By Callum Ludwig
A fine summer day might seem like the best time for a spontaneous trip to out beautiful national parks, but it is important to prepare and plan.
Meticulously organising the right items and clear and concise communication is crucial in the event that something could go wrong.
Parks Victoria Area Chief Ranger for the Yarra Ranges Conrad Annal said this planning and preparation is critical to having a safe and successful walk.
“Whether you’re wanting to do a short walk, or you wanted to take on something a little more ambitious, make sure that the distance suits your physical condition, but also then check the grade of the walk as well as most are graded for difficulty,” he said.
“Then when you have your location, wear good sturdy boots, have a backpack with a first aid kit, food and snacks, water and sunscreen and wear hats and clothing suitable to the conditions because especially where we are at Mt Donna Buang or Lake Mountain, the weather can change quickly and unexpectedly.”
In recent times, there have been three rescues in around the Yarra Ranges National Park, with one man rescued in October 2022 rescued after falling down a quarry in old Wesburn and January 2023 has already seen a large group of visitors to the Redwood Forest rescued after they couldn’t cross the Cement Creek Road Bridge due to construction works and a family rescued after they drove off the edge of the Black Spur in Fernshaw and crashed into a tree.
Mr Annal said Parks Victoria always asks that the walkers stay on the trails and don’t wander off them which leads to more rescues.
“Part of pre-planning is to make sure that you know the track that you’re going to be on, with hardcopy maps or electronic versions, keeping in mind some areas don’t have phone reception and you will have to download them beforehand. Failing that, a lot of tracks have signs to help people orientate where they are or emergency markers, with a specific code you can reference to emergencies services which help them with where you might be,” he said.
“You should always do a trip intention, notifying your loved ones of where you’re going and when you’re planning to come back. If they need to ring triple zero, they can let them know where you intended to park, how long you’ve been gone, and tell them about any fitness or capability issues you might have.”
Always check for changed conditions or closures at www.parks.vic.gov.au/get-into-nature/safety-in-nature/changed-conditions-and-closures before heading out as well to ensure where you are going is safe.
Mr Annal said safety is the most important thing for an enjoyable trip to a national park.
“If you’ve done all your pre-planning, it considerably reduces any risks, to make sure that you do have a fun and enjoyable trip out there,” he said.
“If you can plan your trip, knowing where you’re going, the length and grade, you’ve got all the right gear and you’ve let someone know, then that’ll reduce your safety risks to a minimum.”
