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Bushwalking Manual

Information and guidelines for safe and enjoyable bushwalking in Australia. Published by Bushwalking Victoria.

  • Trip planning
    • Planning for enjoyment
    • Safety
      • Safety essentials
      • Other approaches to safety
      • Standards for outdoor activities
    • Extreme weather events and natural disasters
    • Forming a group
    • Bushwalking with children
    • Practical planning considerations
    • Map Apps
    • Paper maps
    • Guidebooks and other references
    • Route planning
    • Fuel reduction burns
    • Trip emergency contact
    • Vehicle preparation
  • The trip
    • A good start
    • Practical navigation
      • Map and compass basics
      • Navigation techniques
      • Navigation in difficult conditions
      • GPS Navigation
    • People, progress and conditions
    • Pace, rhythm and rest stops
    • Keeping the group together
    • Challenging conditions
      • Crossing creeks
      • Crossing rivers
      • Terrain
      • Walking in wind, rain and snow
      • Walking in hot, dry conditions
    • Campsites, stoves and campfires
    • Snow camping
    • Bush huts
    • After the trip
  • Leadership
    • Leadership overview
    • Checklists for leaders
    • Bushwalking leadership training
  • Weather
    • Understanding the weather 
    • Thunderstorms
    • Lightning
  • Clothing & equipment
    • Clothing for bushwalking
    • Footwear and gaiters
    • Walking poles
    • Packs
    • Tents
    • Sleeping bags
    • Sleeping mats
    • Stoves
    • Knots
  • Food & water
    • Food for bushwalking
    • Stove safety
    • Cooking
    • Safe drinking water
    • Water treatment options
    • Food dumps
  • Emergencies
    • Emergency communications
      • Overview of emergency communications
      • Mobile phones
      • Personal locator beacons (PLBs)
      • Satellite phones
      • Satellite trackers with SOS
      • Handheld CB radios
    • Lost?
    • Group member lost
    • Emergency shelters
    • Bushfire
      • Planning – don’t be there
      • Be vigilant – get to a safe location
      • Last resort – surviving a bushfire
      • Bushfire smoke
    • First aid
    • Snakes
    • Maintaining core temperature
    • Heat illnesses
    • Cold illnesses
    • Cold water immersion
    • Snow blindness
    • Helicopter rescue
  • Environment
    • Environment and conservation
    • Minimal impact bushwalking
    • Invasive species
  • Related activities
    • Rogaining
    • Ski touring
    • Snowshoeing
  • State information
    • New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory
    • Northern Territory
    • Queensland
    • South Australia
    • Tasmania
    • Victoria
    • Western Australia
  • About
    • Acknowledgements
    • Background
    • Governance
    • Scope
    • Feedback
    • Contact
    • Disclaimer – Use of this Manual
    • Sitemap

Category: Recent updates

Posted on 30 Sep 202029 Mar 2024

Bushwalking with children

  • Bushwalking with children page added.
  • Children on bushwalking club trips added to Safety essentials.
Posted on 22 Sep 202029 Mar 2024

Crossing rivers and Snowshoeing

Pages added.

Posted on 14 Sep 202029 Mar 2024

Emergency shelters, Ski touring, Guidebooks and other references

  • Emergency shelters page added.
  • Ski touring and Guidebooks and other references revised.
Posted on 9 Sep 20201 Apr 2024

Food for bushwalking, Cooking, Stoves, Stove safety and Crossing creeks

Pages added.

Posted on 28 Jul 20201 Apr 2024

Heat illnesses, Cold illnesses, Snow blindness and Walking in hot, dry conditions

Pages added.

Posted on 27 Jul 20201 Apr 2024

Lightning, Maintaining core temperature and Cold water immersion

Pages added.

Posted on 16 Jul 20201 Apr 2024

Clothing for bushwalking, Food for bushwalking and Food dumps

Pages added.

Posted on 26 Jun 20201 Apr 2024

Tents, Sleeping bags and Sleeping mats

Pages added.

Posted on 22 Jun 20201 Apr 2024

Footwear and Packs

Pages added.

Posted on 13 Jun 20201 Apr 2024

First aid, Understanding the weather, Thunderstorms, Safe drinking water, Water treatment options and Knots

Pages added.

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Updates record

  • Keeping the group together
  • Lost?
  • Water treatment options
  • Safe drinking water
  • GPS Navigation

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  • March 2021 (1)
  • September 2020 (4)
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  • February 2020 (1)
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  • December 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (3)
  • September 2019 (2)
  • Updates record
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
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Bushwalking Victoria acknowledges and thanks the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning for providing funding for the development of this manual.

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