2026 NSW Championships Lake Macquarie
24hrs of Olney Cascades
Date
Saturday 25 July 2026
Location
Olney State Forest, Watagans, Lake Macquarie
Duration
24 hours, 15-in-24 hours and 6 hours
Status
Details available
Entries will open soon
Event overview
This year the NSW Champs has incorporated the Lake Macquarie Rogaine.
Situated in the Watagans, most of the map incorporates the Olney and Watagan State Forests.
This event also has the distinction celebrating the year commemorating the 250th NSW Rogaine.
There will be options for a 6hr, 15hr in 24hr and 24hr event.
It will feature a family friendly section that will dance through towering Pines, wildflowers and small waterfalls. There will be wallabies, wombats, bandicoots, goannas and more goannas.
The longer event options will incorporate several awesome towering or plummeting waterfalls, water junctions, and gullies of towering blue gums and eucalypt forest. It will zigzag areas of the Great North Walk.
Unfortunately, although setters will try to steer clear, there will be sections of Lawyer Vine, fallen brush and a few leeches!
Plenty of camping nearby and multitudes of tracks around the start location.
Bring the family and make a weekend of the adventure!
The Entry fee covers dinner Saturday, breakfast and lunch Sunday, and of course the Lake Macquarie Tea and Damper!
Entry fees and inclusions
Entry fees for the event are $120 standard entry, $80 for concession and free for under 14. For more details see our entry fee policy.
Your entry includes:
- Map and electronic timing (1 per person).
- Camping – Friday and Saturday options.
- Catering:
- Saturday afternoon tea.
- Saturday dinner.
- Tea and Damper 24hr.
- Sunday breaky.
- Sunday brunch.
- No volunteers, no food Volunteer here!
Course times
- Saturday 10am: Mass start.
- Saturday 4pm: The 6 hour event finishes.
- Sunday 10am: The 24 and 15-in-24 hour events finishes.
- Please gives time to collect a few markers on Sunday before you travel home!
- 15-in-24hr – track your time – if returning for food and sleep – be sure to pause your watch at the Hash House Admin and restart before going back out.
- Timings of map availability, novice briefing, final briefing and prize givings will be confirmed closer to the event date.
Location
- Distance from Sydney: Approximately 1hr 45min drive from Sydney.
Accommodation & facilities
Hash House
- 2wd access to the Hash House
- Toilets
- Drinking water
Camping
- Friday and Saturday night
- Camping fees are included in entry fee.
Nearby accommodation
- Available at Morisset, Mandalong, Cooranbong or Martinsville.
Safety considerations
- Usual mandatory equipment of a whistle, space blanket and compression bandage apply.
- There are cliffs, waterfalls and canyons on the map. Not all tracks are marked on the map. Some tracks are overgrown.
- Usual wildlife hazards – lots of leeches have been observed – swaying with fresh meat smell fever, or stampeding towards resting setters and have attacked course setters on multiple occasions. Course setters have tried to minimise or steer clear of the Flora hazard of lawyer vine that has constructed its’ own walled traps to ensnare its’ prey of setters or competitors.
- Event organisers plan to have a first aid-qualified volunteer on site.
- Event organisers plan to have a safety patrol vehicle to monitor course tracks.
Final instructions
These will be released on this event page on 20th July. The final details will include further details on the location, event day, and much more.
In the meantime, you can check out the Learning Centre for advice on what gear to bring, what to expect at a bush event, and other information.
What is rogaining?
A fun team sport, navigating using map, compass and clues to visit as many checkpoints as possible within the time limit. It’s a “choose your own adventure” experience in outdoor environments where teams explore the course for as much or as little of the allocated time as they like.
Our sport is for all ages and fitness levels, from families walking with small children through to bushwalkers and runners. Rogaining encourages the development of strategy and navigational skills, fitness, and the ability to work in a team.
For more information, check out the Learning Centre.
Team finder
Rogaining is a team sport and a great way to meet new people. If you are looking for a team to join, or would like to start a new team for this event, check out the Team Finder page.
