Essential Safety in the Outback with Personal Locator Beacons
The ‘Boob Shaker’ taught me how to stay safe in the Outback
I have just tackled ‘150 Bumps’, the ‘Roller Coaster’ and the ‘Boob Shaker’ .... and survived.
Bits of me may not be where they should be, but I am still in one (wobbly) piece and smiling from ear to ear.
I'm at Loveday 4x4 Adventure Park in Barmera, SA, hooning around 40km of 4WD heaven.
Ask me what equipment you need to take on a 4WD adventure and I can now tell you.
Number one on my ‘essentials’ list is a sturdy sports bra followed closely by a sense of adventure, lots of people who know what they are doing, and some very handy communication equipment.
I've been four-wheel-driving before ... but never behind the wheel. It’s my first time so hats off to the brave soul lending me his car. So far, so good, but I am going too slow around bends and trying to avoid scratchy branches that might damage the car – especially since it’s not mine.
And I am guilty of way too many woo-hoos as we climb impossibly steep crests then tip over the top into who knows what or where. It doesn’t help that I can’t see over the bonnet.
There are serious instructions in steady acceleration up the slope then “take your foot off and let the car take over” on the way down.
“You might want to slow down” I am gently warned on the Roller Coaster.
But it doesn’t stop the cackling because, for a newbie to all things 4WD, this is so much fun. The more bumps, twists and turns, the better.
Safety First
Part of my introduction to 4x4 action, is a lesson in safety gear – what sort of communications gear you need to make sure you can get out of a sticky situation.
Lewis Pascoe from GME is on hand to tell us about two-way radios and personal locator beacons – just two of this Aussie company’s range of safety equipment.
We put some of them to the test on our jaunty junket. On this trip, the two-way radios are just a bit of fun. We can keep in contact as we rev our way around the scrub.
Warnings of big tree trunks sticking out into the path come in handy. We’re swapping ‘near disaster’ stories and hearty guffaws as another novice plants her foot, spins the wheels and sends a cloud of gravel into the bushes.
It’s not easy to lose sight of other vehicles out here – the dust ensures their path is clearly visible. But it could be another story when you're out the back of beyond and there’s no-one else around.
Should you break down or just get lost, these radios can provide the first option in the quest for help – especially if there is no mobile phone reception.
If you’re in Real Trouble
Take things up another notch in the disaster stakes and you might need a PLB – a personal locator beacon. We’re looking at GME’s MT610G PLB. These little gadgets are light to carry but shoulder a huge responsibility.
"The idea is to never have to use them," says Lewis. "But it’s your best shot at being found and help arriving in time if you’re in real trouble."
You have to register the beacon with Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) before heading out into the great unknown.
The beacon is easy to use. Flip up the antenna and press the button. Warning: the green button is for testing; the red button will send in the troops.
Once activated, the distress signal will be received by AMSA via a dedicated search-and-rescue satellite system. AMSA will immediately initiate a rescue response based on your precise location, courtesy of the device’s GPS signal. And they will notify your nominated emergency contact.
Now for Some Fun
With the serious stuff still sinking in, it’s time for more fun at this 4WD adventure park.
As well as providing a playpen for 4WD owners to hone their skills or just play, Loveday hosts round four of the BF Goodrich Motorsport Australian Offroad Championship.
You can come and watch the races or, to get the heart really pumping, get airborne with Jodi on a turbo buggy hot lap. There’s a tavern where you can mingle, drink and eat, a Gel Blaster Park out the back and jetski tours along the Murray.
And at the end of the day, there is 14km stretch of river-front campsites to soak up the serenity.
Fast Facts
- Loveday 4x4 Adventure Park is in the South Australian Riverland. It’s two hours’ drive from Adelaide or two hours from Mildura.
- For more information about GME communication equipment and to find dealers visit the official website.
Proof PLBs work
- Every year thousands of people are rescued with the help of an emergency locator beacon.
- Even if you’re just out hiking and twist an ankle or get bitten by a snake, a PLB could save your life.
- Here are two examples of when communications equipment has saved lives.
On the water:
In August 2021, a father and his two nine-year-old sons were saved after a freak wave capsized their boat 18km off the coast of WA. Their boat was sinking but the father used his GME VHF radio to contact emergency rescue. He activated his GME EPIRB so police could zero in on their location.
In the desert:
In November 2021, a family was stranded in South Australia’s Simpson Desert - trapped by rising floodwaters. Luckily, they had a GME PLB with them, which was activated.
Due to extreme weather, emergency services were unable to reach the family for five days, however they were delivered food, water, and GPS phones to communicate. The family was eventually rescued by an emergency services helicopter once the storm passed.