Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[daznkez]

I returned from a three day backcountry trip to the Schnells ridge area yesterday.
Parks had a team and a chopper operating out from Red Tape Creek
I came down and and said hello and to see what they were up to
I was accosted by an disgruntled ranger who took my details for prosecution
I was told that "the whole area" is closed; that being on Schnells was not an adequate excuse for the fact that I still crossed the lake Judd track. I was told that it is not appropriate to be in these wilderness areas in winter alone due to risk.
I did request that Parks remove the plastic rubbish strung up over the entrances to Condominium and Red Tape tracks and commended them on their actually starting a duckboard repair
So in 20 years of winter visits to this area this was a bit of a first and my meetings with public land managers have begun to resemble encounters with the police.
The range was stunning and not to be missed

[north-north-west]

So, you deliberately ignore all the closure warnings and get lippy with the TasPAWS crew whose work you've made harder and think they''re at fault? What did you expect - red carpet treatment?

[headwerkn]

A couple from yesterday.

The first one was around 3:00pm an EPIRB was detected by AUSAR the location was at the southern end of Lake Burbury (near Queenstown). A 33 year old male bushwalker planning to walk to the Fincham Hut on the Fincham Track lost his mobile phone which held his maps of the area. The Westpac Emergency Rescue Helicopter was deployed to the area, the male was located and extracted from the area by the helicopter. The male was not injured and was transported to Hobart.

.

Has anyone been out this way? My understanding is the track to fincham's would be very much non existent at this point. I would anticipate it to be a very long scrub bash. Although if he was picked up from the southern end of burbury maybe he didn't get very far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1I1F3I5DIc

Video from the rescued guy in question. Yeah, not much a track. At all

[Azza]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1I1F3I5DIc

Video from the rescued guy in question. Yeah, not much a track. At all

Whatever time of year, Its not a day walk that is for sure...

12km effectively off track in valley scrub at least a full day each way with a strong walking party.

I actually think the northern route over the Raglans and around Mt Maud is the more do-able option.
Large sections of that road are still quite clear and its easy walking over the Raglans, the last section can still be seen in aerial photos.

[north-north-west]

I actually think the northern route over the Raglans and around Mt Maud is the more do-able option.
Large sections of that road are still quite clear and its easy walking over the Raglans, the last section can still be seen in aerial photos.

It's fine until you drop down to the first major branch of Canyon Creek, where the track disappears for a few hundred metres in a tangle of treefalls liberally covered with Gahnia and Bauera. Once you''re past that, it's reasonable to the junction with the Fincham track. West of that would be nightmarish from what I saw.

[north-north-west]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1I1F3I5DIc

Video from the rescued guy in question. Yeah, not much a track. At all

You watch the whole thing? There are visible traces of it near the lake but it disappears very quickly.

[south]

north-north-west,
What a Youtube clip. Bit of a lesson in that one to always throw a paper map in the bag and have some form of compass on hand.
Does Tassie charge for the choppers?

[north-north-west]

north-north-west,
What a Youtube clip. Bit of a lesson in that one to always throw a paper map in the bag and have some form of compass on hand.
Does Tassie charge for the choppers?

He spends more time fiddling with his phone nav app than actually walking. But no paper map, no compass, and apparently no ability to navigate naturally. Accident waiting to happen.

No, we don't. Once he got to that point, setting off the PLB was the right thing to do, but with more nous and preparation he shouldn't have been in that position.

[Tortoise]

He spends more time fiddling with his phone nav app than actually walking. But no paper map, no compass, and apparently no ability to navigate naturally. Accident waiting to happen.

No, we don't. Once he got to that point, setting off the PLB was the right thing to do, but with more nous and preparation he shouldn't have been in that position.

I watched a few of his other videos a while back, and wondered how long it would take till he needed a rescue. Not that long, it seems. I'm hoping he'll really learn from the experience - the importance of learning how to navigate and prepare adequately. I was concerned he might inspire others to head into the bush on their own with inadequate gear and experience. This could turn that around, if he doesn't think the only problem was losing his phone. Very glad he's OK.

[Tortoise]

A friend pointed out that this guy (Rob Parsons) has done a video on what to take on an overnight hike in Tassie, for people who haven't done it before. I'm more concerned. He recommends that people should keep their pack light, sticking to the essentials - which don't apparently include a map, compass, any track information, a sleeping mat, first aid kit, a waterproof tent (his cost $30 on eBay, and it leaks), any more water-carrying capacity than 600ml, any toilet paper, poo trowel, etc, etc. Was there a rain jacket on his list? Hmm, I don't remember one.

He also recommends putting your sleeping bag in a Coles bag in the bottom of your pack (with no other liner or dry bag) to keep it dry even if it ends up in the river. Yes, he pack rafts, so this is a possible scenario. He also explains that the pack is not waterproof. I'm hoping he is not successful in getting others to go bush similarly ill-equipped, putting themselves and others in danger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUHSS2ooEA

[north-north-west]

A friend pointed out that this guy (Rob Parsons) has done a video on what to take on an overnight hike in Tassie, for people who haven't done it before. I'm more concerned. He recommends that people should keep their pack light, sticking to the essentials - which don't apparently include a map, compass, any track information, a sleeping mat, first aid kit, a waterproof tent (his cost $30 on eBay, and it leaks), any more water-carrying capacity than 600ml, any toilet paper, poo trowel, etc, etc. Was there a rain jacket on his list? Hmm, I don't remember one.

He also recommends putting your sleeping bag in a Coles bag in the bottom of your pack (with no other liner or dry bag) to keep it dry even if it ends up in the river. Yes, he pack rafts, so this is a possible scenario. He also explains that the pack is not waterproof. I'm hoping he is not successful in getting others to go bush similarly ill-equipped, putting themselves and others in danger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUHSS2ooEA

Shudder. It''s fair enough if he wants to put himself in danger, but he shouldn't be peddling dangerously misleading information when he really doesn't have a clue.

[Tortoise]

Oh, and I forgot the bit where he demonstrates where he carries his phone - in an unsecured outside pocket on his pack. What could possibly go wrong?

At least there are some sensible experienced people now making some useful comments in response to his rescue video. Hopefully he'll be open to them...

[headwerkn]

You watch the whole thing? There are visible traces of it near the lake but it disappears very quickly.

I did indeed. A few visible traces of long lost track at one spot equals not very much track at all in my opinion. Others may disagree but I'm sure pretty that trip falls into the 'trackless wandering' category of hiking

Does Tassie charge for the choppers?

I've heard (from sources who have had a heli ride home) that rescues are generally free (read: taxpayer funded) if the rescue was reasonably justified and you were otherwise well prepared for the conditions with adequate safety gear. Snake bite or other medical emergency - not an issue. Properly lost after sustained efforts to refind your location, unforeseen weather? OK too. If however you're found without appropriate gear and/or the rescue wasn't justified ie. you just got tired or decided having a leech on your leg was a major medical emergency, then the bill is around $5K.

Once he got to that point, setting off the PLB was the right thing to do, but with more nous and preparation he shouldn't have been in that position.

Especially if he didn't have the gear to bunk out the night and potentially make his way back in better weather the next morning... but yeah, doing that kind of solo off track adventure in winter without a fall-back GPS device and a paper map/compass was, ahem, foolhardy. Even having a basic Garmin/Suunto GPS watch with TrakBack would have given him a route to retrace back and saved a lot of grief and Avgas.

[north-north-west]

You watch the whole thing? There are visible traces of it near the lake but it disappears very quickly.

I did indeed. A few visible traces of long lost track at one spot equals not very much track at all in my opinion. Others may disagree but I'm sure pretty that trip falls into the 'trackless wandering' category of hiking

Sorry, I read in sarcasm where none was intended. Agree entirely.

[TentPeg]

$5k for a rescue with no good reason. Hmm. So I make a mistake and I'm out there in real danger. I can't afford $5k so I'll keep going - and it ends badly.

But then I could have been driving my car without due care and crash. A helicopter is called as the best option. Do I now have to pay $5k?

I understand the anger against the underprepared but .......

[north-north-west]

$5k for a rescue with no good reason. Hmm. So I make a mistake and I'm out there in real danger. I can't afford $5k so I'll keep going - and it ends badly.
But then I could have been driving my car without due care and crash. A helicopter is called as the best option. Do I now have to pay $5k?
I understand the anger against the underprepared but .......

I don't know where headwerkin got that from, but I have never heard of anyone being charged for the S&R chopper in Tassie. In other states perhaps, but not down here. There have been some ridiculous call-outs, but no-one was ever expected to pay. The service personnel have always made it plain that they would rather be called out unnecessarily than have someone delay calling them in when needed, and thus exacerbate the situation.

[Vee]

I'm not sure where headwerkn gets his information from either. I haven't heard of anyone in Tasmania paying for a rescue and it's not all "taxpayer funded". Rescue Helicopter Tas derives quite a lot of funds from commercial sponsors such as Westpac and also from donations. I certainly donate, and hope Tassie members of this forum do too. It is a fantastic service. (I have no affiliation)

[headwerkn]

I don't know where headwerkin got that from

From someone who got rescued recently - that was their words as relayed. As I said, just one anecdotal experience I heard, whether it is accurate or typical I don't know. I would imagine any costs passed onto the 'unnecessarily rescued' would obviously be highly dependent on the actual costs incurred... helicopters and crew burn money by the minute. Getting plucked off Mt Wellington obviously isn't going to be as expensive as a three-day search and rescue deep in the south west etc. I doubt that $5K is a flat fee as such.

Personally I've always operated under the assumption that if you are rescued, you owe everyone on that helicopter a slab of their preferred brew. I've had this confirmed by an actual SAR staffer that is very much accepted, and he'd prefer vodka. Ergo, the first thing you should say once aboard, after pleasantries are exchanged and 'thank you', is to ask what everyone drinks, and that you're buying

While I think spurious rescues do need to be discouraged, through education, personal responsibility and the genuine idiots being appropriately billed and made examples of, I'm fairly certain Westpac Rescue prefer people to not hesitate to press their button on their PLB if they're in trouble, which is why information regarding rescue costs or calls from the Great Unwashed for walkers to be billed go ignored. That makes good sense. No point dying in the wilderness with an un-activated PLB because you were too afraid of a potential bill or the wrath of the Tas Police Facebook Armchair Experts.

[headwerkn]

Rescue Helicopter Tas derives quite a lot of funds from commercial sponsors such as Westpac and also from donations. I certainly donate, and hope Tassie members of this forum do too. It is a fantastic service. (I have no affiliation)

Hi Vee, yes I am very much aware that some of the helicopter's funding comes from donations (all Tasmanian bushwalkers should donate, regularly) and private sponsors (including Westpac, obviously). However a fair chunk comes from DPEM's yearly budget aka. state funded aka. taxpayer money. Alas this means scrutiny from the general public on how the service is used. I'm less concerned about the money side of things as I am about availability. There's only two helis in the state and if one's busy rescuing your lazy, irresponsible, unprepared butt from an easily avoidable situation, then that's one less available for a genuine emergency. It was over a decade ago but I once first-on-scene to a pretty nasty motorbike accident and we had to wait quite a while for the chopper to get to us due to it being tied up on another rescue. Obviously a certain amount of assessment/prioritisation occurs, but you get my point.

[north-north-west]

I don't know where headwerkin got that from

From someone who got rescued recently - that was their words as relayed. As I said, just one anecdotal experience I heard, whether it is accurate or typical I don't know.

But how would someone with a legitimate justification for calling them in know that "unwarranted" callers are charged?

I''ve had three rides on the chopper, for three different reasons, only one of them being my idea. First was when I called them in after stuffing my knee near Eldon Bluff. The second was when the police called them in after I rolled the Hilux up near Tungatinah. Third was a "precautionary relocation" (have to love the terminology) from Eldon Peak back down to the river during last year's fires. The crew talk about a lot of things, but never about anyone possibly being charged for the experience.
It would also be a major change of policy, and one that would not have occurred without public announcement. Different policies exist in other places, but they have never charged in Tassie.

[headwerkn]

The crew talk about a lot of things, but never about anyone possibly being charged for the experience.

And I dare say what get said offhand in the chopper and what happens after the fact are two completely different things. The information I got was second-hand, so I didn't get to quiz said rescuee for the particulars. It's actually the first time I've heard a figure mentioned for a rescue.

Like you, I have never actually heard of a person being charged for a rescue in Tasmania, despite howls of protest from professional couch moisteners. I can imagine if it has happened, the details have not been publicised for the reason cited before.

Third was a "precautionary relocation" (have to love the terminology)

LOL. I presume 'We'd really rather you not be there, just in case" takes too long to say over a sketchy VHF radio channel

[Graham51]

I know someone who works on the helicopter VERY WELL and I'm pretty sure there is no charge for the trip. In the past, when they took people to the Domain to be transferred to the RHH in an ambulance there was a charge for non-Tasmanian residents for that part of the trip. Also, I have never heard of any of them being given cartons of beer or bottles of spirits or anything else for that matter.

[ILUVSWTAS]

We're very lucky in Tasmania to have this service that has always been free and hopefully always will.

However some instances make me wonder. Like our idiotic fincham friend.... word is he's heading back for another go. What happens if he again takes inadequate navigational gear and has to be rescues again?

[headwerkn]

I have never heard of any of them being given cartons of beer or bottles of spirits or anything else for that matter.

That's terribly poor form, downight un-Australian

However some instances make me wonder. Like our idiotic fincham friend.... word is he's heading back for another go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZFr-JgdtpQ

I really hope that's the selfie-stick from hell and not a drone he's used in some of those shots... *hmmm*

[Mechanic-AL]

If Ambulance staff and others in the medical profession only treated 'legitimate' injuries and illnesses and told people with alcohol and drug problems or any self inflicted injury or illness to bugger off then we'd all be in a huge mess.
I would imagine staff of rescue choppers work on similar humanitarian principles and regardless of frustrations caused by stupidity they just see a person who needs their help. That is a big part of what makes these people so professional at what they do,

[north-north-west]

We're very lucky in Tasmania to have this service that has always been free and hopefully always will.

However some instances make me wonder. Like our idiotic Fincham friend.... word is he's heading back for another go. What happens if he again takes inadequate navigational gear and has to be rescued again?

The trailer makes it look like he has done it. And what a wanker: "not been successfully navigated this millenium" ... not that you know of sunshine, but going on the evidence there's a lot you don't know. Really don't see how such a klutz could do that out and back as a daywalk, especially in winter. As for a second evacuation - well, The Breminator needed it.

[ILUVSWTAS]

We're very lucky in Tasmania to have this service that has always been free and hopefully always will.

However some instances make me wonder. Like our idiotic Fincham friend.... word is he's heading back for another go. What happens if he again takes inadequate navigational gear and has to be rescued again?

The trailer makes it look like he has done it. And what a wanker: "not been successfully navigated this millenium" ... not that you know of sunshine, but going on the evidence there's a lot you don't know. Really don't see how such a klutz could do that out and back as a daywalk, especially in winter. As for a second evacuation - well, The Breminator needed it.

Lol ah really? I didn't want to fall for his clickbait by watching it. Seems that's what he's after all along. From what I hear though he does sound like a complete wanker indeed.

If he's on here shoot me a PM and I'll put you in touch with 2 groups that I know who've been in recently

[north-north-west]

If he's on here shoot me a PM and I'll put you in touch with 2 groups that I know who've been in recently

I wouldn't mind getting some info on the whole track whether he comes here or not. It's still on my To Do list.

[ILUVSWTAS]

One of the guys I know who did it (this millennium) said the only way they knew they were on the track was when they were neck deep in cutting grass as that has regrown over the track. Similar to mt weld and other non profit generating tracks statewide.

[bushwalker zane]

"not been successfully navigated this millenium" ...

I saw that and thought "hmmm"...

In the previous video, when he's looking at the creek that he decided to turn around at, there's obviously some fresh-ish tape. Well, at least less than 20 years old

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