Press Release
New free hiking planning tools aim to reduce Search and Rescue incidents
Melbourne, Australia – March 2026
Trail Hiking Australia has launched a new suite of free online hiking calculators designed to help walkers better assess the demands and risks of a hike before heading into the Australian bush.
The new tools allow hikers to plan a route in six practical steps: Feasibility, Difficulty, Time, Water, Risk and Equipment. By considering factors such as distance, elevation gain, terrain difficulty, daylight hours, weather exposure, water availability and appropriate equipment, hikers can develop a clearer picture of how demanding a walk may become.
“Many hiking incidents start with simple planning errors,” said Darren Edwards, founder of Trail Hiking Australia. “People often look at the distance of a walk and assume it will be manageable. In reality, terrain, elevation, remoteness, weather exposure and daylight can dramatically change how demanding a hike becomes.”
The calculators were developed in response to a common pattern seen in Search and Rescue incidents across Australia. Many rescues occur not because of dramatic accidents, but because hikers underestimate how long a walk will take, carry insufficient water, or attempt routes beyond their experience or preparation.
According to rescue authorities and outdoor safety organisations, misjudging hiking time, terrain difficulty and environmental conditions remains one of the most common factors in hiking-related callouts. When walkers become fatigued, run out of daylight, or encounter unexpected terrain, minor issues can quickly escalate into situations requiring assistance.
The new planning tools aim to address these risks before a hike even begins by helping hikers assess route demands, hydration needs, risk exposure and appropriate equipment.
The calculators were developed alongside Trail Hiking Australia’s Hiking Safety Systems Framework, a structured approach to understanding hiking risk across eight core safety systems including navigation, environmental protection, hydration, injury response and communication.
The Hiking Risk Profile Calculator, one of the new tools, assesses a planned hike across these systems to highlight where potential risks may be higher and where additional planning may be needed.
Other tools include a Hike Feasibility Planner, Hiking Time Calculator, Water Requirements Calculator, Hiking Equipment Planner, and an Australian Walking Track Grade Calculator, which estimates the likely difficulty of a walk using the Australian Walking Track Grading System.
While the tools are not intended to replace experience or on-ground judgement, they are designed to help hikers ask the right questions before committing to a route.
“Good decisions made at home are one of the most effective ways to prevent problems in the bush,” Edwards said. “These tools are designed to help hikers better understand the demands of a walk and identify potential risks before they become real problems.”
The calculators are freely available and can be used by hikers planning day walks, overnight hikes or longer backcountry trips.
Explore the hiking calculators and planning tools at:
https://www.trailhiking.com.au/calculators/
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
