Minimal Impact Bushwalking

Walking 'softly'

Keep on track
Wade through the centre of boggy sections of track. This is the best way that walkers can help with stopping the sprawl of muddy areas. We recommend wearing gaiters to protect yourself against the scrub and mud.

Group size
The preferred maximum party size is 4-6 people. Large groups can be difficult to accommodate at huts and campsites and have greater social and environmental impact.

Plant disease kills - help boot it out

Bushwalkers can carry plant disease into wilderness areas via muddy boots, tents and other walking equipment. All items used in the bush need to be scrupulously cleaned between one trip and the next. Items that require a scrub include boots and gaiters (the most risky items), tent floors, groundsheets, tent poles and pegs, trowels, packs, waterproof coats and trousers.

Cleaning is best done in a laundry and the water disposed of via the septic/sewerage system or on a bitumen road.

It is preferable to camp in the areas adjacent to the huts, and use the tent platforms where they are provided. These sites offer good camping spots, and using these sites helps to limit degradation. Camping platforms have either hooks or cables attached to the edges to which you attach your tents' peg loops. You can bring spare strong string in case you camp on a platform where cables are missing.

Do not camp within 30 metres of lakes and streams as these areas erode most easily.

Carry something for collecting water so as to limit the number of trips that need to be made for water (a well rinsed, empty wine cask bladder is recommended). Do not dig drains around tents. Camping is not permitted inside the Cradle Mountain day walk area.

Dishwashing

Use hot water and a scourer to clean plates and cookware. Soaps and detergents are not welcome in the bush. Despite their name, biodegradable products still impact on water-life.

Where possible, dish washing water should be disposed of in the grease traps that are located near most of the huts. Where there are no grease traps, dish washing should be done 50 metres away from water and the waste water scattered.

Keep Wildlife Wild

The smell of food will have native animals raiding your pack, rattling your cookware and riffling through your rubbish. Nocturnal visitors include brush-tailed possums, eastern quolls and spotted-tail quolls, while during the day currawongs may attack unattended packs in search of food.

Animals such as possums and native mice can carry disease by licking your cookware and cause rubbish to be scattered when they break into garbage bags. At night, hang your food and rubbish in the huts or stow securely in your packs. The vestibule of your tent is not a secure place. Rigid plastic containers are useful for storing food.

Do not feed animals and ensure that no food scraps are left in huts or outside. Processed food is not part of their natural diet and, in some cases, can lead to the death of native animals, as well as result in unnaturally high populations occurring in the vicinity of huts.

Rubbish

All rubbish must be carried out with you. Rubbish includes cigarette butts!

Do not attempt to burn any rubbish in the hut stoves. Much of it will fall through the stove grates and be discarded as litter outside the huts.

Please don’t put any rubbish into the composting toilets, as this restricts the composting process. Used sanitary pads, tampons, condoms and baby nappies are items of litter and must be carried out.

Leave the huts clean and tidy. Don't leave unwanted food and clothing in the huts.