Welcome to the Bushwalking Club
If you’re reading this page, you are probably getting ready for your first trip with the club. Congratulations! Our trip leaders are volunteers, and we are all looking forward to having a great time out in the bush. Coming on a trip prepared keeps everything smooth and enjoyable throughout the entire activity.
Bushwalking NSW has a great video on how to be the bushwalker everyone enjoys having on trips:
Before the trip
Our trips are advertised on the walks calendar as well as on the mailing list. If you joined the club, you are probably subscribed to the mailing list already, so you will get an email as soon as a new trip comes up.
There are a lot of different trips that we do and some of them can be quite difficult. Thus, we recommend that you read the description carefully so you understand what is involved with a certain trip. Have a think on whether the trip is suitable for your fitness and skill levels. Everybody is different and what is easy for one person might be very hard for someone else. If you are new to bushwalking, we recommend that you come on easier trips first and then slowly try out harder trips to test your limits. The Skills Pathways page has useful information on what difficulty suits you.
Once you found a trip that interests you, log into the member area and sign up for the trip. Note, that it is always the trip leader’s decision whether they will take you along. If everything is ok, your trip leader will send you an email confirming that you are on the trip. Please only sign up for trips if you’re fairly sure you can make it, as our trips are very popular and spaces are often booked out very early. If you aren’t committed to the trip when you sign up, you will most likely become a no-show where that spot could’ve been taken by another keen member.
Most of our trips are full-day walks and require all-day availability, so if you have plans for the evening, you’ll most likely not make it. Plus, trips can run late, and unexpected events can happen. Trips also often start early at 7-8 am, and if you sleep in and miss your train, you’ll not be able to join the trip. Asking the trip leader “what time will we be back?” is a loaded question. You are asking the trip leader many questions no one can answer. To answer your question the trip leader will need to know if the group will encounter an accident which will stop or slow the group down slightly, or dramatically. To answer your question, they also need to know the fitness level, experience and walking pace of everyone in the group.
Often, trip leaders will ask you for your previous experience on the sign-up form. It is important to describe your experience in detail, for example, what kind of trips you have done in the past, how long and where. If you have been on SUBW trips before, it is best to write which trips you have been on and who your trip leader was. This helps to get an idea of your experience and whether you would enjoy the trip. trip leaders don’t like vague descriptions such as “some” and “a lot”. It is best to be honest. Because if you come on a trip that is beyond your capabilities, you are likely to have a bad time and won’t enjoy the trip. You might even ruin it for other people, too. And lastly, on some trips, it is outright dangerous if you don’t have the necessary skills.
Before the trip, your trip leader will send around an email explaining some details about the trip, where to meet up and what to bring. These emails can be a long read, especially if it’s a camping or a canyoning trip. It is still very important that you read through the entire email carefully, as they do contain a lot of important information. If you still have any questions afterwards, just email the trip leader. Our trip leaders get a lot of emails, so please avoid asking your trip leader any questions already answered in the emails, trip description and attached links.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t come on the trip anymore, please, please let your trip leader know. There is nothing more frustrating than waiting at the beginning of a walk and people not showing up. Also, trips are often full and people are on a waitlist. If you tell your trip leader early that you can’t make it, they can give your spot to someone else. Showing up to trips on time increases your chances of being accepted for future trips.
What to bring
For all trips, you should bring a backpack with enough clothes, food and water. Have a look at the weather forecast to see what to expect and make sure you bring warm enough clothes. Also, it is paramount to always bring rain cover – the forecast is often wrong and being wet in the bush can easily lead to hypothermia.
Wear comfortable, breathable clothing for the walk. Avoid wearing expensive or heavy layers.
Make sure you wear comfortable and stable shoes for walking. If you don’t have special hiking shoes, the best thing is to wear some runners. They should suit you well on most walks. They must be enclosed on your toes- don’t wear sandals or thongs.
On a day trip, you should bring a lunch (for example sandwiches) and a bit of snacks just in case. Our trips can be strenuous, and if you don’t bring food, you can become very exhausted and struggle. It can also be outright dangerous for remote trips. Remember to have a filling breakfast, and have all the food ready before you come on the trip. It will be quite embarrassing if everyone has to wait for you to do your shopping on the trip.
Carrying of water is essential on all trips. Bring at least 2 litres of water. In summer when it is hot and you sweat a lot, you should bring more (3-4L of water) – there is nothing worse than running out of water on a hot sunny day.
Even on the best trip, something can go wrong. Thus, we recommend that you always bring a torch (head torches are best) in case you get benighted and have to walk in the dark. Also, if you have one, it is a good idea to bring a first aid kit, just in case. Power banks are a good to have so your phone can stay charged through the entire day. Don’t forget any medications that you might need!
If you come on an overnight trip, you need to bring your own camping gear such as a tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag and cooking equipment.
The club has a sizeable store of gear that can be borrowed for club trips. Our gear locker contains camping equipment such as backpacks, tents, sleeping mats, sleeping bags, as well as canyoning gear such as harnesses, descenders, helmets, dry bags, ropes and many other things. If you need to borrow something, make sure you organise it with our gear officers in time. Usually, it is sent around on the walks calendar and mailing list, when and where you can pick up and return gear.
Do not bring pets. Domestic animals are forbidden in National Parks, which means we can’t allow them on trips.
On the trip
Some trips are organised by public transport, and you typically meet at a station or on the train. But often it is necessary to drive to the start of the walk. If this is the case, we usually try to carpool. This allows people without their own car to come along and it also saves a lot of fuel. Your trip leader will sort out before the trip who will go into which car. It is customary that the fuel costs are shared among those sharing a car. Thus, if you get a lift in someone else’s car, please ask them how much your share of the petrol is and give them the money.
Below is a chart of fuel costs for your reference. Actual fuel costs can fluctuate depending on vehicle type, petrol prices and any detours that might be in place. Add $2-5 to the cost if toll roads were taken (eg. Westconnex).
| Destination | Approximate Transport Cost from Sydney per Passenger ($AUD) | Approximate total vehicle mileage for return trip | Approximate travel time (one way) |
| Blue Mountains (Katoomba, Blackheath, Mount Victoria, Bell, Mount Wilson, Mount Tomah) | $15 | 200km | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Newnes Plateau (Bungleboori, Galah Mtn, Rocky Creek, Waratah Ridge, Cockatoo Hill, Deep Pass, Birds Rock, Glow Worm Tunnel road etc) | $20 | 260km | 2 hr 40 mins |
| Newnes (Wolgan Valley) | $20-25 | 300km | 3 hrs |
| Kanangra (Kanangra Boyd National Park) | $25 | 400km | 3 hrs |
| Capertee Valley (Glen Davis, Glen Alice) | $25-$30 | 400km | 3 hrs 20 mins |
| Northern Wollemi (Nullo Mountain, Mt Coricudgy, Red Hill, Bylong Labyrinth, Widden Valley) | $35-40 | 600km | 4 hrs 30 mins |
| Mt Werong (southern Blue Mountains) | $35 | 430km | 3hrs 30 mins |
| Yerranderie | $40 | 500km | 4 hrs 30 mins |
| Deua National Park | $40-$50 | 750km | 4 hrs 30 mins |
| Kosciuszko National Park (Includes park fee) | $70-$80 | 1000km | 6 hrs |
Please keep meet-up details amongst trip participants only- don’t send them to a friend who wasn’t signed up for the trip. Only club members who have signed up to the trip can come to the trip. If those who haven’t signed up shows up, they will not be allowed to participate and will be told to leave. Most trip leaders will not allow participants to bring guests or friends along, and doing so can be seen as poor etiquette.
No one likes to wake up early, but most bushwalks will require catching a morning train. These trains don’t run frequently, therefore, make sure you allow lots of connection time (eg. if you are changing from a bus to a train). Plan for your public transport the night before and take note on which station to get off at. If you miss your train, you will not make it to the walk and will be asked to go home. If you’re running slightly late, text your trip leader to let them know so they can wait for you.
We are proud of our club’s diversity. Many of our club members come from multicultural backgrounds and can speak multiple languages. However, it is still imperative that you can speak and understand English, so that you can understand important safety instructions and be able to communicate your concerns. Even if you speak another language, you’ll have a much better time on the trip if you communicate with everyone in English. If you have difficulty communicating in English, our trip leaders may deem that it is unsafe to take you on a trip.
And the rest is mostly common sense. Be aware of your surroundings (don’t have your eyes glued to your mobile phone!), especially when walking alongside roads and car traffic. Pack out all your trash. Keep loud speakers at home, and be mindful of other park users, residents or members of public. Observe all signs and warnings given. We can all help our trip leaders stay with the right side of other stakeholders and park users.
Usually, our leaders are quite relaxed and give you a lot of leeway. However, it is important that you stay with the group and follow the trip leader’s instructions. If you need to go away from the group, for example, to go to the bathroom, let your trip leader know so they know where you are. Also, let them know if you need help or have concerns. Many problems can be solved.
Enjoy your trip, and Press On Regardless!