Final Instructions

Thank you for entering the Australasian Rogaining Championship 2025: Murrumbidgee Wayfaring on 15-16 March 2025. Team leaders, make sure that everyone on your team reads this whole document carefully.

Indemnity Form

Please bring to the event a printed and completed indemnity form located here.

https://act.rogaine.asn.au/images/ACTRA_INDEMNITY_AND_RELEASE_standard.pdf

Check the team list for your relevant event on the home page to ensure that all details for your team including category are correct. If incorrect, please contact the Event Contact (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) prior to Friday 14 March.

• Ensure that all team members sign a separate indemnity form. Parents or guardians must sign for people under 18. Also provide registration number(s) of your car(s) at the Hash House. Be sure to put your team number on the form.
• Present your completed indemnity form at the registration desk.
• Medical advice: All competitors should consider advising their partner of any pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, susceptibility to anaphylaxis) that may require first-aid action on course. This should include a description of the symptoms, the required first-aid action, and the location in their bag of any medication (such as sugar, ventolin, epi-pen, anti-histamines). Please let your partner know if you may be allergic to stings from European wasps and what they should do.

How to Get There

The Hash House is located at Coonbil Hut Campground, Long Plain, Kosciuszko National Park.

From Canberra: Follow the Monaro Highway to Cooma. On the south side of Cooma, take the Snowy Mountains Highway signposted to Adaminaby and Tumut. Follow the highway through Adaminaby and into Kosciuszko National Park. From Kiandra travel 18.6 kilometres before turning right into Long Plain Road, signposted on the highway. This has a rock wall on either side of the road as you turn off, just before it becomes a gravel road. We will have a rogaine sign here. Travel approximately 13 kilometres on this road until the signposted access road to Cooinbil Hut campground.  NOTE: a shorter route is via Boboyan Road heading south from Tharwa. This is a gravel road and timewise takes just as long as via Cooma. We recommend coming via the highway.

From Sydney: Take the Hume Highway to South Gundagai. Take the GoCup Road to Tumut. From Tumut, take the Snowy Mountains Highway for 75 km. Turn left into Long Plain Road, signposted on the highway. This has a rock wall on either side of the road as you turn off, just before it becomes a gravel road. We will have a rogaine sign here. Travel approximately 13 kilometres on this road until the signposted access road to Cooinbil Hut campground.

From Melbourne: Take the Hume Highway to Tarcutta (don't go into Tarcutta). 17 km further on the Hume Highway, take the exit at Mt Adrah on B72. B72 takes you through Adelong to Tumut, approx 46 km. From Tumut, take the Snowy Mountains Highway for 75 km. Turn left into Long Plain Road, signposted on the highway. This has a rock wall on either side of the road as you turn off, just before it becomes a gravel road. We will have a rogaine sign here. Travel approximately 13 kilometres on this road until the signposted access road to Cooinbil Hut campground.

Location access:

Direction signs will be put out from the Snowy Mountains Highway from lunchtime Friday.

You do NOT need a NSW National Parks Pass for the northern end of Kosciuszko National Park, where we will be for this event.

We strongly recommend arriving at the Hash House in daylight. There are many animals on the road in the national park and surrounding areas, including kangaroos, horses and wombats. Hitting one of these animals will put an expensive dent in your vehicle at best or possibly a nasty accident.

A request for people driving to the Hash House from Canberra later on Friday. We have the event bus picking up people from the airport at 2:15 pm. It is possible that there may be people on flights that have long delays. If you have a spare seat or two and could give a lift to someone off a delayed flight can you please let Ron know via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Registration, Map Availability, Start Times

Registration will be open at the following times for registration:

Friday 6-8 pm

Saturday 7-8:45 am and from 9 am until event start (12 noon) if you can't get to the HH before map give-out at 9 am.

To register, only one team member needs to be present, but you must have all indemnity forms and compulsory gear. Otherwise, your other team person will need to show this later to be able to get navlight tags. You will need to show us the compulsory gear (also listed later in the document):

• Indemnity form per person,
• whistle
• first aid kit which must contain two compression/snake bite bandages,
• a space blanket per person,
• beanie/buff, gloves, thermal top and bottom and waterproof jacket per person
• head torch

On registration you will receive a map token, navlight tags (don’t lose these if you register on Friday night), bees wax wrap per person, micropur tablets for water purification (5 L per person).

NOTE: With your navlight tags we will be using material wristbands. Please do not trim the tails on these as there is a risk of fraying the material. They are quite soft so the tails should not bother you.

Maps will be available from Saturday 9 am.

Maps will have control descriptions and course setter’s notes on the back. You will also receive a small copy of the map to be used as a flight plan.

A flight plan is compulsory to fill in with your proposed route so we know where to start searching for you if you don’t return. However, you do NOT have to stick to the proposed route. Your flight plan must be handed in before the start.

Electronic scoring: As this event is using the Navlight system of scoring, each team member will be issued with a wristband and tag upon registration.

Map and Course Details

The map is 650x500 mm, 1:25,000 with a 5 m contour interval. Magnetic north lines are marked on the map. The course setters notes and control descriptions have been printed on the back. The map is printed on Teslin paper which is waterproof and very tough.

The course elevation range is about 400 m, all over 1250 m. The weather in March can be mild to very cold, especially if there is a rain, wind or a clear night. At Kiandra the long-term average is 17.8°C maximum and 4.0° C minimum. However, the forecast temperatures will be a better guide – check these out a few days before the event. A clear night may also bring with it frost and/or fog on the plains.

The weather forecast is for warm to hot conditions, likely over 25 degrees with overnight minimum above 10 degrees.

The area is a mix of open grassy plains and bushy areas. We recommend people wear gaiters and long pants.

Water

Please bring enough water for Hash House use and to start with. We suggest enough for at least 4 hours on course - with the warm conditions forecast at least 3 litres carrying capacity is suggested. There are five water drops on course. At each water drop there is a pump that screws into the top of the water container to use.

The water drops are not evenly spread across the course because of what we are able to access by vehicle. However, there are a number of creeks with good water supply. We do not recommend drinking any water found on course without sterilisation and will provide each person with Puritabs for 5 litres of water.

We recommend you carry a second bottle or water bladder to enable you to have water to drink while you wait the 30 minutes after you put in a sterilisation tablet.

Camping

At the Hash House site there are grassy areas to camp on.

There are drop toilets (we will also have portaloos). There are no picnic tables, BBQs or other infrastructure so please be self-contained if possible. We will have two communal fire drums for people to sit around on Saturday evening. No other campfires are allowed during the event.

The campsite is used regularly by horse trucks and trailers, so you are welcome to bring a campervan or caravan. There is approximately 14km of well-maintained gravel road from the Snowy Mountains Highway to the campsite.

Some water will be available at the Hash House for those travelling by bus or unable to bring containers (e.g. flying in from interstate). If you are coming by car, please bring sufficient water for your needs (we suggest 10 litres per person). There will be a large marquee with some tables and chairs for meals and pre-event planning but if you are coming by car, please bring your own chairs and table if possible.

If you wish to have more salubrious accommodation please see the website for a few suggestions: https://arc2025.rogaining.au/about-event/accommodation-and-catering

Food

Please be self-sufficient with food and drinks from when you arrive until 5 pm Saturday. BYO camping stove for hot water and cooking. For those arriving by bus, we will have some gas rings available Friday night and Saturday morning. Please bring your pots.

ACTRA will provide food during the event and a lunch immediately after the finish. Please bring your own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery. Food will be available at approximately the following times.

We will have hot and cold drinks available at all times: tea (black, green, herbal), instant coffee, milo, sugar, milk (cow, soy, oat), water and cordial.

Fruit, cake and biscuits will also be available most of the time.

We will have options for gluten free and dairy free people. Please talk to Leanne at the Hash House if you have a food allergy or intolerance and are not sure whether a food is suitable for you to eat.

There will be fruit placed at water drops. Please treat the fruit as a nice bonus as we will not be able to guarantee there will be fruit there when you arrive.

There is NO all night café on course.

Other Information

A large marquee with some tables and chairs will be available for planning. We expect there will be enough tables and chairs for everyone who wants to use them, but we will give priority to the people who have come by bus for their use.

European wasps are present on the course. They nest in the ground and the nests are hard to see (really only a concentration of wasps entering a small hole). You will know about it if you step on one though, and wasp stings can be painful. If you know you are allergic to European wasp stings, please make sure you bring what medications you require (e.g. antihistamines, EpiPens).

Rabbit control. National Parks are undertaking rabbit control this week. It is not very likely, but if you come across carrots on the course, please do NOT touch these. They are not hazardous to people but they shouldn't be disturbed.

Please Bring to the Event

• completed indemnity form
• Coloured pens, pencils, scissors, highlighter pen, table and chairs or board for map preparation.
• Food and water for before and while on course during the event.
• Your own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery for catering.
• Water for your use at the Hash House and to start the event with (there is no running water on site).
• Camping equipment
• Warm clothes and sunscreen (it’s March in the high country so can be cold but the UV is still intense)
• Portaloos and long-drop toilets will be at the Hash House. You may like to bring your own hand sanitiser.

Carry on Course

Mandatory Equipment

• Whistle (per person)
• Space blanket or bag (per person)
• Basic first aid kit that includes 2 compression/snake bite bandages (per team)
• Head torch (per person)
• Beanie/buff and gloves (per person)
• Thermal top and bottom (per person)
• Waterproof jacket (per person)

Other items we recommend that you carry/wear

• food for the event
• water for 4hours on course
• compass
• gaiters – recommended for scrub/snake-bite protection
• long trousers – recommended for scrub protection
• non-GPS capable watch
• pen/pencil
• Personal Locator Beacon (PLB)
• Mobile phone for emergencies
• Sunscreen, sun-hat, sunglasses
• Fleece jumper or equivalent
• Spare thermals and waterproof trousers if it is forecast to rain

Mobile Phone Coverage

Mobile phone coverage is non-existent to one or two bars of Telstra across the course. It is worth carrying a phone just in case you can get a message out in an emergency. You will need to place your phone in a sealed bag that we will provide for the duration of the event.

The Hash House number will be 0416 218 861and is printed on the map. Save it into your phone now too.

We strongly recommend carrying your Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on the course if you own one.

Restrictions

• No GPS capable devices, including watches or phones. If you don’t have an old-style non-smart watch please buy one before the event.
• No other maps of the area are allowed at the Hash House or on course.
• No pets.

Summary of Event Rules and Scoring

Rogaining rules can be found at https://rogaine.asn.au/documents/rules-and-standards/rules-of-rogaining-and-technical-regulations-2023

• The only navigational aids permitted are the maps we provide together with your compasses.
• Teams consist of 2 to 5 competitors and must remain within earshot of each other at all times. All members must simultaneously get to within 5m of each control point.
• All team members must punch their Navlight tags at each control to score points.
• If a Navlight punch has failed, record the three letter code visible inside the end of the punch.
• The organisers may disqualify a team if it acts against these rules or against the spirit of the event.
• A team can retire a member at the hash house. This will finish that team's event. A new team can form but it must start with zero score.
• Late Penalty: 10 points per minute (or part) late. Disqualification if more than 30 minutes late.
• If teams score equal points then the first team home will have a higher rank.

Presentation and Awards

Category winners will be awarded with perpetual trophies.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category and certificates to the place-getters of categories.

Presentations will take place around 45 minutes after the end of the event.

Event volunteers

If you have queries contact the Event Contact listed below.

Event sponsors

Thank you to Paddy Pallin for sponsoring this event. Please consider Paddy Pallin when you next are looking to purchase a compass, gaiters or other rogaining gear.