Hiker rescues take 32 hours each, say VICSES volunteers

As we look ahead to a hot and dry summer, Parks Victoria (PV) and the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) have teamed up to remind day-trippers to pack their summer smarts and stay safe in Victoria’s parks.

Werribee Gorge is one of the most popular short walks in Victoria, with most visitors coming from Melbourne and staying for around four hours. Though only a short drive from the Victorian capital, it is a wild and rugged place, exposed to weather, with steep pathways where it is easy to trip or fall.

Since 2017, VICSES and Parks Victoria have performed 30 separate Search and Rescue (SAR) operations at Werribee Gorge and in nearby Lerderderg State Park and the Brisbane Ranges National Park.

These locations are well known to local VICSES and PV crews as the setting for labour-intensive, time-consuming rescues; their natural beauty – and short driving distance from Melbourne – have made them hotspots.

Search and rescue operations require, on average, eight VICSES volunteers in three vehicles, working for around four hours, amounting to thirty-two hours of volunteer time for each rescue. This does not include the work undertaken by Parks Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, and Victoria Police Search and Rescue personnel.

If you were out hiking, camping or bike-riding and you had to call triple zero in an emergency, would you know how to tell the operator exactly where you are?

With this summer expected to be hot and dry, heat poses the biggest risk this year to park visitors.

You can manage this risk by setting out early, or late, in the day to avoid the hottest hours. Have a plan to exit the park if conditions change along the way, even if it means not reaching your destination.

Our VICSES volunteers are always ready to help, but they would rather you took a map, plenty of water, and had a good understanding of the route you are taking and its challenges.

Before you head off on a hike, take a moment to plan ahead:

• Know your limitations – consider the degree of difficulty of any walks or hikes you are taking and ensure you don’t overdo it.
• Pack a map and a compass, or know your route via GPS, and know any common location names.
• Become familiar with emergency markers located along bushwalking tracks. They are designed to pinpoint your exact location during an emergency in public open spaces or a hard to define places. They display three letters and three numbers which gives an exact location of where the markers are.
• Ensure you keep away from hazardous trees in the wind.
• Take plenty of water and some food.
• Wear appropriate footwear and clothes for the conditions.
• Have communications equipment that will work where you are going – like a satellite phone if you’re going for extended periods across low coverage areas. Consider if you’ll need radio backup, a Personal Locator Beacon, a copy of any important phone numbers, a phone charger, battery pack or other communications supplies.
• If visiting national parks or walking tracks, check with Parks Victoria via parkweb.vic.gov.au ahead of time for closures.
• When planning your walk, use trusted sources of information like the Parks Victoria website. Visitor Guides on park specific pages have maps and information about walking difficulty and estimated duration, based on the Australian Walking Track Grading System. There are also important and timely updates on park or track closures.