The club will receive $40,000 to develop a modified treasure hunt competition based on orienteering to encourage children and their families to explore their local neighbourhood.

It was one of seven organisations to be awarded start-up cash under VicHealth’s Physical Activity Innovation Challenge grant scheme.

More than 100 groups had applied for a share of a $400,000 funding pool and 12 were short-listed as finalists.

Bendigo Orienteers members Craig Feuerherdt and Andrew Cameron produced a two-minute video outlining their idea, wrote a business plan then made a final pitch to the judging panel in September.

They were thrilled to learn recently that their bid was successful.

Feuerherdt said the proposal was based on an orienteering-style program called Hittaut, or “Find It”, run in 23 cities across Sweden.

“They distribute maps to every household and treat it like a seven-month rogaining event,” he said. “It’s an ongoing competition targeting physical activity and participation, in which families can gain points by visiting the different places on the map.”

Under the Bendigo model, several primary schools will initially be approached to be involved.

Children can walk, run or ride their bikes to pre-determined points of interest or historical significance, record their arrival in class, and accrue points as their reward.

“The idea is to target school kids and, at the end of 12 months, we hope to engage their parents and relatives so they can participate as well,” Feuerherdt said.

"The ultimate aim is to connect and challenge participants to become more physically active." 

Bendigo Orienteers will co-ordinate the scheme, which is still in the planning phase but has the potential to introduce the navigational minority sport to a whole new audience.

VicHealth launched its Physical Activity Innovation Challenge to help kick-start programs that offer flexible, social and less structured ways to get active.