The Orienteering Federation of Australia (OFA) was formed in April 1970 at the same time as the formation of the Victorian Orienteering Association (VOA). The intentions of having the OFA when there was only one state association were firstly, that a national body would be set up to communicate with the International Orienteering Federation (IOF); and secondly, that a “national body would provide a point of contact for and encourage the spread of orienteering to other states.” (1) Affiliation by OAWA was in April 1974, after NSW (early 1972), ACT (October 1971) and Tasmania (1973), with SA and Queensland affiliating later.
The assistance from the VOA, the OFA, and Tom Andrews firm (OSA) was given unconditionally. The situation was this: Gary Aitken had given an undertaking that the OAWA would join the OFA in April 1974. The OAWA, however, was an organisation only in mind, and in some newspaper articles, until August 1974 when it became an association of members as there were no clubs that were associated until 1978. So, as it appears this anomalous situation required some faith on the part of the OFA that whatever was sent to WA was being used to develop orienteering there and that there was no guarantee that a formal association would be constituted.
Gary Aitken was aware that he needed more information about running orienteering events. In April 1974 he wrote to the president of the VOA seeking more information. Gary also flew to Melbourne to attend an intervarsity athletics championships meet and with the intention of attending practice or competitive orienteering events conducted on the weekends of the 12th & 13th and the 19th & 20th of May. (2) Another request was for curriculum materials that could be used in schools. A large number of materials were sent as a consequence and these were used in developing materials for teachers in WA schools. The materials that were sent later in the year were Canadian Orienteering Service materials and handouts for course setting, sample maps and information on how to conduct events from the NSWOA and ACTOA.
Once the OAWA was formed in August 1974 and formally affiliated with the OFA it had obligations to the OFA in terms of affiliation fees, representation and contribution to the administration of orienteering in Australia through OFA committees. (1) Representation of state associations (by delegates) on OFA committees was called for when they were formed. The formation of OFA committees obliged state associations to have committees with similar functions thus the delegates would report back to their associations through their committees. A concern was raised that when decisions were to be made that delegates may vote according to their personal view and not reflect the views of the state committee. (3) The OFA Technical Committee was very influential as it determined how orienteering was run in Australia. The “rules” for orienteering events were not adhered to in early events so its first priority was to revise them and from there standardise competitions with regard to course setting (length, difficulty), develop guidelines for events such as championships, selection trials and Badge events, develop databases of performance of national events and finally liaise with international bodies on technical matters. (3) At the 28th of March 1975 OFA Council meeting, it was agreed to acknowledge performance in orienteering with a National Badge Scheme. The OFA Technical Committee drafted the rules for the Badge Scheme. These were open for consultation by state delegates and adopted. The effects of the National Badge Scheme were that it promoted uniformity in course setting and set consistent national levels that evaluated competitor performance by use of age classes and competition rules. (3)
The OFA was not well endowed with funds, however it was, by way of Australian Government grants, able to initiate some projects that were able to assist states in their development of orienteering. For instance, the tour by Swedish instructors in early 1975 was an OFA initiative that benefited OAWA immensely.
OFA arranged for Swedish orienteers Lars Sivars, Elsie Sivars, Kerstin Rosen, Peo Bengtsson and Roland Offrell to come out to Australia to conduct orienteering workshops on the long weekend from the 25th to the 27th of April 1975. The workshops were held at the Millgrove National Fitness Camp outside Melbourne. Gary Aitken and Eric Isaachsen represented WA. Sessions that were conducted were “Developing Orienteering in Schools”, “Practical Course Setting”, “Orienteering Techniques” and “Orienteering Promotion”. The workshops were not all hard work – there were competitions and social activities as well. (4) These seminars were the first of many that OAWA members have attended over the years. Access to these meetings was difficult because OAWA members had to find their own funds to attend the seminars unless they could schedule business meetings with clients in the eastern states that coincided with the seminars. (6)
References
(1) Hogg, David. “The Orienteering Federation of Australia – The First Five Years” April 1975 10pp.
(2) Aitken, Gary. Hand written draft of a letter to VOA, ca April 1974.
(3) OFA Technical Committee (David Hogg Chairman) Bulletin No3 March 1975.
(4) OFA National Workshop/Swedish Instructor’s Clinic 25 – 27 April 1975.
(5) Minutes of OFA Council Meeting held 16th April 1976.
(6) Newsletter #91 January 1986 p 3.
Photos: OWA juniors showing off Badges from OWA (black/yellow) and OFA (red/white with golden kangaroo) in 1988; and close-up of the OA badge. The badge has not changed in design since the scheme was set up in 1975 to promote uniformity in course setting across Australia. Click on the pictures to enlarge.
