Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue is after your Club’s good bushwalkers to join our volunteers for bush search & rescue. Most of the important skills we need they will already have such as navigation, bush fitness, self equipped and self reliant for overnight walking in all weathers. I describe good bushwalkers as those who have done a variety of trips throughout the years in a diverse range of terrains such as (but not exclusively) Budawangs, Wollemi, Blue Mountains, Barrington Tops, Northern Rivers etc. So you could put them anywhere with a map and they’d not only survive but enjoy the trip!

All successful clubs have a core of good walkers who make trips happen with a minimum of fuss. They naturally work together and don’t merely follow the leader but use good observation to be actively involved.Confederation is only as good as its member clubs and their walkers. Our active media willingly report all bushwalking incidents. All manner of "ideas" suddenly appear for ‘our’ safety from self appointed experts. From 1934 the Confederation has worked to maintain the good name of bushwalking by co-ordinating its good bushwalkers via its self help rescue section, Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue, to assist both fellow bushwalkers and others in trouble in the bush.

Since 1934 rescue has become increasingly dependent on organisation and technology. Cars have made it far easier for more people than ever to go bush. Unimagined resources are now available such as four wheel drive vehicles, helicopters, compact radios, medical drugs and skills etc. While many groups perform valuable roles in bush rescue there is still a role for bushwalkers skilled in remote area travel - Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue (BWR). However being keen and responding promptly to BWR midnight phone calls for help is no longer professional enough. BWR has had to formalise its training / procedures and has produced an Operations Manual (now version 2.02). BWR needs your good bushwalkers to be trained in rescue skills, organisation and procedures.

BWR would like to have you as a good bushwalker to join our ranks of Operational Personnel as a "Bushwalking Club Member" or "Team Member" by training at Cataract Scout Park on 31st March / 1st April. In the past years the training at Cataract has been both intensive and very enjoyable. The lowest level of committment is "Bushwalking Club Member". You would only be required for difficult large scale incidents where weather and terrain have made searching difficult, eg the May 2000 Budawangs search for four Scouts. "Team Members" are expected to be our first response personnel and will be trained in a wider range of skills (competencies). Bushwalking Club Members can advance to Team Member or Team Leader. Cataract will continue the process started in October 2000 (on Newnes Plateau) of training / documentation of skills / review bush fitness for appropriate member levels for BWR.

CATARACT SCOUT PARK - campsite no. 3 starting 8.30am both days

Get there from from southern SYDNEY by driving drive via Campbelltown to Appin. Take the Appin to Bulli (Wollongong) Road. Watch for turnoff to RIGHT (south) to Scout Camp and Cataract Dam.

If driving from Wollongong face the other way - drive up either Mt. Ousley or Bulli Pass. Take the road to Appin and turn LEFT (south) at the sign for Scout Camp / Cataract Dam.

Gear - what to bring

Enthusiasm. APPIN 1:25,000 (9029-I-S) map. Overnight camping gear so as to have realistic gear for improvisations. Spare clothes for the refurbished Challenge Valley course (you will get dirty). Camping will be close to cars. Your compass (naturally) is essential as some sessions will be at remote parts of the Scout Camp.

Questions:

For additional information contact Steve Irwin 4626 8404 (home) Keith Maxwell 9622 0049 (home)

So

Join the ‘good bushwalkers’ at Cataract. Stir some others up in your club to make a great group. Meet other ‘good bushwalkers’ from Confederation Clubs you may have never heard of! Be part of your Confederation and its all weather, all terrain self help search & rescue section - Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue.