Not knowing what to bring, we went down to Aussie Disposals where Simon, the store assistant, helped get us organised for our day trip. He managed to organise some hire equipment at a discount (what a bonus!) and found us some cute matching jackets to buy. Feeling prepared and a little professional with our new snow gear, we were ready.

On the day, we woke up at 4:30 in the morning (not wanting to waste a minute), put our snow gear on and began the drive up to Mount Buller. By the time we reached Mansfield, a coffee was the only thing on our minds, so we stopped off at a quaint café and fuelled up for the day.

In an eggs-and-bacon stupor, we finally reached the bottom of the mountain and the excitement started kicking in. After paying our ticket, we wound up the mountain, staring at the thick vegetation and the ever-growing height. The hustle and bustle of people plus the significant drop in temperature as we reached the top made the anticipation real.

We parked the car and hopped on a shuttle bus that drove us to the town square, where we picked up our boots, skis and poles that Simon helped organise. To get a feel for it and shake off the nerves, we started by skiing on the ‘Blue Bullet 1 and 2'.

After we began spending less time falling and more time skiing, we decided to challenge ourselves with some harder terrain. But first, lunch. We enjoyed some hot chips, guzzled down a powerade and sipped on hot chocolate at Koflers while laughing at all the awkward falls we managed to achieve in such a short time.

Once the sugar rush kicked in, we decided to take on the harder tracks. We tried out the ‘Standard Run’ and ‘Shakey Knees’, where I discovered that the beginner level was definitely for me. As the day neared its end, we felt pretty satisfied with our first skiing experience and couldn’t wait to come back again.

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One. Keep your feet warm. Feet play a massive role in regulating your body’s temperature. You want to pack socks that will keep you warm and limit perspiration. Thick bamboo socks lock in the heat without leaving that sweaty feeling. Stocking up on socks and pairing them with waterproof footwear will help keep in your body heat.

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Two. Layer up. Unlike packing for a summer trip where you’ll most likely be rocking swimwear 100% of the time, winter packing is a little more complex. Make sure you pack a combination of clothes that will keep you warm and dry. Begin by thinking about a bottom layer, we suggest thermals. In our opinion, Thermals are a must-have to layer under t-shirts or long sleeves. Make sure you pack enough warm pants and jumpers to last you for your trip, and a waterproof rain jacket that is both breathable and keeps you dry – a 10,000/10,000 rating is good, here’s a good example.

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Three. Quality sleeping kit. Nothing can dampen your camping experience more than lying awake at night because of the cold or, even worse, waking up frozen. To stop this from ever happening, you need to think about getting yourself the right sleeping bag. When picking a sleeping bag, make sure you match the degree specifications to the temperatures you’ll be camping. Sleeping bag specifications are rated in ‘comfort rating’ or ‘extreme rating’. At Aussie Disposals we measure in comfort rating which basically means the degree shown is a temperature you can comfortably sleep in without feeling any cold. On the other hand, an extreme rating displays a temperature which you can sleep in and will survive but will feel the cold.

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Four. Warm meals. As we all know, one of the fastest and most efficient ways to heat yourself up is by drinking a warm beverage, well, the same goes for food. Investing in a cast iron camp oven is a great way to ditch the baked beans on toast, and enjoy a wider variety of foods, like a succulent roast, while you’re camping.

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Last opportunity for good weather. Daylight savings is among us and we all know that means the colder months have officially creeped very close for comfort. Thankfully the sun isn’t quite yet fighting for the spotlight with those menacing rain-clouds, so before they come and keep us indoors, we should surely savour the last moments of good weather. The Easter weekend will be the final opportunity to send off summer and what better way to do that than a four-day camping trip that can help break that work routine and give you a boost of vitamin camping.

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A digital detox. You don’t have to admit it, but you’re probably glued to some form of technology for the majority of the day, work related or not. The Easter weekend is a four-day chance to disconnect from the overload of information we’re met with day-to-day, helping us reconnect with ourselves and the people around us. A detox also disrupts any repetitive movements from technology use that can lead to chronic problems, whether it’s being sedentary, slouching, or typing. Your mind and body will thank you for a digital detox and leave you more productive for the working week. There’s no better place to give a digital detox a go than over the Easter weekend break.

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More Family Time. Camping as a family can be a powerful tool for bonding, teamwork and development. There is no greater activity than camping to bring a whole family together and depending on the ages of your children or family members, tasks such as putting the tent up, cooking dinner and washing up can be just as special as any other activity. Of course, activities such as swimming, hiking and fishing or learning something new will definitely provide a bonding opportunity. The simplest of things, like learning how to tie a knot or going on an Easter egg hunt, can bring you and your loved ones together.

Katherine Gorge has an unbeatable trifecta. Scenery, culture and activities. Admittedly, it’s hard to get past just how mesmerising the habitat is. I found that there were so many ways to enjoy this trifecta: through hikes, boat cruises and even helicopter rides. I started off with some of the smaller hikes that lasted about four hours. Crystal waters, waterfalls, and abundant, green vegetation that’s home to countless birds. Shamelessly, I spent a whole afternoon on the banks one day just bird watching; there are so many species that a day was not enough to spot them all.

My favourite hike was on the Jatbula Trail, it was such a humbling challenge. It took me a total of five days, setting up camp with the sunset each evening. There is this sense of connectedness you feel when you are surrounded by that much nature for days on end. Feeling the warmth of the soil and seeing the fertility of the banks. My favourite animal to observe was the crocodile, their shy nature gave me a chance to really get a feel for their sun-kissed lives.

On my last day, I decided to book a boat cruise. From the comfort of my own seat (which I needed after the hike), I saw a side to the Katherine Gorge that hiking alone couldn’t give me. I saw sacred Aboriginal rock art and the full extent of the gorges – thirteen in total. I chose to go during dawn when the birds are most vocal and the sun dances along the calm water. I did consider doing the helicopter tour, but thought I’d leave something for the next time I come to visit.

They docked their kayaks in the early morning at Sunnyside beach and worked their way towards Mornington, casting into the rocks and reeds where fish are usually found. A cloudless sky and the sun out, meant clear waters, easy for spotting fish.

With them, they brought only the essentials. A durable tackle box with the right hooks for the local fish, an easy-to-use rod, a deep landing net, and a valid fishing license. For the tackle box, Jack and Ben chose to take the Plano tackle box not only for its durability, but for all the saltwater equipment it comes with. They didn’t have to worry about sinkers, scalers or swivels as these plus more were already included. There was still plenty of room in there to fit in a fishing plier and knife combo that came in handy when safely unhooking the lure from the fish, ready for release.

For the hooks, Jack and Ben used a squid jig to catch squid, and normal hook rigs for fish such as Snapper, Whiting and Flathead. The bait they chose to use was squid, available at Select Aussies stores, for its toughness that meant their bait stayed on the hook for longer. For the rod, a Shakespeare Pro Touch 7' Spin was used for its suitability to rock and beach fishing, with ease of use for beginners, and was paired with a landing net, 60cm deep, that made catching from the kayak smoother. Lastly, the fishing license. For this fishing trip, a three-day license worked just fine, but for trips with more rod time, licenses from 28 days to three years are available from Select Aussies stores.

With the Easter weekend approaching us, there is no better time to jump in on the fun and experience first-hand the numerous advantages that kayak fishing gives you for those hard-to-reach feeding spots.

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One of the best walks in the world is to the top of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest mainland peak in the beautiful NSW Snowy Mountains. This popular walk begins at Charlotte Pass and follows the Old Kosciuszko Road, as it winds through mountains, and then continues to the top of Kosciuszko. This 18.6km walk is filled with some of Australia’s highest mountains, historic huts such as the Seaman’s Hut, and enchanting snow gums.

This hike is great for beginners, with a chairlift that bypasses any actual difficult terrain and a raised metal walkway which runs the entire length of the walk. This means that your grandma would be able to sprint the length of this hike!

However, if you are interested in a more challenging experience, the Main Ridge Track via Charlottes Pass is the one for you. This track winds up and over mountains, skirts glacial lakes and lacks tourists you’ll think you’re miles away from anywhere.

Along the way, you will admire amazing displays of wildflowers including marsh marigolds, silver snow, daisies, mountain roses, and buttercups in the early summer. This walk is snowbound in winter, between June and October and would require cross-country skis or snowshoes, however, during Summer this is one of the most breathtaking trails you can explore.

You can even take a virtual tour of the summit walk by clicking here

Mount Kosciusko?

Here are a few things you will want to make sure you bring with you:

• Appropriate Footwear

I recommend hiking-shoes that are worn-in, comfortable and resilient. If you are a beginner hiker I recommend our Trail Navman Low Cut Hike Shoe, with a hard wearing rubber outer sole, cushion midsole and durable suede upper mesh, this hiking shoe is recommended for any beginner.

• Rain Gear

Whether you are hiking in the summer or the winter, I would always suggest bringing a rain jacket just in cast. Hiking in gear that is insufficient for your chosen hike is a surefire way to ruin your hike. A lightweight, compact Rainbird Stowaway jacket will do just the trick. 100% waterproof and breathable and the ability to pack away into its own small carry bag. If you are looking for a jacket that’s much more heavy duty I would recommend the Blizzard Torrent Ladies Jacket or the Blizzard Thunder Mens Jacket. Both rated at 10,000mm waterproofness and 10,000mvp breathability, it’s so waterproof you will be able to swim in it. ;)
 

• First Aid Kit

Even though these are just short hikes, you would rather be safe than sorry. Blisters sprained ankles, sunburn, or snake bites can occur at any time. To treat any of these I recommend the Companion Adventure First Aid Kit, lightweight and packed with everything you need, this becomes a necessity on any of my hiking trips.

• Day pack/Backpack

I don’t have to explain how essential a backpack is, you need to able to carry your spare gear, water bottle, first-aid kit, map, compass etc. Your one-stop daypack I always travel with is the Caribee 32l Trek Day Pack. With a built-in rain cover, internal organiser, action back harness system and hydration pack compatible.

Next up we explore the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains on the winding Six Foot Track from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves, a three day 44km walk. Immerse yourself in the land’s history as you walk through the Megalong Valley, passing the site of the last recorded Gundungurra corroboree (Aboriginal dance ceremony). Walk through state forests and the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park along the challenging 45km Six Foot Track.

The route follows an 1884 heritage horse track and can be broken into dry walks over three days, offering walkers changing landscapes of heath, woodlands and rainforest, passing cascading waterfalls and wild rivers into the Megalong Valley and village, before crossing a unique swing bridge, climbing the range, and arriving at Jenolan Caves.

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At night, you can cook yourself up a substantial meal and enjoy some stargazing before falling asleep to the sounds of the bush. This is an exhilarating adventure not for the faint-hearted, pushing your mind and body through a rewarding journey. 

You can check out a 360 view of the Emu Bridge here!

Blue Mountains Six Foot Track?

Here are a few essentials for your overnight adventure:

• Appropriate Footwear

For this intermediate hike, you will absolutely need shoes that will keep your feet and ankles from experiencing discomfort. If you want to be airlifted out of this hike, wear a low-cut shoe. If you want to experience the full adventure, a necessity would be Trail Softshell Mid Boot. Lightweight, waterproof, breathable and with a high ankle support (to keep you from rolling your ankle), this boot will let you Forest Gump across the county.

• Tent

Choosing the right tent is imperative, you want to bring one that’s lightweight, sturdy and right for the conditions you will use it in. I highly recommend the Hi-Country Dargo Mk2. Weighing only 2.6kg, with packed dimensions of 46 x 15 x 12cm, this tent will fit in your backpack easily while also still having plenty of room for you to stretch out when you sleep.

• Sleeping Bag

For a sleeping bag, you are looking for something that’s lightweight and warm enough to survive the night. Every condition and hike is different, and your sleeping bag will have to reflect that condition.

I recommended the Hi-Country Lite Hiker -5. Versatile, lightweight, compact and perfect for travelling, with 2 layers of Maxi Loft fill to keep you warm whenever you are snuggled up in the sleeping bag.

• Extra Water, Extra Food

These multi-day hikes are not easy; you will want to make sure you have plenty of food and plenty of water. To save space, I always bring my Lifestraw Go Water Bottle, which incorporates filter technology into a durable, convenient bottle which filters at least 1,000 litres of water over its lifetime without requiring batteries.

In this series of blogs, we will delve into each state's beautiful landscapes and truly explore the best trails each one has to offer.

Let’s begin with one of the most southern, iconic, and popular hiking trails in Victoria, Wilsons Promontory – Eastern Circuit.

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The Wilsons Promontory – Eastern Circuit is a 36.5km hike located in Wilsons Promontory National Park Victoria, a fantastic circuit hike that explores isolated beaches, dense rainforests and with an abundance of wildlife; you will want to put this hike at the top of your to-hike-list. Located approximately 157 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, the 125,000-acre national park is the southernmost national park in Australia, filled with rich Indigenous history. Indigenous Australians occupied the area at least 6,500 years ago, with the first European's to sight Wilsons Promontory is believed to be George Bass and Matthew Flinders in 1798.

The South Eastern Circuit descends its way from the slopes of Mount Oberon down to the Eastern shore of Wilsons Promontory National Park at Sealers Cover, where it crosses south above the historic waters of Bass Strait to the southernmost lighthouse on mainland Australia. This is inclusive of intertidal mudflats, sandy beaches, and sheltered coves interrupted by prominent headlands and plunging granite cliffs in the south, backed by coastal dunes and swamps. Also home too many marsupials, native birds and other fauna, with one of the most common marsupials found on the promontory is the wombat.

Next up for Victoria is the Werribee Gorge Circuit is a 9.3km hike located in Werribee Gorge State Park Victoria, with the hike taking approximately 3.5hrs to complete. The 575 hectare park protects native flora and fauna, offers spectacular views and has great opportunities for bushwalking and rock climbing. Weribbee Gorge has attracted the attention of geologists as one of the earliest known ancient glacial deposits, parts of which can be seen.

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With its ruggedness and steep slopes, Werribee Gorge has remained in a relatively natural state, making it vitally important for the preservation of native flora and fauna in a landscape that has been cleared and farmed.  The park is home to many species of trees such as Red Ironbark, Grey Box, Manna Gum, Varnish and Golden Wattle. Keep an eye out and see if you can spot all of them!

We set out at 5am, with Peter W being way too cheery for that time of the morning. By 9am we were up on the mountain in the freezing temperatures, glad that we all had our thermals to keep us toasty. The staff at Buller Sports Central were friendly and very helpful getting us all fitted out with our ski’s, snowboards and whatever other gear we needed and in no time we were ready to hit the slopes.

With all of our varying skill levels, some took lessons and others jumped straight onto the lifts, everyone had a great time on the snow, some of us spending more time wiping out than actually skiing/snowboarding, overall it was a fun day for all with only a few of us walking away with injuries.

The takeaway for those who had the opportunity to spend the day at Buller was to understand what our customers will have to do once they arrive on the mountain and how the hire process is conducted, so have a chat to one of the guys that went along and familiarize yourself with the process at the other end and how we can make the customer experience as smooth as possible.

Special thanks to Luke for taking on the job as bus driver, as well as Trev and Peter W for organizing the day for us!

2. Turn your body while keeping the compass in front of you.

-  Notice that as the compass rotates, the needle stays pointing the same direction.

-  Keep turning until the needle points to East   on the compass like the picture below, keeping the direction-of-travel arrow    and North mark facing straight in front of you.

3. To find your direction, you must turn the compass dial until the North mark and the “Orienting Arrow” are lined up with the   North end of the needle. Then you can read the heading that is at the Index Pointer spot (the butt of the direction-of-travel arrow). 

Since the Orienting Arrow is usually two parallel lines on the floor of the compass housing, a good thing to memorise is: RED IN THE SHED

All you need is 3 different layers.

BASE LAYER

A base layer is the layer closest to your skin which collects the most sweat. The base layer is to keep you dry by wicking away moisture from your skin and moving it towards the outer layers. This layer should fit snugly against your skin. Thermals are most preferred for this layer.

MID LAYER

The mid layer insulates and retains body heat through trapped air. This layer also continues to draw moisture away from the body. Fleece and down are most preferred for this layer.

OUTER LAYER 

The outer layer, also referred to as a shell, is the layer that provides all the protection from the elements. This layer should be waterproof, windproof and preferably breathable to help expel the moisture from your body.

This handy layering system will keep you toasty warm all winter long!

STEP 1: Gather all the necessities to get your fire started.

• Tinder
• This is an item that will ignite with ease when the flame is added. Tinder can consist of paper, newspaper, dry grasses, leaves, bark etc.

• Kindling
• This type of fire fuel is bigger and more substantial than your aforementioend tinder. Kindling can consist of a bulk amount of small twigs.

• Large Logs
• These will be the main bulk of your fuel and ensure that the fire burns for an extended period of time. Start off with medium size logs then work your way up in size as the fire increases in heat.

STEP 2: Building your fire from the ground up

• Place the kindling around the tinder in a pyramid like shape

• Then, simply place a small amount of the medium sized logs around this hand crafted fire pyramid

STEP 3: Light your fire

• Light your tinder in a few different locations around the fire
• If your tinder seems to not be burning well, you can try giving it a few puffs of air to help enhance the flame

STEP 4: Keep your fire going

• Once your fire has begun to establish and mature, you can begin to add large logs when the heat is strong enough.

At Aussie Disposals, we pride ourselves on being the oldest large calibre privately owned camping business in Australia. Established in 1962, Aussie Disposals has over 55 years’ experience in the industry, and wish to spread this rich history via our blog. Aussie Disposals is your outdoor adventure store which caters for all you need when adventuring the great outdoors. We further offer a large range of ex-army surplus from countries all over the world. Throughout our years of operation, we have acquired a vast amount of knowledge and experience which we now wish to share with everybody and anybody with an interest in the industry and more importantly, a passion for the outdoors.

The Aussie Disposals blog will be written by capable staff members who have been putting our equipment to the test for many years. The blog will be inclusive of product reviews, instruction articles, personal antidotes and basically anything of interest. We will strive to provide a blog that works proactively to answer your questions before you ask them, however we want to operate openly and welcome any suggestions you may have.

This blog is an ideal destination point for all those wanting and willing to give the outdoor experience a crack and additionally for those who love reading about camping. We also encourage reviews and comments from experienced campers to offer advice and let us know your tricks of the trade.