BWV Walk Leader Training
Unit 6 – Navigation
In co-operation with Benalla Bushwalking Club
MAPS
As a rule the top of the map points to the North.
Always check the directional arrow on the map.
Technical information taken from Geoscience Australia www.ga.gov.au
 Topographic maps are detailed, accurate graphic representations of features that
appear on the Earth's surface. These features include:
 cultural: roads, buildings, urban development, railways, airports, names of
places and geographic features, administrative boundaries, state and
international borders, reserves
 hydrography: lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, coastal flats
 relief: mountains, valleys, slopes, depressions
 vegetation: wooded and cleared areas, vineyards and orchards.
 A map legend (or key) lists the features shown on that map, and their
corresponding symbols.
Map Craft
Topographic maps give a picture of three dimensional objects on a two dimensional plane.
Brown coloured lines, called contour lines, enable us to visualize the shape of the ground.
On a road map we use intersections, towns and signs etc. to establish where we are.
Tracks in the bush are not always accurate and it is often better to ignore them and learn
to recognize the “road signs” in the bush, eg. knolls (hills), gullies (creek beds), saddles,
spurs and ridges. These are shown on the map by the use of brown lines.
Contour Lines
These are lines joining regions of equal height above and below sea level. They may be
100m, 20m or 10m intervals. The Warby Range map has 10 m contour intervals.
As you are moving across the lines you are either going up or down.
Understanding Contour Lines
Learn to recognise features.
Hill
Unit 6 – Navigation
Spur(s)
Page 1 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
What is common to all mountain tops? They are displayed with a continuous line, like a
circle .
With knolls the contours reach the highest elevation for that area and are a closed loop.
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 2 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
Gullies or Re-Entrants
Valley
Note the shape of the contour lines in the gully. The apex points toward the higher of the
contours. The gullies are creeks or creek beds and are often marked with blue lines.
Gullies do not necessarily contain water but the vegetation is usually much thicker and
harder to get to and should be avoided rather than followed.
Spurs (see diagram above)
Spurs are usually the best routes to follow up or down in Victoria. They are easier to follow
as the ground falls down either side, they are less undulating and usually lead to a
prominent point such as a knoll.
All our best known routes to mountains are formed this way – Howitt Spur, Eskdale Spur,
Diamantina Spur, Bungalow Spur…
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 3 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
Saddles
Another important feature is the saddle. These are very helpful in establishing your
position. Saddles are between higher grounds when you walk along a spur or ridge. Also
a road or route will often cross a ridge at a saddle, e.g. Taminick Gap, Tawonga Gap.
Saddle
Summary
You should be able to recognize these features on the map; the contours are distinctive for
each.
Knolls
Mt Warby, small flat knoll on a long, flat area.
Mt Bruno, definite shape, falls away steeply.
Saddles
West of Mt Bruno
Spurs North-west of Mt Bruno
Road intersection GR 245797, heads South
Gullies
Become creeks or rivers
Above Jubilee Falls
At Black Springs
Ridges
Gullies start from either side of ridge but never cross it.
Booth Road follows the Warby Range
NAVIGATION
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 4 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
Grid References
Grid lines not only help estimating distances, they are also used for reference. The grid
lines are numbered along the edge of the map. The Australian Geodetic Datum (AGD) is
standard for all maps used in bushwalking.
To determine your position on a map the vertical grid lines (numbered from West / East)
called Eastings are used first.
The horizontal grid lines (numbered from South / North) called Northings are used
second.
To locate a grid square, locate the vertical grid line immediately to the left of the square
first, then the horizontal grid line immediately below the square.
Exercise 1
4 Figure Grid Squares
a. Find the grid square 2876. What feature is in the top right-hand corner of the square?
_________________________________
b. Which waterfall is in the grid square 2978?
_________________________________
This four figure reference is accurate within a one kilometre square. A more accurate six
figure reference is used when walking. To do this we divide each grid square into tenths,
or one hundred meters square.
Exercise 2
6 Figure Grid Squares
a. What is located at GR 266788?
___________________________________
b. Find the grid reference for:
Mt Bruno (the mountain)
___________________
Near the centre of the map, “Crestview”, not the name but the facility.
______________________________
To the east, intersection of Booth Road and Taylor Track. ________________
c. Which features are at the following grid references?
GR 256787.
_________________________________________
GR 252763
_________________________________________
GR 220795.
_________________________________________
Scale
Maps can cover as large or small an area as desired. Smaller scale maps have smaller
level of detail and cover a bigger area, larger scale maps have larger level of detail and
cover less area
If the map scale is 1:100,000 it means that one cm is equal to one km on the ground.
Bushwalking maps tend to have a scale of 1:50,000; this means that two cm is equal to
one km on the ground.
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 5 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
On a 1:25,000 Vicmap, four cm is equal to one km on the ground. These
preferred as they cover less area and give more detail.
are
When planning your walk and you follow your route on a map, estimate the distance you
travel by counting the centimetres on the map and converting to kilometres. To make it
easier the grid lines on the map are one kilometre apart.
Exercise 3
Estimation of Distance.
a. You are driving along the Glenrowan / Boweya Road. How far from the Avondale Gate
(GR 220755) to Jones Road (GR 220788)? _______________________
b. How far from Griffith Track (GR 263794) to Black Springs (GR 266788) and return to
Griffith Track via walking track? _______________________
Exercise 4
Measuring Distances – using Warby Range Special 8125-3-1-A map
Use the Bush Walk Planner sheet in your Handbook to find the distances. Add more
information to the Route Plan when you finish the distances.
THE COMPASS
Direction is given in degrees.
There are 360 degrees around the compass
North can be given as zero or 360 degrees.
East is always 90 degrees.
South is always 180 degrees.
West is always 270 degrees.
In bushwalking it is usual to give the bearing in degrees relative to North. By giving a
number between 0 and 360 degrees representing the direction you intend to travel,
anyone should be able to proceed in that particular direction.
The Magnetic Needle. The needle is housed in fluid to keep it damped so it will remain
steady and easier to read. It is also adjusted to our latitudes and lies exactly horizontal e.g.
along the electromagnetic field of the earth’s surface. If you take it to the northern
hemisphere it will tilt and jam and not be able to swing.
The needle points to magnetic north (red section) which is different to grid north. In our
area at present the variation is about 12 degrees. This has to be taken into account when
using a map and compass.
The Housing. It can be turned by hand, but is firm enough to remain fixed. Besides
housing the needle, there are parallel lines within it which are parallel to the north-south
alignment in the housing. North is marked with an arrow.
The Base Plate. Take note of the Direction of Travel arrow. This is the way you go! It also
has a scale ruler along each side; this is known as a Map Card or romer.
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 6 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
Exercise 5
The following procedure is to be used to find your direction of travel when given a
magnetic bearing.
1
2
3
4
5
Your required direction is 163 deg.
Turn your compass housing so that 163 deg. is at the top. There should be a
mark giving the exact position.
Stand and while holding the compass steady in front of you, turn your body so
that the magnetic needle is lined up with the north arrow inside the housing.
(Red facing away from you.)
You are now facing the correct direction; 163 deg. Proceed to walk in that
direction.
Now try 16 deg. And 237 deg.
To get your bearing from the map.
NB When taking a bearing from a map we must allow for the difference between grid north
and magnetic north. In this area at present, use 12 degrees.
Subtract 12 degrees from the grid bearing to get a magnetic bearing.
GMS
Grid to Magnetic Subtract
MGA
Magnetic to Grid Add
Exercise 6
1. Look for your position on the map and the position of your next objective. In this
case you are at GR 284776 (circled track intersection) and wish to walk to Mt
Warby.
2. Lay your compass edge along the route to be taken with the direction of travel
arrow pointing to your destination.
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 7 of 8
BWV Walk Leader Training
3. Turn the housing so that the parallel lines in it are parallel to the
grid
lines on the map pointing north.
4. Read the grid bearing on your compass. It is _________________ deg.
5. Subtract 12 deg – this will give a magnetic bearing of ________________ deg.
6. Hold the compass correctly and turn around so the magnetic needle is aligned with
the housing arrow. You are now facing the direction of travel.
7. Now find the magnetic bearing from Mt Warby to knoll GR287754, hill 440
_________________
8. Then from the previous knoll to a saddle at GR 276756 (370 feature)
_________________
9. From the saddle to knoll GR 277768 (Hill 430) ___________________
10. From there back to the intersection at the start __________________
11. How far have you travelled, as the crow flies? _________ km.
Walking on a Bearing
This is used in featureless country and in very poor visibility, but is also important when
descending a spur. A spur is easy to lose particularly if it flattens out or divides.
After facing the direction of travel obtained from the map and converted to magnetic, look
ahead to a distinct object, such as a large rock or a distinctive tree, and walk towards it.
When you get there, repeat with another object.
Unit 6 – Navigation
Page 8 of 8