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Minimal Impact Camping
Parks and forests are special places, but to remain so they need your help. To protect their delicate environs, we need to 'tread lightly' in the bush to minimise our impact on the natural environment. Here are some basic rules you should follow:
- Camp in an existing campsite rather than create a new one and camp at least 20 metres from any stream, lake or reservoir (this is to ensure that areas near the water remain available for use by other visitors and to keep the waters free of pollution).
- Be careful of camping under trees. Trees can lose their limbs at any time, but particularly during high winds.
- Do not dig trenches around tents. With modern tents, this is unnecessary, particularly if you choose a well-drained or raised site.
- All native plants and animals are protected. Do not cut down or damage standing trees or vegetation.
- Take your rubbish home. Think before throwing out food scraps as they can be harmful to native animals, and some waste (like fruit peelings) does not decompose quickly. Don't burn or bury rubbish. Burying food waste disturbs the soil and native animals will just dig it up later. If you have the misfortune to come across other people's rubbish, do the bush a favour and take it out with you too.
- Use only dead fallen wood. Standing trees, even dead ones are a home for wildlife and a part of the scenery. Do not cut down or damage standing trees or vegetation.
- Firewood is in short supply in many areas. Gather firewood well away from your camp and use it sparingly, keep it small and be conservative in your use of fuel or better still, bring your own. Where possible, use a lightweight stove for cooking.
- Take care with fire - observe all fire regulations and Total Fire Ban days. Use existing fireplaces rather than create your own. Ensure fires are safe and that they are completely extinguished when you leave.
- Protect water quality - wash-up at least 50 metres away from streams and avoid using soap (use gritty sand and a scourer instead).
- Leave campsites tidy.
- Keep your party small. Ideally, less than eight people.
- Go off peak.
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4WD Touring Code
- Stay on the track and drive lightly: Drive only on roads that are open to the public.
- Never bush bash or create new tracks. Avoid using muddy tracks.
- Plan your trip - think safety: Check on your proposed route and road conditions before leaving.
- All native plants and animals are protected: Do not cut down or damage standing trees or plants. Leave wildlife alone and do not disturb their homes.
- Think of others: Respect others' rights to peace and solitude in the bush. Respect landowners' rights and get permission to travel across private land.
- Leave no litter: Take your rubbish home.
- Take care with firearms: Firearms are not permitted in most National Parks, State Parks and special reserves. Check Department of Primary Industries (DPI) or Parks Victoria offices if unsure.
- Camp carefully: Practise "minimal impact" camping.
- Join a 4WD Club and support responsible 4WD touring.
- Enjoy your visit: Take a last look before leaving an area - Will the next visitor know that you have been there?
Touring Tips
- Maintain your vehicle in a mechanically sound condition and be fully equipped.
- Carry sufficient food and water in case of an emergency.
- In remote areas travel with another vehicle and leave details of your proposed trip with a responsible person.
- Before leaving on a trip, check road conditions with the local Department of Primary Industries (DPI) office (for trips into State forest) or Parks Victoria (trips into National & State Parks), be aware of weather forecasts and make sure your maps are up to date.
- When driving, be prepared for the unexpected. Timber trucks, hikers, horse riders, cyclists and native animals may also be sharing your chosen track.
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Horse Riding Code
To ensure safe riding with minimal environmental impact, please observe the following:
- If in doubt about availability of access or permit requirements, check with the responsible land manager
- Respect the rights of other visitors. You will meet some walkers and others who are unfamiliar with horses and unsure about passing them on the track or camping near them. Ensure that all horses in your party are walking quietly when passing other users on a track.
- Stay on the road or on designated horse trials. Do not ride 'off-road' or on tracks closed to horses as you may damage the environment you have come to enjoy.
- When riding, be prepared for the unexpected. Timber trucks, 4WD’s, hikers, cyclists and native animals may also be using your chosen track.
- Before leaving on a trip, check road conditions. Do not use roads and tracks when they are wet or likely to be damaged.
- Be safety conscious - plan your trip carefully, carry a first aid kit, maintain your saddlery equipment and be fully equipped. Leave details of your proposed trip with a responsible person.
- Hold horses at least 30 metres from streams, huts and camping areas unless otherwise directed by Departmental staff. Use hitching rails or other holding facilities where provided. Avoid damage to vegetation when tethering. Do not tie horses to small limbs and shrubs. Tethering directly to trees overnight is prohibited as it causes unacceptable ground damage - use hobbles or a ground tether instead.
- Horses retain weed seeds in their gut for up to 14 days and these can then germinate in manure in the forest. Help us reduce weed infestations by using clean feed (ie. commercial cracked grain, proprietary and processed feeds) at least 48 hours before entering a forest. Feed your horse with a nose bag - do not spread feed on the ground.
- If camping, avoid camping in areas commonly used by other recreationalists unless they are designated horse camps. Camp in an existing campsite rather than a new one and keep at least 30 metres away from watercourses. Look for low impact campsites and spend only one or two nights at each campsite. Break up and scatter manure before vacating campsites
- Avoid crossing areas easily damaged by horses such as swamps and steep or boggy creek crossings
- Horses should be watered downstream from camping areas. To avoid stream bank erosion, bucket water to horses.
- Do not wash yourself or your horse in streams. Carry water to your camp for all washing purposes, including washing horses and scatter washwater well away from streams.
- Report fallen trees or limbs across roads to the nearest DPI office (for State forest) or Parks Victoria office (for parks and reserves).
- Leave no trace. Take all rubbish home.
- Take care with fire - observe all fire regulations and Total Fire Ban days.
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Firearms Safety Code - Observe this code. Insist others do the same.
The Department endorses the Firearms Safety Code, which was prepared by the Firearms Consultative Committee and promotes safe firearms handling practices. You should know the eight basic safety rules before you handle firearms and insist anyone who goes shooting with you follows these rules.
- Treat every firearm as being loaded. Check every firearm yourself, do not take the word of another person that a firearm is unloaded. Pass or accept only open and unloaded firearms. Never accept or pass a firearm to another person unless the breech is open and all ammunition has been removed from the firearm.
- Always point firearms in a safe direction. Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction. A safe direction will depend on where you are and what you are doing.
- Never have loaded firearms in the car, home or camp. Before entering a car, home or camp, completely unload your firearm. Ensure that the action is open and that there is no ammunition in either the breech or the magazine.
- Identify your target and what is behind it. Make sure of your target before firing. It is not enough just to think that what you see is your target. Your target must be positively identified before firing; if in doubt, DON'T SHOOT. The firing zone is not only the area between you and your target, but also the area beyond the target which is still within the extreme range of your firearm.
- Never fire at hard surfaces or water. Consider the area in which you are shooting. Could a ricochet occur? A ricochet will almost certainly result from shooting at water or smooth flat surfaces and rocks.
- Store ammunition and firearms separately. When not in use, lock away firearms and ammunition separately. Not only is this good sense but, in Victoria, there is a legal obligation on firearms owners to store firearms and ammunition separately in locked repositories or similar containers.
- No alcohol or drugs when handling firearms. Alcohol and many day-to-day drugs and medicines dull and slow your mental and physical reactions. When using firearms, this is an extremely dangerous condition as the ability to recognise and react to dangerous situations swiftly and accurately is essential.
- Do not climb fences or obstacles with loaded firearms. Before attempting to negotiate a fence or obstacle unload your firearm. Do not rely on safety catches. Safety catches, at best, only supplement the safe handling of firearms.
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Mountain Bike Code
Planning Your Ride:
- Obtain a map of the area you wish to explore and determine which areas are open for mountain bike use. Always take a good map on new rides.
- Decide on a leader, someone responsible and experienced.
- Go with small groups. This will reduce environmental damage and be more enjoyable.
- Make an itinerary. Everyone should understand and be comfortable with the route.
- Identify any dangers and discuss with the group before heading off.
- Ensure that there is adequate first aid if venturing into isolated areas.
- Tell someone. Leave an itinerary with a trusted person at home.
Safety on the trail:
- Wear a helmet, eye protection and other safety gear.
- Buddy up with two or three riders as riding solo can leave you vulnerable if you have an accident or breakdown.
Rules and common courtesy:
- Be considerate of others on the road or trail.
- Ride only where permitted.
- Obey all signs.
- Leave gates as you find them.
- Yield the right of way to those passing or travelling uphill.
- Pack out what you pack in.
Negotiating terrain:
- When climbing, shift to a gear that provides comfortable forward momentum and maintains traction.
- When descending, apply enough brake to maintain control, but avoid locking your bike's wheels.
- Avoid trails that are obviously wet and muddy to avoid trail damage.
- Cross streams slowly, at a 90-degree angle to the stream. Walking may be preferable as stream bottoms are often slippery.
Respect Others:
- Always give way to others. Even if it seems inconvenient, being considerate will foster a positive attitude towards bikers. Stop and move aside if you encounter walkers or horses.
- Allow others to pass before proceeding.
- Pass with care. Let others know of your presence well in advance. A greeting will suffice.
- Being startled will upset even the most tolerant walker.
- If you meet horse riders, always give them right of way. Bicycles easily frighten some horses and a spooked horse is dangerous to you and its rider. Announce your presence by voice, dismount and talk as the horse and rider pass to reassure the animal. If necessary, move off the track to give the horse plenty of room.
- If in doubt about availability of access or permit requirements, check with the responsible land manager.
- Ride in control at all times. When riding, be prepared for the unexpected. Timber trucks, 4WD's, hikers, horse riders and native animals may also be using your chosen track.
To ensure safe riding with minimal environmental impact, please observe the following:
- Stay on the road or on designated mountain bike trials. Do not ride "off-road" or on tracks closed to bikes as you may damage the environment you have come to enjoy.
- Minimise your impact. Keep your party small (4-8 people), go off-peak and avoid skidding. Skidding damages tracks by removing the harder surface layer. This can lead to erosion. Cutting corners also causes erosion. Don't cut corners, stay on the track.
- Stay away from wet muddy areas, as they are very prone to damage. The tracks you leave behind channel the water when it rains and this leads to erosion.
- Leave no trace. Take all rubbish home.
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Minimal Impact Picnicking
Forests are special places, but to remain so they need your help. To protect their delicate environs, we need to 'tread lightly' in the bush to minimise our impact on the natural environment. Here are some basic rules you should follow:
- All native plants and animals are protected. Do not cut down or damage standing trees or vegetation.
- Take your rubbish home. Think before throwing out food scraps as they can be harmful to native animals, and some waste (like fruit peelings) does not decompose quickly. Don't burn or bury rubbish. Burying food waste disturbs the soil and native animals will just dig it up later. If you have the misfortune to come across other people's rubbish, do the bush a favour and take it out with you too.
- Use only dead fallen wood. Standing trees, even dead ones are a home for wildlife and a part of the scenery. Do not cut down or damage standing trees or vegetation.
- Firewood is in short supply in many areas. Gather firewood well away from your picnic area and use it sparingly, keep it small and be conservative in your use of fuel or better still, bring your own. Where possible, use a lightweight stove for cooking.
- Take care with fire - observe all fire regulations and Total Fire Ban days. Use existing fireplaces rather than create your own. Ensure fires are safe and that they are completely extinguished when you leave.
- Protect water quality - wash-up at least 50 metres away from streams and avoid using soap (use gritty sand and a scourer instead).
- Leave picnic areas tidy.
- Keep your party small. Ideally, less than eight people.
- Go off peak.
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Scenic Driving Touring tips
- Stay on the track and drive lightly. Drive only on roads that are open to the public. Never bush bash or create new tracks. Avoid using muddy tracks.
- All native plants and animals are protected. Do not cut down or damage standing trees or plants. Leave wildlife alone and do not disturb their homes.
- Think of others. Respect others' rights to peace and solitude in the bush.
- Leave no litter. Take your rubbish home.
- Maintain your vehicle in a mechanically sound condition and be fully equipped.
- Carry sufficient food and water in case of an emergency.
- In remote areas travel with another vehicle and leave details of your proposed trip with a responsible person.
- When driving, be prepared for the unexpected. Timber trucks, hikers, horse riders, cyclists and native animals may also be sharing your chosen track.
- Enjoy your visit. Take a last look before leaving an area - Will the next visitor know that you have been there?
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A Guide to Minimal Impact Walking
- The objective of minimal impact bushwalking is to 'leave only footsteps and take only photos'.
- Stay on the track even if it's rough and muddy. Walking on the track edges and cutting corners on steep 'zigzag' tracks, increase damage, erosion and visual scarring, as well as causing confusion about which is the right track.
- Where there is a toilet, please use it. In areas without toilets, bury your faecal waste. Choose a spot at least 100 metres away from campsites and watercourses. Dig a hole 15cm (6 inches) deep (take a hand trowel for this purpose). Bury all faecal waste and paper, mixing it with soil to help decomposition and discourage animals.
- Boil water for at least five and preferably ten minutes before drinking in high-use areas or areas with low water flow.
- If you've carried it in, carry it out. Don't burn or bury rubbish. Carry out all your rubbish, including those easy-to-forget items like silver paper, plastic wrappers and orange peel which won't easily decompose. If you have the misfortune to come across other people's rubbish, do the bush a favour and pick that up too.
- Don't wash in streams and lakes. Detergents, tooth paste and soap (even biodegradable types) harm fish and aquatic life. Wash at least 50 metres away from streams and lakes.
- Practice low impact camping. Camp at an existing campsite rather than a new one, and keep at least 20 metres away from watercourses and the track. Spend only one or two nights at each campsite. Use waterproof tents and foam sleeping-mats to minimise damage to camping areas. Digging trenches around tents is damaging, and unnecessary if the tents are sited properly.
- Always carry a fuel stove when camping. If you carry warm clothing and a fuel stove, fires will not be needed for warmth or cooking. Compared with campfires, fuel stoves are faster, cleaner, easier to use in wet weather and they don't scar the landscape.
Planning Your Walk:
- Decide on a leader, someone responsible and experienced.
- Go with small groups. This will reduce environmental damage and be more enjoyable.
- Make an itinerary. Everyone should understand and be comfortable with the route.
- Identify any dangers and discuss with the group before heading off.
- Ensure that there is adequate first aid if venturing into isolated areas.
- Plan campsites. Camping hikers should determine before beginning the walk where they will camp each night.
- Tell someone. Leave an itinerary with a trusted person at home. This should include where and when the walk starts and finishes, planned overnight camping locations, relevant details of the group and walking experience, what gear the group has (first aid kits, extra food, radio, phone etc) and when and how authorities should be notified.
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Dog Walking Code
In areas where dogs are allowed:
- Please keep your dog under proper control on a chain, leash or cord.
- Ensure your dog does not cause injury or annoyance to people, damage or interference to property, or disturbance or injury to wildlife.
- Consider others. People visit the parks, forests and the coast for many reasons. Be considerate of other visitors who also have a right to enjoy the natural environment.
For further information on how you can help protect Victoria's natural treasures and keep yourself select from the range of recreation information sheets available.
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