Sustainable Practices/Strategies
To ensure you remain safe and LEAVE NO TRACE whilst undertaking
a bushwalking trip, the following 7 principles and strategies have
been provided for you to follow. These ensure you remain safe and
enjoy the outdoors in a manner that preserves the environment,
habitats and living species in their natural living condition.
Planning Your Trip
Planning your trip ensures you to remain safe at all times, whilst minimizing
your impact to the natural environment. To be fully prepared for your
bushwalking trip you should do the following:
• Know the regulations and concerns for the area you are visiting.
• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards and emergencies.
• Plan for emergencies. Know reference points along your trip route.
Vehicle access points. Do you require a SAT phone?
• Check forecasted weather conditions. Outline route plan accordingly.
• Keep groups small (4-8 people)
• Only bring what you need (clothes, food, water, survival items,
cleaning and hygiene products)
• Bring spare garbage bags.
• Clean walking shoes to prevent cross contamination of diseases and
species between different natural habitats.
• Use a map and compass, instead of ground markings, marking paint,
rock cairns and/or flagging.
• Use ecofriendly variations of products (e.g. hand sanitizer)
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Stay on designated tracks. Walk in single file in
the middle of the trail to minimize erosion., even if it is muddy or
wet.
• Do not walk off track. Do not create new tracks by cutting corners or
avoid obstacles. If possible remove the obstacle.
• If required to walk off track, avoid stepping on or near sensitive
vegetation. Avoid stepping in the same foot holes. Distance yourself
from the next person.
• Use designated campsites.
• Keep campsites areas small.
• Avoid using campsites which have recently been used.
• If you have to move a few sticks, stones or may damage any flora, set
up camp somewhere else.
• Set up camp away at least 50-100 meters from any water source.
Leave What You Find
• DO NOT touch or remove any natural material.
• Never interfere with Aboriginal artwork or artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you found them.
• Do not scratch markings or carvings into rocks or trees.
“Leave the Place Better Than You Found It.”
“Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but
footprints, kill nothing but time”
 Sustainable Practices/Strategies

Dispose of waste properly
• EVERYTHING you take in, you must take out!
• Plan to reduce rubbish, regarding food packaging. Avoid packing too
many bottles, cans and wrappings.
• Carry a concealable garbage bag to secure any rubbish.
• DO NOT bury rubbish.
• Collect any extra rubbish you come across.
• Wash hands and dishes well away from any water source to prevent
contamination.
• Do a rubbish check after leaving rest and lunch spots, and campsite
areas.
• Ensure you dispose of human waste properly. Use a toilet if it exists.
If there is no toilet available , walk 100m away from the trail, water
sources or campsite. Dig a 15cm deep hole and bury your bodily
waste. Used toilet paper does not biodegrade, therefore bring a
sealed bag and take it with you. Use hand sanitizer afterwards.
• Carry out sanitary items.
• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the
ground that can be broken by hand.
• Only use dead and fallen wood. Don’t cut
or break live branches and sticks.
• Completely extinguish the fire before leaving or going to bed.
Best method is to douse with water, and/or scatter the burning
embers of the fire.
• Ensure there are enough water supplies to put the fire out
Respect Wildlife
• DO NOT approach, feed or spook animals. Observe animals from
a distance.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash
securely.
• Keep disturbing noise to a minimum.

Consider Hosts and Other Visitors

Minimize Campfire Impacts • Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Use fire rings where permitted
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Choose a clear location where the wind will blow away from
• Respect other visitors. Reduce/avoid excessive noise. Let
tents and vegetation.
everyone enjoy the serenity of the outdoors in peace.
• Don’t surround the fire with rocks. Rocks get damaged and/or
can explode. “Treat others the way you would like to be treated”