History

Bushwalking Victoria (previously known as The Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs or VicWalk), is a grouping of more than sixty clubs and 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. The FWVC 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 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.

John Retchford with Hon. Tom Reynolds, Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing, at the launch of the 1st edition of the manual, 8th May 1993

Bush Search and Rescue celebrated its 50th anniversary in March 2000.

Bush Search and Rescue Victoria was formally adopted as the organisation name in 2010.

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 practices, 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.

See also