Hundreds of emergency service personnel, experienced bushwalkers and orienteers put their navigation skills to the test over the weekend (16-17 August) at Australia's largest search and rescue training exercise, NavShield.
Led by NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Bush Search and Rescue Unit, the annual competition saw 535 participants from across the country traverse through 100 square kilometres of rugged wilderness terrain at the Jenolan State Forest and Kanangra Boyd National Park.
Temperatures dropped to a low of minus two degrees on Sunday morning, as participants navigated their way from checkpoint to checkpoint using only a map and compass - testing their skills, endurance and teamwork in demanding conditions.
NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Dean Storey said the event serves as a fantastic training exercise for members to brush up on their skills for real-life search and rescue missions.
"NavShield is not only a great test of stamina and teamwork, but also a vital opportunity to practice navigation techniques that can be crucial when searching for missing persons," Assistant Commissioner Storey said.
It comes after a busy 2024/25 financial year for the NSW SES, with volunteers assisting NSW Police and the community in more than 270 searches for missing people. This is a considerable increase when compared to the previous financial year, where NSW SES was activated on nearly 240 searches for missing people.
"Our members can be called on to search for a lost person in the bush at any time, including for lost children, dementia patients and anybody in distress," Assistant Commissioner Storey said.
"Exercises like this ensure our members skills remain sharp and they are prepared to assist, whatever the call."
Now in its 35th year, NavShield is a highlight of the training calendar for many NSW SES Members.
Deputy Event Controller and NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue Deputy Unit Commander, Glenn Horrocks, said it's a time for emergency services from all agencies to come together and have a good time whilst getting some important training in.
"There's no street directory to follow and definitely no google maps," Mr Horrocks said.
"These cross-country navigation skills are crucial for land search and rescue because you've got to know where you are, where you've got to go and how to get there.
"The event is also a great opportunity to get to know your team, so when it comes to real-life operations, you work more seamlessly together."
Participating teams in NavShield 2025 included NSW SES, NSW Ambulance and special operations teams, NSW Police, Rural Fire Service NSW, VRA Rescue, ACT SES, Bush Search and Rescue Victoria, bushwalking clubs, rogainers and orienteers.
Taking out the winning title for the two-day event was Bush Search and Rescue Victoria, while rogaining team Cave Runners won first place in the one-day competition.
