
Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigate across unfamiliar terrain. It is an outdoor sport that exercises both the mind and body and is suitable for all ages. While the sport is most popular in Scandinavia, it is also practised in other parts of the world, including Australia. Orienteering Australia, the national organisation governing the sport, was founded in 1970 and joined the International Orienteering Federation the same year. The sport has since grown in popularity in the country, with Australia producing individual world champions such as Johanna Allston.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding date of Orienteering Australia | 1970 |
| Year Orienteering Australia joined the International Orienteering Federation | 1970 |
| Year Australia first participated in the World Orienteering Championships | 1972 |
| Year the World Championships were held in Bendigo, Australia | 1985 |
| Individual world champion from Australia | Johanna Allston |
| Format that originated in Australia | Large-scale, endurance-style version of a Score-O, known as a rogaine |
| Typical locations for orienteering | Wild terrain, forest, open fell, heathland, moorland, towns |
| Orienteering Australia's publication | The Australian Orienteer |
| Organisations responsible for governing, organisation and promotion of orienteering in Australia | Orienteering Australia, International Orienteering Federation |
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What You'll Learn

Orienteering Australia
Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain while moving at speed. The sport originated as a training exercise in land navigation for military officers and has since developed into many variations, with foot orienteering being the oldest and most popular. Other variations include mountain biking, sprinting, and park/street orienteering.
In Australia, orienteering events can take place in a variety of settings, from the Aussie bush to urban areas. The format of rogaining, which stands for Rugged Outdoor Group Activity Involving Navigation and Endurance, originated in Australia and typically involves teams competing in events lasting 24 hours in a very large area. Orienteering Australia is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in the sport, with policies and procedures in place to address risks and establish a child-safe culture.
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Australian World Champions
Orienteering Australia, the national organisation responsible for the governing, organisation, and promotion of orienteering in Australia, was founded in 1970 and joined the International Orienteering Federation the same year. Australia participated in the World Orienteering Championships for the first time in 1972, and the 1985 World Championships were held in Bendigo, Australia.
Australia has achieved success in the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) World Championships, Junior World Championships, World Cup, and World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships. Johanna Allston is an individual world champion from Australia, winning a gold medal in sprint in 2006. She also won the middle distance in the World Games in 2009.
In 2006, Hanny Allston (TAS), Jo Allison (ACT), and Grace Elson (Crane) (TAS) achieved 4th place in the Relay event in Arhus, Denmark. Hanny Allston also placed 6th in the long-distance event in Aichi, Japan, in 2005. In 2001, Grant Bluett (NSW), Troy de Haas (VIC), Tom Quayle (ACT), and Rob Walter (ACT) placed 6th in the Relay event in Tampere, Finland. In 1997, a team consisting of Jo Allison (ACT), Nicki Taws (VIC), Emily Viner (Walter) (VIC), and Alix Young (WA) placed 6th in the Relay event in Grimstad, Norway. In 1981, Jenny Bourne (ACT), Sue Key (Neve) (VIC), Madeleine Sevior (VIC), and Christine Watson (Marshall) (TAS) placed 6th in the Relay event in Thun, Switzerland.
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Orienteering's Origins
Orienteering, or "orientering" as it was originally known, began in Sweden in the late 19th century. The term was first used in 1886 at the Swedish Military Academy Karlberg and referred to the crossing of unknown land with the aid of a map and a compass. It was first used as military training, before becoming a competitive sport for military officers and then civilians. The first orienteering competition was held for Swedish military officers in 1893, and the first civilian competition was held in Norway in 1897. The sport gained popularity in the 1930s with the invention of inexpensive yet reliable compasses, and by 1934, over a quarter of a million Swedes were participating.
In the 1930s, orienteering spread to Finland, Switzerland, the Soviet Union, and Hungary. Finland, Norway, and Sweden established national championships. After World War II, the sport spread further to Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania. In 1959, an international orienteering conference was held in Sweden, with representatives from 12 countries. This led to the founding of the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) in 1961 by orienteering organizations from 10 European nations. The IOF has since supported the founding of many national orienteering federations, and by 2010, there were 71 member societies.
Orienteering has remained most popular in its Scandinavian homeland, with the two oldest recurring meets (Jukola relay and Tiomila) held since the 1940s, and the largest single meet (O-Ringen) attracting around 15,000 competitors every year since 1965. The sport has also taken off in urban areas, with events like Venice Street-O attracting large international participation.
Orienteering Australia was founded in 1970 and joined the IOF the same year. Australia first participated in the World Orienteering Championships in 1972 and hosted the event in 1985 in Bendigo. Johanna Allston became an individual world champion in 2006, winning gold in the sprint and middle distance in the World Games in 2009.
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Types of Orienteering
There are several types of orienteering, a challenging outdoor sport that exercises the mind and body. Orienteering involves using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain while moving at speed.
Bush Orienteering
Bush Orienteering is the traditional form of orienteering, usually held in a non-urban forested environment. Courses vary in distance and levels of technical and physical challenges.
Mountain Bike Orienteering
Mountain Bike Orienteering combines the joy of bike riding with the fun and excitement of orienteering. Participants ride a mountain bike along trails and tracks while navigating with a map and a compass. This type of orienteering is usually held in forests with track networks, allowing participants to explore and ride more of Australia.
Park/Street Orienteering
Park/Street Orienteering is a suburban version of foot orienteering, often held in the parks and streets of Australia's major cities. Participants are given a map with several marked locations and a scorecard. They must visit a given number of control points and record that they've been there before returning to the start.
Sprint Orienteering
Sprint Orienteering is a short type of orienteering with lots of control points, usually held in city parks, university campuses, schools, and other urban settings. The sprint distance may also be held in the forest, in which case it is called a "forest sprint".
Canoe Orienteering
Canoe Orienteering combines paddling and navigation skills. It involves using a map and compass to find control points along a course while travelling in a canoe or kayak. Canoe orienteering can be done on lakes, rivers, creeks, or coastal waters, depending on the level of difficulty and challenge.
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Popularity in Australia
Orienteering is a group of sports that involve using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain while moving at speed. The sport has been popular in Australia for several decades, with Orienteering Australia being founded in 1970 and joining the International Orienteering Federation the same year.
Australia first participated in the World Orienteering Championships in 1972, and the championships were held in Bendigo, Australia, in 1985. The country has produced an individual world champion, Johanna Allston, who won a gold medal in sprint in 2006 and followed it up with a win in the middle distance at the World Games in 2009.
The large-scale, endurance-style version of Score-O, known as rogaining, is said to have originated in Australia. Rogaining involves teams competing in events that often last 24 hours, covering a very large area, and using maps with a smaller scale. The term "rogaining" is derived from the names of Rod, Gail, and Neil Phillips, who were among the first participants in Australian rogaining.
Orienteering Australia is the national organization responsible for governing, organizing, and promoting the sport in the country. It is a full member of the International Orienteering Federation and has its publication, "The Australian Orienteer." The organization is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children and young people involved in the sport, with policies and procedures in place to address risks to child safety. Orienteering Australia is made up of representatives from member states, with daily business handled by an elected board of directors and specialist advice provided by committees and officers.
The sport caters to a range of participants, from those who enjoy a casual stroll in the bush or their local park to competitive runners seeking to test themselves mentally and physically. Orienteering Australia offers a variety of formats, including bush, mountain bike, sprint, and park/street orienteering, allowing individuals to choose their preferred setting and pace.
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Frequently asked questions
While there is no direct measure of the sport's popularity, Orienteering Australia, the national organisation governing the sport, has been in existence since 1970. Australia first participated in the World Orienteering Championships in 1972 and even hosted the World Championships in 1985 in Bendigo. The country also has a history of producing world champions, including Johanna Allston, who won gold in sprint in 2006.
Orienteering Australia was founded in 1970 and joined the International Orienteering Federation the same year. The sport has grown in popularity since then, with Australia participating in the World Orienteering Championships for the first time in 1972. The country has also produced individual world champions, such as Johanna Allston, who won gold in the sprint in 2006 and the middle distance in the World Games in 2009.
Orienteering Australia continues to promote and develop the sport in the country. The organisation is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children and young people involved in orienteering. They also have a publication, "The Australian Orienteer," and are sponsored by the Australian Sports Commission and Wildfire Sports and Trek.











































