74 Kallista Rd.
QUEENSLAND
BUSHWALKERS
CLUB Inc.
Newsletter
Black Snake Ridge
Club News
Annual General Meeting President’s Report
Dear Members & Guests,
The last six months has been an important time in our clubs’
history. Our incorporation has strengthened the club and in
particular, removed concerns relating to insurance matters for
committee members.
The club continues to grow and it’s great to see the new
members turning up to walks and meetings. I know that our club
is respected by others of the bush walking fraternity. I believe this
is due to the fact that our club has always been run so well by
such dedicated people on previous committees. It is now up to
the post incorporation committees to ensure that this continues to
be the case.
My six months as President has been an enjoyable experience
and not at all arduous due largely to the great people on the
committee. I would like to take this opportunity, both personally
and on behalf of the club to thank our committee members.
Our Madam Secretary, Patricia has been wonderfully efficient
and reliable and with our Editor Richard, whose dedication to our
club and bushwalking in general is amazing. They together
represent the strength of purpose which has made our club
strong.
This club was fortunate to have Gary Woodward come forward
as a first time Treasurer. He is doing a great job and adds to the
cohesion of the committee.
Dave Kenrick, our Outings Secretary has previous bushwalking
experience and a comprehensive knowledge of walks and for this
reason is particularly suited to this role.
Nadeen Larkin has held two roles as Membership Officer and
Page 1 of 6
Rochedale South
QLD 4123
Email qldbwc@yahoo.com
Phone No (07) 3341 7509
www.geocities.com/qldbwc
October 2004
Training Officer and her efforts for the club in these positions are
much appreciated.
I must thank our Vice President Bob Gur who constantly
complains that he doesn’t have enough to do. This is not true. Bob
is a valued voice on the committee and attends every meeting.
Bob is there to chair in my absence and takes the pressure off
having to attend every meeting from me.
The Social Secretary, Evelyn has been busy juggling motherhood,
coffee shops and restaurants and isn’t she good at it. Although it
is not required of her, Evelyn attends all committee meetings and
is busy at the moment finalizing the club’s Christmas Party and
doing a wonderful job.
Thank you also to Danuta Gur our Supper Convenor. Danuta
provides the part of club meetings we all look forward to.
May I say in closing a club is only as strong as its members. Our
club has been fortunate in the past to have people willing to take
on the required committee positions. Club members need to
contribute to the clubs’ workload as each is able for this club to
continue to remain strong and active.
As for myself I will be nominating for the President’s position again
and if successful look forward to working with the new committee
for the next twelve months. Regards, Trevor Cox
BBQ Social 24 September 2004
The BBQ social at my place was a great night attended by 22
people. The idea of bringing one share salad and your own steak
etc. worked well. We are looking to repeat the event in January.
This time we will make it a lunch time event and include a swim.
Thank you to all who came. Trevor
 General Information The Management Committee
Membership President Trevor Cox 3273 3484 (H)
Membership is still only $20. Please note that the financial year Vice President Bob Gur 3345 3971 (H)
of the Club has changed. The present Club financial year finishes Secretary Patricia Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)
on the 30th of June 2004. However members who have paid
st
their $20 for 2004 will be financial till 31 January 2005. Treasurer Gary Woodward 3245 2695 (H)
Before a visitor can go on a walk, he/she must become a Outings Secretary David Kenrick 3349 8238 (H)
Probationary or Ordinary Member or be a member of an affiliated Membership Officer Nadeen Larkin 0405 022 757
club. Members of another bushwalking club affiliated with the
Editor Richard Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)
Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs or another State
Federation are covered for Insurance.
Other Voluntary Positions
Probationary Membership
Social Secretary Evelyn Campbell 3809 2354 (H)
To become a Probationary Member, a person pays $10.00 to a
member of the committee or to a walk leader. Walk leaders are Training Officer Nadeen Larkin 0405 022 757
authorized to collect the $10.00. The committee member or walk Equipment Officer Steve Moyle 3800 3963 (H)
leader will note the name of the person on the Walk Sheet and
that he/she has paid the $10.00. Supper Convenor Danuta Gur 3345 3971 (H)
A Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member by Federation Rep Richard Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)
their second walk. Federation Rep Trevor Cox 3273 3484 (H)
A Probationary Member can become an Ordinary Member by FMR Rep Richard Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)
filling out a membership form and handing it to a committee FMR Rep Trevor Smith 0407 062 381
member or walk leader and paying a further $10.00.
Ordinary Membership
Campsite Monitors
A person who is not a member may become an Ordinary
Ratatat Hut Barbara Makepeace
Member straight away by filling out a membership form and
Ed Thistlethwaite
handing the form to a committee member or walk leader and
paying $20.00. Running Creek Falls Richard Kolarski
Gary Woodward
Meeting Place
Throakban Kerry de Clauzel
Club Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the Trevor Smith
East Brisbane State School, corner of Stanley Street and
Wellington Road, starting at 7:30pm. Mt Superbus & Christine Harrison &
Spicers Peak Cliff Harrison
There is parking within the school grounds off Wellington Road.
Consult a street directory, as there are a number of one-way Mt May Patricia Kolarski
streets in the area. There is also parking in Wellington Road.
Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits provided after the meeting. A coin New Members
donation would be appreciated
Anthony Ede Lois Hynes
Equipment for Hire Neville McCay Hugh McLachlan
The Club has a backpack (suitable for use as Rodney Owen Phil Tirher
a day or through pack) for hire at $5.00 per
week. Barbara Weller Merryn York
QBW is also looking at purchasing further
equipment in the near future. Any suggestions No of Ordinary Members 134
for equipment to buy would be appreciated. This is the number of renewals and new members since 1/2/2004
Also any person who has surplus equipment
and would like to donate or sell to the Club,
please contact one of the Committee members Comings and Goings
or Steve Moyle on 3800 3963. Paulina L is on a visit to South America.
Noelene M has just returned from South America. She did the
Bivy Bag/Pack Liners for Sale Macchu Pichu trail.
The Club has purchased a quantity of pack liners from VicWalk John M and Lynne C have gone on a trip to China.
suitable for through packs. They are 2 metres by 0.9 metres in a Frank B has returned from Europe where he travelled to Norway,
bright orange colour. The packliners can double as an Denmark, Switzerland and Germany. He did some walks in
emergency bivvy bag and have helpful information printed on Germany.
them. Tina K is returning home to Germany after spending a year in
They are available from the Club for $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Australia. She has been an active walker with the Club and she
has plans of starting her own bushwalking club back home. We
Club Shirts
wish her all the best.
The club still has a number of Club polo shirts for sale. They are
available in XL, L, M and S size. $20.00 each
EPIRB Available for Members Rogaining
The Club has purchased an EPIRB. It will be available to any Patricia and Helen competed in a recent rogaine. For those
member of the Club at no charge for use on weekend or people interested in improving their navigation skills, rogaining is a
weekday walks. great fun way of doing it.
If you would like to take the EPIRB on a walk, ring 3341 7509 on Contact Patricia on 3341 7509 for information on future rogaines.
where to pick up and return the EPIRB.

Page 2 of 6
 Special Coming Events
QBW Christmas Party 19-21 November 2004.
Where: Midginbil Hill Country Resort, Near Uki, Northern NSW.
Located in the Tweed Hinterland, 150km from Brisbane, about
2hrs drive.
Price: $36 per person, minimum of two nights.
Please make payment for the weekend to Gary Woodward by
October 15. Gary’s phone number is 3245 2695.
Directions and Map: Available at Club Meetings and will be in
the November Newsletter.
Also on the web at www.midginbilhill.com.au/locality.htm
Accommodation: Bunkhouse Accommodation.
6 Rooms with 10 bunks in each.
2 Rooms with 4 bunks in each.
Each room has an ensuite bathroom.
Facilities: Fully equipped commercial kitchen & cool room
available for our use.
Use of facilities from 4pm Friday to 4pm Sunday.
BYO food, cutlery & crockery.
pillows, blankets & linen.
Free Activities: include Swimming Pool, Orienteering Course,
Tennis & Volleyball (BYO or Hire Equipment).
BYO Watercraft to paddle on nearby Clarie Hall Dam.
Activities with Fees: Horse riding, Archery, Canoeing.
Program

Saturday Night Group BBQ & Party and Trivia Quiz
Night at "The Barn" with Australiana Theme. Come
dressed in your best Australiana gear.

QBW will supply the meat for the BBQ. Please bring a
dish to contribute. Let Gary Woodward know what you
will be bringing when you book.

Bushwalking videos and slide shows.

Tossing of the Boot competition.

Bushwalking opportunities at Mt Warning, Nightcap NP,
Mt Jerusalem NP.
Enquiries: Please contact Evelyn Campbell ph 3809 2354.
The Great Australian Bushwalk 24 October 2004.
The Great Australian Bushwalk is an initiative to encourage new
and old bushwalkers to venture into national parks right across
the state, for a day of exercise, exploration, flora and fauna and
fresh air appreciation in the company of like-minded people.
Queensland Bushwalkers Club is joining this venture and the
Club has two walks scheduled on that day. They are Barney
Creek led by Dave Haliczer and Dave’s Creek Circuit led by John
Morris.
Any visitor going on the Great Australian Bushwalk held by QBW
on 24/10/2004 will automatically become a probationary member
of QBW and no prescribed fee will be payable.
Hinchinbrook Island 5-9 September 2005
Thorsborne Trail
I have booked the Thorsborne Trail for six people, the maximum
party size permitted for this walk. Spread over five days this will
be a fairly easy throughwalk. Five days’ food as well as camping
gear needs to be carried but water will be available each day.
Also, because of the long lead-up time, I will have a waiting list
just in case someone has to pull out. If interested please phone
me on 3341 7509. Patricia Kolarski
Hinchinbrook Island 5-9 September 2005
Mt Diamantina
At the same time there will be a separate trip with 5 people
booked to climb Mt Diamantina on Hinchinbrook. Contact
Richard on 3341 7509 for more information.
Page 3 of 6
Past Walks
Spicer's East West Peaks 5-6 June 2004
Having arrived late afternoon the three of us - Ann Kemp, Cliff &
myself, set up camp for the overnight stay. On the Sunday
morning with perfect weather, we began walking at 07:45 and
reached East Spicer's up the extra dry and dusty route.
Giving Ann assistance (who now is the new monitor), the small
campsite was assessed for the annual monitoring. A small
subsidence was noted where vegetation had been removed for
access to a lookout. EPA where later notified of this dangerous
safety issue.
From here we proceeded to West Peak before ascending the
North West ridge, then through a terrible area collecting 'millions'
of cobbler's pegs on our way, before reaching the old bench road.
We were back to our cars by 4:00pm. On the way down we also
met the 3 men we had met on East Peak. They had become
disorientated on their way down.
All the best with your monitoring years ahead, Ann. Thanks for
joining Cliff & myself on this walk. Christine
Main Range T/W 12-14 June 2004
We were planning to walk from Teviot Gap to Spicers Gap so
early Saturday morning we left cars at Spicers Gap then
continued on to Teviot Gap to start our walk.
A cold wind meant we didn’t loiter at Teviot Gap but started the
walk to Lizard Point via Mt Bell and Mt Roberts. Lunch in the sun
at Lizard Point was very enjoyable with stunning views of where
we were heading.
From Lizard Point we headed down into the saddle then up Mt
Steamer and down again steeply to Steamer saddle and our
campsite for the night. Water was available here so we filled up
and cleaned up before dinner and early to bed as it was getting
cold after the sun set.
Sunday we started with a climb over a small knoll then a lovely
wander through fern meadows to the start of the climb to
Panorama Point. The ascent was quite steep with good views
and morning tea at Lower Panorama Point. We continued on to
Panorama Point for another break and a close up view of 2 eagles
soaring overhead.
The next section to Mt Asplenium was relatively easy then it was a
contour around Mt Huntley through rainforest to a creek and
water. This was to be our last water before we reached the cars
so we filled every available container. The water was found in a
lovely creek filled with tree ferns. We followed this creek up to the
summit of Mt Huntley then had to find our way around the cliffs
and down below them. We then had to contour back around under
the cliffs until the ridge was reached for our descent to Huntley
saddle and our camp for the night.
Here was a lovely big campsite with great views towards Ipswich
and Brisbane. I managed to spill our dinner in the grass but it was
quickly retrieved and all foreign matter removed to continue
cooking. It was either that or starve. The cooking didn’t get any
better as I made hot chocolate drinks using apple flavoured
porridge instead of milk powder. It’s different but quite drinkable!
I should have realised something was wrong but it wasn’t until the
middle of the night when a dreadful headache finally made me
realise I had a tick which was located in my eyebrow. A painkiller
in the morning took away most of the headache so I could
continue the walk.
We continued along the ridge top as much as possible except to
avoid cliffs over Mt Doubletop then false Doubletop. On the
descent to Spicers/Doubletop saddle a lovely snake held his
ground on the path. We stopped for a quick campsite monitoring
of this site and a final snack before ascending Spicers Peak.
We stopped for lunch at east peak on Spicers enjoying the views
of where we had walked for the weekend. The descent was quite
steep and required some pack hauling on the difficult sections, but
we reached the cars by 3pm.
 Box Forest Circuit 20 June 2004
Box Forest is one of the many interesting walks at Lamington
National Park (Green Mountains or O’Reilly’s area) and only 1 ½
to 2 hrs from Brisbane.
This particular morning I considered that someone had opened
the freezer door and forgotten to close it. Wow – now that is what
I call brisk.

On the Main Track

My headache returned on the way down Spicers Peak meaning I
probably had another tick. By the time we had driven to Teviot
Gap to pick up cars and back to Boonah I was feeling unwell.
The tick was finally located that evening just above my eyebrow.
It caused my eye to swell until almost closed and took 3 days for
the swelling to disappear. The ticks I had on me were so small
they were difficult to see. They were probably the larval form of
the tick. Boxed In
The best treatment for tick bite is to remove the tick as soon as One of our group decided that a little more warmth was required
possible. When found place some Rid, Aeroguard or Bushmans so a visit to O’Reilly’s gift shop for a warm jacket. A cup of coffee
insect repellent on the tick then wait 10-20 minutes before before the walk – yes – why not? Now before we get cold again
removing with a pointed pair of tweezers. Scratching or pulling at let’s get going.
the tick will cause more toxin to be injected.
Down the Border Track and approximately 1½ km later the group
Dave Haliczer did a wonderful job of leading us through this branched off onto the Box Forest Circuit and I think it became a
rugged wilderness area. little warmer…. no not yet. Let’s walk a little faster.
Thanks Dave and for the company of the other walkers. Today we decided to talk the track to the left and were rewarded
Barbara Makepeace with a gentle sloping track with a canopy of sub-tropical rainforest.
The huge trees intrigued us and of course they were the Brush
Box.
Black Snake Ridge 12 June 2004
Lunch was in a quiet, peaceful setting and the pool looked inviting.
Black Snake Ridge is a prominent ridge very evident when
looking east up Running Creek valley from the farm house at the A little later we came to Elabana Falls and just had to investigate
end of the Running Creek Road. It is also provides a very steep a little. What a site. Breathtaking.
but direct route to the Qld/NSW border a few kilometres west of The walkers ventured off again and the track wound up the valley
Mt. Nungulba. This proved to be a very popular walk with about past Picnic Rock - not much further now.
16 people signing up to participate.
Thanks to all who joined us on this “classic” walk. Cool but worth
A 7.30 meeting at McDonalds in Beaudesert to pool transport it. Bob & Danuta Gur
found us ready to walk an hour later with a fairly stiff and cool
breeze blowing on us down the Running Creek valley. A 3 P.S. We didn’t even stop for coffee after the walk…
kilometre walk on the track to Running Creek Falls found us at
the foot of Black Snake Ridge ready for the beginning of a very South Coast Walk Tasmania 12-18 January 2004
steep climb. By this time the breeze had dropped and we were in
Patricia and Jenny decided after doing the South West Cape Walk
for an excellent day.
not to continue on to the South Coast Track. It was just David and
After a fair bit of huffing and puffing we were over the worst of the I then to do this challenging 7 day walk.
climb and continued on for another K. or so to a knoll where we
obtained an excellent view over the upper reaches of Running
Creek and Lamington Plateau. This was a good spot for a fairly
extended morning tea break. A further couple of K slog through a
lot of bracken and into rainforest brought us up to the old rabbit
proof fence on the Qld/NSW border. The fence east of Mt. Gipps
has not been maintained for about 15 years and is now very
overgrown.
My original plan was to walk east to the end of the fence and
cross to another ridge and hopefully obtain a good view of a
waterfall but as time was against us a quick change of plan found
us walking west along the fence to an old tin shack once used by
the fence maintenance crews. As it was now time for lunch this
was a good place to stop and after some sustenance, a bit of
exploration of the old hut and Richard taking the obligatory group
photographs, we retraced our steps back to the knoll for an
afternoon break and then down the steep decent to Running
Creek and back to the cars.
It was then back to McDonalds in Beaudesert for snacks and
coffee. Thanks to all those who participated for making this
another very enjoyable walk. David Kenrick Bound for the Ironbound Range

Page 4 of 6
We set off over the button grass plains from Melaleuca to Cox's
Bight late in the day and had our first camp there. The distance
of 10 kilometres was covered in only 21/2 hours as the going was
fairly flat and the track well graded.
The next day was a mixture of walking along the beach, then on
to button grass plains and a short ascent of Red Point Hills. We
could see the Ironbound Range in the distance. The Range
dwarfed the small hill we were standing on. Further on we had to
wade through Faraway Creek which had a rope to hang on to in
case the current was strong.
After lunch at Louisa Creek we set across the Louisa Plains with
Mt Louisa on our left and Louisa Bay and Louisa Island on our
right. We put our tents up at Louisa River. It rained heavily on
and off that night.
The next day was the most challenging but fortunately the sun
was shining. The Ironbound Range loomed ahead and we could
see the track as it made its way up a ridge. We made our way
slowly upward and near the summit we had to hide behind a
rocky outcrop as a rain squall came over. The wind was fierce
and the cold intense. There was hail on the ground from the
previous night. Our fingers became numb from the cold and the
wind blew us off the boardwalk on the summit. It was a relief to
get to the sheltered side of the Range as we descended. The
descent itself was interesting as we had to scramble down roots
and rocks. We made camp at Deadman's Bay.
Rowing the Boat Ashore at Prion Beach
The fourth day of our walk was bright and sunny as we walked
down to and along Prion Beach. At the end of the beach there
was a boat we had to row across to get to the other side. David
enjoyed this and even helped a fellow walker cross to the other
side. We camped on the other side of the camp crossing at New
River Lagoon.
The fifth day began bright and sunny and we had views of the top
of Precipitous Bluff which had been hidden from us the previous
day. We had a campsite at Granite Beach where we had time to
do some washing.
Day six was from Granite Beach to South cape Rivulet. The track
went up South Cape Range and very deep bogs along the way
made this the worst section of the track. At the campsite we had
a pleasant surprise. Jenny and Patricia had walked in from
Cockle Creek and had brought fresh supplies. We had a feast
that night with wine and nibblies.
The final day was a day of extremes. It had hailed that night and
again early in the morning as we were getting up. The rest of the
day was bright and sunny. As we made our way back we could
see the tops of the surrounding mountains brushed with snow.
The last section of the track was popular with day trippers and
there was a wide boardwalk over parts of the button grass plains.
Thus we all made it back to civilization leaving the wild country
reluctantly behind.
Many thanks to David, Jenny and Patricia for their support.
Richard
Page 5 of 6
Walk Leader Notes (Part Four)
Common (and Uncommon) Problems
You Do Not Get Enough Participants
For safety reasons, the minimal number on a Club walk is four
people. It is very disappointing if you do not get enough
nominations but it does happen occasionally. If it happens to you,
remember that you have contributed by providing an alternative.
Talk to the Outings Secretary. Usually the walk can become a
success if programmed at another time. Most of us can cite
cancelled walks which have later taken place with large numbers
of participants, and most leaders with regular 'hardy annuals' can
cite years when for no apparent reason, their normally fully
booked walk attracts no one.
Check with other leaders. It is not uncommon for several walks to
be affected by a common cause, and a combined walk may
become viable whereas each would otherwise be cancelled.
If the walk attracted one or two people, try to tell them early that
the walk is cancelled so they can make other arrangements -
perhaps contact other leaders to see if they can take people from
your walk.
People Ringing After the Closing of Bookings
This is annoying but common and not always avoidable.
Remember that you are under NO obligation to cater for
latecomers. It is suggested that you agree to their participation
ONLY if convenient to you - they should provide their own
transport or fit in with existing arrangements without reshuffling,
etc.
You Cannot Go On Your Own Walk For Some Reason
Contact the Outings Secretary as soon as you can. In general, try,
with their help, to get another leader rather than cancel or move
the walk. This is disappointing for you, but normally is less
inconvenient to others who were planning to be on the walk. If it is
a "special" walk to an area only you (at most!) are familiar with this
may not be practicable.
Someone On The Walk Is Injured/Sick/Unfit
The main points to remember are: There is normally plenty of help
available; serious incidents are EXTREMELY rare; a gram of
prevention is worth kilograms of cure; and "be prepared".
An important principle is to BE CONSERVATIVE. Do NOT rely on
the condition improving. Act early - a sick or unfit person often
appears only slightly slow at first but deteriorates suddenly as a
result of pushing themselves to avoid holding up others. In cases
of hypothermia and exhaustion ASSUME that others may be
nearing the same state.
Safety comes first! Any walking objectives MUST be subjugated to
the need to look after the casualty. Depending on circumstances,
a large number of options exist:
Can the walk be shortened or otherwise made easier?
Can lightening their pack help the person?
Can the walk be rearranged to advantage? For example, on a
weekend walk where the victim is temporarily incapacitated a hard
first day and a slack second day may be reversed to allow
recovery.
Can the party be split to advantage? In other than very small
parties there are many ways this can be useful - to retrieve a car
while allowing the group with the casualty to follow a shorter or
easier route to a rendezvous; to ensure that most of the party, and
word of the problem, gets out that day; to obtain water and allow
the casualty group to camp at an otherwise unsuitable spot; to
raise the alarm and seek help.
Under (almost) no circumstances should a sick or injured person
be left alone in the bush.
What skills and resources are available in the party? Ascertain
this as soon as possible and use whatever there is. One easily
overlooked point on splitting a party is to ensure that tents etc are
matched to needs and food is distributed according to anticipated
needs. A basic rule in ANY emergency situation in the bush is that
all food and equipment becomes communal.
In cases of crisis, a decisive and authoritative leadership style is
usually best. Do not be afraid to ask for help from any suitable
member of the party, but ensure that either you remain "in
charge" or someone else clearly takes over. There is no disgrace
in handing over to someone better equipped to handle the
situation.
Finally, treat assurances from an injured or ill casualty that they
are fit to continue with suspicion. It is quite common for people to
'crack hardy' to try and avoid inconveniencing the party. Allow for
your own bias in favour of believing them in order to avoid
disrupting the walk.
You Are Unsure Of Your Location
This is often known as "lost", but that term more correctly covers
the much rarer case where you also don't know how to get to
somewhere known. Thus, the first question to ask yourself is
"does it really matter?!" Newcomers may get upset but it may be
of no consequence if it is known that if you go in a particular
direction you will end up at a known location.
The party must keep together. There often is a tendency for
people to rush off in what they think is the right direction. "It is
better to be all wrong than half right"
Options should be discussed in a calm and reasoned manner.
Recovery action should be based on systematic elimination of
possibilities. Don't use "lets try this way". Instead use "if we go
there, either we will reach ...", or "we will be at ... in which case
we then."
The conventional advice of "if lost wait until rescued" applied to
individuals is not appropriate to a party unless there are
complications such are severe injury or the "lost" is actually
"trapped by floods".
Finally, learn from the experience and consider whether you
should change your approach to reduce the chance of a
recurrence. Pass on any recommendations if you think they are
generally applicable.
You should always carry a map of the area and a compass for off
track walks. A national park track map usually suffices for track
walks.
Someone Has Become Separated
This is a situation best handled by avoiding it!
However, it does happen despite all reasonable care (people
have got lost going to the toilet from a campsite or a hut!). It is
difficult to generalize given the range of circumstances and
people, but a few points.
Watch for potential separations at the start of the day and after
extended stops - experience indicates that this is a danger period
as people stop to adjust clothing or equipment, and the "pattern"
of the walk is not yet established so the route is less obvious.
Check back to where the person was last seen with the party.
Many people, upon realizing that they are separated, will return
to a known spot.
Try and imagine what that particular person would do, based on
their experience, terrain, vegetation, weather, time of day, etc.
Experience shows that your chances of correctly anticipating
another person's actions are small, but you can usually eliminate
some possibilities.
Give several solid shouts or whistle blows and, MOST
IMPORTANTLY, stop and listen for a reply. It is difficult to hear
much if moving through scrub. Try several times - the separated
person may also be moving.
Do not assume that because you cannot hear the other person
that they cannot hear you - and vice versa. Sound often is "one
way" in the bush as a result of wind or terrain.
Investigate likely wrong routes - splits in the ridge or track, side
creeks, and so on.
If you decide to split the party to go searching, obey all principles
for party splitting, and arrange to meet at a particular place and
time regardless of the search results. Generally, your prime
responsibility is to the main party - let other experienced people
lead search groups.
Page 6 of 6
Note that probably the most common place to find a separated
person is at the cars, frequently waiting several hours for the party
looking for them! By the way, a car horn is a far-reaching signal.
If the person has not been found by the end of the walk you
should urgently advise one of the Club committee members by
telephone from as close to the end of the walk as possible. A list
of phone numbers of committee members is on the back of the
Walks Calendar. You should normally ensure that someone waits
at the end point of the walk with food and first aid equipment in
case the person makes his or her way out later.
When the missing person is found, a "prodigal son" approach is
normally appropriate. No matter how they were separated, anger
and recriminations serve no purpose.
In summary, the situation is possibly the most worrying one a
leader can experience. You should work hard to avoid
separations. Remember to count heads often!
An Unplanned Night Out
On weekend or longer walks this is not a significant problem in
itself as the party is equipped with camping equipment - lack of
food for a day or so is damaging to morale etc but not physical
well-being. The main concerns are any sick/injured people
involved, and worried friends and relatives. On day walks,
particularly in cold or wet weather the problem is a little greater,
but still not too severe. Thus:
If it becomes apparent that the party will not be able to get back,
stop early enough to find as suitable a spot as possible in the
circumstances. For day parties in particular, light a fire if
conditions allow and make use of available shelter. If conditions
are extreme, utilize shared body heat for warmth.
It is better to spend a controlled night out allowing rest and
recovery rather than risk worsening the situation by swimming
flooded rivers, scrub bashing in the dark among cliffs...
If at all possible (for example, when the delay is for an injured
person) send some or most of the party out to notify the
Emergency Officer of the circumstances and seek help if needed.
Make sure those who go out have a list of names and phone
numbers of those who don't. It is usually better to have someone
else contact relatives rather than exhausted and possibly shocked
walk members.
Obviously, when you do get out, take urgent steps to call off any
search, which may have started.
Bad Weather
In cases of bad weather avoid the tendency to press ahead with
walks because you think the party will be disappointed. Consider
all the circumstances. If there is a good chance that the weather
will improve for most of the walk you may continue. However, you
should make sure firstly that everyone is fully equipped and
secondly that no one feels pressured into continuing.
During a walk you should modify the walk to suit conditions. Most
actions are slowed, some made impracticable or too dangerous
(eg. tricky rock scrambling), some pointless (eg. climbing a hill for
the view), some speeded up (eg. a long slog on a fire trail!) by wet
conditions.
You must be particularly careful to watch out for signs of distress
in the party and insist on use of hats and other warm clothing if
necessary. In bad weather differences in individual's speed and
fitness are often amplified. It is also necessary to keep a close
watch on the faster members of the party - they commonly suffer
from the cold as they spend long periods waiting for the back of
the party. For this reason, and to simplify implementation of any
decision to revise the walk, it is important that the party be kept
close together in bad weather.
In summary, modify the walk (including cancel it) if necessary to
improve safety and enjoyment.
(These notes were initially compiled by members of the Canberra
Bushwalking Club and have been modified to meet our particular
requirements. Any suggestion on how these notes may be
improved would be greatly appreciated. Suggestions may be
given to any Committee member.)