Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
Joan Chambers/Shu Wong
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
Leader Joan Chambers
Co-leader Shu Wong
Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
2/5/2016 through 2/20/2016
Total # of days 16
Backpacking
Bicycling-Mountain
Bicycling-Road
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Camping
Cultural
Family
Hiking
Paddling-Canoeing
Paddling-Sea-Kayaking
Skiing-CrossCountry (Nordic)
Trekking (e.g., hutto-hut)
Hiking/Walking
Minimum 14
Primary type of trip
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
When should the trip notice be
published in AMC Outdoors?
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in AMC Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
Skiing-Downhill
Snorkeling
(Alpine)
Walking
Other – please describe
Select one of those checked above.
Maximum 14
$ 3,750
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ ~1,700 from
Will leaders assist participants with flights? Yes
No
LAX; ~$2,100
from Boston
First Appearance: Month ASAP
Year 2015
Last Appearance: Month January
Year 2016
Note: AMC Outdoors is only published in Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month and year when it should
be posted on line. ASAP
Is this proposal for a small group trip – i.e., less than 14 participants and 2
leaders or 7 participants and 1 leader? Yes
No
If yes, why is a small group proposed?
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain why?
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid
training
CPR training
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Form Revised February 2014
Joan Chambers
16 Harcourt St., #5H, Boston, MA 02116
wu.chambers@gmail.com
Home
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 12/2016
Cell 617-680-6717
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 12/2016
If this is your first Adventure Travel trip as a Leader you must be present at the AMCATC meeting at which the trip proposal is considered.
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Feel free to list additional
trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate experience related to the trip you are
proposing.
2014 02/22 to 03/9 Patagonia day hikes and Backpack : Leader
2011 07/15 to 07/30 Tour du Mont Blanc Backpack : Leader
2011 02/05 to 02/21 New Zealand Backpack : Leader
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 5
Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
Joan Chambers/Shu Wong
Other related trip
experience
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this area?
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips Do either of you
lead trips that are private - not
sponsored by the AMC?
Shu Wong
1862 78th Street, 1st Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11214
wsp1123@gmail.com
Home n/a
Work n/a
Cell 917-566-8520
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: Schedule to take WFA class in May 2015
CPR
BLS
Expiration: Schedule to take CPR class in May 2015
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be an Adventure Travel
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application. Also, it is strongly
recommended that you be present at the AMC-ATC meeting at which the trip proposal
is considered.
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Please indicate if you were
the leader or co-leader.
AMC NY-No NJ Chapter Trip - scheduled for September 2015. 4 day hut to hut hike in
Pemigewasset Wilderness.
Hike leader in the NY-No NJ Chapter and Delaware – weekend leader in Mohican
Outdoor Center
Currently serve as AMC August Camp Treasurer. I particpated in the AT trip in
Patagonia in February 2014.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private
trips together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any materials
you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Summary
Please provide a description
of the trip and the activities
planned. If available, please
include or attach an itinerary.
Accommodations
Please describe your plans for
accommodation(s)
Form Revised February 2014
This Down Under adventure begins in Sydney, where it'll be a combination of city and
cultural sightseeing in the heart of Sydney. We will also venture outside of Sydney for
day hikes in the Blue Mountains National Park and Sydney Harbour National Park.
After Sydney, fly to Hobart, the capital of Tasmania and second oldest city in Australia.
We will explore the city of Hobart before departing for Freycinet National Park for
beautiful coastal hikes such as the Wineglass Bay. After Freycinet National Park, drive
to Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National park, world-renowned for its pristine
environment and beauty. We will also day hike in the nearby Wall of Jerusalem National
Park. The trip will end in Launceston (Tasmania), where we will explore the second
largest city in Tasmania before departing back to the U.S.
We will stay at a combination of hotels, lodges, cabins and hostels, it all depends on the
availability of the lodgings at the time of booking, about 4-6 months in advance of trip.
February is still consider peak travel season in Australia, so we will monitor the
accommodations availability and try to book as soon as we can.
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
Meals: Please describe your
plans for providing meals. If
the budget includes any funds
for leader meals not shared
with the group please justify.
Local Transportation
Please describe your plans for
local transportation
Will leaders or participants be
drivers of motor vehicles?
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Joan Chambers/Shu Wong
We will try to book lodings that includes Breakfasts. As our accomdations are in cities
or close to it, there are places to buy lunches and dinners (certain lodings have
restaurants on site). Alternatively, lunch supplies can be bought at local markets.
Leaders will also purchase meals - this will be a budgeted expense since it is an out-ofpocket travel cost for the leaders.
In Sydney, we will either walk or take public transportation to get around. We will book
a tour for the Blue Mountain day hike as it requires driving to the trail head. Tasmania is
a small island state and the public transportation isn't the most convenient or frequent.
The proposed trip in Tasmania goes from Hobart ->Freycinet National Park ->Cradle
Mountain -> Wall of Jerusalem National Park -> Launceston. Due to time constraint and
group size, its most efficient to rent our own vehicles thereby allowing us freedom of
time to stop for sightseeing, fit in the most amount of activities and reduce costs.
Will leaders be drivers?
Will volunteer participants be drivers?
If so, MVR checks will be needed. See Appendix S1. Yes, we will submit the driver for
MVR checks prior to approving them as drivers.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
We will need to purchase National Parks entrance fees, which can be purchased at the
park's visitor center or online.
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
Special equipment
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
Does the trip require special
will ensure that people know how to use it:
equipment?
Special experience
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
Does the trip require special
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
skills on the part of the
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Do you plan to get your group Yes, we plan to send out trip newsletters. Depend on the geographical locations of our
together before the trip for an
participants, we might do a meet and greet or a hike prior to the trip.
activity or social event?
Participants will learn about the Australian culture and history by visiting sites of
Conservation, education and
cultural and historic interest. We will also be hiking in a variety of Australia's
recreation
How will this AMC-AT trip meet the
National Parks, where we will be exposed to different terrain and geological
mission of the AMC?
formation as well as experiencing Australia's conservation of its trails and natural
www.outdoors.org/about/mission.cfm
outdoors. We will practice Leave No Trace principles and whenever possible,
speak with rangers at visitor center to learn more about the trails we are hiking
on.
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
This section should be completed if the trip will be using a tour operator, outfitter, guide service, travel agency or
other such company or person(s) for a significant part of the trip or for the entire trip. Any person(s) or companies
that are handling a significant portion of trip funds or arrangements need to be vetted. If there is more than one
tour operator please provide this information about each such entity.
Will this trip require a tour
Yes
No
operator or guide service
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
during part of or for the
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
We will only book a one day tour to the Blue Mountain.
entire trip?
N/A
Name of tour operator/guide
service
N/A
Tour operator website
Safety record
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Do they have liability
insurance?
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
response plan in the case of an
emergency.
Joan Chambers/Shu Wong
Liability? Yes
No
Are they willing to list AMC as an
additional insured?
Maximum amt: $
Yes
No
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section
if applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Rugged, unpredictable mountain weather, wildlife (snakes)
Response
For the hiking portion of the trip, we will be hiking in National Parks where we will
encounter wildlife. We will also encounter rugged trails, so we will hike as a group and
assess conditions as we meet them. As we will be staying in non-remote lodging
locations and only doing day hikes, we can change our itinerary due to unsafe conditions
(participants can also opt out of the day's activity if they are tired, etc). As we are hiking
in National Parks, the hiking trails are well marked and we will stop at Park's ranger
stations for additional information prior to the hikes.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
None
Response
Australia is economically and socially stable country.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
Transportation
Potential hazards
Vehicle breakdown
Response
As Tasmania is a small state and not as remote, we won't be far from help and we can
contact our car rental agencies for road side assistance.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Participants
Potential hazards
Experience level, health, social interactions
Response
A full screening process will eliminate many potential problems. Those that arise will be
dealt with on an individual basis. Both leaders have extensive group leadership
experience and are practiced at handling uncomfortable situations. Potential health risks
will be aired during the screening process so leaders will be aware of participants’ health
situation. We will look for people with backcountry experience, tolerance for rustic
conditions and experience in foreign countries
Conditions unique to this type of trip
Other
Potential hazards
None
Response
None
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Give as much detail as possible and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS BLANK
Australia is a modern English speaking country and as we are in/close to cities, help is
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
easy to obtain. In addition, we will keep National Park's ranger station contact
documentation, distance from
information on hand in case we encounter issues on the trails. February is still consider
emergency services
peak season, so ranger stations will be open and we will also encounter other walkers on
the trails.
We will be carrying first aid kits. At least one leader will carrying an international cell
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
phone.
aid or communication
equipment (satellite phone,
Form Revised February 2014
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
Walking Australia - Sydney and Tasmania
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Medical care
Please describe the medical
care available in the area(s)
where you will be traveling
and list names and telephone
numbers for these facilities.
Joan Chambers/Shu Wong
We are only planning on day hikes on popular trails within National Parks. Mountain
safety is taken very seriously and there are numerous rescue options including helicopter
rescue.
Australia have excellent medical facilities. You can call 000 for all emergency help.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
The current exchange rate as of December 2014 for the Australian
Foreign currencies
For int’l trips list each foreign currency, the
dollar is (1 AUD = $0.82 USD); the budget is figured at 1 = 1. The high
current $US dollar exchange rate and what
within the year was $0.94 USD, so although AUD is declining, not sure
contingencies you have if that rate changes. If
if it will be same for 2016. Except for leader airfare and minor
a tour operator or agent is being used, what
administrative expenses paid in dollars here, everything will be paid in
currency is the agent to be paid in?
AUD$ there.
Non-refundable airline tickets for the leaders will have to be purchased in advance, but
Group Trip Deposits
What deposits will be required
not until it is clear that the trip will go (The cost of refundable tickets is prohibitive).
from you by airlines, hotels, tour Other reservations will be booked once we have confirmed participants.
operators, etc., and when?
Group trip deposits fully refundable until 120 days in advance of trip date.
Group Trip Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund of any deposits?
Initial deposit of $1,000 is due with application. Second payment of $1,500 due July
Participant deposits
What are the initial deposit and
31st, 2015. Final payment of $1,250 due October 31, 2015. Deposit checks from wait
your schedule of payments by
listed applicants will not be cashed unless and until we accept them AND they confirm
participants to you?
continued interest.
Cancellation by an accepted participant will not be allowed to raise the cost to the
Cancellation policy
What will be your cancellation
other participants or to the leaders. Published minimum penalty: $200 after the trip is
policy for the participants?
declared a go. If actual costs are higher, they will be included in the assessment. We
reserve the right to reduce cancellation penalties if costs incurred can be passed to a
replacement participant.
Minimum numbers
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum number?
Reference web links:
AMC-ATC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
AMC-ATC Chair:
Form Revised February 2014
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/committee/proposals/
nholland@outdoors.org
mikebarry657@mac.com
Adventure Travel Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 5