A night-time photographic view of a quiet Sydney suburban park, the grass a deep, rich green under evenly spaced warm lampposts. On a central gravel path, a modern smartphone rests on the ground, its bright screen glowing with a live MapRun course, complete with pulsing checkpoint icons and a ticking countdown timer. Faint digital lines extend from the screen into the darkness, suggesting hidden checkpoints among trees, playground equipment, and pathway junctions. The lighting contrast between the warm lamplight and cool phone glow creates dramatic, playful shadows and highlights. Captured from a low, cinematic angle with shallow depth of field, the phone is in razor-sharp focus while the background is softly blurred with subtle bokeh from distant lights, evoking a sense of secret night-time adventure.

Event Costs

Sydney MapRun events are lower cost than traditional orienteering events, as the event course is managed through the app. To register for an event, use the Orienteering Eventor site to pay for your entry. https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au

Members:

  • Adult: $10
  • Junior (13–20): $8
  • Sub-Junior (0–12): $3

Non-Members:

  • Adult: $14
  • Junior (13–20): $12
  • Sub-Junior (0–12): $7

Event fees help support orienteering in NSW, including mapping and event organisation.

Tip: If you plan to attend regularly, becoming a member can save you money.

Not a member?

You can join Orienteering NSW to receive discounted entry fees and support the sport.

Join here -> https://onsw.asn.au/membership/join

A realistic close-up of a modern smartphone held in a simple black armband lying on short, dew-fresh grass beside a Sydney footpath, its bright screen displaying a MapRun orienteering course with green parks, blue water, and pink control circles. Nearby, a pair of colorful running shoes are neatly placed on the pavement, their mesh texture and laces sharply defined. Early morning golden light skims across the scene, creating long, soft shadows and sparkling dew highlights. The composition is shot from a low, slightly angled perspective, with shallow depth of field that keeps the phone and shoes crisp while gently blurring the suburban houses and trees in the background. The atmosphere feels playful, motivating, and ready for adventure in a photographic, vibrant style.

How to Enter

Entering a Sydney MapRun event is simple:

  1. Register via Eventor https://eventor.orienteering.asn.au
    Each event has an Eventor link where you can enter and pay online.
  2. Download your map
    The event map is available on Eventor from 7:00pm Tuesday evening before each event.
    The map includes the PIN code needed to start your run.
  3. Choose when to run
    Complete your run anytime from Wednesday afternoon through to Sunday night.
  4. Start your adventure
    Head to the start location, enter the PIN in the MapRun app, and go!

Your next run could be your most interesting yet.

Event Format

Sydney MapRun events are designed to be flexible and self-guided:

  • Run anytime during the event window
  • Use the MapRun app on your phone or Garmin watch
  • No physical flags or control units on the course
  • Plan your own route and explore at your own pace

You can print your map or use it digitally — whichever you prefer.

A dynamic photographic scene of a winding Sydney harbourside path captured from a slightly elevated angle, with glimmering blue water, rocky foreshore, and city skyline in the distant haze. Overlaid on the path and surrounding streets is a translucent orienteering course: numbered circles, connecting lines, and softly glowing checkpoints tucked into corners, park entrances, and stairs. Late afternoon golden-hour sunlight washes the scene with warm tones, creating long shadows from railings and trees and sparkling highlights on the water. The composition uses the rule of thirds to balance the coastline and map overlay, with sharp focus throughout. The mood is adventurous and playful, as if the familiar harbour walk has transformed into an interactive urban playground, captured in crisp photographic realism.
A detailed overhead photographic view of a colorful suburban Sydney street map printed on slightly textured matte paper, spread across a light wooden table. Brightly colored circular checkpoints and a bold, playful 45-minute timer icon are overlaid on the map, with a modern smartphone resting beside it showing the MapRun app screen and a glowing GPS route snaking between checkpoints. Soft natural daylight from a nearby window casts gentle, realistic shadows and subtle highlights across the scene. The mood is energetic and inviting, suggesting a fun challenge. Shot with sharp focus throughout, using a clean, modern composition that emphasizes the map, route, and app screen, in vibrant photographic realism aligned with a playful, game-like aesthetic.
A detailed photographic close-up of a printed MapRun event sheet clipped to a small metal clipboard resting on a park bench made of weathered wooden slats. The sheet shows a Sydney suburb map with clearly marked checkpoints, scoring values, and a bold 45-minute time limit graphic. Beside it lies a lightweight digital sports watch with the screen set to a countdown timer, and a folded, brightly colored trail buff with a playful pattern. Soft overcast daylight creates diffused, shadowless lighting that reveals textures in the wood, paper, and fabric. Captured from a slightly elevated angle with moderate depth of field, the background of blurred green lawns and urban park pathways sets a relaxed, anticipatory mood, emphasizing organized fun and casual competition in realistic, vibrant detail.
A wide photographic view of a quiet Sydney suburban intersection at dusk, with leafy trees, parked cars, and a mix of sandstone cottages and modern terraces. Floating above the footpaths and street corners are semi-transparent, glowing digital checkpoint markers and a dotted GPS route line, seamlessly blended into the real environment. The sky glows soft pink and blue, with warm streetlights just starting to glow, casting gentle reflections on the asphalt. The mood is playful and slightly futuristic, as if the suburb has become a game board. Captured at eye level with a wide lens, sharp focus, and balanced composition, the image feels realistic yet gamified, with vibrant colors and a clean, modern photographic aesthetic.