggered starts and early registration opening times are COVID-19 safety measures. If you have camped the night on Friday night, we encourage you to register and grab your maps at or soon after 8:00am, even if you are not quite ready to start route planning yet. 

One person only per team is to register and collect maps. That person will need to bring:

• The mandatory gear so that it can be checked (first aid kit, whistle, space blanket, head torch); see below for details, and
• One completed indemnity form per team member.

 

Electronic scoring

As this event is using the Navlight system of scoring, each team member will be issued with a wristband and tag upon registration.

You will also be given pre-marked maps, control descriptions, course setters’ notes and a small copy of the map to be used as a flight plan. We recommend that you arrive at least an hour prior to the start of the event to allow enough time for final preparations and route planning. Each team must mark their intended route on the flight plan and hand it in before starting. 

Map and Course Details

There will be one ~A2 map (594x420mm), 1:25,000 with 5 m contour interval. Magnetic north lines are marked on the map. Out of bounds areas are marked in purple shading. The course area contains mainly native bush with small areas of cleared land. The course setters’ notes and control descriptions have been printed on the back of the map. The altitude ranges from approximately 560m to 1030m.

The map is printed on Teslin paper which is very tough and generally does not need to be covered in contact.

The bush is generally very open with little undergrowth, although there are always exceptions to this. In particular, many of the river and creek beds are overgrown with tea tree and are quite scrubby. We recommend wearing knee length gaiters for protection against both the vegetation and snakes.

Water

Please bring enough water for Hash House use and for at least 6 hours on course. There are 4 water drops across the entire course area. At each water drop there is a pump that screws into the top of the water container to use. We do not recommend drinking any water from natural sources found on course without sterilisation. There is likely to be water in the larger creeks.

Camping

Camping is available at the Hash House on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Catering

Hartley Lifecare will provide meals from 5pm on Saturday until 1pm on Sunday. Please bring your own plate, bowl, cup, cutlery, water and chairs.

There is no all night café at this event, but the Hash House will be open all night.

Please Bring to the Event

• Completed indemnity form
• Map will be printed on Teslin waterproof paper with control descriptions on reverse side. Contact or map case optional.
• Coloured pens, pencils, scissors, highlighter pen, table and chairs or board for map preparation. The marquee will not be available for planning.
• Some food for before and/or during the event.
• Your own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery for catering.
• Water for your use at the Hash House and to start the event with (there is no running water at the Hash House site).
• Portaloos will be at the Hash House. You may like to bring your own hand sanitiser.

Carry on Course

Mandatory Equipment

• Whistle (per person)
• Basic first aid kit (that includes 2 compression bandages and 1 wound dressing) (per team)
• Space blanket (per person)
• Head torch (with spare batteries) (per person).

Other items we recommend that you carry/wear

• Food for the event
• Water for 6 hours
• Compass
• Gaiters – recommended for scrub/snake-bite protection
• Long trousers
• Watch
• Pen/pencil
• Mobile phone for emergencies
• Sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses
• Adequate warm clothes for the conditions (noting conditions can change quickly):
  • Raincoat, warm jacket
  • Thermals + a spare if it is wet
  • Gloves
  • Beanie.

Mobile Phone Coverage

Phone coverage is a bit patchy across the course, but ok on higher ground, mainly on the Telstra network. Please carry your phone for use in an emergency (remember, you can't use it for anything else such as taking photos or timekeeping).

The emergency phone number (Hash House number) is printed on the front of the maps. The Hash House number will be 0488 117 063.

Water drop 2 will have a phone for emergency use at the drop. You can use this to call the Hash House number in case of an emergency.

Restrictions

• No pets; no alcohol; no firearms; no fires
• No altimeters, pedometers or GPS-capable devices such as watches and smartphones.
• Sealable bags will be available from admin to carry GPS for logging or mobile phone for safety (turned off).
• Smartphones may be carried for emergency use only in sealed bag - they cannot be used for time-keeping or photography.

Summary of Event Rules and Scoring

• The only navigational aids permitted are the maps we provide together with your compasses.
• Teams consist of 2 to 5 competitors and must remain within earshot of each other at all times. All members must simultaneously get to within 5m of each control point.
• All team members must punch their Navlight tags at each control to score points.
• If a Navlight punch has failed, record the three letter code visible inside the end of the punch.
• Competitors must not enter out-of-bounds areas; gates must be left as found; stock must not be disturbed.
• The organisers may disqualify a team if it acts against these rules or against the spirit of the event.
• A team can retire a member at the Hash House. This will finish that team's event. A new team can form but it must start with zero score.
• Late Penalty: 10 points per minute (or part) late. Disqualification if more than 30 minutes late.
• If teams score equal points then the first team home will have a higher rank.

Presentation and Awards

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no printed results will be available on the day. Results will become available within a few days after the event.

Certificates will be awarded to the place-getters of most categories. If we decide to hold presentations they will take place around 30 minutes after the end of each of the 8 and 24 hour events.