PRESS RELEASE
New Australian framework helps bushwalkers make better decisions before, during and after outdoor adventures
Melbourne, Australia – September 2026
Trail Hiking Australia has released the ExploreSafe Framework for Outdoor Decision-Making, a practical framework designed to help bushwalkers better understand preparation, changing conditions and decision-making in Australian environments.
The framework provides a structured approach to outdoor safety built around seven principles:
- Choose the right adventure
- Understand the environment
- Prepare your capabilities
- Build redundancy
- Monitor changing conditions
- Make decisions early
- Respond effectively when things go wrong
Rather than focusing only on equipment lists, rules or isolated hazards, the ExploreSafe Framework recognises that safer outcomes come from the decisions people make before and throughout an outing.
Bushwalking involves uncertainty. Weather changes, progress can be slower than expected, people become tired, and unexpected challenges can arise. The framework helps walkers recognise these changes, consider their options and act before small problems become more difficult to manage.
“Most outdoor problems do not begin with a single dramatic event,” said Darren Edwards, founder of Trail Hiking Australia. “They often develop when small changes combine and go unnoticed. ExploreSafe provides a practical way for walkers to think through those changes and make better decisions while they still have options.”
The framework connects preparation before a walk with observation and decision-making during an outing, while also encouraging reflection afterwards to improve future adventures.
Developed specifically for Australian bushwalking, the ExploreSafe Framework complements existing advice from land managers, emergency services and outdoor organisations by providing a decision-making structure that helps people understand how and why that advice matters.
The framework is designed for individual walkers, hiking groups, clubs, outdoor educators and anyone seeking a more deliberate approach to planning and managing outdoor adventures.
The ExploreSafe Framework builds on the decision-making concepts developed through the Hiking Safety Systems Framework (HSSF), while serving a different purpose. HSSF describes how capabilities, conditions, equipment and human behaviour interact to influence safety outcomes. ExploreSafe translates these ideas into a practical model that walkers can apply before, during and after an outing.
The publication includes:
- an explanation of the seven ExploreSafe principles;
- guidance on applying the principles before, during and after a walk;
- practical examples of outdoor decision-making;
- connections between preparation, changing conditions and judgement;
- guidance for ongoing learning through experience.
The ExploreSafe Framework for Outdoor Decision-Making (Version 1.0) is available as a downloadable publication through Trail Hiking Australia.
Download the ExploreSafe Framework for Outdoor Decision-Making →
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About the author
Darren Edwards is the founder of Trail Hiking Australia and a long-time advocate for practical, experience-based hiking safety in Australian conditions. His work focuses on how preparation, judgement and environmental awareness interact in real terrain. Through years of analysing incidents, reviewing field practice and working with hiking communities across Australia, Darren has focused on understanding how small problems develop and how early decisions can prevent situations from escalating. He is the creator of the Hiking Safety Systems Framework and the author of hiking safety publications designed to support clearer thinking, stronger preparation and better decision-making outdoors.
About Trail Hiking Australia
Trail Hiking Australia is an Australian hiking resource providing access to thousands of trails, practical planning tools, safety resources and educational content to help people explore Australia’s outdoors with greater confidence. The platform includes the Hiking Safety Systems Framework, ExploreSafe resources, hiking calculators and a growing collection of tools designed to support better preparation and decision-making.
Media and Enquiries
Darren Edwards
Founder, Trail Hiking Australia
Melbourne, Australia
www.trailhiking.com.au
