Bushcraft - Survival

Survival skills are skills for life!

In reality, the chances of a plane crash leaving you stranded alone in the jungle are pretty slim but there are still at least four great reasons to learn the skills on offer with the State Survival Team:

1. The chance may be low, but it’s never zero. It’s very rare that someone predicts when they’ll find themselves in a real-life survival situation and so developing the skills to help you, and those around you, could make all the difference.
2. Reconnect with nature. We’re so used to having everything we need right at our fingertips whenever we want it that we can often find that we’ve lost our connection with the natural world. The simplicity of a Survival Camp is the ideal place to rekindle that connection
3. Learn to appreciate the little things. When you return from a Survival Camp you’ll find that you see the world differently and with a profound sense of appreciation that makes everyday life seem much brighter
4. Develop inner strength. When you head home after a Survival Camp, you may be tired and maybe even a little hungry but we guarantee you’ll also take with you an intense sense of pride in what you’ve just achieved that will last a lifetime - in fact we guarantee it. 

Survival Resources & RPL Documentation

The Survival Team has developed a suite of training resources that you can use to help plan and deliver unit training.  If you already have the necessary skills and experience, you can also apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.

This section is under development - check back soon!  In the meantime, contact state.survival@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Courses and Activities

Survival School

In this 5-day/4-night course for Adult Leaders/Helpers, Rovers and Venturers, participants will be taught the survival skills required for Survival - Trained Participant. This also covers off the specific survival skills required for all OAS levels however youth members should be aware that there are additional requirements beyond the scope of this course such as search and rescue, first aid and land navigation.

The course fee includes catering and camping, however participants must be prepared to spend two nights in an improvised shelter in adverse conditions.

Topics covered include:

• Shelter-building
• Advanced firelighting
• Use of tarps
• Improvised cordage and knotting
• Finding and purifying water
• Trapping and survival fishing
• Celestial navigation
• Gutting, preparing and preserving small game and fish
• Wild foods & medicinal plants
• Emergency signalling
• Equipment selection, use and maintenance
• Knife sharpening
• Survival psychology & priorities
• Legal and regulatory requirements applicable to survival training

The next Survival School is:

29 Sep - 4 Oct 2026 - Dallas Brooks Scout Park, Beaconsfield

Cost: $450 per person all inclusive.  Booking link coming soon.

Basic Survival

This 24-hour introductory course for will teach the survival skills required for Survival – Safe Participant. This self-catered course, open to Adult Leaders, Helpers, Rovers, Venturers and Scouts will include spending the night in an improvised shelter.

Topics covered include:

• Bushcraft vs Survival
• Survival priorities and mindset
• Contents of a survival kit or bug-out bag
• Improvised shelters using tarpaulins
• Fire lighting
• Obtaining potable water 

The next Basic Survival courses for 2026 are:

7-8 Feb: Lake Fyans

23-24 May: Camp Niall

1-2 Aug: Bell Park

3-4 October: Dallas Brooks

Cost: $75 per person all inclusive.  Booking link coming soon

Survival as a Service

If you want to run a Section survival night or a Group weekend, Survival as a Service might just be what you're looking for!

We provide experienced instructors and equipment, you provide the youth members and logistic support and together we create a memorable and impactful activity.  

Contact state.survival@scoutsvictoria.com.au for more details and associated costs.

Online Survival Snippets

Survival Snippets is moving online!

These free monthly evening sessions will cover essential theory that will help you to plan and run unforgettable (for all the right reasons) unit survival camps.  Sessions are open to all youth and adult members.

And no, we won't be getting you to light fires in your living room.

The 45-minute sessions will run on a different night each month to allow leaders to schedule around Unit nights and over time we'll build a library of recorded sessions. Each session will begin at 8pm and will run over Teams.

Email state.survival@scoutsvictoria.com.au to receive the meeting link.

Dates and topics for 2026:

• Survival 101
  • Topics
    • Bushcraft vs Survival
    • Survival priorities and mindset
    • Contents of a Survival Kit
  • Dates: 
    • Feb 17th (Tue)
    • Mar 18th (Wed)
    • Apr 23rd (Thu)

• How To Run an Awesome Survival Camp
  • Topics
    • Activity programming - what's worked, what hasn't
    • Challenge by Choice - striking a balance
    • What can I do, and where can I do it?
    • Food - making it memorable (for the right reasons)
  • Dates
    • May 19th (Tue)
    • Jun 24th (Wed)
    • Jul 23rd (Thu)

• Shelter Fundamentals
  • Topics
    • The four ways we lose heat
    • Site selection and considerations
    • Simple shelters - from Bunnings tarp to a home from home in 5 minutes or less
  • Dates
    • Aug 11th (Tue)
    • Sep 16th (Wed)
    • Oct 15rd (Thu)

• Getting Found
  • Topics
    • Simple line searches - a simple team-building and leadership development activity
    • Signalling
    • Prevention vs cure
  • Dates
    • Nov 10th (Tue)
    • Dec 9th (Wed)

Contact

State Leader - Survival
Adam O'Donnell, state.survival@scoutsvictoria.com.au

Facebook - Scouts Victoria Survival Team