Bushwalk Australia

This is an area that I am very interested in learning more about and gaining more experience in - with a view to being able to confidently and safely undertake off-track walking in the future. Here is some info that I have found that may interest others wanting to learn more.
The 'Map Reading Handbook 'I used was published by Land Information Services, Department of Environment and Land Management, Tasmania 1997 in cooperation with the Tasmania State Emergency Service. I found the information to be presented in an easy to understand manner.
Also, two articles I found to do with practical navigation:-
'Tips on Navigation' by Rob Rankin at (http://www.rankin.com.au/essay9.htm), and
Roger Caffins website (http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Navigation.htm). Both make fascinating reading with lots of
ideas to practice and think about. I am going to make a point of practicing these principles whilst on simple tracked walks
and hopefully they will become second nature.
I'd be interested to hear from experienced navigators about some of their error recovery experiences in the past.

Stuart Whitney has been running bush navigation classes for Adult Education in Hobart for many years. A weeknite or 2 followed by a weekend in the bush.

This is an excellent course with a very experienced trainer. Most past participants seem to think that they learnt heaps from it. ... highly recommended.

The next one is within the next few weeks I think.

a.

just thought i'd bring this thread back to life by asking if there are any nav / survival courses around in Tas atm??

You might be able to convince the Tasmanian Rogaining Association to run something. They don't seem to have anything on their calendar for at least 6 months. Maybe they can slot something in during the next few months ...?

I know they've been running courses in NSW and the ACT for at least a couple of years. The workshop I attended over two days last year with NSW RA was 70% practical. They were also about 30 trainees which was a pretty good turnout. We did three small rogaines in the course of the weekend with experienced navigators to mentor us. That was a great way to learn. We finished the weekend with a 4 hour rogaine (minus the mentors) which was a fantastic way to try our new skills.

The theory session was more a show and tell on gear / food / clothing and a discussion of regaining-specific techniques and strategy.

I also recommend the book 'Wilderness Navigation'. You can get that from book depository (free shipping to Australia) ... http://bit.ly/hO77p4. It's also available on Amazon but you'll probably pay more by the time shipping is added on.

I'm bumping this topic up rather than repeating everything and starting a new one. I need to do a navigation course, I really don't have all the gaps filled in on this skill, and want to learn about using a GPS. Can anyone recommend something in Melbourne or Victoria? A quick google search brought up the Australian School od Mountaneering but they're in the Blue Mountains. I'd be willing to travel and pay the $395(!) course fee if I had some feedback. Anyone done this one or know of such a thing nearer to Melbourne? I don't belong to any clubs so perhaps that's where I'm missing out?

Maybe you could find a rogaining/orienteering club, and see if a member there might be able to give you some one-on-one tuition? Bit like a maths tutor I guess.

Personally, I found learning the basics easy (got taught them back at school) but it takes heaps of practical application to really make sense of the theory. For me, learning to relate the shapes on the topo map to the actual bumps in the bush was the hardest (and most valuable) thing to learn. Not sure if there's any substitute for practice though.

For me, the best way to practice is to walk along a pretty well-defined track, but constantly reference the terrain around me back to the map, even when I don't need to. It's a hard skill to master for a city boy, because I'm never in the bush enough to really ingrain the skills.

But at least now there's GPS, which is a nice backup to map and compass.

Bronski

Do you walk with a Bushwalking club, or a regular group of friends.

Practical experience in the basics whilst on a regular walk should be readily forthcoming if you ask.

JohnM wrote:Personally, I found learning the basics easy (got taught them back at school) but it takes heaps of practical application to really make sense of the theory. For me, learning to relate the shapes on the topo map to the actual bumps in the bush was the hardest (and most valuable) thing to learn. Not sure if there's any substitute for practice though.

For me, the best way to practice is to walk along a pretty well-defined track, but constantly reference the terrain around me back to the map, even when I don't need to. It's a hard skill to master for a city boy, because I'm never in the bush enough to really ingrain the skills.

jcr_au wrote:Bronski

Do you walk with a Bushwalking club, or a regular group of friends.

Practical experience in the basics whilst on a regular walk should be readily forthcoming if you ask.

I'd say I've got the basics down pat, and I can quite well relate contours on a map to the terrain in front of me. But the idea of going off track is overwhelming and as much as I love remote places I also (probably unreasonably) fear being lost. And at the same time I'm guilty of walking along a clearly defined track and not practicing any skills! I have never walked with a club, it's usually just the husband and I. I suppose we really need to look at joining a club and look at more remote walks with experienced people.`

Not intended to put you off getting advice and learning in a group or with a tutor, but I'd also suggest (for your GPS learning) one way is to grab a good contoured map of an area you know and take that, a compass and the GPS out and learn on the job so to speak.
Once the GPS is setup - correct datum, then you have it ready for use.
With the GPS you can relate that to your map and your GPS position and check the terrain against the contours in terms of the shape of the land/ terrain - not elevations as read off the GPS.
(Recreational GPS are not good at elevations so treat that side with due respect.)
I could elaborate more but don't want to tell a g'mother how to suck eggs, if you know what I mean (not inferring you also).

I'm guilty of walking along a clearly defined track and not practicing any skills! Yes - good time to start to look about and watch for things that aid in navigation.
Navigation shouldn't be reliant on GPS(alone) as they have things that go flat and then they are pretty useless.
An awareness of your surroundings soon develops if you learn the tell tale signs and what they mean.
Trees can be usefull resource in naviagtion, what side does the moss/ lichen grow on (yes assuming they have moss - talking Tassie here), which way are the trees bowing towards to name a couple. Just watch out for such things as you meander about in the scrub and you soon start to see other tell tale signs that suggest direction - north, south etc.
It can grow on you but does need an awareness and practise to make it work.

If it makes you more appreciative of what we have in our great outdoors then thats an added bonus and who knows where the offtrack couple will be found - and not lost either.

When you are in the bush you are not doing just one route but two. The route that you are navigating and the route that you have done. It is amazing how different they look. Turn around from time to time, so that one of the routes is always familiar. This is one of the best bit of practical advice that I was given when I was starting to learn the ropes. Maybe this is what Paddy Pallin meant when he wrote, that he was "never truly lost."

Warren.

Agree, some things cannot be bought or taught in a day. Practice is the key. I should know better. Pattaboi Jois said of Yoga - 1% Theory, 99% Practice. Applies to most other things I think. Might make an exercise out to Lysterfield. I know it well on bike, I'll go walk it with instruments in hand.

On the topic of GPS, I've never had one, not even in the car. I've been doing a bit of homework and was all about to buy an etrex h, but have found updates are soon to be released. The etrex 20 looks like a nice gem for a beginner gps'er. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these now.

So as for clubs, I'm in contact with a club in Melbourne and am going to go along to one of their day walks next week, looking forward to that. Thanks peoples