May 10th Budawangs rescue.

A group of seven year 11 girls from Baulkham Hills High School Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme followed a false track to below the cliffline on the Corang Peak side of the Budawangs.

They kept going when the track stopped until they reached a ledge where they could go no further - forward or back, as they had slid down small drops they could not now reverse. Luckily their analogue mobile phone was able to dial out. (A digital phone probably would not have worked at all).

The Police helicopter found them but was unable to help them due to the lateness and bad weather. Wilderness Rescue was called in to act as guides if ground based teams had to go in to them. 

The base was Wog Wog Station. The weather on Saturday was appallingly.  Strong variable winds mixed in with frequent rain squalls. The local SES were present as were Ambulance paramedics and NP & WS rangers all under the control of
Wollongong Police Rescue Squad. A ground team was sent and another relayed closer (via rescue helicopter) but really the conditions were so bad that a large Navy Seaking helicopter was called out. This helicopter was powerful
enough to hover on the spot to winch all students to safety. It took some time for the ground teams to return so that all rescue personnel could not leave till after dark.

The Salvation Army did an excellent catering job inthe worst of conditions. It was only on the way home that I found out that these students were from my daughter’s school. You see The Duke Of Edinburgh Award Scheme can also be highly successful.

In 1996 I had advised a student from "Baulko" on a multi team bushwalking expedition in the Snowy Mountains. Earlier this year he was pictured in the local paper receiving his Gold Award from the NSW Governor!