Recently ONSW acknowledged those members who had been actively involved in the sport for 50 years. Kevin (Kev) Curby, a long-time member of Illawarra Kareelah was on the list.
Kev was introduced to orienteering by Len Minty who brought the sport to Gymea High School where Kev was teaching in 1974. Len needed another teacher to assist on sports afternoons. This was the start of a lifetime friendship with Len and a long term (50 year) engagement with orienteering.
Kev went on to introduce orienteering as a sport at Kogarah and Engadine High Schools. This involvement with orienteering in schools continued when, as president of Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers Inc (IKO), and with the help of Keith Jay as course setter and other stalwarts from Southern Highlands and Uringa clubs, he established the School Gala Days for the Illawarra Region at Croome, near Albion Park. These annual events continued until the Department of Main Roads constructed the Albion Park by-pass through the middle of the map.
In the beginning maps were printed in black and white with blue for watercourses. Len and later Ian Prosser set courses in the Royal National Park in the Loftus area on maps that included areas such as Kangaroo Creek. Young Kev enjoyed the challenge of navigating his way by map through bushland in a variety of locations that often, he had not been to before. It started a new life of fitness for him.
He says he is not sure what keeps him involved after 50 years but …“it’s certainly not my performance”. Whilst he confesses to never being a good navigator Kev still enjoys the outdoor activity, especially bush courses. “I keep returning not only for the courses but also for the friendships and satisfaction from both the physical exertion and mental exercise”. He enjoys the challenge of the score events. “It’s a joy to be able to run a bit whilst maintaining my concentration and reading the map”.
Going away to 3-day events was a highlight of the O calendar and a source of much enjoyment. Often the trip, particularly those interstate, would be extended into a family holiday. As a result Kev reckons he has seen a fair bit of the eastern seaboard. The weather wasn’t always predictable and he remembers running through a light covering of snow in a relay on the 3rd day of an event near Lithgow.
Over the years Kev has made an extensive contribution to the sport. He was an active member of the Kareelah Orienteering Club in Southern Sydney, the second club to be established in NSW. As the club grew, members moved on to establish Uringa and Illawarra Orienteering clubs. At Kareelah Kev served in several roles including that of president for a number of years. He was actively engaged in organising events, including major events such as Easter 3-days and Queen’s Birthday Weekend (QBIII) now the KBIII. In fact, it was the Kareelah club, along with Uringa Orienteers, who were instrumental in introducing the QBIII onto the orienteering calendar. Many a meeting was held in the Curby lounge room in Woolooware organising such events.
Kareelah were also responsible for introducing the Budkavle – a relay event on forest maps involving teams of 5 and 7 people that started at midnight and finished in the wee hours of the morning. Kareelah members Bjorn and Monica Bloomstedt set the courses and organised the events along the lines of Budkavle events in Sweden. Teams had to have at least one female runner and a junior. As the event was held in the winter there was always a fire to warm up finishers, until fire restrictions put paid to that.
In 2000 Kareelah and Illawarra Orienteers combined to form Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers. Kev served as President for 5 years from 2011-2015. It was during his time as president that the club was incorporated and became Illawarra Kareelah Orienteers Inc. It was also the time that the club purchased its first SI units and laptop bringing event organising into the 21st century. Before this finish times had to be calculated manually and being a maths teacher the job of calculator often fell upon Kev’s shoulders. He remembers calculating times for relay events as being the most challenging.
Kev was well known at major events for his Heath Robinson style contraptions for displaying results and supplying water for competitors at the finish. The club also has Kev to thank for the design and organising the purchase of our IKO club clothing. No longer are we a motley crew but look very schmick in our club uniforms. A far cry from the gear of 45 years ago.
Pictured below is Kev at the hand over from Kareelah team mate Peter Howe at a relay event in 1980s and a more recent image of some post-event analysis at Double Bay last year.
Kev has had a long association with the Hut at Belanglo. He has found maintaining the facility to be a rewarding activity and along with the other “friends of the hut” received the ONSW Volunteers-of-the-year for his efforts in 2021.
Well done Kev. Thanks for everything you have done for the sport and for our club.
