There are activities every week, our walks program is published in the bi-monthly NBC Magazine and is also available on our web page. Activities are led by volunteer leaders and are graded to indicate the degree of difficulty. Visitors and prospective members are welcome to participate in appropriate activities.  We recommend you start with an easy day walk. The best way to find out more is attend one of our meetings and talk to other bushwalkers. The first meeting of each month is a business meeting and the second meeting is a feature night.

Grading of Walks

The walks program includes a range of activities to suit most levels of fitness, age and interests. The grading system will allow you to identify activities that best suit you. Begin with easier day walks to discover you capabilities. Brisk walking including hills several times a week is the best preparation.

All walks are graded using three variables, distance - terrain - height gain.

Distance	S-short (under 12 km/day): M-medium (12-20 km/day) L-long (over 20 km/day)
Terrain	E-easy (fire trails, tracks, beaches, open bushland)
	M-medium (some scrub, alpine heath, rough tracks)
	R-rough (very scrubby, significant climbing, rocky scrambling)
	W-wet (compulsory swims, river crossings, canyoning, often cold)

 

A walk rated S-M-600: is under 12 km/day, some scrub and / or rough tracks, 600 metre total height gain. Some elements can be unpredictable such as weather, vegetation changes due to fire or re-growth, illness, and accident.

 

Costs

 CAUTION

Some club activities are intended to challenge and may have associated risks, those risks include but are not limited to:-  dehydration, hypothermia,  hyperthermia, animal attack, allergic reactions,  being lost or delayed,  personal injury or death, loss or damage to property, equipment failure, incorrect use of equipment by yourself or others, falling objects such as rocks, logs, branches or ice, collisions, road accidents, adverse weather conditions, floods, water currents, waves, tides, aerated water,  prolonged physical exertion, attempting a trip beyond your capability, sunburn, bushfire, worsening of an existing medical condition and being remote from expert medical assistance.

Intending participants should acquaint themselves with these risks and make a value judgement whether or not to take part. Participants always take part as volunteers and make a personal value judgement whether or not to participate.

 

All participants do so as volunteers and must sign a waiver accepting full responsibility for any risks that may be associated with an activity. A responsible adult must accompany children under the age of 18.

 

Insurance

Newcastle Bushwalking Club Inc is covered by a public liability insurance policy negotiated by the NSW Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs.

 

Financial members have insurance cover for accidents and public liability and this cover is extended to temporary members for three trips only.  After three trips  a prospective member must join the club to maintain insurance cover. Any claims must be referred to the committee as soon possible after the incident.

   

Safety in the bush is enhanced by a few simple precautions:

o  Talk to trip leaders in advance to ascertain the suitability of a proposed activity for your level of experience and fitness.

o  Never walk alone, a minimum of 3 walkers provides a safety factor if someone is injured.

o  Conduct regular head counts.

o  Check weather forecasts before departure.

o  Leave details of your trip and expected time of return with a responsible person.

o  If a party fails to return when expected initially contact club officers listed in the front cover of the NBC Magazine.

o  On steep slopes, be careful of loose rocks. Try not to dislodge any rocks, if you do, shout   ROCK to warn those below. Don’t move when there is someone immediately below you.

o  During the bushfire season, keep an eye (and nose) on the lookout for fires and do not walk in  high fire danger periods.

o  Keep with the group, especially in rough country.

o  Exercise extreme care when swimming in or crossing rivers, especially if the water level is up, watercourses contain many hidden hazards.

o  Be aware of your location and actively participate in the navigation.

o  Watch out for snakes, they are more active in summer. If you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.

o  Avoid camping under dead or burnt trees.

o  When camping near watercourses plan a possible escape route in the event of a flash flood.

o  Be cautious with billy lifters when removing boiling water from a fire.

 

FIRST AID

Always carry a small first aid kit in waterproof container and know how to use it, the kit should include personal

medications plus: -

o  4 Pain killing tablets.

o  2 10 cm X 2.3 m heavy duty bandages.

o  1 Emergency foil reflective blanket.

o  5 cm x 7 cm non-adherent wound dressing.

o  Triangular bandage.

o  Band-aids.

o  Antiseptic swabs.

o  Splinter Probe.

o  Slant nose tweezers.

o  Waterproof tape.

o  Pair of latex gloves.

o  Pair scissors.

o  Antihistamine tablets.

o  Accident action list.

 

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

o  Water: Always protect water quality. Do washing and cleaning well away from the water. Never use soap or detergents in a creek or wash away food scraps into a watercourse.

o  Toilet: Keep well away from the camps and creeks. Toilet and ablution wastes should be buried under at least 10 cm of soil.

o  Litter: All litter, tin cans, paper, foil, fruit skins etc must be carried out, carry a bag for litter.

o  Fires: Fire bans MUST be followed. Avoid campfires in dry windy conditions and always clear the area around your fire.

o  Minimise Impact: Use existing tracks, campsites and fireplaces wherever possible.

o  Do not disturb areas of cultural significance such as Aboriginal sites or abandoned European settlement.

o  Small day pack (20 to 35 litres).

o  Warm jumper, swimmers.

o  Lunch -cut lunch fruit, chocolate nuts dried fruit, salads cheese etc

o  Parka.

o  Small torch + spare globe.

o  Matches in waterproof container.

o  Sun screen, hat, insect repellant.

o  Whistle.

o  Emergency rations (chocolate, dried fruit etc)

o  Map and compass.

o  First aid kit.

o  Plastic bag for litter.

o  Dry clothes and  water left in the car

 

CHECK LIST – ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR OVERNIGHT WALKS

o  Pack. (50 to 70 litres)

o  Groundsheet.

o  Clothing (Summer) - long sleeve shirts shorts, swimmers, change of sox. Jeans are not suitable.

o  Clothing (Winter) - change of warm clothing, extra sox, thermal underwear gloves, balaclava, over-mitts.

o  Sleeping bag - down filled.

o  Sleeping mat.

o  Tent or fly sheet.

o  Cooking equipment - billy plate spoon knife mug, scourer.

o  Stove & fuel (If required).

o  Toiletries, small towel, toilet paper.

This information has been prepared by NBC to provide participants with some general information about safe

canoeing. It is not a teach yourself canoeing text. Safe canoeing skills are acquired over a period of time through a combination of experience, instruction and personal research.

• There are risks associated with canoeing that you should consider and address to your satisfaction before deciding to participate. 
• It is the responsibility of each participant to ensure that they are adequately prepared for each trip.
• All participants must sign a risk waiver on club canoe trips.

1. Seek advice from an experienced canoeist about which craft will best do what you want. 
2. Minimum standard for canoes: positive buoyancy, fitted with end loops, fitted with deck ropes, high visibility colour, equipped with bailer and sponge and/or bilge pump, a paddle leash, and spray skirt.
3. Don't expect to do more with your craft than the purpose you bought it for. Kayaks and canoes are quite specialised.

 The Leader

1. The leader should accurately describe the route and conditions that could be experienced to prospective participants, prior to acceptance of participation.
2. The leader checks that, where appropriate every participant wears a Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (either Type 2 or 3) with a whistle attached.
3. The leader should not allow persons to participate beyond their proven ability, nor allow inappropriate craft to start.
4. The leader must ensure that every participant signs the risk waiver.
5. The leader may nominate the functions of other group members and the formation on the water.
6. The leader keeps the group together, especially when crossing open water. The leader may delegate a stronger paddler to act as a tail.
7. The leader must know the range of weather conditions which may occur and their influence on the water conditions.
8. Before starting and at any appropriate time, the leader should make it clear that his or her decisions in the interest of safety are final and override any canoeing objectives.
9. The leader pre arranges rest breaks.
10. The leader has a tow line for the group, EPIRB flares mobile phone as appropriate to the trip and knows how to use them.
11. The leader carries a first aid kit.

 The Paddler

1.      Able to swim and be confident in deep water, even with the clothing you will wear paddling.

2.      Always wear a Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD) with whistle attached, (either Type 2 or 3). In NSW a canoeist must wear a  PFD when more than 400 metres from shore.

3.      Keep with the group or in pairs.

4.      Be honest with yourself about your ability. Paddling a canoe on quiet water doesn’t qualify you for more difficult trips or conditions. Start with an easy trip and work your way up to more demanding expeditions.

5.      The waters of rivers, lakes and oceans are all very different, they demand knowledge and skill. Develop your paddling incrementally, preferably with people more skilled than yourself.

6.      Beware of cold water and weather extremes. Swimming ability and PFD's cannot counteract for long the effects of very cold water. Wetsuits may sometimes be essential for safety.

7.      Be equipped for the conditions that could occur. Secure your spectacles, have appropriate footwear, allow for protection against the sun, wind, and rain.

8.      Learn how to capsize, to rescue yourself and others and learn first aid, so that you are prepared for an emergency.

9.      Before seeking to  undertake a club trip, enquire about:

o  the leader

o  the trip itself

o  If you accept, give the leader a frank assessment of your skill and experience and your full cooperation.

10.  Sign the risk waiver before departure

11.  Carry a first aid kit and tow rope.

1. Make certain you have the right craft for the trip!
2. Test new and unfamiliar equipment before undertaking a club trip. This includes alterations to gear.
3. The craft must be in good condition before starting a trip.
4. If sea canoeing, carry a spare paddle in a position where you can get at it quickly.
5. The craft, when filled with water, must be able to support its crew and sodden gear in deep water. Use expanded plastics or buoyancy bags or sealed air tight compartments.
6. Use spray covers whenever there is any possibility that water may come into the craft in quantity. The cover release must be immediate and function perfectly.
7. Carry appropriate repair equipment, torch, map, compass and survival kit on wilderness trips leave a plan of your trip with a responsible person and an expected time of arrival at your destination.

 On Rivers

1. Each participant should be aware of group plans, formations, the general nature of the river ahead, the location of any special gear and the signals to be used.
2. The lead boat crew scouts all doubtful parts of the river, sets the course, and is never passed.
3. The rear boat is equipped and trained for rescue.
4. Each craft has a responsibility to the craft behind. It should not lose visual contact. It passes on signals, points out obstacles and tries to prevent its own errors being repeated.
5. The party needs to be compact. Large formations should sub-divide into independent groups with an overall plan.

 On Lakes or the Sea

1. Do not travel beyond a returnable distance from shore under the worst conditions possible.
2. Know the weather range. Have a current forecast. Conditions can change within minutes. Beware of off-shore winds
3. Have a sound knowledge of the effects of tides.
4. Formation positions should be nominated to prevent craft from being dangerously dispersed.
5. Kayak paddlers, prior to an ocean expedition, should practise rolling and all canoeists should perfect team rescue drill so that a capsized craft can be righted, emptied and the crew re-embark.

In the Event of a Capsize

1. Keep calm but very much alert.
2. Stay on the upstream side of your craft.
3. Be aware of your responsibility to assist your partner (in the case of pairs).
4. Follow your rescuers' instructions.
5. Leave your craft only if this improves your safety. If rescue is not close at hand and the water is dangerously cold or worse rapids follow, then swim in the appropriate direction for the nearest point of personal safety. The loss of the finest craft is not worth even the risk of personal safety.
6. If swept into a rapid, then swim feet first on your back. Keep your head clear of the water for good visibility
7. As a Rescuer - Go after the crew. The craft can wait until the crew and you are safe.