Emus Online April 2025

We had a busy period over March and April. Helen and I stayed in Quarry Hill, Bendigo, for the Easter Carnival attended by over 800. Events took place at Psalm Singing Gully – Inglewood, The Granites north of Wedderburn and Poverty Reef – Tarnagulla. Our club was heavily involved in setting up Day 1 of the Easter Carnival with Laurie Niven playing a key organisational role.

A highlight was the Dragon Festival in Bendigo on Sunday afternoon.

It was back to the roughly the same area for the Vic Champs events over the ANZAC weekend. We stayed at in Dunolly with the sprint double held at Dunolly, the Middle at Wehla Hill and the Long at Mt Korong. The weather was wet for the sprints on Friday, but it was back to warm, sunny conditions for the weekend.

Mt Korong with Ron Frederick, Rex and Laurie Niven.

Helen determinedly navigates through the rocks.

Congratulations to Matthew Layton and Xander Greenhalgh who managed an impressive 3700 points to take the win in this year’s CBDgaine. With a record attendance and 199 teams, this year’s CBD event was an amazing way to start the year. Starting from the beautiful Treasury Gardens and taking in many of Melbourne’s parks, buildings and laneways, there was plenty to see and do for the new and experienced rogainer alike.

The weather was extremely warm for the first 3 bush events our club organised this year. The March 9 State Series event at Borhoney Ghurk near Meridith was tough for the old stagers. The Layton Family did a great job in trying conditions in setting the courses. There were 107 entries. Laurie Niven expertly organised the event and NE volunteers. Rex, Laurie, Carolyn and Josh Layton, Rob and Helen camped out with several other orienteers and a group who kept us awake past midnight with whip cracking.

A fortnight later, The Maxi was held at Tunnel Hill near Castlemaine Derek Morris set a challenging course which was well received. Lauris Stirling again excelled with the catering. Ron, Derek, Helen and Rob camped on site. There were 97 entries with 22 newcomers.

The catering team at the Maxi.

• On a sad note, Ron Wescott a long-time Orienteer and someone involved with NEV and over decades passed away before the Maxi. His contributions were considerable and well-remembered. His funeral was attended by many who knew him from orienteering circles and the other groups he and his wife Cheryl Taylor were involved with in the Castlemaine area.

Ron and Cheryl

• Margaret Badminton’s a member of EMU’s, a forerunner of Nillumbik Emus, also died recently. She helped raise money to purchase the green equipment trailer.

On April 6, the Mt Beckworth event run by the Eureka club had 127 entries with 19 NE members making the trip. Leigh Greenhalgh was a winner on C5 and Johua Layton on C3.

The following weekend, The Vic MTBO champs at Castlemaine (Short and Middle events) and Muckleford Diggings (Long) near Maldon, where I was the course setter. We stayed at Whispering Gums Motel in Newstead and joined with other MTBO riders at the Five Flags Hotel in Campbells Creek for dinner on Saturday night. The arena for the Long was the Ruggles Paddock on Mia Mia Road. Again, the weather was very warm.

In between Easter and ANZAC Helen, Dion Keech and I ran a coaching session for 90 female students from Lowther Hall at Brimbank Park. Students from Whitefriars College also took part in a training session at Westerfolds in early May.

We head into late Autumn and Winter with less pressure on organising events.
August 3 MelBushO 6 – Jells Park, Wheelers Hill

Keep an eye out for the popular Park & Street events being held in the evenings and weekends including an Enduro at Yarra Bend.

The Victorian Secondary Schools’ Orienteering Champs are being held on Friday May 16th at Woodlands. Let me know if you have some time to volunteer. Several club juniors are vying for selection in the Victorian Schools team to compete at the Australian Carnival to be held in Queensland in late September.

Park & Street

The park and street championships were held on the Stirling Hill map in Mitcham. Nillumbik Emus were well represented in participation and results. Congratulations to all of our medal-winners – some of whom did very well in pretty tough fields. And well-done to all who participated.
Gold: Aeon Greenhan (Junior), Opus Greenhan (Sub-Junior) Victoria Greenhan (Womens Open) Rachel Johnson (Womens Senior) Dave Stillwell (Mens Open PW) Jim Taylor (Mens Ultravet)
Silver: Rick Bailes (Mens Ultravet) Mark Hammond (Mens Supervet PW)
Bronze: Greg Bower (Mens Supervet) Katherine Turner (Womens Open)
Congratulations to Eofy Greenhan who during December 2024 completed his 100th park and street orienteering event.