PRESS RELEASE
Free hiking safety training launched by Trail Hiking Australia to help hikers recognise risk before it becomes critical
Melbourne, Australia – March 2026
Trail Hiking Australia has launched a free online training program designed to change how hikers understand and respond to risk in the Australian bush.
The Hiking Safety Systems Foundations training introduces a structured, systems-based approach to hiking safety, focusing on how incidents actually develop on the trail. Rather than presenting safety as a checklist of gear or rules, the program teaches hikers how to recognise early signs of strain and make better decisions before small issues escalate.
The training is now available at:
https://www.trailhiking.com.au/hiking-safety-foundations/
A different way to think about hiking safety
Most hiking safety advice focuses on what to carry. This training focuses on how to think.
It is built around the Hiking Safety Systems Framework, which explains bushwalking safety as the interaction of eight interdependent systems: navigation, environmental protection, hydration and fuel, load carrying and mobility, injury and medical response, communication and rescue, equipment reliability, and decision-making.
Rather than treating incidents as sudden or unpredictable, the framework shows how they typically develop through a sequence of small, compounding pressures across these systems.
From knowledge to decision-making
The training is designed to build a practical mental model that hikers can apply in the field.
Participants learn to:
- recognise early and late signs of system strain
- understand how pressure transfers between systems
- identify when margin is building or closing
- apply a simple two-question model to guide decisions on the trail
Interactive checkpoints and scenario-based learning reinforce how these concepts apply in realistic Australian conditions.
Designed for Australian conditions
The training reflects the realities of hiking in Australia, where heat, water availability, terrain, and remoteness can quickly increase risk.
By focusing on how conditions interact, rather than isolated hazards, the training helps hikers better understand how risk builds over time and where intervention is still possible.
Free and accessible
Hiking Safety Systems Foundations is free to access and self-paced. Users can track their progress and complete the training in short modules, typically taking five to ten minutes each.
The program is intended as a foundation. It builds understanding, not competency, and is designed to support better preparation, decision-making, and ongoing skill development.
Supporting safer decisions on the trail
Darren Edwards, founder of Trail Hiking Australia, said the goal of the training is to help hikers recognise risk earlier.
“Most incidents don’t begin with a dramatic event. They develop gradually, as pressure builds across multiple areas at once,” he said.
“This training helps hikers see that process earlier, while there is still time to act. It’s about understanding how safety actually functions, not just following a checklist.”
Explore the training
Hikers can access the free training here: https://www.trailhiking.com.au/hiking-safety-foundations/
About Trail Hiking Australia
Trail Hiking Australia is a comprehensive online resource for hikers, providing access to over 3,800 trails across Australia, along with practical guides, planning tools, and safety resources.
The platform includes a growing suite of hiking calculators and the Hiking Safety Systems Framework, a structured model designed to help hikers better understand risk and decision-making in the field.
About Darren Edwards
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 structured planning, environmental awareness, and field-relevant judgement to support safer bushwalking across diverse Australian landscapes.
Media and Enquiries
Darren Edwards
Founder, Trail Hiking Australia
Melbourne, Australia
www.trailhiking.com.au
