Outback Safety Users Guide

Plan your trip into the outback thoroughly before you go. When you have planned your itinerary, make two copies of it. Give copies to people whom you regard as reliable eg a neighbour or a member of your family.

Check all available maps and all information that can be gathered from people who have either travelled in the area in which you intend to travel or from people who know the area. Desert Access provides an information service to which all our customers have access to when it comes to planning where you would like to go. Maps and relevant information are available by state.

Allow time for foreseeable and unforeseeable delays and set some time aside to give yourself some time to get back home in case something happens.

Take matches with you (the waterproof type is a good idea), not just to light the camp fire but just in case you need to light a signal fire in an emergency situation. To light a signal fire in the scrub or salt bush country, build a normal fire and have some green growth nearby to put on top of the fire to cause thick smoke. This could attract the attention of planes or other vehicles, an experienced stockmen or bushmen will normally investigate the cause of smoke. Keep the fire going during the day and night.

Take an axe and a shovel with you. Also take some wire and some strong cord.

Take a shady hat. This is essential if you plan or are forced into any activity during the day.

The most important thing of all to take with you is sufficient water for all members of your party for all the days that you are away. It is recommended that you take a minimum of 5 litres per person per day plus a reserve supply in case of an emergency situation. It is also recommended that if you do become stranded, that you do not drink any fluids within the first 24 hours. This shuts down your kidneys so therefore you are not urinating away the fluids that you are drinking. This gives you a better chance for survival.

Take with you ample fuel and spare parts to suit your vehicle to cover any delays that might occur or any breakdowns of your vehicle.

Take a compass that is easy to use with you to ascertain directions in case of getting lost.

Take a good First Aid Kit with you to cope with a minor medical emergency.

Take a look at the scenery of the country that you are driving through. Everyone in the travel party should do so, not just the driver. Not a lot of people have a natural sense of direction or location. The way most people find their way around is by meticulous observation and remembering what they see. In an emergency situation, such observations could lead you back to safety, such as another vehicle, homestead, camp or to water, or even to save you from a possible deathly walk to a waterhole that is dry.

Remember your situation in relation to well-known and fixed features and the direction in which they run (eg road or highway). You may have to walk to seek help urgently. If you cannot remember which way is east or west, it could well be the last walk you ever take. This is where the compass can come in handy.

Wherever possible try to walk in a straight line between any two given points. It is important to aim straight from one point to the next visible point and from that onto the next, and so on. Make note of the less prominent points on the way to the next major one, as you move onwards. Don't forget to use your compass.

As you move onwards, the various features that you observed have a certain appearance. When returning from the opposite direction, the features can and often do take on a quite different look. When on the outward journey, make it a practice of studying the landmarks from the opposite angle, because that is what you will see on your return journey.

Never leave a camp or party with which you are travelling without stating your intentions as to where you are going and how long you intend to be as close as you possibly can.

Never go anywhere without sufficient food and especially water to cover your absence away from the vehicle, with some spare - especially the water, because of the dehydration effect of physical activity in heat, and take a whistle and a torch.

If you do walk away from your travelling companions for any reason and cannot find your way back, stop and think calmly and logically about your recent movements and remembered landmarks. DO NOT PANIC! You are not lost until you do not have a clue as to which direction you should go. If you have told your fellow travelling companions as to where you intend to go, how long you roughly intend to be and in which direction you went, don't walk around, SIT AND WAIT and blow your whistle at regular intervals so they can get a sense of direction as to where you are.

Recognised distress signals are as follows:-

When you need to try to get someone's attention vocally, try using the names of the people that are travelling in your party. When they hear their names shouted, they will hopefully realise that something has gone amiss and that they are required to do something about it.

For attracting someone's attention long distance, shout out the good old saying "COO-EE". It is always worth a try. Spread the "COO" out in a long high pitched sound like a siren, and shorten the "EE" with a sharp whip like ending. If you do not get any answers, stay put and repeat at regular intervals, or change over to one of the other recognised signals.

Make a calm and rational survey of your surroundings. Unless you are absolutely certain of your way, stay where you are to conserve energy and also body fluids and to avoid the chance of the search party missing you. If you feel sure enough to move, move surely and only in the early morning or in the cool of the evening. Conserve water. Make as much use of any shady area that you can. Mark your trail distinctly.

The dreadful idea that you may perish is the actual source of panic and surrender. People can and do survive for long periods of time despite being thirsty, hungry and any other hideous circumstances. Never give up hope of being found and rescued.






	The Australian Outback is a land of extreme, dehydrating heat, and people should not go into the bush, or anywhere off the beaten track, unless they have obtained and read all available information about the area into which they intend to go, and they have readied themselves with plenty of water, food and reliable transport. Emergency situations when travelling in the outback can be created or made much more serious depending on the condition of the roads and what effects weather changes have, such as a sudden rain shower, and by the sheer isolation of long stretches of roads through country that is sparsely populated. Everyone who travels in the outback should be thoroughly apprised with the rules of safety and survival in the outback. There have been numerous tragedies in the outback caused by failing to observe these simple rules, such as not carrying emergency food and water supplies, and ignorance of how to readily use available emergency equipment to enhance survival. Safety Rules. Plan your trip into the outback thoroughly before you go. When you have planned your itinerary, make two copies of it. Give copies to people whom you regard as reliable eg a neighbour or a member of your family. Check all available maps and all information that can be gathered from people who have either travelled in the area in which you intend to travel or from people who know the area. Desert Access provides an information service to which all our customers have access to when it comes to planning where you would like to go. Maps and relevant information are available by state. Allow time for foreseeable and unforeseeable delays and set some time aside to give yourself some time to get back home in case something happens. Take matches with you (the waterproof type is a good idea), not just to light the camp fire but just in case you need to light a signal fire in an emergency situation. To light a signal fire in the scrub or salt bush country, build a normal fire and have some green growth nearby to put on top of the fire to cause thick smoke. This could attract the attention of planes or other vehicles, an experienced stockmen or bushmen will normally investigate the cause of smoke. Keep the fire going during the day and night. Take an axe and a shovel with you. Also take some wire and some strong cord. Take a shady hat. This is essential if you plan or are forced into any activity during the day. The most important thing of all to take with you is sufficient water for all members of your party for all the days that you are away. It is recommended that you take a minimum of 5 litres per person per day plus a reserve supply in case of an emergency situation. It is also recommended that if you do become stranded, that you do not drink any fluids within the first 24 hours. This shuts down your kidneys so therefore you are not urinating away the fluids that you are drinking. This gives you a better chance for survival. Take with you ample fuel and spare parts to suit your vehicle to cover any delays that might occur or any breakdowns of your vehicle. Take a compass that is easy to use with you to ascertain directions in case of getting lost. Take a good First Aid Kit with you to cope with a minor medical emergency. Observe and Remember Take a look at the scenery of the country that you are driving through. Everyone in the travel party should do so, not just the driver. Not a lot of people have a natural sense of direction or location. The way most people find their way around is by meticulous observation and remembering what they see. In an emergency situation, such observations could lead you back to safety, such as another vehicle, homestead, camp or to water, or even to save you from a possible deathly walk to a waterhole that is dry. Remember your situation in relation to well-known and fixed features and the direction in which they run (eg road or highway). You may have to walk to seek help urgently. If you cannot remember which way is east or west, it could well be the last walk you ever take. This is where the compass can come in handy. Wherever possible try to walk in a straight line between any two given points. It is important to aim straight from one point to the next visible point and from that onto the next, and so on. Make note of the less prominent points on the way to the next major one, as you move onwards. Don't forget to use your compass. As you move onwards, the various features that you observed have a certain appearance. When returning from the opposite direction, the features can and often do take on a quite different look. When on the outward journey, make it a practice of studying the landmarks from the opposite angle, because that is what you will see on your return journey. Never leave a camp or party with which you are travelling without stating your intentions as to where you are going and how long you intend to be as close as you possibly can. Never go anywhere without sufficient food and especially water to cover your absence away from the vehicle, with some spare - especially the water, because of the dehydration effect of physical activity in heat, and take a whistle and a torch. If you do walk away from your travelling companions for any reason and cannot find your way back, stop and think calmly and logically about your recent movements and remembered landmarks. DO NOT PANIC! You are not lost until you do not have a clue as to which direction you should go. If you have told your fellow travelling companions as to where you intend to go, how long you roughly intend to be and in which direction you went, don't walk around, SIT AND WAIT and blow your whistle at regular intervals so they can get a sense of direction as to where you are. Recognised Distress Signals Recognised distress signals are as follows:- 3 shots or 3 shouts in rapid succession, 3 fires or 3 smoke columns in a row, 3 flashes from a torch, mirror or an object of similar nature. For this reason, be careful not to do any of the above things without a genuine reason, so you do not deceive anyone into thinking that there is someone in distress. When you need to try to get someone's attention vocally, try using the names of the people that are travelling in your party. When they hear their names shouted, they will hopefully realise that something has gone amiss and that they are required to do something about it. For attracting someone's attention long distance, shout out the good old saying "COO-EE". It is always worth a try. Spread the "COO" out in a long high pitched sound like a siren, and shorten the "EE" with a sharp whip like ending. If you do not get any answers, stay put and repeat at regular intervals, or change over to one of the other recognised signals. Make a calm and rational survey of your surroundings. Unless you are absolutely certain of your way, stay where you are to conserve energy and also body fluids and to avoid the chance of the search party missing you. If you feel sure enough to move, move surely and only in the early morning or in the cool of the evening. Conserve water. Make as much use of any shady area that you can. Mark your trail distinctly. If you are not sure of where you are, mark your name, direction of travel and the time you left from your current spot in something that will not erode or fade away. This will aid the search party to locate you if you do become lost. DO NOT PANIC! Think deliberately and avoid the urge to panic. The dreadful idea that you may perish is the actual source of panic and surrender. People can and do survive for long periods of time despite being thirsty, hungry and any other hideous circumstances. Never give up hope of being found and rescued. Stay with your vehicle. The first thing you should do if your vehicle breaks down is to stay with it. When you have followed the advice of leaving word with people as to where you are going and approximate dates of arrival to your destinations, a search party will come out eventually. Your vehicle will be a lot easier for them to find than any human wandering in the remoteness of the Australian Outback. If you are on a well used track, it is almost certain that some other vehicle or traveller will come along in time and either help you themselves or go for help. Even if you happen to be on a track that is not well traversed, please stay with your vehicle. The position with a lost person or a stranded vehicle are identical, except for the fact that a vehicle is easier to find than a person. If you and your vehicle do not return home within a reasonable amount of time after your scheduled arrival time left with a responsible person, hopefully they will begin to make enquires as to your whereabouts and hopefully official search procedures will be started. Radio For more information on what radios are available and what their role is in the Outback, see our See our “Communications in the Outback” Section GPS (Global Positioning System) You can consider hiring a GPS unit for your travels when you need to have reliable and accurate navigation in remote areas. Conserve water If stuck in the outback, do not wander about in the heat, or exert the body in any way so that you will need more water, which may already be in short supply. It is very important that you use the water that you have with you sparingly because you do not know how long you will have to make it last. Whatever you do, do not drink the water out of your vehicles cooling systems, as most vehicles use a chemical additive. If you do happen to run out of water, you can construct a desert still to make enough water to sustain life in an emergency situation. The basic instruments to make a desert still is a one metre square sheet of clear plastic and a clear one litre container. Several one-litre containers should be carried in the vehicle. To build the still, dig a hole in the earth or sand (using moist soil if possible), place a container in the centre of the hole and surround it with succulent shrubbery or leaves or roots. Roughen the underside of the plastic sheet and cover the hole with it, surrounding the edges with dirt to hold it in place and to form an airtight seal. You then place a small stone in the centre of the sheet right above the container. You should collect about half a litre of water a day through condensation. The hole should be made larger and new greenery added early each day when the moisture on surrounding plants is at its highest. More Outback Survival Tips Construct a make shift shelter using canvas or blankets and stay under it during the heat of the day. If shade is not suitable, make a hole in the ground large enough to climb into. If the shelter is not suitable for your entire party, you can dig a larger hole under you vehicle and lie in it. Dig a hole under your vehicle and put all your water containers, food etc. in the hole and this will keep the water reasonably cool. Do not over drink during the heat of the day. Be really careful about food and flies because any physical illness can reduce your chances of surviving. If you are carrying tea or coffee in your vehicle, use your billy to make some and drink it cold. You will find this is more refreshing than plain water. Keep the salt supply to your body up by using salt tablets or common salt. Your rear vision mirror can be used as a signalling mirror for planes passing overhead by flashing it into the sun. Occasional flashes from any nearby high outcrop could also attract the attention of any passing stockmen. Motorists travelling in the outback are advised to carry something that can be used to make a signal to flash at passing aircraft. Keep your clothes on even if you feel that you would be more comfortable without them on. They are your protection from exposure. If you have a firearm or any other means of killing, use it to get any animal that is available. Although it may not taste to good, it could be what you need to keep you alive. Do not leave your vehicle for any hunting expeditions. If hunting or any other task takes you away from your vehicle, do not let it out of your sight (this applies even when you are not in trouble). It is advisable that a basic knowledge of first aid is gained before travelling in the outback. It is also advisable that a first aid kit and book is also taken. You never know when you might need it. Try to keep out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day, wear a hat that will shade your face properly, and avoid exposure to your skin from sunlight for long periods of time. A victim of sunburn is the forearm of the right arm, which catches the sun when spending many hours behind the driving wheel. Sunglasses are advisable to wear if you are not used to normal outside glare. Carry an insect repellent with you. Dehydration or hypothermia in the outback is very serious and it is important that you recognise the symptoms. When travelling in hot dry climates, every effort must be made to increase the intake of fluids otherwise headaches, disorientation and changes in body temperature will be experienced. Carry plenty of water from home, which can be used for drinking purposes only. Only refill this container when you can be assured that the water supply is suitable for drinking. Have a separate container, which can be used for washing etc. which can be filled from bores and the like, which can contain minerals etc that can cause stomach upsets.