Sunday 16th February 2020
10 am start from John Doggett Park in West Hobart
ABOUT
Rogaining is a strategy sport for everyone, conducted on foot in teams of two to five people. Using a purpose-made map marked with check points of differing points values, the aim is to devise a route to visit as many locations as possible and correctly answer the related clue to gather points, all within a set time limit.
This is a pleasant event with an energetic emphasis on participation, houses, history, art, and some oddities around parts of North Hobart and West Hobart. The course area is bounded roughly by Letitia Street, Wilson Street, Mt Stuart Road, Landsdowne Crescent and Patrick Street, with a few ups and downs in the terrain.
Start and finish are at the playground in John Doggett Park (aka the Skate Park) off Lochner Street, West Hobart – enter off Lochner or Hamilton Street. There are toilets at the start and plenty of parking in nearby streets, however, this is an open air assembly area with little shelter and seating (which may be being used by others), so please come prepared, especially with a chair.
HOUSES will show you working class homes and some more elaborate homes of the area, and ask you to record house names, and in some cases the date they were built and name of the occupant.
HISTORY provides clues about the developments, lives and goings on in early North Hobart and West Hobart.
ART is a more modern aspect which takes you to works on public view across the course area.
WHOKNOWS covers a range of unusual items noted in the area.
This Socialgaine is identical in style and conduct to the similar event held in Sandy Bay / Battery Point in July 2018. European settlers developed North Hobart as a farming and working class area, thus most houses are quite small and on small plots, built close together and predominantly clad in weatherboard.
ENCOURAGE
This on-foot-only event is well suited to families and beginners, is in a location that is probably somewhat familiar, and the going is quite easy although with some ups and downs depending on the route chosen. Stroll around with time for a pie or a coffee, or run flat out to try to visit every checkpoint. Reading the map is akin to reading a street directory - street names are on the map. A compass is not required and wouldn’t help.
The North Hobart cafe strip will be in full swing, and quite a few checkpoints are located in that region. A good place for a break.
You have about an hour to plan a course, four hours to find your chosen checkpoints, plus a 15 minute lunch break to fit-in.
Make sure you finish by 2.15 pm. Ten points are deducted for every part minute late, and all points lost if more than thirty minutes late.
TECHNICAL
Timetable
08.45 am Maps available: one per participant.
09.55 am A very brief briefing
10.00 am Start
Noon to 1.00 pm Compulsory 15 minute lunch break.
2.15 pm Finish.
2.30 pm A few random draw prizes followed by the
Rogaining Tasmania Annual General Meeting.
Novice instruction is available from 8.30 am for new Rogainers.
There is a unique provision that seeks to add relaxation to the day by allowing everyone to enjoy one of the many eating places around the course without the pressure to keep going. Please ensure you oblige, including if you choose to bypass the cafes …
… the event is a net four hours long. There is an obligatory, self managed stop of at least 15 minutes for the Team to enjoy a convivial lunch that must start and end between Noon and 1 pm.
Here is what you need to know:
- being a very basic event, winner certificates and prizes have been dispensed with, as has catering given the many eateries on the course.
- the entry fees are $20 per adult, $10 for under eighteen, and no charge for children under ten.
- when you see the map you may think that more points are available in a certain area, however, by devious design the points have been well spread across the map.
- the map is one A3 sheet at 1:6000 and will need a document holder, plastic bag or other covering to keep it dry.
- there is a public toilet at the start, and others around the course as indicated on the map. Shop locations also display on the map.
- some answers might be found on the internet, but what is the point, so such falls outside the principles of the event.
IMPORTANT CLUE SHEETS INFORMATION
There are a lot of clues … each Team will have one copy of the clues list which for this event is eight pages long and contains just under 300 clues for an overall max 8,240 points! This a different style of event where the huge variety of clues and points values will bamboozle your senses and navigation and leave you with something of interest to learn about and do all along the way.
Bring one A4 clipboard for the clue sheet to provide a solid writing surface, preferably one that folds over to keep the papers dry – a plastic bag is a good idea too as insurance.
You will need a pencil to write the answers – biros are no good in the damp. Actual answers are required rather than it being multiple choice. Some answers you will need to look about to find. Correct spelling of names is expected to gain those points, especially house names. Have a pencil sharpener as there is quite a bit of writing.
Completed clue sheets will be collected at the end and the marking done later owing to the many clues. Results will be on the internet as soon as possible.
Enter online at the Rogaining Tasmania website by 11.59pm Monday 10/2/20.
CONCLUSION
This is a Rogaine with a difference … learning more about the local area in an event with a saturation of controls, a variety of route choice, plus the time to stop and relax.