Are you a keen rogainer who also happens to be a student at a Tasmanian tertiary institution? Do you know a fellow student who would make a great teammate?

Rogaining Tasmania are looking for a team to be subsidised to attend the 2023 Intervarsity Championships, held in conjunction with the Australian Rogaining Championships, a 24-hour bush rogaine. This year, the Championships are being hosted by the NSW Rogaining Association in the Goobang National Park on Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October.

The subsidy is thanks to the Nigel Aylott Memorial Sports Foundation (NAMSF), which pays for the travel costs for a team from each state to participate in the Intervarsity Championships each year.

In 2022, Bridget White and I were the lucky Tasmanian team to receive the subsidy and compete in the Intervarsity Championships at the ‘Pyrenees Ponder’ in Victoria. Whilst Bridget had competed in 24-hour rogaines in New Zealand, this was not only my first 24-hour rogaine, but also my first bush rogaine, which was quite daunting! The terrain was incredibly challenging to navigate, but we managed to avoid becoming completely lost and had plenty of fun along the way. We met so many friendly faces throughout the event, including fellow Intervarsity competitors and novice rogainers; teams with decades of experience who recounted stories of their first 24-hour events; cheerful volunteers who served us soup by the campfire at 4am; and the Tasmanian teams with whom we debriefed about our various mistakes and misfortunes on the bus back to the airport. Whether you are an experienced or fledgling rogainer looking for an opportunity to take a weekend away from the textbooks and get out into the bush, perhaps getting a little lost in the process, I would definitely recommend applying!

• Here are a few key details about the subsidy:
• The subsidy for a Tasmanian team is $1,900, which should cover flights, limited accommodation, and coach transport to and from the event.
• The subsidy is calculated to cover teams of two. You may have additional team members, but the subsidy will not be increased.
• Event entry fees are not included in the subsidy.
• The subsidy will be paid at the completion of the event, or after proof of payment for flights is submitted.
• All team members must attend the same institution.
• Preference will be given to full-time undergraduate students, although part-time and postgraduate students are still welcome to apply.

More information about the event can be found here: https://nswrogaining.org/2023-aus-champs/

If you are interested, send an email to the Rogaining Tasmania Secretary by Sunday 3rd of September stating which university or TAFE your proposed team attends, briefly outlining your experience and recent results at rogaines or related sporting activities. The team winning the subsidy will be informed soon after the deadline.

Good luck and happy rogaining!

By Jaymee Knoll.

Across the gully and over the range,
With a plunge through a creek for a cooling change;
Now over a log or a rock we leap,
O'er hill and on level our pace we keep.

From ‘The Muster’ by Emily Manning aka Australie 1845-1890

Heed the call to gather round, for the Midlands Muster is gunna be grand;
Mark your diaries for the last weekend in October - get your gear together and come on over.
Choose from a six hour errand, a roving 15 hour excursion, or take the all-nighter for a full 24 hour exploration.
Between Lake Leake and Ross there’s plenty to explore,
From the farm paddocks you'll find open forests, grassy meadows, green gullies, panoramic hills, and much much more.
Possums, Tasmanian devils, quolls, wedge-tailed eagles, forester kangaroos and pademelons will join your odyssey,
They'll watch over your checkpoint searches to ensure your honesty,
It’ll be a great night out for the lunar eclipse - just be in the right place to get your fix.
On return you’ll get a hearty meal and good cheer, and if you're organised, a nice cold beer!
Entries open in late August, so get your team together and start your training program in earnest...
Heed the call, the Midlands Muster is gunna be grand!

By Bass Burgess.