Cutting Tools - What and Why

For those who have spent any serious time in the bush, a cutting tool is an essential part of gear and most people carry more than one. Whilst there are several different kinds of cutting tools, and some can serve many purposes that others do, I will speak generally about folding knives, fixed blade knives, machetes as well axes and hatchets.

Folding knives I see as more of an unnecessary redundancy item. I usually carry one in my pocket while hiking simply because they're lightweight, they don't take up much room and can be very handy if there is no other option available. They can range in both quality and price range from a seven dollar no-name brand folding knife available at places like K-Mart, to my personal favourite, the Opinel Number Eight which is available for around twenty-five dollars. There are even very high-end folders available from brands such as Kershaw, CR-KT or Spyderco that can cost up to around three hundred and fifty dollars or more.
  I tend to favour cheaper folders, as I see them as a back-up knife for use when I don't have a fixed blade or for finer carving tasks when I'm only carrying a large blade on my hip. It is worth mentioning that before deciding to carry a folding knife for EDC(Everyday Carry), check the legalities of carrying a folding knife with your local law enforcement.

Fixed blade knives should be a staple of any hiker's kit. Whether they are carried on the hip, in the pack, on the side of the pack or around the neck; they are a must for anybody travelling out for an overnight hike, a multi-day trip or even just a simple day hike. A good quality knife can aid in anything from shelter building, fire making and food preparation to building traps and skinning game.
  They are my go-to tool for every trip I make, regardless of duration, location or style of outing that I take.
  They are as varied in size as they are in price and quality. I have owned knives worth hundreds of dollars that were utterly useless and own knives for which I have only paid a handful of dollars.

  My go-to fixed blade that I currently have in my collection is my Muela Kangaroo. A blade of Spanish origin that encompasses a set of twin Bowie knives. One of which is a large chopper that serves most camp related tasks and has even served the purpose of a small machete on several occasions, the other a much smaller blade that is mainly used for finer carving tasks and menial camp chores such as cutting rope.

The Muela Kangaroo and it's leather sheathe. An affordable, tough, all-round camp blade.

Machetes are a lighter and more versatile alternative to a camp axe or hatchet. Whilst most aren't very good at chopping many of the hardwoods we have here in Australia, they are instrumental in cutting brush, small twigs and even chopping kindling. Some machetes, depending on durability, can even be used for splitting wood, though it is not recommended.

  I have many machetes in my collection and rotate them in and out of my pack depending on the trip, but I always have at least one small machete in my pack on any given trip, especially if I'm not carrying an axe. As a rule, I try not to spend too much on a machete, as I do not see them as a necessity to a kit. The purposes for which I tend to use them can be filled by either a large belt knife or a small axe.

My parang. A large chopper, light for a machete and fits snugly on the side of any pack.

Small axes and hatchets are a staple of any bushcraft kit that I carry. They are used for one main purpose, cutting wood. Whilst hatchets are not appropriate for felling large trees, they work incredibly well for cutting and splitting small logs, cutting and splitting kindling and if necessary, finer tasks such as feather sticking. Though it is worth noting that many finer tasks are best done with a much smaller blade than a hatchet.

  The price point of most hatchets is relatively cheap compared with many of the other cutting tools previously mentioned. Whilst a cheap, good quality hatchet is able to be purchased for as little as twenty dollars from somewhere like Aldi, a top quality hatchet such as a Fiskars is likely to only cost around seventy-five dollars. Whilst you can spend much more by purchasing a high-end brand such as a Gransfors bruks hatchet, this is still likely to cost less than two hundred dollars.

The hatchet I got from Aldi. My daughter picked it up and put it in the trolley, I couldn't say no.

Large felling axes are by far the largest, heaviest and in my opinion, most useless cutting tool one can carry. They are almost impossible to carry on the side of the pack as they are simply too bulky and heavy, they do not serve a use as far as camp chores go purely because it is illegal to fell trees in most National Parks in Victoria, so is therefore better used when carried in a vehicle for car camping.
 
  Even if it is used from a vehicle, it is still quite cumbersome, takes up a comparatively large amount of space for a single use tool and I feel it is somewhat redundant, especially if one decides to use a chainsaw instead. It lacks the ability to be packed away in a compact and discreet manner that the machete or hatchet has, yet also lacks the efficiency of the chainsaw. Whilst I acknowledge their usefulness within the home, especially if one does not wish to use a power tool, their inefficiency is based on the felling axe as a camp tool.

  The price point is also another point of inefficiency as they tend to be priced far above their smaller counterparts, especially when looking at more high end axes. Whilst I do have one in my house for general backyard use, I do not spend advise spending a great deal of money on a felling axe.



  I do advise that these opinions are my own and based on my own experiences. Some people may prefer not to carry a folding knife at all, others may only carry a fixed blade, some may favour a machete over an axe, some may feel that the chopping efficiency of the large felling axe makes it worth carrying the extra weight. In the end, the only person that can make that choice is the individual, which is the biggest reason why everybody's kit differs so widely.

A series of different blades in my collection. I've carried each of these at some point.

Gear Review: The Wildo Camp-a-Box and Wildo Kasa Cup

  Last October, I was lucky enough to enter and win a competition through the lovely people at Adventure Outfitters. They were giving away a Wildo Camp-a-Box to six people and I was lucky enough to be chosen in the draw. It is worth pointing out that the initial prize only included the Camp-a-Box; the spork, Kasa cup and ferrocerium rod that I received were all additions that were included by Adventure Outfitters purely out of their own generosity. I knew when as soon as I opened the package that regardless of whether or not I liked the product, the company were obviously run by very generous people and have been nothing but professional to deal with.

  I initially entered the competition thinking that I wouldn't even get a second thought, as I had not won anything like this before. When the announcement was made via the Adventure Outfitters Facebook page, I was equal parts surprised as I was excited.

  I will be reviewing every piece of gear that I received, with the exception of the ferrocerium rod, as this is now comfortably sitting in my fire kit and has worked to amazing effect, as would be expected of any decent ferrocerium rod.

 The gear in it's entirety just after it arrived

Camp-a-box: This is exactly how it sounds, a plastic, rectangular, two piece box used as an eating surface. Both parts of the box can be used for eating from, however only one side has a space to hold the box whilst eating.
  It is useful for eating both cooked an uncooked food, as a storage container, as well as cold soaking any food overnight for consumption the following day. It is tough, durable, packs down well and is very light to carry.

Baked potatoes in the Wildo Camp-a-box with the Wildo spork.

My only criticism lies in the design, and that is simply because it is plastic and cannot be cooked in. I want to point out that this is simply a personal preference of mine, to have something that is either steel or aluminium. Wildo have not advertised it as something it isn't, neither have Adventure Outfitters and this is simply a personal preference on my part.

Spork: I actually found the spork to be better quality that the steel and titanium eating tools that I already own, so much so that it replaced the spork that I was using and now takes it's place as a regular part of my kit.
The only part of the spork that I found no use for were the serrations on the side, as I always carry a functional knife when I'm expecting to be in the bush, even if the knife in question is only a small neck knife. The fork and spoon, however, work very well together and function exactly as designed, for it's intended purpose.
  The plastic design was not such a hindrance on this item, however, as it was this very fact that made it easier to carry, easier to use and easier to pack up. The sides, even those with the serrations, were far less sharp than their titanium counterparts that I have used and carried in the past.

Folding cup: This was one item that I actually had the lowest expectations of, as my first impressions were that it seemed small, fragile, difficult to hold and an all round useless item - I was completely wrong save for the fact that it is indeed small.
  The fact that it is small allows it to be more easily packed up and transported, it is far from being fragile as I gave this cup quite a bit of punishment during the gear testing video I made, expecting it to just fall apart, and it still came out as good as new. It wasn't difficult to hold while drinking as the entire bottom half of the cup is very thick and conducts virtually no heat which I felt made it far from being useless.
It also packs down so small that it allows me to carry it in the Camp-a-box itself, along with the spork with no extra weight or space being added to the pack.

Kasa cup: Easily my favourite part of the kit that I received and easily the most useful. I absolutely loved the ergonomic design of the handle, the sheer size of the cup itself as well as the weight and ease of carrying. I even fitted a lanyard to the handle so that it could be strapped to the outside of my pack and aide in easier handling when in use.
It's a versatile piece of gear that can be used both for eating and drinking from, such as trips when there is a communal stew pot or when a large amount of tea is made in a large billy. It can be use in conjunction with, or instead of the camp-a-box as it performs all of the same functions as the camp-a-box and is around the same size. I personally carry it strapped to the outside of my pack from the aforementioned lanyard and use it for things such as coffee and tea when in the bush.

Pine-needle tea in the Wildo Kasa cup

  As a whole, Adventure Outfitters have been amazing to deal with for both their generosity in gifting me all of this wonderful gear as well as their patience in waiting for me to put this gear review together. I would like to thank them as they have truly gone above and beyond my expectations of any company I've had the pleasure of dealing with. Their gear is well and truly top quality and they have been nothing short of honest and patient. Once more, I would like to extend my most sincere thanks and I hope to see you in the bush.

Spending the Day Filming for the ABC and My Ten Minutes in the Spotlight

  As some of you may or may not be aware, last October I was lucky enough to spend a day filming for a TV segment called The Link, which aired on the ABC. I had been contacted by man named Andy about wanting to do an interview in regards to my blog and he asked if he could give me a call.

  I will admit, at first I assumed that he was somebody from a local news office wanting another online interview like the interview I did with Vice in November of 2016, the day before the US election.
When I spoke with him on the phone, he told me who he was and that he wanted to film a segment for The 7:30 Report later in the week.

  We had a brief chat and Andy mentioned that he would specifically like to talk to me in regards to Survivalism and how the sub-culture is portrayed here in Australia. I advised him of my work schedule, what the weather was likely to be and we agreed that he would come to my house on a Wednesday afternoon in early October.
  The days leading up were a blur, and whilst I still went to work and went about my everyday life, I was preoccupied and nervous about the prospect of being on national television with my friends, family, co-workers and even the residents that I care for being able to see such a close-up view of my personal and family life.
  I spoke with Andy several times during this time, setting up the time when he would arrive at my house, the gear that I needed to have ready, even where on the porch he wanted us to stand when he arrived. I should also mention that I didn't actually give him my address until the day of filming since neither of us actually thought about it until Andy was on his way.
  I spoke with Andy the morning that filming was due to take place and he advised me that he was on his way. My wife and I had ensured that the house was clean enough, or at least as clean as you can get it with two small children around, we spent the morning picking out our respective outfits for both ourselves and the children as well as making sure we had both had our morning coffees.

  Andy arrived at our house at approximately 9:30am, along with a camera-man named Patrick. I had spoken with Andy on the phone prior to his and Patrick's arrival and we had worked out roughly how the morning was going to go. We spent roughly an hour and a half sitting on kitchen chairs and chatting in my hallway. To be completely honest, I felt incredibly nervous and it took me at least a good half an hour to really become comfortable and forget that I was on camera. I found the most uncomfortable part was constantly being hooked up to a microphone.

  After the single interview was finished, which in itself was incredibly exhausting, we headed out to Enfield State Park. This location was chosen both for it's varied terrain and it's close proximity to my house. Most of our time there was spent in and around the Surface Point Picnic Area, filming drone shots of Andy and I walking through the sparse bushland, filming a gear load-out at the picnic bench as well as filming shots of us setting up and sitting under a shelter chatting. My only regret of that portion of the day was the fact that I had forgotten to include some items in my gear load-out such as my water purification kit, my Swiss army knife and some extra food items; all of which I keep in the side pockets of my pack.

Whilst it looks like we're just relaxing and having a chat, I was so tired and cranky by this point. 

  We then headed back to my place to interview my wife and have some lunch. She had been uneasy about the whole thing for the entire week leading up to filming and had told me numerous times that she felt uncomfortable about the idea of being on camera and I assured her that she didn't have to even be on television if she didn't want to. The scenes were filmed in our living room and my wife spoke while I ate a late lunch courtesy of the people at Kebabman. Andy and I had spoken between takes about our mutual love of kebabs and Halal snackpacks and he was kind enough to pick up a kebab for me to have for lunch.

  It was at the point that we had thought that filming was wrapped up, that Andy suggested we film the scenes of me punching the heavy bag. I wasn't entirely keen on the idea, as I was unsure how this would come across in the context of the rest of what we filmed; coupled with my own insecurities about my body image. We ended up doing it anyway as I thought that we had best have the footage and not need it, rather than wishing that we'd done it after the fact. As a consequence of it being that last part filmed for the day, yet one of the first pieces of footage shown, I feel like I look tired and worn out during the small snippets of footage shown. I will admit that I probably only see it this way because I know how I was feeling at this point.

  Filming finished at approximately 3:30pm when Andy and Patrick left my house to go back to their respective offices in their respective cities. I was left exhausted, but at the same time I felt a sense of accomplishment at having completed the day's filming as well as a sense of anticipation at what the finished product would be like. I feel that it is worth mentioning that Andy contacted me the following day and offered to withhold my surname on national TV, advising that whilst my name is out there in the media, my kids' names and details weren't. This was a very thoughtful gesture and something that both my wife and kids appreciated.

  When Friday night rolled around, I was at work on an afternoon shift so I didn't get the chance to see the program when it aired. I did catch it online after I finished, though. I have to admit that it was somewhat of a surreal experience to see myself on a mainstream media outlet. Whilst I have a YouTube channel where I talk to the camera, share my walks and sometimes share my views on everyday life, it is completely different when somebody else is in charge of both the camera and the editing process. Overall, I was very happy with the finished product and the reaction from the survival community was incredibly positive. I went back to work after the airing on Sunday and it took all of maybe an hour for somebody to say to me, "Was that you I saw on TV the other night?". I did finally catch the segment on TV, as my wife recorded it for us to watch later.

  I would like to extend a big thank you to both Andy and Patrick for being incredibly patient with me for the entire day, as well ensuring that the finished product was something that did the survival community some service. I want to give a special shout out to Stan Grant, as nobody in my life has ever referred to me as an "Aussie man". Overall the experience was incredibly positive, it gave an honest, candid view into survivalism, or at least what I consider to be survivalism here on the Victorian Goldfields and I hope that I get the opportunity to do more media in the future.

If you would like to watch the video, it can be found on the Facebook page for the 7:30 report here.

Moorabool Falls Trail - Late Night Fail Becomes an Early Morning Success

  Late evening on May 24th I set out to tackle the Moorabool Falls Trail. It had been an overcast and horrible day, so I had been putting off heading into the bush until the clouds departed. When it didn't look like that was going to happen, I finally decided to head out in the late afternoon heading into early evening.

Not surprisingly, this led into the car park.

  I arrived with roughly an hour of sunlight and it didn't look like the moon was going to be very bright that night. Given that the track was not familiar to me, I had not packed the appropriate lighting gear and the track ran next to cliff faces for much of the way, I decided to turn back and tackle the track first thing in the morning. I had decided to do this regardless of the conditions the following morning, as this is what had kept from going initially.

  I went home initially feeling deflated and defeated, but had decided to prepare my gear that night, set an alarm and even went to the extent of laying out my clothes for the next day. When the following morning came, I was not only excited and prepared but I felt as if I was about to conquer an enemy that had previously gotten the better of me. Whilst this may seem a little dramatic, there is a strange sense defeat after a failed walk that only drives an individual further towards completion the next time.

   I arrived the following morning right on sunrise, grabbed my pack out of the boot and got straight to it. I had walked around half of the trail previously, though I had turned back due to the appearance of dense bushland that would need to be cleared. I had returned this time with a machete strapped to my pack, should I need it.

Small for a machete, but light, reliable and tough where it counts.

  The terrain was mostly flat, a welcomed change to the hills and mountains that I had become accustomed to in the Ballarat area. As I had stated previously, the track ran parallel to cliff faces for almost the entire track, giving fantastic views of both Lal Lal Falls and Lal Lal Reservoir. Some of the area was fenced off, though it is worth mentioning that the fence was only erected in an area easily accessible by foot.

Whilst it was flat, it was also easy to traverse and still very pretty

  There were three park benches along the way, all easily accessible from the track, that were supposed to give a view of the reservoir. All these served as were unneeded rest stops along a well-defined trail that is relatively easy to traverse.

 The trail did not start to become difficult or uneven until I reached The Salt Creek at around the half way mark. This gave me two options, to either stay on the track that I was on, or to take the less defined track along the creek. Given that my hands were still recovering from my adventure on the road less travelled, I opted to stay on the path that I was currently on.

The Alternate Circuit was covered in brambles. Probably best I opted not to take it

 Once the initial hill leading to the second leg of the track was dealt with, the rest was as flat as the first leg. It followed the same pattern of having cliff faces parallel to the track, though rather than being surrounded by open paddock on the other side, it was more of a pine forest. This was before the track opened up to a stair way that made it's way down to a viewing platform at Moorabool Falls itself.

The sign tells the story of both the Indigenous Australians that inhabited the area, what the falls meant to them and how it changed after European settlement.

 I stood on the viewing platform for quite some time, both admiring the falls and filming video footage for my YouTube channel. Hopefully when I come back in the Spring, the water will still be flowing and I will be able to spend more time at the falls.
 I had initially attempted to walk back via the Salt Track, however this proved much more painful than I had first thought as the track was not only difficult to define, but it was also slippery and covered in thorny brambles. I decided against heading down the alternate track and headed back the way I came, that is not without a decent amount of cuts and bruises.

 All in all, it was a very successful trip without too many mishaps. My main take away point is to make sure I head out early in the day so that I'm not worried about making it home before the sun sets. Alternatively, if I am going to head out just before night fall, ensure that I have the right lighting gear, make sure it's on terrain I'm familiar with and check the weather before I leave.

Survival Myths Busted - Myths and Truths of Wilderness Survival

This is something that I have been wanting to write about for quite some time, as it has been the subject of many conversations for me both at home and in the workplace. I didn't notice until conversing with so many people about how many common misconceptions there are in regards to wilderness survival, I am also shocked at the sheer amount of people who believe these myths that should seemingly know better.

Myth: Finding food and water should be my first priority.

  This is a common misconception with many people, though I feel that it has been busted over and over so I won't  push the point too much. Whilst thirst can be an issue and if somebody is stuck in the bush for a prolonged period, and hunger can become a similar issue, these are far from the top priority for anybody stuck out for several days or even just overnight.
  A well known figure within the survival community is the rule of three's. A person can last three days without water, three weeks without food, yet only three hours in adverse conditions without shelter. This is why I always advocate that a hiker, even those only going for a couple of hours or a day, should ALWAYS carry either some form of shelter or a means of making a shelter.
  Even in my most minimalist of kits, I always have a means of making at least a small improvised shelter. This means that I will always carry a small emergency blanket and a fixed blade knife at the bare minimum. Whilst water is very important when hiking long distances or steep inclines, especially in warmer weather, exposure is a far greater risk than thirst. This leads into my next myth.

Myth: I can drink my own urine when I run out of water.

  No, certainly not, a million times no. Simply put, your body has excreted the waste for a reason, pumping back in the waste which is full of urea, chlorine, sodium and potassium will only serve to dehydrate the body further.
  This is of course, assuming that the individual is in perfect health at the time of drinking their own urine. Should the individual have any sort of abnormality within their bladder or other part of their urinary tract, there may be anything from traces of blood, to leukocytes, to nitrites, to a high sugar content within the urine. This will only contribute to worsening any pre-existing condition as well as further dehydrating the person at an alarming rate.
  An individual wanting to utilise their own urine in such dire circumstances is better off urinating on their clothing, hat or scarf in order to cool down their exterior. This creates a cooler micro climate around them, enabling them to minimise sweat loss which in turn leads to conservation of the water already within the body. It may not smell very nice, but if the need arises when an individual must utilise their own urine it is much more preferable and will actually help conserve water.

Myth: I don't need to bring anything with me if I am only going out for a short walk

  If The Scouts have taught us anything, it's in their motto, "Be Prepared". If you are heading out for a day hike, you should always be prepared for things to not go as planned. This could be anything from the walk taking longer than anticipated to a severe injury whilst on the trail.
  The result is still potentially the same, regardless of the cause of the mishap, you're staying the night in the bush unexpectedly. Always carry either a small shelter(a pocket poncho and/or an emergency blanket are more than enough) or the means to build a shelter(such as a cutting tool), preferably do both. Even if you are only carrying a water bottle, a pocket poncho and a folding knife; your chances of survival a drastically improved from those who do not.  This is, of course, not taking into account potentially fatal encounters such as broken limbs, snake bites, as well as falls from cliffs and mountains.
  First-aid kits, whilst not essential, is a highly recommended piece of gear, and need not be a large and heavy piece within the pack, carrying a couple of bandages(or even just a bandanna and/or a shemagh) will help with any potential wound, laceration or injury that may occur.

It doesn't have to be a full 72-hour kit, but at least bring something.

  Myth: Shelter equates to a roof over my head

  This is somewhat true, though it is more important to be properly clothed when heading into the bush. Shelter can be anything from a bed of leaves to get you off the ground, to a fire reflector wall, to a hat on your head, to a scarf around your neck, to the very clothes on your back. Shelter in a survival sense, is considered to be anything that protects your from the elements.
  It is yet another reason why I always wear a hat wherever I go, forgetting the fact that I'm as bald as a badger, and the same reason why always carry a shemagh in my bag. this is regardless of the weather and where I am going.
  When heading into the bush, clothing choice is extremely important as it will determine comfort levels for the duration of the trip. Clothing needs to be breathable, loose and comfortable when sweating. Most importantly, clothing needs to be able to dry quickly. My general rule of thumb is that if I wouldn't go to the gym in it, I don't want to be hiking in it. The only exception to this rule is my socks. This woollen socks are a staple for me, even in the middle of summer, as these help to prevent blisters.



  I'm sure I will have more items to add to this list as time goes on and I may very well write one or more companion pieces to it, however this more than covers what I had to say initially. Make sure that you stay safe on your adventures and most of all, have fun.

Mount Beckworth Scenic Reserve - Lollipops, Gumdrops and Hemlock

A few weeks ago I joined the Ballarat Bushwalking and Outdoor Club on my first group walk to the summit of Mount Beckworth. This was a relatively stress-free experience as we pretty much went straight to the summit and back again without too much hassle, save for my walking buddy struggling to breath half way up the mountain. Today I decided to try and replicate this experience with a small addition, I decided that I would walk to Cork Oaks. This turned out to be far less stress-free than the original walk. Anyway, I shall start from the beginning of the walk.

The Dam as it looked before my ascent

I started out around four pm from The Dam, giving me around four and a half hours of sunlight to get to the summit and back. This should have been plenty of time to get to the summit, have a drink and a rest, wander my way down to Cork Oaks and then make my way back to The Dam. This of course didn't turn out to be the case due to my idiocy curiosity.

  I made my way from the dam to the first pit stop, a large, open patch of grass and weeds known only as The Oval. It was a very steep ascent and my legs felt every step. I had decided on this trip to travel very light, so I only had a small backpack with me, though it felt like it weighed a tonne at that point.

The view of The Dam from The Oval

  Since there was really nowhere shady to stop at The Oval, I pushed on across the relatively flat and plain spans of bush land. I had come out to The Oval around this time last year and it was almost completely bare, with hardly a weed to be seen. In this instance it was almost completely covered, save for two very well worn tracks that were clearly used by both hikers and Park's management vehicles alike.

The fork in the road at The Oval

  The terrain then promptly changed from flat bush land, to very steep, rocky tracks. This took a lot of concentration to traverse safely and once again was a testament to how crucial a good quality pair of hiking boots can be. Without my boots, I would have been constantly slipping, I would have been without ankle support and I would have been much more uncomfortable than I already was at that point.

The junction at the end of The Oval

  There a lot of birds, though I primarily saw magpies and cockatoos. As is usually the case in any Australian bush, the entire reserve was covered in gum trees and one more particular plant that I saw far too much of for comfort; hemlock. I was unsure what it was at first and picked a leave to eat, but as soon as I began to put it into my mouth it began to numb my lips and I spat it back out again. On closer inspection, the red stems and green leaves were a dead give away. Thankfully I had the forethought to spit it out or may not be here to write this.

  As you could imagine, the ascent was largely uphill and very exhausting, and every now and then I would come across a glimmer of hope that the summit was near. As tired as I was, these signs do wonders for morale and at times can be enough encouragement to push on when you just want to quit.

This sign gave hope and seeming encouragement when all I wanted was to turn back.

  It was not far again until I came across the last large hill for the evening, the hill right before the Lollipop Tree on the summit. This gave a feeling of huge relief as I was already so tired at that point and I was desperate for a chance to sit down and catch my breathe. I was startled at the halfway point by a group of kangaroos who had seen me and were in the process of scurrying off, but otherwise i made it up the well-worn hill without any trouble.

It's worth mentioning that The Lollipop Tree at the summit of Mount Beckworth is on Victoria's register of significant trees

  I sat at the top for a few minutes, collected my thoughts, had a drink and pushed on to Cork Oaks. It was just after five pm that I decided to leave the summit, leaving me plenty of time to get back to my car; or so I thought. I found out some time later that Ballarat was to be expecting a large hail storm, and this hail storm was supposed to be passing through Clunes, which is the nearest township to Mount Beckworth. 

My small pack was a simple twenty litre pack. Aside from my water, I only took a basic emergency kit, my shemagh and my kukri.

  At this point, I decided to take the path of least resistance, which meant that I decided to take the less beaten track. Unfortunately, I would then find out that it was the road less travelled for a reason. The same rocky, uneven and slippery tracks that I had trouble traversing on the way up were even worse on the way down. I had many tumbles on loose rocks and spent a good few minutes on my back, though thankfully I knew to tuck my chin on the way down and let my back and shoulders take the brunt of the fall. 

The rocky outcroppings certainly made for an amazing photo, though.

  I eventually made it to the bottom of the mountain, near Cork Oaks. Luckily for me, I knew the area so I knew where I was and was able to make my way towards Cork Oaks without any hassle. Whilst I was still quite a distance away from my car at The Dam, I was able to orientate myself, take a quick rest and assess my wounds before the walk back to my car.

This was such a relief to see.

  The walk back to my car was relatively uneventful, though I will admit that due to my expectation of an imminent hail storm, I was moving at quite a fast pace in order to not get caught in it. When I got home I checked the weather and it looked like the storm was not even close to Ballarat, which meant that I had nothing to worry about. I ended up taking the car tracks around the mountain, rather than taking another pass up and through The Oval, since I figured that it would be faster. I'm not sure if it was faster, though my legs were certainly grateful for the flat and even ground.

  For the most part, the trip was very much a success. I made it to the summit, I made it back to Cork Oaks, I avoided being poisoned by hemlock and made it back home. Next time, however, I will stick to the tracks and pay attention to the signs around me. It might save myself some cuts and bruises by sticking more to the better known areas, or at least using a map.

Survival Lessons Learned Beside the Hospital Bed - A Nurse's Perspective

Last year I covered a few lessons that I learned as a patient during a stint I had in hospital, which in turn gave way to the idea of writing about some of the lessons I have picked up on the other side of the hospital bed.

  This article is a collection of ideas that I have picked up over the last few years working as a nurse in various settings within the healthcare system, though my primary area of experience is in high-level Aged Care. During that time, I have picked up many personal lessons and had many survival theories that I am yet to put to paper, and these are the primary inspiration behind this writing.

   Medical personnel will have difficulty performing their duties without technology: Modern medicine relies heavily on modern machinery and electrical equipment. Whilst most hospitals and nursing homes have generators that can run their basic power if they lose electricity temporarily, should the grid go down for any extended period of time we will have a much different situation.
  Many air mattresses rely on electricity to prevent pressure ulcers, IV lines rely on power to give an adequate dosage of IV medications and from a security point of view, many of the locks to the hospitals and nursing homes rely on the facility or ward's electrical system to function. Without modern amenities, many new skills would become obsolete, and many old skills would need to be relearned.

  The elderly and infirmed would be left behind: Its an unfortunate reality, but many of our elderly and those unable to fend for themselves will be lost after a major event. Whilst those people may not be lost immediately, should the power grid be down for any longer than a week; I would envision many healthcare workers either walking out on the job or simply being unable to get to work. This of course, would depend on the event causing the grid to go down.
  Many of these people rely on nursing staff to manage simple tasks like walking to the toilet, eating breakfast or making an afternoon coffee and without those same nursing staff to perform those duties, their health would very quickly deteriorate.
  With this will come many mentally ill patients suddenly on the streets, without their required medications and health care. This will contribute to the violence and unrest already occurring in the are as well as putting those who live in close proximity to these facilities in immediate danger.
  Those with advanced cases of dementia who are known for wandering the facility in the later parts of the day(better known as "sundowners") will find the way out that they have been seeking and would not only put themselves in immediate danger but also be a danger to those in the immediate vicinity.

  Your co-morbidities may kill you before robbers, looters and marauders do: I covered this briefly in my companion article, however I feel that I should go into greater detail. Last June, my bowels decided to grow an abscess on the left side of my large bowel, causing infection, severe abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. It's safe to say that without adequate access to IV antibiotics, pain relief, anti-emetics and the correct diagnostic tools, I would not be around to write this article today.
  Whilst as far as chronic conditions go, I got off light with diverticulitis, this is the entire point. A seemingly minor and manageable condition such as diverticular disease, diabetes, nut or egg allergies, asthma and even a well managed mental health or personality disorder; can become a death sentence without the technology, infrastructure and knowledge in place to deal with condition when it becomes an issue for the person suffering from it.
  
  Hospitals and medical facilities are a survivalist's smorgasbord: Every time I walk into the store room to  get anything from continence aides, wound dressing packs, saline for injection, plastic bags for bin liners, surgical scissors or even just a pair of non-sterile gloves for day to day duties; I am met with the same thought, that this is a veritable supermarket for survival supplies.
  This in turn will make hospitals and even nursing homes hot spots for conflict, should a pro-longed event occur and we are living WROL. Forgetting the fact that essential medicines are kept on premises, with most hospitals even having a pharmacy on-site for quick dispensing of medication to the wards and as mentioned above, should the electrical grid go down, the electrical security safeguards would not be in place; and looking purely at the non-medication based supplies available there is still a wide variety of supplies accessible.
  Things such as bandages and wound dressings would be highly sought after, topical antiseptics and ointments would be looted very quickly, food would be taken from kitchens, even the fuel from their generators would be targeted and siphoned off.
  In essence, medical supplies would become a commodity and those who have formed together in organised groups may choose to either protect the facility or ward, including those in it, or they would choose to over-run the area, loot the supplies within and at best leave those who are left, in their beds to die.

  Hospital staff may become hostages: Whilst looters may very well steal the supplies they need, there is no guarentee that they will have a person within their group who knows how to use the equipment and supplies that they have newly acquired. It may be that either one or more of the nursing or medical staff will find themselves the victim of abduction and essentially become a hostage of the bandit group. As stated above, it is also possible that these looters may choose to take up residence in the ward or facility, taking on both the staff and patients as a part of their group.


  Whilst this has been my most grim and bleak piece so far, these are just a few issues that have been swirling around in my head and it's nice to have finally put this piece together. I may write another follow up piece further down the track. I hope that you find the information here informative and useful and I will hopefully write another piece for you very soon.