The 2026 Australian MTBO Championships will be held in Ballarat & Creswick, Victoria from 8 to 11 October 2026.
Thursday 8 October, Ballan
Morning, starting time: 10:30am
Day Organiser: Orienteering Victoria
Terrain: Eucalypt and pine forest plus reservoir parkland and bush surrounds
The Victorian Schools MTBO Championship will take place at Bostock Reservoir on Thursday morning also using the Bungal Forest map.
Thursday 8 October, Ballan
Afternoon, starting time: 1:00 pm
Course Setter: Heather Leslie
Controller: John Gavens
Day Organiser: John Gavens
Mapper: Existing map by Geoff Adams, updated: Peter Cusworth 2026
Terrain: Eucalypt and pine forest plus reservoir parkland and bush surrounds
A warm-up event will be available at Bostock Reservoir, Ballan on the Bungal Forest map that riders can do on Thursday afternoon on their way to Ballarat/Creswick.
Friday 9 October, Ballarat
Afternoon, starting time TBA
Course Setter: Scott Gavens
Controller: Peter Cusworth
Day Organiser: Carolyn Cusworth
Mapper: Exisiting map. Updated 2026
Terrain: TBA
The mass start event will be based at the Pax Hill Scout Camp in Canadian, Ballarat and will use the Wookwookarung map.
Saturday 10 October, Creswick
Morning, starting time TBA
Course Setter: Rob Edmonds
Controller: Tim Hatley
Day Organiser: Helen Edmonds
Mapper: Andrew Slattery
Terrain: TBA
The middle distance event is also at Creswick near St Georges Lake on a substantially new map featuring the new MTB park trails.
Saturday 10 October, Ballarat
Afternoon, starting time TBA
Course Setter: Mark Valentine
Controller: Chris Norwood
Day Organiser: Blake Gordon
Mapper: Foot O map by Roch Prendergast, converted to MTBO specs by Andrew Slattery
Terrain: University campus plus surrounding sports fields and bush reserves
The sprint event will be a campus map at Federation University in Ballarat on a new MTBO map.
Saturday 10 October, Ballarat
Evening, starting time TBA
The presentation dinner will be held in Ballarat on Saturday evening with presentations for the Mass, Middle and Sprint events.
Sunday 11 October, Ballarat
Morning, starting time TBA
Course Setter: Dion Keech
Controller: Kathy Liley
Day Organiser: Heather O’Donnell
Mapper: Existing. Updated 2026
Terrain: TBA
The long distance event will be at Nerrina in Ballarat on an updated map.
The embargoed areas for these championships are shown here and can also be viewed and enlarged with more detail using this link: https://tinyurl.com/55y8et2x
General enquiries can be made to Carnival Director: John Gavens, 2026mtbo@orienteering.asn.au
