Bushwalking Victoria (formerly Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs or VicWalk), represents more than sixty clubs as well as individual members. Bushwalking Victoria promotes safe and enjoyable bushwalking, conservation of the bush and represents bushwalking to the public and to government. As well as bushwalking, the activities of member clubs include ski touring, rock climbing, orienteering, mountaineering, canoeing, bicycling, rafting and rogaining.



Bushwalking Victoria has maintained a Search and Rescue Section since 1949. Its Search and Rescue Section was formed to assist Police during searches for people lost in remote or difficult terrain. This occurred after a number of individual members of bushwalking clubs served as volunteers during an unsuccessful search for a solo walker lost at Wilsons Promontory. Senior Police were very impressed with the skill and independence of these walkers and encouraged the Federation (as it was then known) to establish a formal search and rescue group. Several clubs made this a reality.







In the early 1990s the Section changed its name to Bushwalkers Search and Rescue. Further information on the history of the Section (and the Federation generally) is contained in “The Scroggin Eaters” by Graeme Wheeler. The Section produced a Manual first published in 1993 . The second edition came ten years later and in 2017 the Manual was put on-line for members.



In 2010, the organisation formally adopted Bush Search and Rescue Victoria as its name.
Bush Search and Rescue commemorated its 75th anniversary with a luncheon on 5th May 2024. As it happened, a call-out the evening before had several members join a search for a missing man.



Bush Search and Rescue Victoria is probably the largest organised pool of bushcraft and mountain skills in Victoria. These skills, together with an appropriate organisational structure and regular search training, form the basis for an emergency group which has quietly served the Victorian public for many decades.
The organisation is totally voluntary and involves around 300 people.
Since its inception in 1949, the Bush Search and Rescue Victoria has provided advice to Bushwalking Victoria clubs, the Bushwalking Victoria Board, government, schools and other organisations.
BSAR members are selected by bushwalking and mountaineering clubs affiliated to Bushwalking Victoria. From 2007, BSAR members could also be selected from individual members of Bushwalking Victoria.


BSAR has provided volunteer search and rescue services to the people of Victoria on over 175 occasions, usually in bush or alpine areas.
For a list of all searches BSAR has participated in see Searches.