General News
24 January, 2025
Barry's Corner
Avoiding getting lost in the first place is a challenge—and one that can test even the most experienced bushmen.
Getting to know your district is essential. Over time, recognising landmarks, understanding weather patterns, and anticipating conditions becomes second nature. However, confusion is almost inevitable when exploring unfamiliar terrain.
Take the Gariwerds/Grampians, for example. This region is crisscrossed with walking tracks, some of which follow clear paths, while others twist and turn unexpectedly. To complicate matters, tracks made by wallabies, goats, and deer can appear substantial at first, only to fade away. By the time you realise you're off-track, retracing your steps and finding the correct path can require significant effort.
Walking with a group—or at least one other person, preferably a skilled walker—is always advisable. While heading off solo might offer a sense of freedom, it also increases the risk of requiring rescue services, such as the police, SES, or rangers. To stay safe, always carry a mobile phone, a personal locator beacon, and a basic compass.
Local maps are readily available and invaluable tools. Even on well-worn tracks, accidents like a twisted ankle can make walking impossible. Remember, even seasoned bushwalkers can injure themselves.
Although solo walking isn’t prohibited, it's strongly discouraged for less experienced hikers. Rescuers consistently emphasise the importance of walking in groups until you have sufficient experience to handle solo treks. The challenges become even more pronounced in areas like the Mallee, where the terrain can be flat, dense with vegetation, and deceptively disorienting. A large tree on the horizon may seem like a reliable landmark, only to reveal itself as a much smaller obstacle when you approach.
Kangaroos, too, can mislead you. Their well-worn pads often mimic human tracks. Ignore these and rely on your compass instead.
Interestingly, in dry regions, you can use a "kangaroo compass" as a handy reference. During the heat of the day, kangaroos rest on the west side of a tree's shade. As the sun moves, they shift to the south and then the east, leaving a clear patch of ground on the north side. By observing the scratches and taking a line between them and the tree trunk, you can determine which way is north.