Walk softly
Walking tracks are especially designed to take you to special places in parks without causing unnecessary damage to the park.
But bushwalkers can cause careless damage without even realising it.
Walk softly to protect the bush.
Take:
- A fuel stove and fuel for cooking. Open fires destroy vegetation and leaf litter and can devastate the bush if they escape.
- A free-standing tent that requires few pegs, if staying overnight.
- A hand trowel to bury any human waste.
- Food with minimal wrapping. Avoid cans, bottles and aluminium foil.
- Bags for rubbish. If you take it in, take it out again!
Fires are not allowed in many places. Check first. If you have a campfire:
- Light fires in cleared areas, away from vegetation and tents.
- Keep your fire small.
- Preferably use an existing or pre-used fireplace.
- Don’t put rocks around the fire. Rocks conduct heat and damage the surrounding vegetation.
- Collect timber only where it’s permitted. Use only dead, fallen timber. Don’t break branches from trees. Even leaf litter and dead timber provide homes and food for animals.
- Always put the fire out. Douse it with water, not earth. Embers can smoulder for days.
- Never light fires during high bushfire periods or in places where the fire might spread.
If you camp:
- Plan your route carefully so you arrive at a pre-arranged site rather than creating a new campsite.
- Camp in pre-used campsites rather than making a new one.
- Never camp on frontal sand dunes.
- Camp well away from walking tracks, lakes and creeks.
- Never dig trenches around your tent.
- Take your own poles. Don’t cut them from the bush.
- Remove all rubbish. Never bury rubbish. Animals dig it up.
- Dismantle your fireplace. Check the fire is completely out.
- Leave your campsite better than you found it!
During your walk:
- Walk in small parties to minimise the damage.
- Use toilets, where provided.
- Bury any human waste 15cm under the ground at least 100m away from any tracks, campsites, water courses, lakes or drainage channels.
- On beaches, bury human waste below high-tide level.
- Wash yourself and any equipment at least 100m away from streams or lakes.
- Use no soap, toothpaste, shampoo or sunscreen in lakes or streams.
- Remove all rubbish. Even biodegradable food scraps can upset the balance and cause weeds.
- Do the park a favour. Remove other rubbish too.
- Protect the bush. Take no shortcuts.
- Walk on rocks and hard ground rather than trampling vegetation.
- Wear softer-soled shoes that cause less damage.
- Never mark your route. Blazed trees are susceptible to fungal attacks that can kill the tree. Markers can confuse other walkers.
- Try not to get lost. Search and rescue operations can cause more damage than bushwalking!
- Encourage other walkers to walk softly too.
Last updated: 29 May 2006
