MelBushO at Westerfolds – What A Day! The weather was absolutely perfect; early in the morning, the ground was covered in sparkling frost, as the rising sun poked through the mist, and the temperature slowly crept up from zero. With almost 100 pre-entries, we were prepared for a big day – but not as big as it turned out to be! We printed 175 maps, but it wasn’t quite enough for the 90+ “EODs”, or on-the-day entries – well in excess of any MelbushO turnout since 2020, and one of the highest attendances ever (just pipped by 193 entries, also at Westerfolds, way back in 2015). It was fantastic to see so many people eagerly lining up, excitedly venturing out on their course, and returning with big smiles, and tales of adventure. It seems many people encouraged family and friends to have a go at orienteering, and Westerfolds is the perfect venue. Our course planner, Chris Klep, did a great job creating interesting and enjoyable courses for everyone, and the team from Dandenong Ranges Orienteering Club handled the crowd with their usual calm efficiency and friendliness. We are very grateful to the participants who were willing to let their maps be re-used, as we slightly under-predicted the demand (the same event last year had 50 fewer entries). It is for this reason that we strongly encourage online pre-entry; it gives you reassurance that a map will be there for you. For anyone who was unable to take their map home, we’ve published all the maps here – feel free to find and download your course. We hope you enjoyed the weather, the courses, and the catering provided by the Junior Squad. The next MelbushO will be at Jells Park, on Sunday August 3rd. At MelBushO events, you can choose any of the five courses, and start any time between 10am and 11.30am. You can borrow a “Sportident” timing device and a compass, at no extra charge. You’ll be given a colour map at 1:7500 scale, which you’ll use to navigate between the controls, before returning to the finish. Course lengths: Course 1 – approx 6-7 km Course 2 – approx 4-5 km Course 3 – approx 3-4 km, harder navigation but physically easy Course 4 – approx 4 km, moderate navigation Course 5 – approx 2-2.5 km, easy navigation Questions? Email enquiries@drocorienteering.com.au MelbushO 2025 Find Out More Share this