GOLD BUSHWALKING AWARD JOURNEY
You can join a Walking Rivers, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Bushwalking Award journey from any award unit
Training & Practise or Qualifying
Regardless of level, all Duke of Edinburgh journey’s requires a minimum number of four students per group. If you are on your own still register with us and we will endeavour to create a group of four to make your journey happen.
A GOLD BUSHWALKING AWARD JOURNEY CUSTOMISED FOR YOU
We share our expertise to help you achieve your objectives
The first thing to remember about your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey it’s a chance to combine your Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh skills into one comprehensive experience. Undertaking a challenging but not impossible hike should provide a good barometer of your progress and provide you with lifelong memories.
The second thing during a Gold Journey, you should expect to learn a few new things, but the most important thing is to challenge yourself whilst having fun. We want you to feel accomplished and joyful due to your efforts.
While we’ll make some suggestions for your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey, the most important thing is that you have a say in how it’s designed. Every one of our journeys takes place in one of Australia’s secluded and unique National Parks.
Key points, Gold Award Journey should be:
A well-planned Gold Bushwalking Award Journey offers:
Significantly, an opportunity to spend eight days away from home with all of your friends exploring and having fun. That is to say, it’s your chance to live your life without interference from your parents or anyone else. We recognise you are a young adult and not a child anymore.
Notably, you and your friends will have complete control over how you spend your time, deciding when and where you want to take a break, eat meals and finally, where you want to camp,
Another point often overlooked may be an opportunity to disconnect from formal schoolwork and re-charge your body and mind in preparation for the next chapter of your life as a young adult making your own decisions.
Remember, you’ve worked hard to get to this point, so let’s make the most of it.
Key points, what’s on offer
Helpful Discussion Points to Make Your Journey Extraordinary
First and foremost, let us discuss food. I hope you have fun choosing your menu. Make it a part of the overall experience. When you’ve started your hike, it’s too late to wish you had better food. So don’t put together your menu at the last minute.
You don’t have to eat bad food in the wilderness. Instead, use the time leading up to the trip to practise your cooking skills.
Experiment with different menu options and adjust your quantities to see what works best. Make your menu an exciting part of your daily routine.
For example, instead of processed food in plastic bags, try packaging fresh food with its own skin.
Second, just like with your food, experiment with the gear you’re carrying.
The general rule is that the lighter your pack, the better. Aim for carrying no more than 25% of your body weight during your Gold Award Bushwalking Journey.
Perhaps pair up with your best friend and share carrying some items; these are just suggestions for you to consider as you prepare.
Key points, Helpful Ideas
You and finishing the Gold Bushwalking Award Journey:
Finally, to complete your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey, you must be at least sixteen years old.
Unfortunately, many young people abandon the Award at this point, which is unfortunate because getting this far has required a great deal of hard work, self-discipline, and perseverance.
We understand that you may be juggling multiple priorities, but we urge you to persevere when you are so close to the finish line.
For our part, we will do everything we can to help you fit the Award into your hectic schedule. We’ll try to keep dates flexible, and we’ll try to get others to make up the numbers if needed.
We want you to succeed and carry the satisfaction of completing your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey with you for the rest of your life.
Have questions about doing a Gold Bushwalking Award Journey
WHAT IS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR?
Please complete our registration form as soon as possible to begin your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey. Click on the “register here ” button above to start registering.
In our office, we enter your information into our database once your registration is received. After that, we’ll email a digital indemnification form to your parents, which they must complete and return.
Once we know how many people are interested in participating, we’ll let you know if we can proceed.
Once confirmed as proceeding, your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey preparation will begin. We will send you email instructions for every step via email.
Important Information on the Gold Bushwalking Award Journey:
Before Covid 19, the Gold Bushwalking Award Journey had two distinct components Training and Practice for four days, followed by a few weeks’ break and then the four-day Qualifying Journey. It allowed participants to go home and prepare for the Qualifying Journey with the knowledge gained during the Training and Practice.
At present, due to Covid 19 the Duke of Edinburgh lets Training and Practice be shortened by a day and followed immediately by the Qualifying, essentially combining the two journeys into one seven-day expedition.
As a result, it’s why you see some programs combined and some separate on the registration page.
Its Your Choice:
Combination
Many individuals prefer to complete their award journeys in a single attempt; however, this does not allow you to retain the knowledge you gained throughout your Training and Practice and return better prepared to accomplish your Qualifying Journey.
Due to Covid, the combined journey duration is also one day shorter, resulting in a modest price reduction.
There is no need for your parents to transport you to the starting spots twice.
Separate Journeys
Having your Gold Bushwalking Award Journey divided into two components allows you to go away, take a break, and return with all of the information you learned during your Training and Practice journey. That is to say it makes your Qualifying Journey a lot more enjoyable.
Significantly different journeys also allow you to explore and camp in two different national parks. Which is always a lot of fun.
Where we hike
We have a choice of four different National parks for the journey. You can choose which area you want to explore.
Dharug National Park, Watagan’s National Park, Barrington Tops National Park or Yengo National park
You can get there by car with the help of your parents. Alternatively, you can board a Walking Rivers vehicle at a railway station or another site we have arranged with you and travel with us.
Once we’ve talked it over on the phone and determined the best option for everyone, we’ll send you an email with all the pertinent information, including start times, transportation options, and meeting locations.
The best part hiking and camping:
You will walk along with a minimum of four hikers and a maximum of seven hikers, talking to your friends and learning fascinating facts about nature.
Another critical point is that you will be using a map and learning how always to figure out where you are on it.
Crossing streams, climbing hills, seeing wildlife, connecting with nature, and sharing different experiences with your friends are all part of the reward for taking the plunge and embarking on the Journey.
After a long day of hiking, it will be enjoyable to select your campsite, pitch your tent, and prepare your own dinner.
Finally, sitting around a fire with your friends and enjoying the night is one of the best things you can do.
