Notes
for leaders
Before
you start, read the full Walk Notes for leaders . They cover extra points
on planning a walk as well as what to do during and after the walk.
What
to do as a leader
- submitting
a walk for the programme
- leading
a walk
- other
issues
- Membership
Qualifying walks
- Number
of walkers
- Joint walks
with other clubs and some other issues
- Trial/recce
walks
- Changing a
walk
- Changing
the qualifying status of a walk
- Guests, walkers
under 18
- Abseiling
trips
- Accidents
on walks
- Overseas trips
- Private trips
- Walking in
State Forests
Personal
locator beacon for leaders' use
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Submitting
a walk for the programme
- Download a Walk
submission form (see right)
- If your walk
is in a national park, click here
to check for track closures
- Check
our Useful
links page for transport and tide timetables, track/fire closures
or for walk ideas (Close
the window to return here)
- Click
here to check or
Download Walk grading guidelines.
Note special guidelines for Membership Qualifying walks.
(Close the window to return here)
- In
the Description column, include any special features or difficulties
of the walk
- actual
distance
- special
terrain including off-track, creek crossings, large/steep ascents
and descents or exposure
-
for pack walks, a combination of grades/descriptions or the highest
grade of walk on the trip
- a
pace description e.g. 'slow pace', 'brisk pace' or 'experienced
walkers only' if you want that
- if
the walk is exploratory (this can only be in higher grades)
-
limits on numbers eg in national parks, wilderness areas or for
logistical reasons
- map
or book reference
- joint
walk details
- any
other special variations eg “Stops to look at views, flowers”
- In the Leader
column, put your preferred method of contact first or mark it as preferred.
- Submit your
walk/walks for the new season's programme using the Walk submission
form. (How
do I do this?)
or
For
a Short Notice Walk,
click
here to submit your walk via an online form:
OR
Click
here to send an email to the SNW co-ordinator with details of your
walk as described above. Send it in paragraph form, not as a table,
in the body of the email.
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Leading
a simple walk
- Click
here to view or download Walk notes for leaders.
There are many points not covered in this checklist.
- Before
the walk
Click
here to Download Walk Report form
for participants to read and sign. Fill in brief walk details at the
top.
- After
the walk
Add a brief report/description (optional) at the bottom of the report
form. This can be typed into the body of the email instead (see below).
Send the form to the address on the form. Emailed copies are preferred,
pdf if possible.
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Extra
factors on walks
Membership
Qualifying walks
If you are putting on a Membership Qualifying walk, click
here to check the special guidelines (Close the
guidelines window to return to this page).
Number
of walkers
A minimum of four (4), including the leader, is required for a Club
walk. If there are fewer than four, including the leader, a walk, if
continued, is not an official Club activity and the Club’s insurance
arrangements do not apply.
Joint
walks
-
Joint walks can be listed on the program of The Bush Club only if
they are held in conjunction with another club that:
• agrees to joint walks;
• is affiliated with the Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs,
and
• holds appropriate insurances (check at http://www.bushwalking.org.au/clubs.html
).
If this is not the case, the activity cannot be listed as a Bush Club
event.
- For
more information about putting on a joint walk, click
here to see or download our Joint Walks FAQs (Close
the window to return here)
Trial
walks
If
you wish to do a recce for a walk, you will be covered by Bush Club
insurance if you notify the Walks Secretary by email beforehand and
have a total of at least 2 Bush Club members on the walk.
Changing
a walk
To be covered by insurance all bush walks conducted under the auspices
of the Bush Club must either be listed on the regular Bush Club or Short
Notice Programs. For any other unpublished change eg a change of route,
a second leader, contact with the Walks Secretary or a committee member
must be made prior to the walk commencing in order to ensure insurance
coverage.
Changing
the qualifying status of a walk
In the interest of fairness and equity to all members, the qualifying
status of a walk cannot be changed after it is first advertised.
If
fewer than four members or prospective members of The Bush Club participate
in a walk that is advertised as a qualifying walk, then the activity
cannot be an official Bush Club walk, and the qualifying status cannot
apply and will be rescinded.
Guests
If you accept guests on your walk, they must sign the Guest
Waiver form. This allows them to be regarded as temporary members.
The guest waiver form is page 2 of the Walk Report Form. If
there are more than 3 guests you'll need more forms.
The Bush Club does
not prevent the attendance of those under 18 as guests, ie. attending
at the invitation of and under the care and responsibility of a
Bush Club member, with the approval of the leader.
Abseiling
trips
Click
here to check the club's abseiling policy (Close
the window to return here)
For abseiling trips, you will need the Abseiling Report and Risks Waiver
form. (Click
here to download it)
You may want to send the first page to participants to pre-read before
the day of the walk.
Accidents
on walks
If
there has been an accident, add a note in the appropriate space at the
bottom of the Walk Report form.
Overseas
trips
Individual
forms need to be signed by all participants.
See
forms list for overseas forms (Close the
window to return here)
Private
trips
not advertised in the program
Members
of The Bush Club who wish to lead a private trip of at least two Bush
Club members or prospective members (eg. to explore or reconnoitre for
a future Club walk) can give prior notice of that trip to the Walks
Secretary, and qualify for insurance cover. However, such trips cannot
be qualifying walks.
Walks
in State Forests
When
walking in state forests, it is important to be aware of the risk posed
by hunting activity. In NSW, current legislation permits licensed hunters
to access certain public lands, including state forests. Accredited
people can apply by email for a permit to hunt right up to the day before.
We all need to be very aware of the risks to walkers. The situation
is of concern to the committee, and specific procedures to be followed
are currently being developed by the committee in consultation with
Forests NSW. As soon as these are finalised, they will be circulated
and also posted here.
In the meantime, if you plan to walk in a state forest you should contact
Forests NSW to enquire as to any risks or hazards, such as approved
hunting, hazard reduction burns, or other operational activities.
- You can find
a list of forests open to hunters at http://www.gamecouncil.nsw.gov.au/portal.asp?p=Aug06DPLupdate
(Close the window to return here)
- You can also
obtain the name and contact number of the duty officer on the day.
If you are unsure of the region, call the West Pennant Hills office
on 1300 550 474. Be aware this procedure will mitigate the risk to
walkers, but does not provide full protection. It is important to
maintain constant vigilance and exercise great care.
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Personal
Locator Beacon
The club has now purchased a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for use by
leaders on walks. The old EPIRB technology was turned off on February
1, 2009. The new technology is a significant improvement with higher
accuracy, longer battery life (7 years) and most importantly the ability
to identify the registered owner of the PLB. This feature means that
the Search & Rescue authority will attempt to contact the registered
owner and then the registered contacts as soon as the PLB is activated
to check if the user is indeed in the general vicinity of the spot where
the signal is detected. This should greatly reduce the 90% level of
false alarms under the EPIRB technology.
For information on the new system and excellent guidelines on when and
how to use the PLB see the
attached file (click here) which was prepared for users of the Bibbulmum
Track in WA. The key point is that it is to be used only in life threatening
situations.
The Training Officer Tony Hickson (see current walks programme for contact
details) will be custodian of the PLB. You can contact him at any time
to make arrangements to borrow it. When you borrow it you will need
to do the following:
- Pick it up
from Tony
- Contact the
3 Bush Club members who are the contacts for the rescue authority:
John Cooper, Graham Conden and Tony Hickson and advise them of your
planned route,dates and party members if known. This information will
be passed on the Search & Rescue people if and when it is requested.
- Return the
unit as soon as possible after the walk so it can be used by other
parties.
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