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Bushwalking Manual

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 and digital maps
    • 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
      • Navigation with a mobile phone
      • Navigation with a handheld GPS
      • GPS sports watches
    • People, progress and conditions
    • Pace, rhythm and rest stops
    • Keeping the group together
    • Challenging conditions
      • Crossing creeks
      • Crossing rivers
      • Terrain
      • 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
    • If you are 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

Recent updates

Posted on 13 Mar 202120 Mar 2021

State information revised

All State and Territory information has been revised.

Posted on 30 Sep 202016 Oct 2020

Bushwalking with children page added

  • Bushwalking with children has been added.
  • Children on bushwalking club trips has been added to Safety essentials

This completes the development of the Bushwalking Manual, based on content from the BMLC Handbook that has been assessed, edited and published online. Several new articles have also been added.

Ongoing maintenance and updates will continue.

Posted on 22 Sep 202010 Oct 2020

Crossing rivers and Snowshoeing pages added

The Crossing rivers and Snowshoeing pages were added.

Posted on 14 Sep 202015 Sep 2020

Emergency shelters page added and map information updated

  • Emergency shelters and revised Ski touring pages added
  • Maps, guidebooks and other references updated

Posted on 9 Sep 20209 Sep 2020

Food, cooking, stoves, stove safety and crossing creeks articles added

The following articles have been added:

  • Food for bushwalking
  • Cooking
  • Stoves
  • Stove safety
  • Crossing creeks
Posted on 28 Jul 202028 Jul 2020

Heat and Cold illnesses and Walking in hot, dry conditions articles added

The following articles have been added:

  • Heat Illnesses
  • Cold illnesses
  • Snow blindness
  • Walking in hot, dry conditions
Posted on 27 Jul 202027 Jul 2020

Lightning, Maintaining core temperature and Cold water immersion articles added

The following pages have been added:

  • Lightning
  • Maintaining core temperature
  • Cold water immersion
Posted on 16 Jul 202029 Aug 2020

Clothing and food pages added

The following pages have been added:

  • Clothing for bushwalking
  • Food for bushwalking
  • Food dumps
Posted on 26 Jun 202021 Jul 2020

Tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mats pages added

The following pages in have been added in Equipment and clothing:

  • Sleeping bags
  • Sleeping mats
  • Tents
Posted on 22 Jun 202021 Jul 2020

Footwear and packs pages added

The following pages in have been added in Equipment and clothing:

  • Footwear and gaiters
  • Packs

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Recent updates

  • State information revised
  • Bushwalking with children page added
  • Crossing rivers and Snowshoeing pages added
  • Emergency shelters page added and map information updated
  • Food, cooking, stoves, stove safety and crossing creeks articles added

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  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (2)
  • Recent updates
  • 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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