About this publication
Orienteering, rogaining & geocaching policy
October 2002
This NPWS policy provides guidance on orienteering and rogaining events in national parks, regional parks and state conservation areas managed by NPWS.
- Orienteering is a cross-country competitive sport often held in bushland where participants use a map and compass to visit a set number of flagged control points between a start line and a finish line in the shortest possible time.
- Rogaining is a competitive sport involving small teams and is a mixture of bushwalking and orienteering. Participants may visit control points of differing values in any order, the aim being to accumulate the maximum points during a set time.
- Groups seeking permission for orienteering and rogaining events should provide information on the following to the NPWS:
- an identifiable, accountable and appropriately insured organiser (whether an individual, group or association),
- an identified route or area of operation, and
- a discrete short-term time frame (eg. over one weekend).
- Orienteering and rogaining activities are not permitted in wilderness areas, nature reserves, Aboriginal areas and historic sites or in areas where a plan of management clearly prohibits orienteering or rogaining.
- The NPWS will evaluate applications on the basis of potential impacts on the area's natural and cultural values, on other park users and on infrastructure. Events must have only minimum impacts on the environment and should not generate any permanent or long-term impacts.
- Organisers should provide ample time to consult and negotiate required arrangements for these events.
- The NPWS will not be responsible where a proposed event goes beyond the boundaries of NPWS managed lands or on any portion of NPWS managed lands subject to a lease.
- Organisers of orienteering and rogaining events must have public liability insurance.
- The NPWS accepts no responsibility for the security of markers and other fixtures.
- Organisers are responsible for the provision of information on bushwalking codes to all participants.
- Where assessment of the application indicates any difficulty, and other alternatives are not available, specific conditions may be imposed for the conduct of an event before a consent is issued. If these conditions are deemed to be not practical by the organiser, it is possible that NPWS consent may be denied.
- Geocaching is an adventure game based on a 'treasure hunt' theme where participants in one party use a handheld GPS device to search for sealed caches left by other parties. Geocaching is not permitted in areas managed by the NPWS.
This page only gives a summary of the policy. For detailed information please download the full policy below, together with related documents. The policy includes contacts and a list of relevant legislation.
Documents to download
- Orienteering, Rogaining and Geocaching Policy (PDF - 124KB)
Page last updated: 21 February 2008