Bugging out in Australia

Originally posted by Shar_Chi
99.9% of ppl will not survive 'bugging out' and living off the wilderness anywhere, especially not here in Australia. If you can't survive 4 weeks in the wilderness right now, then you probably dont have enough time to get it together at this point.

Realistically speaking, I think there is a tendency to overestimate how bad things are likely to get. It isn't going to uniformly fall apart to the same degree everywhere; some places will be worse than others.

With America, you can truthfully never really tell. I was sure we'd see the FEMA camps go online before the end of Bush II, but we didn't. I know with all the extra legal crap that Obama has done, people probably think that the fascist meltdown will probably occur close to the end of his term, as well; but something tells me that it's not going to be until at least the next President.

The other thing to be aware of, is that even when the camps do come online, it isn't going to be everybody who gets piled into them. The DHS is primarily concerning itself with the sovereignty movement, the militia movement and such...which basically reduces down to Vietnam veterans, for the most part. As paradoxical as it may sound, engaging in overt preparedness is actually likely to make you more of a target. If you want to prep at all, definitely keep it on the down low.

Without going into specifics, I have been told by someone who I considered a reasonable authority on the subject, that Australia is going to be the proverbial eye of the storm; and by "eye," I mean the place in the center of it where everything is still, paradoxically, completely calm. So yes, Australia probably is going to be a good country to be in, if you have to be anywhere.

If you want a timetable, I will also tell you that you've still got two years, according to the estimate I have been given; although that of course also depends on other developments which my own informant had no way of knowing about or accounting for. If he is right, however, 2014 will be the year when things truly become...interesting.

I would rather stay where I am as long as possible, as self sufficiency (livestock and home grown vegetables mainly) and community are strongest. Natural disasters are common enough without the added problem of thousands of BushTucker Man wannabes running screaming through the countryside.

In the event of flood, fire, cyclone or pretty much anything else, the small community I call home usually pulls together to make sure all are provided for and taken care of regardless. Food and supplies are kept in reserve, not because of some great "end of the world" scenario, but because in the event of a natural disaster happening we are prepared instead of being like everyone else and doing the last minute raid on the petrol station or supermarket while the waters rise around us.

In a worst case scenario that is unrecoverable from, I would create a kind of community from the properties we live on as long as possible, because many eyes make the best security force, and many hands make light work.

If you're in the north of Aus, then you're pretty much screwed.
I'm from Tassie but moved to Melb when I was 13. I would rather be in VIC if SHTF than Tassie, man some of the bush there is not fit for any being, thanks but no thanks. Even worse when it's the winter (almost everyday of the year). My father, his mates and I used to go to the old mining places with our bikes and convoy of 4x4's so they could pull out and restore old mining equipment (It's a tassie thing), old shafts, collapsed tunnels hidden by vegetation, snakes, list goes on. That's the types if area's I went as a kid.
South of Australia (Vic) you can move around, plenty of rivers, changing landscapes, not bad climate, so you can easily adapt.

Originally posted by crackerjack
I'm from Tassie but moved to Melb when I was 13. I would rather be in VIC if SHTF than Tassie, man some of the bush there is not fit for any being, thanks but no thanks.

Have you been to New South Wales? I went there last year. Victoria is extremely tedious, in my mind. Freezing cold weather all the time, and the people aren't anywhere near as nice as in NSW in my experience.

Originally posted by pikestaff

Originally posted by 8om8er
Ive got my choices of places to go. I like the highlands in Southern NSW/Northern VIC. Plenty of wild goats and pigs, plus native animals, lots of clean fresh water and lots of space. Lots of trout and in some streams/rivers there is Murray Crays........they make Lobsters look like prawns. Also, lots of resources and caves.

Some of Tassie would be nice also. I would stick to somewhere cool though because i hate the heat. Would be kind of fun to just go bush for a while, by choice.

You need more than just meat and fish, what about fruit and vegetables? just meat and fish will eventually kill you.
Plus what about clothing and footwear?

If the SHTF, there will be a shortage of clothing and footwear everywhere, dont think staying in a city or built up area will save you from this. The original question was 'where would you go?'. Where id go would be similar to where i live, in the highlands of NSW or VIC. OR similar in Tassie. Possibly, i wouldnt have to leave. Im not necessarily talking about living in the bush, theres lots of open land around, i also happen to own a good amount of it.

reply to post by petrus4


Yeah I have been up the NSW central coast love it up there, you're right in that actually, but I still prefer Vic people I think that would be ALOT more hospitible place to survive than Vic. Jervis bay rings a bell that would be a neat place where you can gather alot of local bush foods and wildlife. Also that's prime Yowie (bigfoot) country.

Thank you everyone for contributing!

Does anyone have any links, books our resources about anything to do with survival in Tasmania they could recommend?..

About any aspect of survival like fishing, flora and fuana, weather, dangers, any general info of tassie etc..

Would really be appreciated.

Thanks

reply to post by IgnorantSpecies


There is a few websites, I had a look at this guys site he also has a downloadable PDF with pics and so on big.com.au...

But ive never really researched survival in tassie, kinda grew up doing it lol.
But in saying that, there is always a lot of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes that grow, but they tend to give you the runs, and also apple trees, there is always literally thousands of wallabies
And paddymelons if you can trap them, and if you bought a a telescopic fishing rod that would do fine too.
If its just protein your after wattle grubs are edible, and live in the bark of wattle trees, there is also walnut trees too.
But I wouldn't big out to Tassie if I had options, most times of the year the snow can and will fall down to the 450-500 metre level, and it's usually raining and generally cold all the time.

Originally posted by AlanQaida
reply to post by IgnorantSpecies

 

There is a few websites, I had a look at this guys site he also has a downloadable PDF with pics and so on big.com.au...

But ive never really researched survival in tassie, kinda grew up doing it lol.
But in saying that, there is always a lot of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes that grow, but they tend to give you the runs, and also apple trees, there is always literally thousands of wallabies
And paddymelons if you can trap them, and if you bought a a telescopic fishing rod that would do fine too.
If its just protein your after wattle grubs are edible, and live in the bark of wattle trees, there is also walnut trees too.
But I wouldn't big out to Tassie if I had options, most times of the year the snow can and will fall down to the 450-500 metre level, and it's usually raining and generally cold all the time.

Thanks for that looks good!

Seems like a good place minus the few obvious draw backs.

Would there be any place in Tassie that is remote but suitable? Like maybe along the coast or something?

ETA:
Being from Tasmania, do you know any sure fire ways and techniques to catch fish over there in either fresh or salt water.
Traditional angling methods are pretty hit and miss.

Originally posted by IgnorantSpecies

Originally posted by AlanQaida
reply to post by IgnorantSpecies

 

There is a few websites, I had a look at this guys site he also has a downloadable PDF with pics and so on big.com.au...

But ive never really researched survival in tassie, kinda grew up doing it lol.
But in saying that, there is always a lot of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes that grow, but they tend to give you the runs, and also apple trees, there is always literally thousands of wallabies
And paddymelons if you can trap them, and if you bought a a telescopic fishing rod that would do fine too.
If its just protein your after wattle grubs are edible, and live in the bark of wattle trees, there is also walnut trees too.
But I wouldn't big out to Tassie if I had options, most times of the year the snow can and will fall down to the 450-500 metre level, and it's usually raining and generally cold all the time.

Thanks for that looks good!

Seems like a good place minus the few obvious draw backs.

Would there be any place in Tassie that is remote but suitable? Like maybe along the coast or something?

ETA:
Being from Tasmania, do you know any sure fire ways and techniques to catch fish over there in either fresh or salt water.
Traditional angling methods are pretty hit and miss.

edit on 8-4-2012 by IgnorantSpecies because: (no reason given)

Remote and suitable, well, anywhere along the north east coast, I would avoid the whole west coast, it's always raining and freezing, but a lot of the east coast is ok. Moat of the populated areas are just pockets really, so there is a lot of choice in that regard.
I would choose the north/north east coast due to the lower population and the weather may be more temperate, now for fishing, if you had a a few spools of 200 lb hand line you could set up dead lines, and would catch all trout variety and also the Atlantic salmon in the dams/lakes, also if you find freshwater creeks/rivers there's always loads of yabbies to catch and eat, you can use and old stocking and some meat for that, but the reason I would choose dead lines is you can set up as many as you like and only need a hook a sinker and a few worms, and while they sit you can come back later etc, but leaving them overnight would be best as that's the best time to fish

I would avoid salt water fishing as it quite lame, unless you want to catch stingrays, and port Jackson sharks which taste like soap.
There are also some penguin habitats around so you could catch and eat those. But penguins taste weird, not like chicken at all.

Now all this is good, but if you go out bush, there are still a lot of guns in tassie, neary every farmer has a few, and if SHTF I wouldn't recommend visibly crossing there land, day or night.

I just realised I prattled on again lol, I'll stop now but if you have any other questions fire away.

reply to post by AlanQaida


The south west coast seems completely empty on google maps, and the coast looks to be surrounded by the densest forest.
And it has huge lakes.
While the north east seems to be scattered with farmland and such

Do you know what flooding is like over in Tassie and what areas are susceptible?

Wow thankyou for all that information!
Its great to have someone help out!

Yeah salt water fishing can be too risky if you need to catch your dinner.
Although if I am out there for a while and had plenty of spare time I would set out a few shark lines just for fun.

Penguin would probably be a last resort haha

Do you know where there are not many farms?
The south west looks to be mostly forest but google maps can be deceiving, could be farm land mixed in there?

Also, do you know any sure fire way for trapping or hunting land animals over there?
And I am assuming you cant eat devil due to that disease they have now?

Thank you so much for helping, really appreciate it.

If there is anything else you think I should know, then please tell me.

Originally posted by IgnorantSpecies
I was thinking about the possibility of a shtf situation in Australia,
and having to go out into the wilderness and live off the land a for a while.
Sort of in the bear grylls style.

You mean appearing to be hardcore, but staying in expensive hotels?
I don't really have that much time for Bear Grylls. There are plenty of more hardcore Kiwis and Aussies than that sham.

Originally posted by aorAki

Originally posted by IgnorantSpecies
I was thinking about the possibility of a shtf situation in Australia,
and having to go out into the wilderness and live off the land a for a while.
Sort of in the bear grylls style.

You mean appearing to be hardcore, but staying in expensive hotels?
I don't really have that much time for Bear Grylls. There are plenty of more hardcore Kiwis and Aussies than that sham.

Trust me, I don't like him much either but I needed to explain it for everyone to understand easily.

Originally posted by IgnorantSpecies
reply to post by AlanQaida

 

The south west coast seems completely empty on google maps, and the coast looks to be surrounded by the densest forest.
And it has huge lakes.
While the north east seems to be scattered with farmland and such

Do you know what flooding is like over in Tassie and what areas are susceptible?

Wow thankyou for all that information!
Its great to have someone help out!

Yeah salt water fishing can be too risky if you need to catch your dinner.
Although if I am out there for a while and had plenty of spare time I would set out a few shark lines just for fun.

Penguin would probably be a last resort haha

Do you know where there are not many farms?
The south west looks to be mostly forest but google maps can be deceiving, could be farm land mixed in there?

Also, do you know any sure fire way for trapping or hunting land animals over there?
And I am assuming you cant eat devil due to that disease they have now?

Thank you so much for helping, really appreciate it.

If there is anything else you think I should know, then please tell me.

edit on 9-4-2012 by IgnorantSpecies because: (no reason given)

Haha

Well I don't know much about the south coast, never really went there lol, but furthest south I've been was dunally, and that place is kinda...backward.

But it's all pretty much similar, north is Warmer than the south, central midlands can be scorching or freezing, or flooded, there are a lot of areas that flood, but it's not hard to get to higher ground even by foot.

Catching wallabies is never fun, but you can use a few dufferent techniques I guess, snare's, or digging holes everywhere and covering the openings, bow and arrow, Rock slings, throwing rocks, or find a gun lol.

Also, I would avoid eating possums, they taste like # and they carry loads of diseases, there was a case a few months back where 2 ladies were hospitalized from a possum bite, they were infected with tularaemia which us supposedly found only in the northern hemisphere and has Been used as a bio weapon lol figures.

Anyway, you can make cage traps easy enough also.

Never discount the penguin haha, I don't think I've seen bear grylls eat a penguin yet either lol.

Learnt of a #eload of different areas to "bug out" to in Aus during my time in the Army, though some of the places are official gov land, they are very vast and places within them are very concealed lol, so if SHTF im probably headin towards shoalwater bay lol know the place back to front, massive location, plenty of hideaway spots and probably one of the last places that would be searched...

en.wikipedia.org...

Here in South West Au there is more Kanga's than Humans, I think I could comfortably live on Roo meat for a few months with a couple of Rabbits thrown in for good measure. As for Seafood we have plenty on our doorstep as well, the big problem is how long would it hold up if 2 million people were taking food from this environment.

Perhaps this is where the "Long Pig" comes into play ? how far would you go to feed your family ?

Originally posted by mazzroth
Here in South West Au there is more Kanga's than Humans, I think I could comfortably live on Roo meat for a few months with a couple of Rabbits thrown in for good measure. As for Seafood we have plenty on our doorstep as well, the big problem is how long would it hold up if 2 million people were taking food from this environment.

Perhaps this is where the "Long Pig" comes into play ? how far would you go to feed your family ?

That's a good point, atleast with tassie you only have to contend with 500,000 lol, but even with 2 million people, what percentage of those have ever had to " hunt to live" so to speak, it's sad really, that realistically at least 1.5 million of those people would perish due to not having any survival skills, just look at how many people freak when they have no electricity, I read a statistic a while back that something like 42% of the population can't survive without a microwave, or a tv

Now people might be able to "kill" a rabbit, or a roo, but they might have no idea on bleeding them, cleaning them etc, so it's a great possibility that in a 3 month period over a million would perish.

Also in regards to tassie, I would avoid mushrooms, my grandfather taught me alot of bushcraft and bush tucker but even he was weary of mushrooms, due to the large variety of poisonous types. I also just remembered if you want
To salt water fish, you could always make a spear and go floundering.

Strathbogie Ranges offers a dramatic landscape with breathtaking views around every corner. Rugged granite-topped hills punctuated by thick stands of pristine bush accommodate an abundance of wildlife to hunt.

Just down the road from here is Lake Nillahcootie
Lake Nillahcootie holds an array of fish species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Blackfish, Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Redfin, Tench, Carp and Murray Crayfish.

This is where id/ ill go

Originally posted by Waratah
Strathbogie Ranges offers a dramatic landscape with breathtaking views around every corner. Rugged granite-topped hills punctuated by thick stands of pristine bush accommodate an abundance of wildlife to hunt.

Just down the road from here is Lake Nillahcootie
Lake Nillahcootie holds an array of fish species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Blackfish, Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Redfin, Tench, Carp and Murray Crayfish.

This is where id/ ill go

edit on 10-4-2012 by Waratah because: Spelling

edit on 10-4-2012 by Waratah because: (no reason given)

Mmm Murray cray

Redfin is great to use as bait, salmon love em.