When can I start?

Next weekend.

Who do I contact?

The person leading the activity whose contact details are shown along with a full description of the event and the cutoff date for joining in Events.  Please do not attempt to book in via sms/text message, as our Leaders will need to speak to you to confirm a few things first (e.g. that you are suitably fit for the grading of walk, you have the appropriate equipment etc.).

Do I have to be a member?

No, but we expect that visitors who participate in more than three days of activities will then seek to become a full member. (And it will save you having to pay $5 per day for every activity.)

What about transport?

We often run a car-pool from Wodonga for walks in Victoria, but it depends on where the walk is and where the other participants live. When you ring to book in, the Leader might ask if you are prepared to take your car.

How much will it cost?

If you are a member, the only cost will be the fuel cost plus a little more which is described below. If you are not a member you have to pay $5 per day for each activity (which offsets some of our insurance costs and the everyday costs of running the club – such as web hosting, maintaining equipment etc.).

How is the fuel cost calculated?

The calculation will be (currently) 40 cents per kilometre per vehicle for total kilometres to and from the activity. This amount will be multiplied by the number of vehicles and divided by the number of people transported by the vehicles.
A higher fee may need to be charged when it is necessary that 4WD access is required.
If a person or persons chooses to travel privately and not share transport with the group, then they will not be included in the calculation of transport costs. But if you join the group part-way, you will be asked to share equally given your ‘seat’ in the car has travelled the whole way.

The fundamental principles are:
* Each person should pay the same amount, and
* The different costs incurred by each type of vehicle should be covered.

How fit do I need to be?

That depends on the grade of the walk reflecting the  distance, number of hills to climb, condition of track etc.. Easy walks are usually easy. Anyone can do them, but discuss it with the Leader when you ring to book in.

 What do I need to take?

Basically, yourself, some water and your lunch, plus some money for fuel and maybe to buy coffee somewhere. That said, you do need a few other items depending on where you go and the time of the year. See ‘What to take on a day walk‘. 

 Do I need to wear boots?

Not really. However, it the walk is ‘off track’ boots are a good idea. Other than that, any comfortable footwear will do.

 Can I wear shorts?

Yes.

Can I wear jeans?

Yes, but only if you are not walking in the mountains. In the mountains where it is colder, wet jeans act like a Coolgardie safe and accelerate the route to hypothermia. Our Leaders will not take you to the mountains if you are wearing jeans.

Do I need to buy anything to get started?

Definitely not; in fact it is much better to delay any purchases until you are sure what you need. The club has a large amount of gear for hire that you can use until you decide that you are going to buy your own. See ‘Equipment Hire’ under the site menu “Information”.

Bushwalkers are renowned for being a bit scruffy, so you can make do with what you can find in your wardrobe for a while. After you have been on a few activities you will have picked up some advice from others and then you can begin to acquire your own equipment. A jacket is the first purchase for most people.

Where do we meet?

Ninety percent of our walks are in Victoria and the most common assembly point is in the Bunnings car park in East Wodonga. If you do not need to take your car, you can leave it in the  car park. We are also happy to meet people at Mt Beauty or Bright if going up onto the High Plains.

If the activity is in NSW, the meeting place is usually the Coles car park on Urana Road, Lavington.

 Is there anything else I should know?

Yes, you might like to read the notes on Bushwalking Etiquette so that you look and act like a pro when you are on any BBC activity. You also need to know that it is your responsibility to let the Leader know about any relevant medical condition (e.g. asthma) that you may have.  We can no longer legally ask about your medical condition.  It is up to you to advise the leader if there is anything that may be relevant over the duration of the day.

Any more questions?

Ask the Leader.

How to Join?

Click on How to Join in the top menu

Are we there yet?

There is no answer to that question other than another Mars bar!