The following guidelines outline the responsibilities of participants on any activity run by Boroondara Bushwalkers.

General Disclaimer

Bushwalking and other outdoor activities undertaken by the Club, by their nature, involve inherent risks beyond the accepted safety of home or work. Additional dangers or risks may include physical exertion for which a walker is not fully prepared, weather extremes, difficult terrain, remoteness from normal medical services, and occurrences such as snakebite or other medical emergency. The Club relies on the support of leaders who may not be formally trained in bushcraft, navigation or first aid. In undertaking a Club activity, a participant agrees to accept such dangers or risks and releases Boroondara Bushwalkers Inc. and its leaders and members from all liability (including negligence on the part of the Club or leader) for personal injury, death, property damage or loss suffered as a result of participation in the activity.

Insurance

The Club holds Public Liability cover, but this does not cover personal ambulance or hospital/medical expenses, nor loss or damage to personal property. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately covered for these eventualities. Many common medical funds and insurance policies will cover most of the normal activities undertaken by the club, but you should check for exclusions relating to more adventurous activities.

Booking

Bookings are recorded on Walk Sheets which are laid out on tables in the meeting room at the monthly Club meeting. Sheets are first put out two months ahead of the event, except for trips with complex planning requirements, such as overseas trips, where expressions of interest might be sought over a year ahead. The meeting room is open at 7:30pm, half an hour before the meeting’s formal business starts.

If you cannot attend meetings, a friend may book for you or you may telephone the leader after the last Club meeting before the walk. Leaders are usually available at the meetings for questions, otherwise telephone at a reasonable hour on the number given on the walk sheet or the Walks Program.

Most leaders restrict walker numbers because excessive numbers are hard to manage effectively. Also, in some areas the size of a party is limited by regulation, for example, in the northern areas of Wilson’s Promontory overnight camping is restricted to parties of 6. If a walk is fully booked the leader may run a waiting list to manage cancellations. If you are wait listed for a walk, please do not turn up without telephoning the leader the day before to see if there has been a cancellation. Fill in the Walk Sheets legibly with the following information:

• Name (separate entry for each person in a family)
• Address - for overnight walks
• Telephone number
• An emergency contact telephone number

Walkers are encouraged to make firm bookings only. If for any reason you cannot take part in a walk, please telephone the leader to cancel your booking at the earliest opportunity to allow others to take your place. Day walkers are asked to make cancellations at least four days prior to the walk, while weekend walkers should do so by the Monday prior to the walk. When walks require complex planning, late cancellations seriously inconvenience the leader.

The leader has the right to decline your booking. If the leader judges that you are not capable of completing the activity or are inadequately equipped then your booking may be declined at any time, even at the walk rendezvous. A walk may also be cancelled if there are less than four walkers, including the leader.

Before You Leave Home

Ensure that your Emergency Contact (the person expecting your return and whose contact number is on the walk sheet) is aware of:

• The estimated return time of the walk,
• The overdue time of the walk,
• The names of the Overdue Walks Coordinators,
• The need to telephone one of the Overdue Walks Coordinators (not the Police or other authorities) if the walk does not return by the overdue time (not before).

Make sure that you are adequately equipped for the activity (see “Clothing and Equipment” later in handbook book). Do not rely on others to lend you items you have forgotten. If you intend to offer your car for travel, fill it up with petrol and check oil, tyres etc.< Car Pooling

The Club’s car sharing guidelines apply to members and visitors alike:

• The Walk’s Leader distributes passengers evenly among available vehicles.
• Car owners are not expected to offer their car for transporting walkers on every trip, but it is expected that all car owners will offer their cars for transport from time to time.
• Contributions are intended to help cover petrol costs, maintenance, wear and tear and cleaning costs for the vehicle.

At the end of each trip the total contribution is calculated as twice the cost of petrol consumed, divided equally between all passengers including the driver.

At The Walk Rendezvous

Most weekend day walks depart from the car park adjacent to the Kew Library in Cotham Road, Kew at 8:00am sharp. If leaving your car there all day, take care to obey the parking signs as there are restrictions in some areas of the car park even at weekends. Wednesday walks usually depart from the Victoria Park near the Harp Hotel in East Kew. Departure times for overnight walks and base camps are arranged by the leader, often with a rendezvous outside Melbourne.

Unless specified in the Vagabond, on the Walk Sheet or by the Walk Leader, be at the walk rendezvous at least 15 minutes before the departure time. The leader has a number of duties at the start such as organising car sharing, making sure that drivers have directions to the start of the walk, collecting visitors fees, making introductions and depositing a copy of the walk sheet in the Club’s box at the car park.

Identify yourself to the leader. Ensure that your details on the walk sheet are correct - including your emergency telephone number.

Before the walk departs Kew, please inform the leader, in confidence, of any medical condition that may affect your ability on the walk and of any medication that you may be taking. Note that walks are rarely cancelled because of inclement weather. Even if it is pouring with rain at Kew, the walk may be 150 kilometres away and the weather may be quite different (this has happened on numerous occasions). Do not assume that a walk will be cancelled because of bad weather - be at the car park on time.

The only conditions that may cause the cancellation or a change of route of a walk on the day are extreme temperatures, total fire bans, bush fires or floods.

Overnight pack carries and base camps usually involve smaller numbers of participants and often leave on Friday evening. The leader will usually organise the car sharing and travel arrangements in the week before the walk.

During the Walk

Leaders lead walks on a voluntary basis, spending considerable time and effort in organizing the walk for your benefit. Try to help when possible or when asked by the leader. Respect the leader’s decisions and directions. The leader is aware of the well being of every member of the party. Do not make things difficult for the leader.

Follow all reasonable instructions given by the leader.

Advise the leader promptly if you feel unwell or cannot cope with the activity. Provide assistance and support to others involved in the activity. Club activities are not competitive and the success of the activity is dependent on participants providing mutual support and encouragement.

Before the walk starts the leader may appoint a “whip” The whip’s duties are to walk at the back of the party and to encourage stragglers and to ensure that no one drops behind. Do not leave the group for any reason without first telling the leader or the whip. If you need to leave the track for a call of nature, leave your pack at the side of the track so the whip knows that you have left the track and can wait for you (do not carry off unattended packs). Carry a loud whistle and remember the whistle code! The following code is used to communicate with members of the party when it is spread out:

• ONE long blast - Acknowledge with one long blast (to locate your position).
• TWO short blasts - Stop and re-group with leader (allow the group to catch up with those in front).
• THREE short blasts - EMERGENCY, re-group immediately (everyone move to the whistle blower).

Do not allow the party to spread out too far. Every walker should keep the walker in front and behind in sight at all times. Do not race ahead, we are walking as a party.

If you are at the front of the party and the leader is not with you STOP at all track/road junctions, signs, or whenever there is any doubt about the correct route. Wait until the leader indicates which way to go. When walking along a road, keep right, facing oncoming traffic.