Chapter 12: A close-up look at Orienteering Daytime Events Aug – Dec 1974

Event #6: 11^th August 1974

This event occurred on a Sunday. Advertising in The West Australian on the 9^th of August informed the reading public of the upcoming event together with predictions of men’s and women’s winners and the names of the elected Executive of the newly formed OAWA.

Again, at JFNP, the A course of length of 4.2 km and 11 controls and the B course 2.2 km and 7 controls were set by Trevor O’Sullivan and vetted by Eric Isaachsen the newly elected Secretary and President of the OAWA. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of whether the predictions were correct.

After the event, photographs sent to the Stirling Standard identified some happy orienteers enjoying their experiences at John Forrest National Park.

Event #7: 25^th August 1974

Somerville Pine Plantation was the venue for this event. It is most likely that Pat Murray was its organiser and setter.

The A course was 6.8 km long and 12 controls with the B course 4.3 km long with 8 controls. The results of the Orienteering Association of WA event at SPP were truthfully reported in The West Australian.

Event #8: 8^th September 1974

This event was set with JFNP Tavern as the assembly point by Steven Vinicombe and Peter Johns. The vetter was Peter Green. They set two courses, the A course was 5.8 km and 11 controls whilst the B course was 3.3 km and 8 controls.

A map and clue sheet survive from this event. The A course was drawn up on the map by a competitor using small red circles, each circle being numbered with the control number. Because the person who used this map had to draw up their course after the time clock was started, they wanted to complete the marking in the shortest time possible. The lines showing the legs between controls have not been marked. The start and finish also seem to be missing.

Event #9: 22^nd September 1974

Very little information has been retained about this event. Basically what is known is that is was held at the Somerville Pine Plantation. It is assumed that it was organised by Pat Murray and involved the Balga (Bentley?) Senior High School PE department.

Event #10: 6^th October 1974

Another event at JFNP was organised by Gary Aitken who was forever on the lookout for publicity. The event on October 6^th 1974 “was filmed in colour by ABW Channel 2. It was shown on television on the 19^th March 1975 at 6.55pm as part of Dr Frank Pyke’s (PE Faculty Uni of WA) series “Man on the Move”. (1) 

The Silver Guilder No. 24 newsheet proclaimed: “Orienteering Sunday, October 6^th will dawn a clear day for the next event at John Forrest National Park, where all television star aspirants will gather for the ABC filming of the season’s tenth event.” (2) “Channel 2 are to film parts of the season’s No. 10 event at the John Forrest National Park. Photography will be in colour. The film on Orienteering will be one of a series on recreational activities that eventually (date to be advised later) will be shown in a nightly 5 minute segment before the 7.00pm news. The series are being made in conjunction with Dr Frank Pyke, Physical Education lecturer from the University of WA. All the star positions have been filled. Vacancies exist for hundred extras! When under the scrutiny of the lens remember to look and act genuinely LOST!!” (2) 

Four courses (A, B, C and D) were set for the 6^th of October event. They started from a gravel pit off the park road west of the dam. The A course was about 8 km long with 9 controls.

Event #11: 20^th October 1974

In late 1974 events were still being held using the original maps. For instance, August 11^th JFNP, August 25^th SPP, September 8^th JFNP, September 22^nd SPP and October 6^th JFNP. However, for the October 20^th event a 1:5000 map of Yanchep Golf Course was made in which metal controls were welded to star pickets. This publicity exercise was part of an arrangement that Gary Aitken had made with the developers. The map was field-worked by Aitken and Eric Isaachsen in August 1974 so the October 20^th event could be run. This map would become a TRIM (permanent) course in subsequent years.

References
(1) OAWA “Filming by Channel 2 – Sunday October 6^th”
(2) Mason, Tim (Editor) Silver Guilder No 24 News Sheet of the Guild of Undergraduates October 1974

Photos: (from top to bottom) Advertising of Event #6 in The West Australian; Photographs of orienteers at event #6 published in the Stirling Standard; Results of event #7 reported in The West Australian; A map and clue sheet from event #7 at JFNP; Map of Yanchep Golf Course produced for event #11. Click on the pictures to enlarge.