Adventurous Journey – North Sydney Boys High School

7 DATES AVAILABLE – PLACES STRICTLY LIMITED

The seven (7) dates available are open on a first-come basis. Payment locks your place in and places cannot be held ‘in waiting’. Each date has a strict maximum number of places as the follows:

• 6-7 August = 10 places
• 13-14 August = 10 places
• 20-21 August = 20 places
• 27-28 August = 10 places
• 3-4 September = 10 places
• 10-11 September = 10 places
• 17-18 September = 20 places

COMPLETE THE CONSENT AND MEDICAL FORM

Your place on your selected journey is confirmed when you have paid your registration fee and submitted the Outward Bound Australia Participant Consent & Medical Information Form (hyperlinked). 

QUALIFYING JOURNEY REPORT

One of your Qualifying Adventurous Journey requirements is to write a journey report once you have returned home. This report must be uploaded twice in your ORB. Once in the ‘Files’ tab of your Qualifying Journey, and once as part of the ‘Report’ submission process when sending your Assessment request. 

You can find a suggested template for your report here.

SUPERVISORS:

Outward Bound Journey Supervisors are qualified in Outdoor Recreation/Leadership, First-Aid, have Working have Children Check and carry first aid and emergency communication equipment.

GETTING TO AND FROM YOUR JOURNEY:

We have designed this route to allow for easy public transport usage if required. Check https://transportnsw.info/ for train times.

If someone is driving you, please ask them to be punctual. You will be able to contact them if we are going to arrive a long way ahead or behind schedule.

DRINKING WATER:

We recommend drinking a minimum of 2-litres of water per day plus carrying an extra 1-litre to cook with at night. 1-litre of water weighs 1 kg. Please keep this in mind when packing. After the first day you should adjust this up or down depending on your water intake.

Tap water is available on both days and we can refill from a creek in the middle of Day 1. Creek water should be treated before drinking.

CREEK CROSSINGS:

A creek crossing occurs on the first day but the water level should be low enough to keep your feet dry. We do not anticipate high water on this hike but will keep you informed leading up to your journey and your Supervisor will make decisions on creek crossings in the field.

TOILETS:

Flush toilets are available at our campsite on the first night. At all other times toilet waste must be buried and you will need to bring a trowel for this purpose.

SETTING UP THE ONLINE RECORD BOOK

The 2022 journeys will be your Bronze Qualifying Journey. Please use the following information to set up your journey in your ORB account:

• Journey Name: Hornsby to Ku-ring-gai via Great North Walk
• Journey Dates: As enrolled
• Supervisor:
  • Name: Outward Bound Australia
  • Email: dukeofed@outwardbound.org.au
  • Phone: +612 6235 5700
• Assessor:
  • Name: Caroline Bowman
  • Email: caroline.bowman@outwardbound.org.au
  • Phone: +61448238930

START AND END POINT INFORMATION

MEETING PLACE:

Hornsby Station
Station Street, Hornsby, NSW 2077
GPS: -33.703666, 151.097773

There is a grassy area just outside the western side of the station. We will meet here in fine weather. If it is raining please meet under the walkway that crosses the train line at the station, near the ticket windows.

MEETING TIME:

9:00am

END POINT:

Mount Ku-ring-gai Station
Pacific Hwy, Mount Ku-ring-gai, NSW 2080.
GPS -33.653543, 151.136920

END TIME:

Approx. 1 pm.

ROUTE PLAN AND MAPS

You can read very detailed information about your route here: Wild Walks: Hornsby to Ku-ring-gai. We do not expect you to bring copies of this information with you.

We do expect all participants to have their own copy of the route plan and coloured map (see links below this paragraph). These should be protected from the weather by laminating/contacting, keeping in tight zip-lock bags, or purchasing a map-case. If laminating, you will also need a very fine tipped permanent marker pen to plot your route on the map.

GNW-B Hornsby to Mt Ku-ring-gai Route Plan

GNW-B Hornsby to Mt Ku-ring-gai Map

• There are two pages to the map document. The first page is the topographic map. The second page is the map information. You must print both pages. It is okay to print on both sides of the one sheet of paper; i.e. one side is the topographic map, and the second side is the map information.To ensure no distorting of the map, please print to the following specifications:
  • On A3 paper
  • In colour
  • At automatic/default scale
    • Each square should measure 4cm x 4cm

WHAT MEALS TO PACK

For your Bronze Adventurous Journey, we expect you to provide the following meals listed below as a minimum. It is not a requirement of the Award to prepare a hot meal for dinner, but we do encourage participants to do this, especially when attending a journey during the cooler months. Be aware that everything has to survive without refrigeration (please don’t bring a cooler bag). Check out the Food Safety Information Council for advice on appropriate foods for camping and bushwalking.

• x2 lunches
• x1 dinner
• x1 breakfast
• x2 day’s supply high energy snacks
• x1 emergency meal

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Please click the image below to see your recommended kit list. This list is designed on a per-person need and assumes there is no sharing of items such as the tent or stove. It is okay to share these items with other participants, if you feel comfortable to do so.

Outward Bound Australia does not provide or hire out equipment for Adventurous Journeys, so you will need to source all items. We have partnered with CampList, from whom you can hire and/or purchase many of the items on the list. To see what is available, go to www.camplist.com.au and in the central search bar, type “Outward Bound Australia”.

EXTRA ADVICE

Getting the right gear for you is crucial for your enjoyment of the journey and ensuring you don’t hurt yourself. Be ruthless in your choices and only pack exactly what you need. All of your items should fit inside your hiking pack to avoid damage to both your gear and the environment, this includes your sleeping mat.

For your safety, your pack should weigh no more than one-quarter (25%) of your body weight.

Outward Bound is the world leader in outdoor education. This global presence has enabled us to develop the most comprehensive  Safety and Risk Management Policies and Procedures. 

We balance risk, reward and responsibility as core tenets of our mission. Our programs are facilitated and supported by a network of qualified, highly trained and experienced instructors, with a clear understanding of this risk/reward balance.

Safety first, always.

We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have over the phone (1800 267 999). Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions.

Where can I obtain the items on the packing list?

Outdoor pursuits stores will have the majority of the items listed in the kit list. If you ask your family and friends, you may find that people you know already have these items that you can borrow. Outward Bound Australia have also partnered with CampList, which offers a hire/purchase service.

Where am I sleeping?

You will sleep in national park campsites. It is a Duke of Ed requirement that you carry your own gear. You will be sleeping in the tent or shelter you provide.

What food shall I bring?

Our Adventurous Journeys are hiking expeditions and require more fat and sugar than a normal diet.
Avoid heavy items such as canned food, glass bottles, and jars as they break. No nuts please.
Do bring: Light weight, highly nutritious and tasty food covering all meals, including snacks for your whole adventurous journey.

Check out the Food Safety Information Council for advice on appropriate foods. Scroll down to the section titled “Camping and bushwalking”.

https://foodsafety.asn.au/food-safety-on-the-move/

Can I bring technology on program?

An Outward Bound program is your opportunity to ‘disconnect to reconnect’. However we do not take your phone from your for a Duke of Ed program. You can use your phone to take photos (for your report) and we can not prevent you from looking at your phone in your tent at night. You will not be permitted to listen to music or talk on your phone during the journey.

Do I have to wear hiking boots?

We recommend hiking boots for all our programs. If you are unable to source these, you will need to find a suitable pair of lace-up, fully enclosed footwear, that has a rigid sole and provides ankle stability.

Do I have to bring the wet weather clothing?

We use the rain jacket and waterproof overpants as a heat-trapping layer in the evenings, just as much as a waterproof cover in the case of rain. For the majority of situations, we continue with the journey when it is raining, and so very strongly encourage participants to provide these items

Do I have to bring the thermals?

For journeys running May – September, yes you do need to bring the thermal top and bottom to program. For programs running at other times, you can choose if you want to bring these or not. Overall, we recommend bringing thermals for any time of year, as they can act as a lightweight jumper in the evenings, or as a pair of pyjamas (which are not a part of our packing list).

How fit do I need to be?

Your Outward Bound Duke of Ed Journey is an expedition in the natural environment. You need to feel confident enough to manage carrying an approx. 15kg hiking backpack, and walking on uneven ground for 10-20km every day of your journey in a variety of weather conditions. The more prepared you are, the more you will enjoy it!

Do participants come with friends, or as individuals?

Most participants arrive on their own, and depart with a set of new friends.

What are the toilet facilities?

This is dependent on the campsites available along your journey. Some locations have access to regular public toilets. At other times you will be required to dig a small personal hole, and you will need to provide a hand trowel for this purpose.

What happens if I need to depart my journey early?

If you need to leave your journey for an unforeseen reason, such as injury, we will arrange with your emergency contact to come and get you from an accessible location. You will need to inform your Award Leader that you have left your Adventurous Journey, and you will need to arrange to re-attempt your journey at another time.