The Unthinkables

Hey boys and girls.

I'm looking at planning a trip away. Mostly to unwind and get back to nature but i want to do some solid prospecting/panning while waiting for the fish to bite and yabbies to boil. I'm looking at 2 to 4 weeks away to start with, mostly alone with the odd visit from family.

My question is... What is that 1 thing that you find invaluable once you get out bush? You know, that thing most people would forget to add to their usual camping list. I wont be shacking up in a $60k caravan with all the amenities but more on the swag, gazebo, tent side of things. I'm not worried about running a generator for the time being unless the prospect requires me to

Looking forward to peoples response.

-Trav

I don't leave home without my Oztrail fold up dunny chair

haha, I wont be roughing it that much MT. I'll have one packed in the ute with a bag of lime before anything else

My wife. She remembers everything.

Robert

Mozzie net !

Phil

Date Rolls

Duck....

Nice one Phil, I'll track one down...

Not too sure about Hueys date rolls though. I've never tried them but I'm sure I could get Roberts missus to whip some up for me if he wants to loan her out for the month

gone2ground wrote:Nice one Phil, I'll track one down...

Not too sure about Hueys date rolls though. I've never tried them but I'm sure I could get Roberts missus to whip some up for me if he wants to loan her out for the month

Dude, the date roll HueyDuck is talking about could cause you serious problems if you were to eat one.

Their are two types of date roll, the one you can eat, and the other one..... dont eat the other one. Even in a life threatening situation.... your better off eating one of your socks then to nibble on some back door berry handler.

There are just some things you should not put in your mouth.... toilet paper is one of them.

PS, Robert, about that BBQ i was going to organize when im down next, your good wife's not going to cook by any chance is she.?

G2G,

Mate you need 30 years training to attempt a month in the bush wife my missus!!! Loan her out??? You gotta be kidding??? Much monies up front mate. I gotta get some return on my investment

Narrawa,

Better she cooks than me. Perhaps we might dine out in one of our many, many fine 5 star boutique restaurants.

Robert

Toilet paper

never leave home with out that stuff. sometimes there just aren't that many big leaf plants around.

Narrawa was spot on, it was toilet paper.....pinched that one from a very funny earlier thread that i will never forget for the rest of my life......

Sorry gone2ground you did ask a serious question though, what about this one....

GPS....Have you got one of those Sounds like you might be doing some serious walking

HueyDuck....

haha, all good Huey.. I had a good laugh, more at the fact that I let it go over my head

the gps is on the list as well. considering a garmin dakota 20 since i'll need topographical information, I was going to go for the basic etrex but i'd like more options than it offers.

If you're REALLY going bush, think about an EPIRB, or HF radio or a satellite phone. Better to be safe than sorry.

Robert

Goldnomad wrote:If you're REALLY going bush, think about an EPIRB, or HF radio or a satellite phone. Better to be safe than sorry.

Robert

I know, that's one of my issues. It's come down to portability when on foot in thick scrub versus cost. I think my fate ultimately depends on my decisions in the end.
I'll scout my area before i explore it and get carried away but then again accidents do happen but if that epirb is on the other side of the cliff i just fell off then maybe lucky i had the sat phone in my pocket, if i'm still alive. I'm liking the technology of gps' units to send help to the people that know where you are and leaving trails which could prove much more effective when time is an issue because I for one dont want to be caught under a rock in a stream with these sporadic heavy rains.

-Trav

If in doubt, take 'em all Trav and some bread crumbs

Robert

gone2ground wrote:haha, all good Huey.. I had a good laugh, more at the fact that I let it go over my head

the gps is on the list as well. considering a garmin dakota 20 since i'll need topographical information, I was going to go for the basic etrex but i'd like more options than it offers.

Hi
if you get the Etex ventura you can load all the maps and that includes the topo maps vere ozi expolrer or any other maps or info you have on ozi
thats what i do works great

It's hard to pinpoint just one item so...

A quality LED headtorch - expect to pay around $50 - a diffuser lens is good for reading at night.
http://www.torchworld.com.au/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=85&zenid=065fmqk1ut7h8dse4bbuo8vkt3

A short wave/FM/AM radio and MP3 player with lots of spoken word audio.
http://cgi.ebay.com/DE1123-DEGEN-MW-FM-SHORTWAVE-DSP-RADIO-FREE-GIFT-/110394334381?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19b403dcad (That's a great price btw).

Book(s) of your choice.

Binoculars.

A beannie - especially in cold climes, keep your head warm in bed.

Aeroguard, Tropical Strength.

A **COMFORTABLE** chair - even if it makes packing difficult.

A quality bath towel for drying after a shower - if you wish to avoid a practical demonstration of the physics of evaporative cooling then you need to dry ASAP - long personal experience

An old bath towel (rag) - an amazing number of uses around camp, honest!

Clothes pegs - you can make 'em but it's a pain.

Two jumpers, one thin, one thick - cool night = thin - cold night = thick - freezing night = both - layers are better then thickness.

A box of mixed nails, screws, bolts, nuts etc.

A big roll of synthetic (nylon?) string - should be around 2mm diameter. Typically from $2 shops.

Some galvanised wire.

A *quality* locking folding knife 3" to 4" blade - $70 to $200.

*Quality*, comfortable and broken in boots - if you have to walk out you'd better have something more than a pair of thin soled runners. These are your second spare tyre.

This book:
http://amlib.eddept.wa.edu.au/webquery.dll?v1=pbMarc&v20=14&v27=105213&v46=7412
Available here:
http://www.p2s.com.au/se/survival_kits.htm

A relaxed attitude and an acceptance that if things go wrong you may have to endure some discomfort for a day or two (or three?) but if you keep your cool all will be well.

Mike Harding

I always take a big sheaf of Kenken and Sudoku puzzles which I have printed off from websites for free. I do them while my vegies are cooking in foil in the coals.
Jig

PS Mike Harding - now that's a name I remember from Exploroz - I don't visit there anymore since they banned all banter. Nice to hear your still allive and kicking (Willie)

I must say Mike, thanks for taking the time to post such a great answer, that's what I'm talking about. I'm onto most of them and like the fact you enjoy spoken word cd's, it's been a while since I've gone to sleep to one of those so I asked a likely friend who happened to have a collection so they're coming with me. Those and the comfy chair you so deeply recommend. The link to p2s was helpful but it appears that they aren't taking online orders anymore so I'll track it down elsewhere. Thanks again.


-Trav

Trav: for spoken word audio take a look here:
http://www.radioarchive.cc/
A huge amount of material across all genres.

For the chair take a look at the top end of the Coleman range:
http://www.kangarootentcity.com.au/welcome/page45.php
"Coleman 5 Position Hi-Back Padded Chair" Code 1167. A solid, reclining chair with a 5 year warranty $100. In colder climes you need a chair with padded back and seat to prevent your bottom and lower back getting cold.

In regard to the book "Australian Bush Survival Skills" it appears Angus & Robertson are now stocking it - about time too.
http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/book/australian-bush-survival-skills-a-complete-guide-to-surviving-in-the-wild/4738057/

Mike Harding

PS. Hi Willi - I trust life is treating you well.

BEER...BEER....BEER..WATER....BEER...BEER...AND MORE BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

G'day Gone2ground.

Whether your a smoker or not,carrying a box of matches or a good reliable pocket lighter with you,especially when walking long distances away from your vehicle,could come in handy where you least expect it.

Cheers kon61.

skysite wrote:BEER...BEER....BEER..WATER....BEER...BEER...AND MORE BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no way...

half the reason I want to get away is to do a bit of drying out

drying out the bush is the best place to have a beer i dry out at work

G2G, sounds like so much fun. Im actually planning on doing the same thing in May. But until then i'll be making weekly trips and swing on my own so i can at least get 1 days rest from the working world.
Hope you have a real blast buddy cheers

Hi G2G,

One thing that possibly could be overlooked is a basic first aid kit, or more precisely, a "Snake bite kit". You would be surprised how many people don't carry these and use excuses like "I'll just rip my shirt as a bandage" etc. From what I have been told, you won't be ripping your shirt and calmly making it into a bandage, you'll be screaming blue murder and wondering if you'll make it to the nearest hospital.

Just a thought, especially if you’re on your own.

Happy camping, fishing, yabbying and prospecting,

Nature Pete.

A good tarp, some occy straps and lots of baling twine.

How did the trip go gone2ground?