114 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
114 lines
6.0 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Wilsons Prom Camp
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type: project
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area: 370 Family Home
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tags:
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- camping
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- hiking
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- wilsons-prom
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- family
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- outdoor-education
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date: 2024-09-28
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---
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# Wilsons Prom Camp Planning Guide
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**Target Dates:** Sept 28 – Oct 2 (2 Nights / 3 Days dependent on campsite permits)
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**Group:** Sam (Dad), Finn, Eddie, Gus, Oscar, Sam (5 Teens aged 13–14)
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**Location:** Wilsons Promontory National Park - Southern Prom Wilderness Area
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---
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## 📋 Major Headings & Checklist Overview
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- [x] **Permits & Bookings:** Parks Victoria Southern Prom overnight permits required.
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- [x] **Itinerary & Routes:** 3-day loop (Tidal River → Oberon Bay → Roaring Meg & South Point → Telegraph Saddle).
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- [x] **Navigation:** Avenza offline GPS maps + Vicmap 1:50k paper map & compass instruction.
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- [x] **Water Management:** Untreated stream/creek water treatment protocol (Boiling / Chem tabs / Sawyer filter).
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- [x] **Cooking & Stove:** MSR PocketRocket 2 ultralight gas stove. **No open fires allowed.**
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- [x] **Snake Safety & Gaiters:** Heavy canvas gaiters + SMART tension-indicator compression bandages.
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- [x] **Pack Weight Management:** Strict 8–10 kg pack weight cap for 13–14yo teens.
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- [x] **Training Plan:** 12km loaded pack practice hike prior to trip.
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---
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## ⛺ 1. Route & Daily Itinerary
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### Day 1: Tidal River to Oberon Bay
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* **Distance:** ~7.6 km | **Duration:** 3 hours | **Difficulty:** Easy-Moderate
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* **Highlights:** Coastal views over Norman Bay and Little Oberon Bay, sand walking, cliffside boardwalks.
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* **Campsite:** Oberon Bay (pit toilet, beach access, stream water available).
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### Day 2: Oberon Bay to Roaring Meg + South Point Day Trip
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* **Distance:** ~12.5 km (main track) + ~7.5 km return (South Point excursion)
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* **Duration:** 5–6 hours total
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* **Highlights:** Crossing coastal scrub inland to Telegraph Track, pitch camp at Roaring Meg, afternoon day pack hike to **South Point** (southernmost point of mainland Australia) or Wilsons Prom Lighthouse.
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* **Campsite:** Roaring Meg (pit toilet, sheltered bush camp, stream water).
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### Day 3: Roaring Meg to Telegraph Saddle / Tidal River
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* **Distance:** ~12 km | **Duration:** 3.5–4 hours | **Difficulty:** Moderate (gradual steady climb)
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* **Highlights:** Walking north up Telegraph Track surrounded by Prom tea-tree scrub and granite peaks.
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* **Finish:** Catch shuttle from Telegraph Saddle back to Tidal River car park.
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---
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## 🗺️ 2. Navigation, Maps & Compass Training
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* **Offline Mobile Maps:** Download **Avenza Maps** with the official *Parks Victoria Southern Prom Map* installed. Keep phones in **Flight Mode** to preserve battery.
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* **Paper Maps:** Carry 2x waterproof 1:50,000 Vicmap / Parks Vic maps.
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* **Compass Skills:** Teach boys map orientation, taking a magnetic bearing, matching contour lines to real-world landforms. Appoint pair navigation leads each day.
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* **Electronics:** 1x 20,000 mAh rugged powerbank + multi-cables.
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---
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## 💧 3. Water Treatment & Tannin Considerations
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* **Water Sources:** Oberon Bay stream & Roaring Meg Creek.
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* **Illness Risk:** **High if untreated.** Ground/river water at Wilsons Prom contains tannins and potential pathogens (*Giardia*, *Cryptosporidium*, coliforms from native animals).
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* **Treatment Protocol:**
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1. Strain water through cloth/filter paper to remove coarse sediment.
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2. Boil for 1 minute OR use Chlorine Dioxide / Aquatabs.
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3. (Optional) Filter through Sawyer Squeeze / Katadyn BeFree before chemical treatment for clarity.
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---
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## 🍳 4. Cooking & Stove Strategy
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* **Stove:** [MSR PocketRocket 2 Hike Stove](https://www.bcf.com.au/p/msr-pocketrocket-2-hike-stove/634405.html) (~73g ultralight canister stove).
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* **Fuel:** 2x 230g Isobutane gas canisters.
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* **Fire Policy:** **STRICT NO FIRES ALLOWED.** Gas stoves only.
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* **Food & Meal Plan (High Energy / Ultralight):**
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* **Breakfast:** Instant porridge sachets with powdered milk, hot Milo / coffee, dried fruit.
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* **Lunch & Trail Snacks:**
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* **Salami & Hard Cheese Wraps:** Cured salami (shelf-stable) + hard cheddar on tortillas. High fat & calorie density.
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* **Beef Jerky / Biltong:** Protein-dense trail chew for active walking.
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* **Tuna Pouches (Ultralight Hack):** Foil tuna sachets instead of heavy tins—weighs less, crushes flat, no sharp trash.
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* **Scroggan & Snacks:** Trail mix (nuts, M&Ms, sultanas), muesli bars, snakes lollies for energy boosts.
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* **Hot Dinners for Hungry Teens:**
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* **Ramen Loaded Chowder:** Instant 2-min noodles + foil tuna pouch or diced salami + dehydrated peas & corn. Quick, hot, high carb & protein.
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* **Dehydrated Pea & Corn Mash:** Instant mashed potato + dehydrated peas & corn + chopped jerky/salami + gravy mix.
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* **Freeze-Dried Pouches:** Back Country Cuisine / Radix for zero-pot-cleanup nights.
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---
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## 🐍 5. Safety, Gaiters & First Aid
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* **Gaiters Recommendation:** [Australian Military Surplus Canvas Gaiters](https://ddcaustralia.com.au/product/genuine-australian-military-surplus-canvas-gaiters-size-medium/) are **highly recommended**. Thick canvas offers top-tier snake bite protection against Lowland Copperheads, Tiger Snakes, and Brown Snakes on narrow Prom trails.
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* **Snake Bite Kit:** 2x SMART Pressure Immobilisation Bandages with tension indicators.
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* **Sun & Insect Protection:** SPF 50+ sunscreen, broad-brim hats, Picaridin insect repellent.
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* **Emergency Comms:** Rent or bring a Personal Location Beacon (PLB) or Garmin inReach due to zero mobile coverage in valleys.
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---
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## 🦘 6. Wildlife Security & Camp Rules
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* **Wombat Protection:** Wombats at Oberon Bay & Roaring Meg chew through tent walls and backpacks for food!
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* **Food Storage:** All food, snacks, and rubbish must be packed in sturdy dry-sacks and kept inside tents (never loose in vestibules).
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* **Leave No Trace:** Carry out all rubbish in sealed Ziploc bags.
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---
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## 🏋️ 7. Training & Pack Weight
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* **Pack Weight Cap:** 8–10 kg total per teen (approx 15-20% body weight).
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* **Pre-trip Walk:** Mandatory 12km test walk with loaded packs 2-3 weeks prior to departure to check boot fit, pack adjustment, and kid stamina.
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