Hi All,
Firstly, a bit about myself. As a kid and up until I got married (26,) I was out every weekend chasing animals and/or walking in rough, untracked country. I'm more than familiar with a map and survival/shelter techniques. The country used to include two or four rugged hill climbs of at least 500m (Brindabella ranges) per day. I'm now working at a school and am running a leadership/personal development programme for city kids with very low socio-economic background. It pays off with massive dividends. (yes, it is the Duke of Ed, but don't hold that against me - I make sure that they're prepared properly and trail them at a distance of 50m in the event that they do something silly. The young adults are mature and respectful/high amount of self-discipline and drive)
I'm looking to find them a challenge for their silver programme, where they have to spend seven hours per day walking/breaking camp/setting up camp (not resting,) but somewhere where I have phone contact in the event of emergency. (Sat phone rental is out of the question - $$$.) I also have a personal EPIRB and SPOT device. Total trip length is to be six days minimum.
The students are also familiar with coastal conditions, having spent up to a week overnight walking in these conditions.
Thinking laterally, I have identified the Great Ocean Walk (GOW) as a possibility. I can do it on the cheap through school minivan/contacts/sleeping in school halls overnight on our way there and back (16 hours travel to get to Apollo Bay/Port Campbell,) etc..., but need to do the following to meet the needs of the programme:
THREE DAY PREPARATION WALK - looks as though it's Apollo Bay -> Johanna Beach where they do the walk with me close by, and show them finer points where needed, particularly river crossings. Overnight camps = Elliott Ridge and Cape Otway
ONE DAY REST - planning for the kids on the final three days of the hike occurs/ then rest day.
THREE DAY QUALIFYING WALK - Johanna Beach -> Princetown/Twelve Apostles. Where the students do the walk completely, with me as a shadow 50m away. Overnight camps = Ryans Den and Devil's Kitchen.
I've got some questions if I may:
(1) Is there anything in particular to look out for on the walk re: safety? anything else? Thunderstorm season?
(2) How much water is available? (I carry a MSR gravity filter, spare cartridge, iodine and puritabs as backup, gotta love duty of care as leader.)
(3) I'm looking at the first week in Oct to do the walk, after the Vic school holidays finish. Looking at the BOM site, is the weather drizzle one day out of two??? Need for extreme cold gear???? What sort of gear should kids have to get them through safely - my key priority (did I also mention that their average household income is $24K p.a. so new expensive gear is not an option?) I don't have the local knowledge on how unpredictable and cold the weather can be
(4) Parks and Wildlife told me that snakes can be an issue (probably more near the fresh water - tigers & copperheads, I'd be guessing.) Are they scaremongering? [and yes, I am familiar with snakes - tigers are one of the few that can get aggressive first, as you know.]
(5) I've driven the Great Ocean Road twice, but not walked the GOW. Looking through the Parks VIc notes (the only tracknotes that I can find,) they quote 5 hours to do 14km. Is the track that steep/difficult?
http://svc015.wic028p.server-web.com/resources/mresources/gow/gow-faq.pdf
(6) Is there anything else that I should know about? The one thing I do not have is the local knowledge.
I know that the track itself if simple and nowhere near as challenging as those that we do now for personal enjoyment, but I'm setting up the students so that they can succeed/meet their goal with the right amount of challenge. (I may also have our 2011 school leaders with the group as well.)
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
WIth Best Regards,
eddie
ps: packs and tents are all ex-hire, One Planet tunnel/hoop tents and Outgear packs.
pps: [edit] yes, I did do a search before I posted this.