eNewsletter 207 - Saturday 19th July, 2025
G'day fellow rogainers In this newsletter
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The 3/5-hour Nightgaine at Springwood, Sat 26th July
Entries close this Monday! Join us for the "Spring in the Woods" night rogaine to be held at Springwood. Expect lots of variety, including historic century-old bush tracks, and creeks & gullies featuring nocturnal wildlife such as bandicoots, glow worms, and eels. Final Instructions will be available on the Nightgaine event page from Tuesday. If you are a novice (or know members of a novice team), make sure all members of the team read the instructions, and that you get there early enough for the special novice briefing. This will have lots of extra information and tips to help you plan your first rogaine. More info for novices is on the website. Night safety: A condition of gaining approval from Blue Mountains City Council is that when you are on the road after dark you must utilise your head lamp and either wear a top with reflective material back and front or a high vis vest. Accordingly, please remember to bring this mandatory reflective gear. There may be a limited supply of reflective tape at the Hash House if you forget, but please don't depend on this. Finally, unless you are speedy, the glow worms are probably only in reach of a 5-hour team. But you can easily change your entry from a 3 to the 5-hour at no cost. đŸ,BanditđŸ,*** is utterly sniffed and is taking a well-earned break on the night.
More key info at a glance: There'll be overlapping 3 and 5-hour events.
Key Times
Course overview For novices and young families, there'll be a fun section along safe, easy to follow bush tracks that will still challenge you to pay attention! If youâre new to rogaining or looking for help with planning, suggested routes will be available to guide you. The main course features a super-loop trail along two creeks with the possibility of seeing glow worms, as well as other less travelled tracks and trails in bush areas and gullies behind local parks and reserves. Also, we have the rare privilege of accessing the extensive bushland grounds of St Columbaâs Catholic College, a Seminary from 1909 until 1977, and a High School since 1979. These grounds are usually not open to the public, so we are extremely grateful to be granted access for holding this event.
Whatever route you choose, with the bush tracks never being too far from civilization, this is an ideal location to try a nightgaine for the first time, or test your skills on some of the more challenging sections. Catering After the event, there'll be a sausage sizzle/BBQ at the Hash House thanks to the volunteers from St Columba's Catholic College, along with muffins, cup-a-soups, fruit, and tea, coffee, milo, and hot chocolate supplied by Stephen and Sally. Event related queries can be directed to: admin@nswroganing.org
A track probably more than 110 years old, and night-checking one of the controls. Why âA Spring in the Woodsâ? The earliest inhabitants of the Springwood district were the Darug people who populated the area for many thousands of years before European settlement. Beginning in 1789, several explorers passed through the area and a road was built under the direction of William Cox. In May, 1815, Governor and Mrs Macquarie set out with a large party on a twenty-one-day trip over the Western Road. One of the places chosen to make a camp is now called Springwood. Macquarie wrote in his diary: âWe then halted at three oâclock in a very pretty wooded plain near a spring of very good fresh water, and pitched our tent near the side of the road. This stage is 12 miles from Emu Ford and our first on the Mountains. This place being very pretty I have named it Spring Woodâ.
***Bandit is unfortunately not permitted to enter events or hang around with his pals at the Hash House ⊠snags everywhere, but not a morsel to snaffle. |
Next rogaine: the 33rd Lake Macquarie rogaine
Entries close Monday 4th August For your calendar: add event date & add closing reminder This years annual Lake Macquarie Rogaine will take place within sight of Newcastle in the vicinity of the iconic Mount Sugarloaf. Located on the northern end of the Watagans, it's only about 2 hours up the M1 from Sydney. It'll be a traditional bush event where you weave your way through a diverse sandstone landscape of beautiful rocky crags, gullies, waterfalls, wind caves, and pagodas, all the while enjoying spectacular coastal and valley views.
Expect open eucalypt woodland, paperbark stands, gullies of grass trees, ferns, and gymea lilies. Wildlife encountered while setting the course included many species of birds such as: crimson rosellas, black cockatoos, bower birds, wonga pigeons, and lyrebirds, plus small robins and finches, as well as wombats, echidnas and wallabies.
A long held tradition of this rogaine will be the on-course 'tea & damper' pit stop incorporating a range of refreshing drinks, as well as plenty of tasty cakes and energy-boosting sweets!
Check out some amazing on-course videos here, here and here (Facebook required). Rogaining is for all ages, navigational abilities, and fitness levels, from families walking with small children through to bushwalkers and champion runners. Our sport encourages the development of strategy and navigational skills, fitness, and the ability to work in a team. Key info at a glance: Choose between the ever-popular 6-hour event or the longer challenge of the 12-hour event, taking you from day to night:
Location of the Hash House will be confirmed by the time the Final Instructions are posted.
To get the most up to date info, including the Final Instructions available from Monday 4th August, see the event page on the website. A team finder service and info for novices can also be found on the website. Bert van Netten organised the first rogaine here in 1984. He has set numerous rogaines in the Watagans ever since, including this one. With experience like that, you won't be disappointed! Event related queries can be directed to: admin@nswroganing.org
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Uni team travel grants for the Intervarsity Championships
This year, the 2025 Australian Intervarsity Rogaining Championships will be held over 13-14th September in conjunction with the NSW Rogaining Championships at Mt Werong. Travel grants to assist the travel costs of a university team from NSW are available from the Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation (NAMSF). To be eligible for the grant, a team of up to 5 must all be enrolled at the same university. Interested NSW applicants should email the NSWRA at info@nswroganing.org as soon as possible. Selection will be based on rogaining experience and standing, with preference given to undergraduate full-time students. For more detail, visit the intervarsity home page on the Australian Rogaining Association website. Who was Nigel Aylott? Nigel got into rogaining through the Monash University Bushwalking Club, and won the World Rogaining Championships in 1998 and the Australian Rogaining Championships in 2000 and 2001. He was tragically killed in the 2004 Primal Quest race in Washington State after being hit by a large boulder dislodged at the top of a gully. The NAMSF was set up by his family to support the sports Nigel loved and gave so much to. |
Nightgaine trailer & general helpers needed - multiple roles
People to tow the trailers It's only a week until the nightgaine and we still don't have anyone to tow the trailes to and from the event. They are at Killara and need to go to Springwood and back. Even if you can do just one way that might work out. The return journey could also happen on Sunday if necessary. Our trailers are small enough to be towed by any conventional vehicle, are pre-loaded, and are very easily managed. Nightgaine general helpers We also need some more people to help at the event, particularly before the start! People are needed to help with parking directions, and at Admin during handing out of the maps. By helping out you can ensure the Nightgaine is a success, and for many on-the-day helper roles you can still compete in the event. Remember that, although the nights might be cold, the company you'll be keeping is warmer! If you're able to help, please drop an email to Robin - volunteer@nswrogaining.org or register to help here. (NSWRA celebrates its volunteers! Supporting our events earns you points toward free entry in a future rogaine. Earn 100 points and receive a free entry voucher. There is a volunteer rewards points table where you can monitor your progress toward a voucher. For more info see the Volunteer Rewards Policy.) |
2025 NSW rogaining calendarThe NSW calendar for 2025 is summarised below. Check it out or grab a flyer at the next event. An updated âfridge-friendlyâ printable calendar (pdf) is also available for download. Put these dates in your diary, but remember to check the website as there may be further changes.
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Some useful links |
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About NSWRA: The New South Wales Rogaining Association inc. (NSWRA) is the governing body of the sport of rogaining in the state of New South Wales.
We are incorporated under state law. ABN 15 314 080 648. © 2025 NSW Rogaining Association |