A basic bushwalk guide may be all that is needed for day trips, but more detailed maps are necessary for longer walks. For the Blue Mountains near settled areas, the 1:25000 scale topographic maps titled "Jamison", "Katoomba", "Kurrajong", "Mt. Wilson", "Penrith" and "Springwood" are suitable for most purposes. These are available from most outdoor/camping shops.

Basic map reading and navigation skills are invaluable in an emergency. At a minimum know how to use the eastings and northings marked along the edges of maps. This will enable you to quote accurate grid references to rescuers. References to basic map reading skills are given in Section 10.

• Carry and know how to use a compass. A combined compass and protractor is best.

• Don’t venture into remote areas without advising the National Parks’ office of your plans.


• Don’t start off on long walks during serious bushfire danger periods.

A first aid kit is an "essential" for anyone using the bush regularly. A basic first aid kit – a "Hiker's Kit" - can be obtained from the Red Cross for about $36. But you need to know how to use the items!

If you regularly use the bush, a basic first aid course is worth considering.

◊ Snake and Spider Bites

Most bites occur on the arms or legs and the basic treatment for both snake bite and bites from funnel-web or mouse spiders is similar.

• A firm bandage should be applied over the bite followed by a second firm bandage over the whole limb starting from the fingers or toes.
• The limb should be immobilized by binding to a splint, such as a strong tree limb, or, for bites on fingers or forearm, by placing the arm in a sling.
• To assist medical personnel, the snake or spider should be identified (at least record its description) and, if it can be done safely, the spider should be captured.

For other spider bites, it is usually sufficient to apply an ice pack ... but seek medical attention if the symptoms persist.

Note.This information is no substitute for proper first-aid training.

Collecting of any material from National Parks, Forests, Crown Lands and Council Lands without a permit is illegal. Collecting from private land requires the owner's permission.

◊ Firewood, Rock and Logs

Firewood can sometimes be collected from State Forests but only upon issue of a permit by State Forests NSW. Permits will indicate the limits on type, size and quantity of wood.

The use of weathered sandstone for garden structures destroys habitat for small animals and deprives the area of any chance for soil development. Because of the demand for the material, illegal collection undoubtedly occurs from National Parks and other areas of publicly owned bushland. Bushrock can be legally collected ONLY from private land but, even then, the environmental impact is the same.

• Choose alternative materials of lesser environmental impact; e.g. treated pine logs or concrete products.
• If alternatives are not suitable, only buy rock from a reputable supplier.
• When bushrock is disturbed during construction, try to re-integrate it back into the landscape in a natural way once construction is finished.

Weathered logs can also make an interesting feature in a bush-style garden but these are also used by animals as shelter. Logs should only be obtained by "rescuing" them from areas being cleared for development.

◊ Plants and Plant Material

Picking of flowers prevents plants from producing seed and can hinder natural regeneration. Collection of seed or fruits has the same result.

Collection of plant stems for use as propagating material as cuttings, is less serious environmentally. However, it can allow diseases to be transmitted to plant populations through the use of undisinfected secateurs or knives.

◊ Illegal or Dangerous Activities

National Park officers have a lot of territory to patrol and they can't be everywhere. You can help protect natural areas by reporting:

• Damaged or missing locks or damaged fences or gates.
• Abandoned vehicles, defaced Aboriginal sites, damaged buildings.
• Illegal activities such as use of firearms, dumping, use of unregistered vehicles, removal of bushrock or plants or cultivation of marijuana (it's safe to assume that these plants are not growing naturally!).

If you are unsure which authority controls the area or activity you wish to report, contact Blue Mountains City Council. ADD LINK

◊ First Aid Courses


◊ Emergency contact details

Bushfires often occur in the Blue Mountains. Most local plants recover eventually; in fact, many native species have evolved to require burning in order to seed and reproduce. However some species may become extinct and animals and birds may perish or be injured in very large bushfires.

Aboriginal people maintained a system of regular deliberate small burns to encourage bush tucker and keep the bush from becoming too dense. However, since colonisation, with changes to land use and loss of regular burning by Aboriginal people, vegetation growth patterns have changed and increasingly intense fires have become more common.

At the same time, more people now live closer to the bush than ever before. People living near bushland have a right to protect their properties and often the very best ways of protecting properties are also the best ways of saving the surrounding bush.

◊ Be prepared

Everyone has seen television images showing the results of fires in urban areas near bushland. And we have all wondered at how some homes escape damage while those on either side are destroyed. While there are different factors involved in the survival of some houses (including good luck!), there are many actions that can be taken to improve fire resistance. Some can only be done prior to or during construction but other actions will be helpful for existing buildings.

It is important to Be Prepared! If you live near bushland, a fire threat is likely sooner or later.

◊ Construction of New Buildings

Prior to designing a new home, it's worth discussing fire-safe design and construction techniques with the architect or builder. Blue Mountains City Council can also advise on building in bushfire-prone areas. Add LINK

• Flat sites are safer than sloping sites and the steeper the slope, the greater the danger.
• Buildings at the foot of slopes are safer than those at the top.
• Simple house designs are preferable. Minimize hard-to-reach areas where debris (leaves, twigs) can accumulate.
• Concrete slab-on-ground construction is preferable to piers (where sparks can ignite material under the house).
• Consider ground level rubble drains instead of gutters (which collect debris).

◊ Existing Buildings

A range of options are available: some simple, some more difficult:

• Keep gutters free of leaves.
• Fix metal spark-proof screens to external vents and to fireplace openings indoors.
• Ensure that that no gaps exist in external eaves where burning embers might enter.
• Consider the installation of a roof sprinkler system, preferably using a water source separate from the reticulated supply (e.g. a diesel-powered pump drawing from a rainwater tank or swimming pool).
• Fix shutters to windows.

◊ Fuel Removal/Reduction

It is important to maintain a zone around the house where accumulated fuel is eliminated or, at least minimized:

• Keep grass cut low and remove ground litter.
• Eliminate plants growing next to walls or which overhang roofs.
• Store flammable material away from the house.
• On larger properties, maintain a fuel-free zone of 20-40 metres around the house and an additional fuel reduced zone of 10-60 metres. The dimensions of these zones depend on site slope and aspect; contact the Emergency Service Centre or the NSW Rural Fire Service for advice. ADD LINKS

◊ Hazard Reduction

Hazard reduction is the use of low intensity fire, under controlled conditions, to reduce the amount of ground-level fuel in forests, woodlands or grasslands. Hazard reduction is carried out during the non-Bushfire Danger Period by the National Parks and Wildlife Service or by the NSW Rural Fire Service. In rural areas landholders may also carry out hazard reduction burning with the approval of Blue Mountains City Council. ADD LINKS

The use of hazard reduction burning is often controversial as it may produce a classic conflict between the needs of humans and the protection of the environment. For example:

• Frequent, low intensity burns reduce the danger to life and property during the bushfire danger period, but..

• Frequent, low intensity burns can result in a change in the composition of the native vegetation. Plants relying solely on seed reproduction may be eliminated, because the interval between fires may be too short to allow the plants to mature, flower and set viable seed.

◊ Become a Firefighting Volunteer

Joining a volunteer bush fire brigade does not necessarily mean a large commitment of time. Brigades have a range of jobs available including support, administration and communications as well as front-line firefighting. If you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer, go to an open day at your local brigade station or register online on the Rural Fire Service website. You local Brigade Captain will then contact you. ADD LINK to online registration

◊ What to do When Fire Approaches

There are many things that individuals can do to minimize damage to property and to minimize the risk of personal injury.

Probably the most important issue for personal safety is protection from radiant heat and smoke. Unless it is impossible to change clothes, follow these guidelines:

• Wear loose fitting overalls or long-sleeved shirt and pants made from natural fabrics, NOT synthetics, which may melt and cause injury. Underwear and socks should also be of natural fibres.
• Wear strong shoes or boots.
• If available, wear safety goggles, gloves, a hat and smoke mask (or a large, wet handkerchief over mouth and nose).

◊ Fire Approaching Your Home

• Keep informed via radio reports.
• Hose down the house walls, roof and garden. Use sprinkler system if available.
• Block downpipes and fill gutters with water.
• Fill baths, sinks, buckets and other containers with water (to be used to douse fires that might be caused by embers entering the house).
• Place wet towels and blankets against gaps in doors and windows.
• Close curtains and shutters.
• After the main fire passes, put out spot fires (any small fires in the garden or on structures).
• If the house catches fire, stay low under smoke and evacuate as soon as main fire front has passed.
• Evacuate if ordered to do so by police or fire fighters.

◊ In a Motor Vehicle

• Cars are suitable as shelter only when located in an areas clear of fuel and out of direct contact of severe flames. Find a cleared area with at least 10 metres of space above; rake litter from under and around the car.
• Turn engine off and leave lights on.
• Wind up windows and close vents.
• Put on protective clothing.
• If possible, put wet woollen blankets over seats and over the occupants who should lie on the seats or floor.
• Hang towels on insides of windows (which may shatter in the heat).
• Stay in the car until the fire has passed or until heat is intolerable.
• The petrol tank is unlikely to explode.

◊ On Foot

• Don't go bushwalking on days of fire danger! If in doubt, check with the National Parks and Wildlife office.

• Cover up as much as possible.
• Try to remain calm; don't run in a panic as that will waste energy.
• Move downhill (fires travel most rapidly up slopes).
• Look for safe areas such as previously burnt vegetation, dams, pools (not elevated tanks as the water temperature can reach dangerous levels).
• If flames are more than a metre high, don't try to go through them to a safe area.
• If trapped, lie as flat as possible behind whatever shelter is available in the most vegetation-free area that you can find and cover yourself with a blanket or earth.

◊ Fire Retardant Planting

All plants will burn but some burn more easily and more intensely than others. Fire retardant plants are those which slow the progress of a fire and thus assist in fire control. There is not a lot of published data on fire retardant plants but the following guidelines will help in selecting (or rejecting) plants:

• Plants with a high content of volatile oil or resin in their trunk, branches or leaves burn fiercely. This includes many conifers, melaleucas, bottlebrushes, tea-trees, boronias, mint bushes and eucalypts, however..
• Smooth-barked eucalypts are regarded as fire-retardant by providing an effective screen for sparks and embers if the foliage is high off the ground.
• Dense-crowned trees with fine leaves (e.g. Allocasuarina and Casuarina) can also be effective windbreaks and filters for sparks
• Plants whose leaves have a high moisture content, e.g. rainforest plants, fruit trees, are usually highly fire-retardant.
• Plants with a high salt content in their leaves, e.g. saltbushes, are also very fire-retardant.

Here's some fire-retardant plants for the Blue Mountains. The information in the document is based on a number of sources. The information must, however, be used with caution as much of it is anecdotal.

◊ Danger Season

In NSW there is a prescribed Bush Fire Danger Season which extends from October 1 to March 31 but which may be extended if necessary. During this danger period:

• Barbecues and camp fires must be in a constructed fireplace at least 4.5 metres from any log or stump.
• A 1.5 m diameter area must be cleaned of combustible material around the fireplace.
• Burning off can only be done with a Council permit (Total Fire Ban overrules a permit)
• Household rubbish can only be burned in a incinerator between 7pm and 7am in accordance with Council or EPA regulations.

◊ Fire Bans

• Total Ban - No wood or charcoal barbecues allowed. Gas or electric barbecues are allowed on private property under the control of an adult. The ground must be cleared for 3 metres around the barbecue and a reliable water supply must be available.
• Park Ban – This may be imposed within specific National Parks at times other than when Total Fire Bans are in force. (Total Bans still apply in National Parks.)
• Backyard Burning - This is prohibited in the Blue Mountains Council area other than for legitimate hazard reduction burning for which a permit had been obtained.

◊ Reducing the Hazard

• Property owners are responsible for keeping fuel levels on their properties below dangerous levels. Section 66 of the Bushfire Control Act allows Fire Control officers to inspect properties and require that hazard reduction be carried out. If necessary Council may carry out the necessary work and seek to recover costs from the owner.
• Fire Control authorities are obliged to notify nearby property owners if hazard reduction burning is to be carried out.

◊ NSW Rural Fire Service