Orienteering
An outdoor navigation sport where participants use a specially prepared map, and sometimes a compass, to find checkpoints in a specified order. Courses range from beginner-friendly park events to challenging bush navigation.
Orienteering maps are drawn specially for the sport, with extra detail such as boulders, vegetation and small terrain features. Courses are graded by difficulty, so beginners can start on short, easy courses that mostly follow tracks.
In the wild
"The beginner course stayed on tracks, so I could practise matching the map to the park before trying anything harder."
Why it matters
Rex's tip: Pick the easiest course first. Nobody minds if you walk the whole thing.
Want to give it a go?
Many Australian orienteering clubs welcome complete beginners. You can learn to read maps, recognise terrain features and navigate between checkpoints at your own pace.
Find an orienteering community →