Sometime in November 1973 Pat Murray suggested to Gary Aitken that because of the high daytime temperatures night events would be more applicable than day events in the Western Australian summer. It appears that the suggestion was taken up readily. Overall, six events were conducted between December 1973 and April 1974.
The first night event
Gary Aitken planned for an event to be held at Kings Park near Saw Avenue on the 23rd of December. Aitken worked hard to publicise orienteering events. He called on a reporter at The West Australian, Bevan Eakins, a Hale Old Boy and one of Aitken’s ex-students whom he asked to write an article on orienteering to appear in the morning paper on the morning of the event. (1) (3) The article was essentially written by Aitken and, in his style, outlined a history of the sport, how to do it, and where the event was to be held that night. Aitken had flyers sent out to UAAC members and this produced a good turnout. Aitken wrote a letter to Kings Park Board seeking permission to hold the event near the Saw Avenue entrance. The Board was under the impression that people were undertaking a bushwalk and a map and compass exercise. (4)
Aitken’s warning on the flyer and on the control clue sheet that competitors act responsibly was very timely, and it is interesting that for the next twenty years orienteers have been asked only to leave their footprints. The event was a score event with sixteen controls to be visited within sixty minutes. The time was significant because the Kings Park Board only allowed the competition until 8.00pm. (4)
Why did Aitken choose to run an orienteering event so close to Christmas? The reason for this is that Aitken chose nights of the full moon to increase visibility. Competitors had to supply their own food and utensils for a barbecue, carry a plastic torch for navigation, wear a watch and have a whistle (safety regulation). Plastic you ask? Yes, a metal torch may affect the compass needle! The cost of the event was 50 cents per competitor. As well as competing alone, competitors could go in twos or threes. (5)
Subsequent events
The subsequent night events were held in 1974. Event #2 on the 20th of January was held also held in Kings Park but this time at Fraser Avenue. For the record the 20th of January was NOT the night of the full moon! No maps of these Kings Park events survive but we have a “clue sheet” that tells us that there were 16 controls to be collected in a time of 90 minutes. It appears that Gary Aitken was the organizer. No records survive of winners and their scores and times.
Event #3 was also held in Kings Park at Lovekin Drive on the 17th of February. Again 16 controls were to be found in 90 minutes. It appears that again Gary Aitken was the organizer of this event.
On the night of the 17th of March Event #4 was held in North Perth on a street map drawn by Pat Murray, centering on Hyde Park. There were 17 controls on offer with a 75-minute time limit. The controls used were markers hand made by Pat’s wife Pam Murray. They were hand painted in red and white and a notice printed using the Gestetner process was sticky-taped to the control asking members of the public not to interfere with it.
Three of these controls have survived - an example is shown in Chapter 4.
Event #5 returned to Kings Park. This event was held in May Drive near Bovell’s Kiosk which was east across the lake from the current Zamia Restaurant. There were 17 controls on offer with a 90-minute time limit.
Again, it appears that Gary Aitken was the organizer.
Event #6 on the night of the 21st of April was held on a map of McGillvray Oval, Shenton Park drawn by Eric Isaachsen. This map survives (photo on right)! The event organized by Isaachsen used 16 controls and orienteers were given 75 minutes.
References
(1) Telephone interview with Gary Aitken, August 2006
(2) Interview with Eric Isaachsen August 2006
(3) Eakins, Bevan. “It’s cunning stuff, this orienteering”, Weekend News, Saturday December 1, 1973. (p31)
(4) Wycherley, P. R. Letter to Gary Aitken, 7th December 1973
(5) Aitken, Gary. “Night Time – Score Orienteering”, 2nd December 1973. (Publicity Flyer for Event 23rd December) 1pp
Photo: McGillvray Oval Map. Click on map to view larger version.
