Resources |
lists of equipment, maps, books, etc to borrow, hire, etc
Information Booklet
PLB Information
Equipment & hire costs
Vehicle Sharing Costs
Planning for that Extended/Alpine walk
Local WW tips
Other Tips
Health and travelling
New members receive a printed copy of the Club's Information Booklet. The 2005-6 Information booklet (in PDF format) is available for download. It contains details such as
Club equipment available for loan
vehicle sharing costs
Trip preparation and suggested gear checklists for day/overnight/extended walks
contents of personal first-aid kits
lists of the Club's library resources such as maps, walking/trip/field guides, training manuals, etc
Trip planning for leaders
Tread Softly bushwalking
how to pack your backpack (see also Other Tips below)
personal information that you should record and carry with you
The Club has purchased a Personal Locator Beacon - a Kannad 406 PLB XS3 GPS. For information and instructions on using this resource, download the PDF file.
Item Cost (members) Cost (guests) The cost is per Whistle & compass $1 $1.50 weekend Tent (2 person) $5 $7.50 weekend Tent (snow) $10 not available weekend Camp stove $2 $2 weekend Vacuum Packager $1 per bag not available Dehydrator $3 not available weekend
Please talk with the owner/driver before the trip to ascertain if these guidelines are to be followed or not.
- 4 cylinder cars: 20c per kilometre
- 6 cylinder cars, diesels and 4WD: 25c per kilometre
These figures were set at the AGM in November 2009.
To calculate the individual cost multiply the total number of kms by the appropriate rate for the vehicle. Then divide by 100 and by the number of people in the vehicle (including the driver).
eg for a 150km round trip for 3 occupants in a 4 cylinder car,:
multiply 150km by 20c per km to get 3000c (the total sharing costs in cents),
divide 3000c by 100 to get $30.00 (the total sharing costs in Dollars), and
divide $30.00 by 3 occupants to get $10.00 per person.
Each passenger would then owe the owner/driver $10.
See the Information Booklet section above.
Coralie has a great check sheet entitled "Extended & Alpine Walks Trip Preparation notes".
In the "Guide" section of the Australian Bushwalking and Camping Reference site there are some excellent tips. But think about all tips and see if/how they might apply to you. eg 12 pieces of toilet paper for a 2 nighter is a bit light on as far as I'm concerned!
#1 rule for bushwalkers: cut those toe nails!!
Try out/wear in all your equipment/gear before you use it on any bushwalk
Experience has shown that an external pack cover alone will not keep the contents of your pack dry. To keep your clothes dry, also line the inside of your pack with a medium sized thick plastic body bag from the local VET. These cost about $2.50 each. There are also large orange emergency bags available from hiking shops. In addition to these two layers, some walkers even go as far as wrapping pack items in those thin plastic fruit & veg bags from the supermarket!
The "Rid" or "Bushman" sunscreen/repellent products discourage leeches and ticks.
For extended walks where you have to take more clothes and food, you can reduce the weight of your pack by sharing heavy items such as tents and stoves.
Polypropylene thermal tops and bottoms . . . a must!
Don't want to spend $60-$80 on a "miner's head lamp"? Try a head sweat band with a torch fastened to it with a cord. Coles has "Arlec" torches with adjustable beams for about $11.
Earplugs . . . give you a better night's sleep!
Empty bladders from wine casks make good water storage bags.
A stuff sack filled with a fleecy jumper makes a good pillow.
Cut a square piece of foam off an old sleeping mat to sit on. Alternatively, purchase a small 2cm thick mat from Ben for $2.
Cutlery can be reduced to just a pocket knife and a spoon.
Use a low profile 900 ml microwaveable container (with lid) as a storage container. It also doubles as an eating bowl and plate.
If your stove doesn't have a windshield, use thick aluminium foil.
Going into leech infested country? Take along a pair of panty hose.
To avoid your sleeping bag getting damp around your feet because of contact with your tent, fully zip up your Gore-Tex coat and stick the bottom part of your sleeping bag into it . Wild, #74, 1999.
Trangia recommends adding about 10%-15% (max) water to your methylated spirits to avoid sooting.
For hygiene, use antibacterial soap or a tube of Gelsan (from the Chemist). Outdoor Australia, Feb/Mar 2000.
For repairs or modifications to your gear, buy an awl from a saddlery. This is a no-tech sewing machine that fits into the palm of your hand. Outdoor Australia, Feb/Mar 2000
How should you distribute the load in your backpack? The best advice I've heard or read is from C. Warren Bonython's epic 1971 book Walking the Flinders Ranges, page 183: "... how you do it will depend on the nature of the walking. For level going the weight should be carried high up, and for rough going, involving a lot of jumping and turning, it should be low down, while for general conditions it should be spread evenly up and down your spine."
Try Lonely Planet's Health section: Pills, ills, and bellyaches. It includes information on a wide range of health issues, including altitude sickness.
Stephen Bezruchka, in his Trekking in Nepal: A Traveller's Guide, 6th Edition, 1991 has a few tips:
Foot care: Dry feet helps prevent blisters. Change socks and/or insoles regularly with dry ones. Don't wash or soak feet too often. This helps develop calluses over pressure points. Synthetic socks as thin inners are excellent. Apply Tincture of Benzoin to your feet over pressure points where blisters may occur to toughen the skin.
To purify water chemically: make your own iodine solution by dissolving 2 g of iodine in 100 ml of 95% alcohol, or buy Tincture of Iodine (check that it has 2% free iodine). Store the solution in an opaque plastic dropper bottle. Dose is 5 drops per litre (or quart) of water. Double the dose for cloudy water. After adding the drops, let it stand for 10 minutes if the water is warm or 20-30 minutes if it's cold. Don't use iodine if you have a thyroid problem or an allergic reaction to iodine.
To avoid dehydration: ingest 4-5 litres of fluid a day. Avoid alcohol for rehydration. Urine volume should be 0.5 - 1 litre a day, and its colour should be almost clear - if it isn't, drink more water. If you compare your heart rate standing up and lying down (with a 30 second gap in between) and find that they're more than 20% different, then you need more fluids.
Lemon Cordial
From Marg:
Juice of 6 lemons
some rind
2-3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon citric acid
1 teaspoon Epsom Salts
dissolve the lot in 900ml boiling water
Dilute to taste. Serve hot for a sore throat. Serve cold on a bushwalk.