Organising Events

ORGANISERS TOOLKIT

The information, documents, templates and links on this page make up the Event Organisers’ Toolkit.  It contains all the information you need to run your event, from park and street events, to local club events, to championships.

Remember that your best resource is your club; every club has members who are experienced in event organisation.

All organisers should download the Emergency+ appIt uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency services, including ambulance/fire/police.  You can also call SES and police non emergency assistance.

KEY TO SECTIONS

Start Here – this section has a checklist of items that you’ll need to cover, and a link to a more comprehensive document for organising events that use Sportident.

Staying Safe at all Events – under this section you’ll find information on health, safety and emergency response, as well as links to a number of external resources, which apply to all event types. You’ll find event-specific safety and emergency response plans and templates under each Event type.

General Information – check this section for documents that apply to all events, eg insurance, fees and levies, naming standards etc.

Specific Event Types – find your event type; this is where you’ll find additional documents and links, including course planning guidelines and competition rules, along with handy forms and templates.

Go to Get Your Sportident Sorted to find out how to book SI equipment, set it up and use it at your event.  Sportident is used at most Victorian events other than Park and Street events.

Something missing? Contact: Debbie.DoddATdrocorienteering.com.au

Start Here

Organising an Event – comprehensive guide to organising Victorian events that use electronic timing – updated July 2023. Read in conjunction with specific event type information.

Quick Checklist

Note: some of these may have already been covered by a Series Coordinator; if your event is part of a series, check with them first. You’ll need to consider:

  • Venue and permit
  • Map and date/fixture
  • Course planner
  • Equipment
  • Event information and advertising (O News, Eventor, website)
  • Entries and payments (Eventor or EOD)
  • Volunteers (start, finish, parking etc)
  • Results
  • Post event (cleanup, check gear, pay levies etc)

Staying Safe at All Events

Fire Safety

Any Orienteering Victoria event is automatically cancelled if the fire danger rating for the region the event is in, is Catastrophic or Code Red. This includes events in urban areas, eg Park Street or Sprint events.

If a Total Fire Ban has been declared for the region the event is in, cancellation is not automatic.  The event organiser, in consultation with the OV Board, landholders/permit issuers and other relevant parties, is authorised to assess the specific fire risk for the location of the event.  They can make variations to the event, eg altering start times or courses.

In the event of any health and safety risk – eg fire, flooding, air quality etc – organisers of any type of event are authorised to assess the specific risk, and alter courses to remove or significantly reduce the risk; or cancel the event.

Notification of event cancellation or altered conditions will be via the Orienteering Victoria website. For pre-entry events, competitors will also be notified by email.

Guidelines and Templates

First Aid

If your club does not have its own First Aid kit, you can borrow OV’s comprehensive kit, including a defibrillator.

Event organisers need to ensure they have a designated First Aider present, and arrange a space close to the Finish for the First Aid tent and kit to be set up.

If you want the kit and defib at your event, please make arrangements to collect it from the previous event organiser, and to hand it over to the next event organiser. When the kit is not in use, it is stored at the ORC office at Westerfolds Park.

Emergency Information Resources

Download the Emergency+ app

The app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero (000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency services

See also specific safety and emergency response plans under each Event Type heading – Park Street, Sprint, Bush (including Vic Bush, MelbushO, and MTBO)

OV covid safe measures

On October 12 2022, the Victorian government removed Pandemic Orders.  Orienteering Victoria events continue to operate under recommended measures to help reduce the spread of covid-19 and other infectious diseases.

Event Information and Promotion/Permits/Fees, levies, refunds/Insurance/Results (all event types)

Advertising your event

Event organisers are responsible for providing information for competitors, and for advertising their events via:

  • O News – weekly email bulletin with wide reach. Email your content to editorATvicorienteering.asn.au, 2-3 weeks before the event, before the Monday 9pm cutoff for Tuesday am distribution
  • Website – the web managers will take your content from O News and post it as a web news item on your behalf. For feature events, carnivals or series, we can create a dedicated page and keep that up to date for you. Contact Debbie.DoddATdrocorienteering.com.au
  • Eventor – you will need to create, or add to, your event information. You can include Information Flyers, Bulletins, Programs etc, and links to external pages

Permits

Know who the landholder is – MapShare Victorian land ownership map

Parks Victoria permits are organised centrally.

DEECA (formerly DEWLP) – find out which regional office covers the event; contact them to obtain permit application/requirements (they vary by region)

https://www.deeca.vic.gov.au/communities-and-regions/regions-and-locations

Councils – check their website for event permit information, and apply using their process.  They will put your event into their Events Calendar to help promote it locally

Schools, private landowners, other – contact them directly and apply using their process

Insurance – provide both documents to landowners/permit providers. Expires 31 January 2025

Fees and Levies – guidelines and forms

Other

Course Planning

COURSE PLANNING (excludes Park Street)

Course planning requirements and tips

Planning Long Courses

Planning Sprint Courses

View each “organising events section” in the Organisers Toolkit for detailed information on planning each type of orienteering event.

 

 

Organising Park Street Events

Safety and Risk Management

Safety Plan and Emergency Procedures for Park Street Events

Competitor Safety Rules

  • Code Red/Catastrophic Fire Rating – event automatically cancelled
  • Extreme Fire Rating/Total Fire Ban – organisers will closely monitor conditions, and cancel the event if there is a fire risk, or on advice of landowners or emergency authorities

Visit the CFA website for current fire ratings (look for Central District):

https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/total-fire-bans-and-ratings

Other extreme conditions include very high temperatures, strong winds, poor quality air due to smoke, and flooding. Organisers will closely monitor conditions, and may cancel or otherwise alter any events subject to extreme conditions.  Event cancellations will be posted on this website when practical.

Park Street Event Organising Guides

Summer Series

Winter Series

Course Planning Park Street Events

Summer Series

Winter Series

Park Street Competition Rules

Out of Bounds

Park and Street Orienteering Etiquette

Power Walking Technique Notice and Report Form

Entries and Payments

Park Street Financial Procedures (updated December 2023)

Group entries and payments are per entry record e.g.

  • Carer with disabled person(s) = 1 entry fee, 1 result
  • Family (parent(s) and children) compete together = 1 entry fee (adult), 1 result per family
  • Scout patrol competes together = 1 entry fee (adult) per group, 1 result per group

whereas

  • two competitors run with each other but each receives a result = 2 fees
  • Father walks with son but each receives a result = 2 fees (one adult; one junior)

Organising Sprint Events

Safety and Risk Management

Fill in the specific event safety plan. Attach these documents to permit requests, and have copies at your event.

Planning and Competition Rules

Organising Bush Events

Safety and Risk Management

Bush events will not be run if there is a total fire ban in the area or a Code Red has been declared, or if landowner permit conditions do not allow the event to go ahead. Check which district the event will be run in, and whether there are fire restrictions – see the CFA website

DEWLP forest fire management planned burns website interactive map

 

Planning and Competition Rules

Other Resources

 

Organising MelBushO Events

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS

Organisers and Planners Guidelines

Organising Relays

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS

Competition Guidelines

Organising a Relay

The guidelines above were updated in 2020, and cover the following: using Condes to create course variations; setting up relay entries in Eventor; creating the relay event file in OS2010; team and map numbering; uploading results with Eventor Manager. They apply for all Relays staged in Victoria including Club Relays and Australian Relays/Australian Schools Relays.

For expert advice on organising Relays, contact Debbie Dodd or Jim Russell.

Organising Mountain Bike Events

Safety – see Safety guidelines and templates under ORGANISING BUSH EVENTS, but use the Risk Assessment and Management template below

Risk Assessment and Management Sample for MTBO events (2024 version)

Risk Assessment and Management Template for MTBO events (2024 version)

Editable document.  Add details where indicated by (xxxxx), and provide copy to landowner if required (eg DEECA).

Guidelines

Events on Dja Dja Wurrung Country

If your event is on the Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung People, please take the following steps.  Refer to the map below, and page 5 of the DDWCAC Fact Sheet, to see whether this includes your event. Your Parks Victoria permit will include extra conditions explaining any additional obligations.

Dja Dja Wurrung Map of Agreement

OV and the Dja Dja Wurrung – send this pdf with non-Parks Vic permit applications

Areas covered:

  • Greater Bendigo NP
  • Hepburn RP (Daylesford)
  • Kooyoora SP
  • Wehla NCR (SW of Kooyoora)
  • Paddy’s Ranges SP (Maryborough)
  • Kara Kara NP (S of St Arnaud)

DDWCAC Fact Sheet

Information and fact sheets about Aboriginal cultural heritage

Index of mini posters

  1. Add the Fact Sheet to Eventor information for your event
  2. Include the Acknowledgement of Country wording (Insert name of map) into your Information Flyer
  3. Add a shorter acknowledgement to printed maps
  4. If you are having presentations or any other activity where a large group of people are gathered at once, include a spoken Acknowledgement of Country at the start.

 Example: Acknowledgement of Country – for Information Flyer

Glenlyon Forest is on the Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that their forebears are  the Traditional Owners of the land we are meeting on and have been for many thousands of years. The Dja Dja Wurrung People have performed age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region.

Example: Acknowledgement to print on maps

Bangek Knoorarook Bunjil Dja Dja Wurrung” (Ban-Jek,  K-noor-r-ook, Boon-jil,  Dja Dja Were-rung)

“Willam talle tallingingorak wirrmbool bunjil” (Will-am,  tell-e, telling-gor-ak,  wirr-m-bool  boon-jil)

I honour the wisdom of the Dja Dja Wurrung

We will speak words of truth and listen to your wisdom

Example: Acknowledgement of Country (spoken)

“To start the official proceedings I would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Elders of the Dja Dja Wurrung Community and their forebears are the traditional owners of this land and have been custodians for many centuries and have performed age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. This country where we hold our event is where the Dja Dja Wurrung have conducted their family, spiritual, economic, cultural, social, sporting and musical activities. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region.”

 

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