Orienteering Queensland
Orienteering Queensland (OQ) is the state body responsible for the organisation and promotion of orienteering throughout Queensland. It is a sport of cross country navigation and it takes place in the bush as well as urban settings such as parks, university campuses and other open spaces, using specialised orienteering maps. Mountain bike orienteering makes use of forests with extensive track networks with introductory events taking place in more urban settings.
This website is designed to provide information for members and visitors about orienteering in Queensland.
Orienteering originated in Scandinavia, as a military exercise in the 19th Century. The competitive sport began in Sweden in 1919. It gained popularity with the development of more reliable compasses in the 1930s, and became an international phenomenon in the 1960s with its theme of an open-air competition and environmental awareness.
Today, more than 63 difference national orienteering federations are registered with the International Orienteering Federation (IOF), from every habitable continent. World championships are held annually (bi-annually before 2002), and orienteering is a sport in the World Games. The sport is dominated by the Nordic nations and Switzerland.
Areas used for orienteering include parks and forest reserves as well as private grazing land and bushland. Most orienteering events are held near Brisbane but clubs in Townsville, Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and the Southern Downs also organise regular activities. The list of coming events and directions to them may be obtained from the Events page or by contacting the club in your area. Directions to the events are signposted from the major roads. When you get to the event, go to the Registration and Information table for assistance.
For dedicated orienteers, there is the opportunity to travel interstate and overseas to the major state, national and international competitions. Talented juniors and elite competitors can strive to be selected to represent Australia at World Championships while those over 35 have the opportunity to compete at yearly World Masters Championships.
Comfortable, outdoor clothes and sturdy footwear such as joggers are adequate for those beginning orienteering. Remember to bring a hat, plus water and sunscreen if it is likely to be hot. Compasses may be borrowed at the event. In keeping with our policies and because of the requirements of many landholders, we do not allow smoking, dogs or the lighting of fires at our events. We also encourage our participants to be environmentally conscious at all times.
Don't worry if you have never read a map or used a compass before; the basic skills are easily learnt and experienced orienteers will be able to assist you at your first event.
Speak to the person at the registration table who can assist.
An orienteering map is a specially produced topographic map that shows a lot of detail and allows for precise bush navigation. Such maps depict natural features such as contours, watercourses, rock detail and vegetation as well as constructed features such as roads, building and power lines.
Many orienteering maps are produced at a scale of 1:15 000 (ie. 1cm on the map equals 150 m on the ground) and in detailed areas the scale is often 1:10 000. For park and school maps of smaller areas, the scale may be even larger eg 1:5000 enabling a lot of detail to be shown.
Most of the maps produced for orienteering are printed in colour, allowing a variety of features to be clearly shown.
For vegetation, the colours on the map indicate how "runnable" the terrain is from and orienteering perspective.
Contour lines join points of equal height above sea level and are used to depict the shape of the terrain. The height intervals between contours on a map are regular, usually 5m on most orienteering maps. The shape and the position of the contours indicate the shape of the ground. Contours relatively far apart, show gently sloping ground while those close together indicate steeper ground. Topographic features such as spurs, gullies and saddles have their own contour patterns which experienced orienteers can understand and use to help them to navigate. Sometimes slope lines (small tags on the contours) are used to indicate the downhill side of the contour. Form lines (indicated as dashed brown lines) may be used to show distinctive land shapes eg. small knolls between the contour lines.
In the margin of the map is a scale bar from which you can measure distances on the map. The legend shows the internationally accepted symbols used for the various features on the map. The grid lines with arrows on the top of the map indicate magnetic north. Orienteering maps are always produced with the top of the map aligned to magnetic north.
A range of courses are provided at most events and these are colour coded to indicate their navigational difficulty. Course lengths vary depending on the nature of the terrain and are aimed at achieving a recommended winning time.
The easiest course, and usually 1-2 km in length. The course generally follows easily identifiable, linear features (known as handrails) such as tracks, fences and well defined water courses. This is the best course for younger children and those beginners not familiar with map reading and navigation. The use of a compass is not required to be able to complete this level of course. Controls are on easy to see features and will be placed on the route where a change of direction is required eg. fence corner, track junction.
This course requires slightly harder navigation as it encourages participants to take some simple, off track route choices to their next control or to follow a more indirect route using handrails. Major contour features such as gullies and spurs may be used as handrails. Controls are sited on obvious features close to handrails. Limited use of a compass is required. These courses are usually 1.5-2.5km in length.
These courses have a moderate standard of navigation, requiring cross-country route choices but with good attach points (an obvious feature close to the control) and catching linear features such as fences, tracks and creeks that will "pull you up" if you have gone too far. The use of a compass and the ability to be able to read a map is necessary to be able to successfully complete this course.
Known as the hard courses, they are the most technically difficult and require advanced map reading and navigational skills. Controls are generally sited on smaller features, away from obvious handrails and collecting features, with a variety of route choice options frequently offered. The use of a compass and good map reading skills are essential to be able to complete these courses.
Adults who are familiar with map reading eg. from bushwalking, can usually go straight to a Green or Orange standard course, but for children and those with no map reading experience, it is better to choose a Blue course to begin with. Competitors may advance from one level of the course to the next as they learn the basic map reading and navigational skills and successfully complete the easier courses and gain confidence.
Within the Orange and Red standards, a number of courses may be offered. These will vary in length to suit different age groups and standards of fitness as well as the type of terrain, but it will be the same degree of technical difficulty. The shortest Red course, which is aimed at being suitable for older orienteers along with those progressing from Orange standard, would generally aim to avoid steeper areas or those containing thicker vegetation and rough terrain. It may also use control features that are easier to read on the map. In fast, open forest, the longest Red course may be over 15km long while the shortest one may be 2-3km in length.
Other features to look at for determining the right course for you is the "climb" on the course. This is the indication of how steep the area is and is noted on the course description. It is calculated by measuring the amount of climb involved in the optimum route choice for that that course, and is usually expressed in meters. In some cases it may also be indicated as a percentage of the course distance. Generally, most course setters try to avoid setting courses of over 3% climb.
If this is your first event or you are not sure what to do, please go to the Registration / Information / Novice area for assistance in getting started. A sign will be on display to indicate what courses are on offer for the day. You will need to choose a suitable course depending on your ability. Once you have decided, select the associated control descriptions for that course. This lists the information about the controls you will have to visit on that course, ie. A description of the feature you are looking for as well as the number on the control flag that marks that feature.
For Blue, Green and Orange course, these descriptions will be written in English. The Red courses will use the international symbols modified for Australia.
You will need to complete a control card. On the reverse side is a series of boxes corresponding to the controls you will visit on your course. These boxes are used to record the control sites you have visited. The card also provides information for the event organiser such as you start and finish time so that your elapsed time may be calculated. It is important to complete both sections of this card as the tear off slip at the bottom enables the organiser to check that all competitors have returned safely. Fill in all the information that you can on the card. Some of the information required on the card may only be relevant to members.
Once you have selected a suitable course, completed the control card and taken a copy of the appropriate control descriptions, go to the registration table to pay your entry fee. You will then be given a copy of the map being used for that days event. When you are ready, make your way to the Start.
The start of the event may be some distance from the registration area, so before you set off, check that you have:
The route to the start will be indicated by signs and/or streamers.
At the start, wait behind the sign indicating your course for the start official to allocate you a start time and write it on your control card. Competitors doing the same course are separated by at least two minute intervals to minimise following. While you are learning about the sport, you may go around a course with a friend or family members if you wish.
Once the start calls out the start times or the clock sounds its long beep, move to the master maps and copy your course carefully on to your blank map. Some local events you may be able to mark you map prior to being allocated a start time. Please check at the event as to what process will be used on the day. For major competitions such as a Badge Event or State Championships, a pre-marked and bagged map will be provided for each competitor.
On the master map, a red triangle indicates the start of the course. The position of each control is depicted by a red circle and the finish is marked by a double circle. The numbers beside each circle indicate the order in which you must visit the controls. This order corresponds with the order on your control description list.
Once you have marked up the course on to your map, leave the Start area and decide how to navigate to your first control.
Control sites are marked by orange and white, triangular markers, called flags. These are often hung from trees and bushes, generally 1m off the ground. The control number may be found on the side of these flags. In major competitions, the flags may be hung from metal stands, in which case the control number will be found on the side of the stand.
Flags have plastic punches attached to them which are used to mark the relevant box on the control card. Each flag has a different patterned punch and this is used to indicate that you have visited the correct control site. When stands are used the punch is found on the top of the stand.
You must visit the controls in their listed order.
When you get to the control, check that the feature and code number on the control flag or stand match your control description list. If you are sure it is the control on your course, use the punch on the stand or on the control to punch the corresponding numbered square on your control card.
Move a short distance away from the control site and then plan your route to the next control.
If you are uncertain where you are:
As you pass the Finish banner, your time will be recorded and written on your control card which is handed to the finish officials. The card will then be checked to see that all the controls on your course have been visited.
Even if you have not completed your course, you must report to the Finish area so the event organiser knows that you have returned safely. You should ensure that you return no later than 3 hours after you started or a search will be mounted.
Provisional results for the event are displayed in the assembly area. Final results are published on the Orienteering Queensland website and distributed with the quarterly newsletter Orienteering On The Go
You might like to discuss any problems you had on your course with a more experienced orienteer or coach so that you can learn from your mistakes. Keep your map so that you can study it and perhaps draw in the route that you took between controls. You may be able to see a better route choice than the one you took.
General information can be found in our starter pack booklet please click here to download. (pdf 725kb)
Most clubs have a library of orienteering books, magazines and videos available for loan to members. Ask your club librarian or secretary what is available or you may like to purchase some of the following books yourself.
Please contact Qld Coaching Director for further information.