Navshield Registration

Please read this page before proceeding to register to make sure you have all the required information to complete your registration.

Before proceeding to registration you will need to answer the following questions:

  • Are you entering your team into the 1 day event or the 2 day event?
  • What is your team’s registration division?
  • What is your team’s name?
  • How many members are in your team?
  • Would you like to order any meals?

Please note that we no longer need to register attendance of team support personnel

Due to base site restrictions, this event is limited to the first 550 fully registered participants. Registration will close early if this limit is reached. Because of this restriction however, it is requested that entries be limited to a maximum of 16 participants per SES unit, configured in any arrangement of 1 or 2 day teams desired to allow fair access by all SES units. If space is still available, this restriction will be relaxed after the 12th June and more entrants from the same SES unit permitted. 

Registration

Due to popular demand, we have reached our maximum number of participants early and accordingly have now closed registration to new entries.

If you need to substitute someone, swap teams, change meal requirements, withdraw, etc, please contact Brian Stirk via email at: navshield@bsar.org.au 

When is it?

 Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th July 2023

Where is it?

Goulburn River National Park, about 4 hours north west of Sydney, one hour from Mudgee or 45 minutes from Denman. It is classic bushwalking country terrain dissected by the magnificent Goulburn River valley. The course is at a moderate altitude so it should not snow this year. The exact locations and directions to base will be revealed in your information pack emailed 1 week before the event.

Entry criteria for Navshield 2023

Please read this section carefully.

Due to legal requirements, all participants must be >18yrs old irrespective of whether they are operational members of the NSW SES or RFS

Participants must be willing to sign an acceptance of risk statement and risk waiver.

BSAR NSW encourages participants at NavShield to carry a PLB. Specific information about how to register your PLB for Navshield 2023 will be provided in the participant information pack sent to teams one week before the event. For more information refer to here.

Registration Divisions: Two Day Event

The two day event starts at 09:00 on Saturday and finishes at 12:00 Sunday.

Emergency Services Division (Navigation Shield)

The Emergency Services Division is for recognised rescue services which are involved in land search and rescue. This division shall include teams from the Police, Ambulance, Rural Fire Services, State Emergency Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Volunteer Rescue Association. Interstate teams from recognised emergency services, and teams representing the Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Defence Forces, may also enter this division.

Teams in the Emergency Services Division (two day event) must have a minimum of 4 participants, to a maximum of 6 participants, per team.

All members of your team must represent the same emergency service, but team members may be from different units. For example, a Rural Fire Service team may consist of team members from two different brigades. Your nominated team name, and team number, will identify your team.

Minimum equipment rules apply to this division.

Teams in the Emergency Services Division (two day event) shall compete for the annual Navigation Shield. Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division.

Bushwalking Division (Bushwalkers Trophy)

The Bushwalking Division is for teams from Clubs which are affiliated with Bushwalking NSW, and for teams from other outdoor groups. Teams from university outdoor clubs, adventure clubs, scouts, church groups, and education groups, may enter this division.

Teams in the Bushwalking Division (two day event) must have a minimum of 4 participants, to a maximum of 6 participants, per team.

It is not necessary for all of the members of your team to be members of the same club. Your nominated team name, and team number, will identify your team.

Minimum equipment rules apply to this division.

Teams in the Bushwalking Division (two day event) shall compete for the Bushwalkers Trophy. Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division.

Rogaine Division (Two Day Event)

The Rogaine Division is for teams comprised of members of the Rogaine Association of Australia, and its sub-branches. These teams will participate using the standard rules of rogaining.

Teams in the Rogaine Division (two day event) will be comprised of a minimum of 2 participants, up to a maximum of 5 participants.

Participants in the Rogaine Division are exempt from the minimum equipment rules, but must instead carry the minimum equipment specified by the Australian Rogaining Association.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division.

Division Four (Two Day Event)

Division 4 (two day event) is for all teams from the recognised rescue services, bushwalking clubs, or other outdoors groups, which do not have the required minimum number of participants to enter into one of the above divisions. Teams in Division Four must have a minimum of two participants and a maximum of six participants.

Teams that wish to enter NavShield to practice their map and compass skills, without competing directly against the highly trained emergency services teams, or the skilled, fit, and experienced bushwalking teams, are encouraged to enter Division Four (two day event). Division four provides safe opportunities for less experienced teams to participate in NavShield, without enduring the rigorous competition of the main event.

Minimum equipment rules apply to this division.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in Division Four (two day event).

Registration Divisions: One Day Event

The one day event starts at 09:00 on Saturday and finishes at 18:00 on Saturday.                                     

Emergency Services Division (One Day Event)

The Emergency Services Division is for recognised rescue services which are involved in land search and rescue. The entry criteria are the same in the one day event as they are in the two day event. However, teams in the Emergency Services Division (one day event) must have between 2 to 4 participants per team.

Minimum equipment rules also apply in the one day event.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division. Teams in the 1 day event are not eligible to win the Navigation Shield.

Bushwalking Division (One Day Event)

The Bushwalking Division is for teams from Clubs which are affiliated with Bushwalking NSW, and for teams from Other Outdoor Groups. The entry criteria are the same in the one day event as they are in the two day event. However, teams in the Bushwalking Division (one day event) must have between 2 to 4 participants per team.

Minimum equipment rules also apply in the one day event.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division. Teams in the 1 day event are not eligible to win the Bushwalkers Trophy.

Rogaine Division (One Day Event)

The Rogaine Division is for teams comprised of members of the Rogaine Association of Australia, and its sub-branches. These teams will participate using the standard rules of rogaining.

Teams in the Rogaine Division (two day event) will be comprised of a minimum of 2 participants, up to a maximum of 5 participants.

Participants in the Rogaine Division are exempt from the minimum equipment rules, but must instead carry the minimum equipment specified by the Australian Rogaining Association.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in this division.

Division Four (One Day Event)

This division is for all teams from the recognised rescue services, bushwalking clubs, or other outdoors groups, which do not meet the entry criteria for the above divisions. Teams in Division Four must have a minimum of two participants and a maximum of six participants

Minimum equipment rules still apply.

Only the first placed team will be awarded the winning trophy in Division Four (one day event).

Additional Trophies and Awards

Best in Service Awards

In the Emergency Services Division a separate perpetual trophy will be awarded to the best team from each emergency service. A minimum of three teams representing a single emergency service are required for the best-in-service trophy to be awarded. For example, if three or more teams representing Police enter NavShield (including NSW, Interstate, and Federal Police Forces), then the Police team with the best overall score in the Emergency Service Division will be awarded the Perpetual Best in Service Trophy for Police.

Best in Service Awards will be presented at the completion of both the one day event and the two day event.

Attendance Awards

Attendance awards recognising those who have competed in past NavShields will be awarded to individuals competing in the Emergency Services Division, Bushwalking Division, and Division Four. These will be awarded at the completion of both the one day event and the two day event.

Awards will recognise 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 NavShields, regardless of whether individuals have previously competed in the one day event or the two day event.

Attendance awards are not awarded in the Rogaine Division.

Entry Fees

Entry is free for Emergency Services teams. NSW SES is funding the event for all Australian emergency services. This includes event fees, Saturday breakfast, a ration pack for the field (a 12 hour ration pack for 1 day participants and both a 12 hour & 24 hour ration pack for 2 day participants) and a meal after the event (Saturday dinner for 1 day participants or Sunday lunch for 2 day participants). 

Emergency Service participants can also purchase additional catered meals at base if desired (see details below). When you complete online registration, provided you have not purchased additional meals, the system will show you owe zero $$ but it is requested that you step through the payment process of paying $0 to finalise your registration and lock in your place.

For participants who are not in the emergency services the entry fees are $60 per person for either the 1 day or 2 day event. We can provide, at extra cost, catered meals at base and ration packs for your meals while in the field. See below for details and costs.

Payment Options

We are using the service provider RegisterNow to handle our registrations this year.

RegisterNow accepts paypal and credit card payments (all major cards accepted). Note that RegisterNow will add a 5% service fee plus GST. 

Additional Information

Entries Close

Entries close at 18:00 on Wednesday 5th July 2023 or 550 participants – whichever comes first!

Refunds

If your team wishes to withdraw from the event, please inform us before 18:00 on 5 July 2023 and we will give you a 100% refund.

If you wish to withdraw from the event or change a team member please contact Brian Stirk via email: navshield@bsar.org.au.

If Navshield is cancelled all participants will receive a 100% refund.

Late Entries and Changes

Once registrations close, either due to reaching the 550 participant limit or the closing date of 5th July, late entries or changes of team members / meal orders will only be possible by contacting Brian Stirk via email at: navshield@bsar.org.au.

Additional late fees may be payable for some late changes. Late team entries made after the closing date will incur an additional team fee of $55.

Questions?

Please try to answer your registration questions by reading through the above sections carefully. However, if you have any questions which are not answered in the registration information then please contact Brian Stirk via email; navshield@bsar.org.au.

Merchandise

We will not be doing merchandise this year.

Catering

Salvation Army Emergency Services catering will be catering at NavShield 2023.

Meals should be pre-ordered during your online registration. Vegetarian options are available, but should be pre-ordered online. When you register you will also be asked if you have any other special dietary requirements such as gluten free – we can’t cater for everything but we will try our best.

You will be provided with disposable plates, cups and cutlery. You can bring your own plates and cutlery but we might not be able to serve your food on it as we have a lot of meals to serve in a short space of time and unfortunately serving on people’s own plates is much slower.

Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits and fruit cake will be provided from 06:00 until 22:00 each day.

Meal times and prices are as follows:

 Friday Dinner

 Steak or vegetable patty, mash potatoes with gravy and mixed vegetables

Ice cream and fruit salad

  18:00 to 20:00 $20
 Saturday Breakfast

Bacon and eggs or Spaghetti/baked beans on toast

Cereal, toast spreads, juice, fruit

 06:00 to 08:00 $15
 Saturday Dinner

Soup

Beef and potato hot pot or Vegetable noodle stir fry

Fruit cake and custard

 18:00 to 20:30 $20
 Sunday Breakfast

Bacon and eggs or Spaghetti/baked beans on toast

Cereal, toast spreads, juice, fruit

  07:00 to 09:00 $15
 Sunday Lunch Pasta with bolognaise sauce or Pasta with vegetable sauce 12:00 to 14:00 $17

Field Ration Packs:

Field ration packs are available so participants can have food provided while they are on the course. These are 12 hour “Meals Ready To Eat” (MRE) for 1 day participants or  24 hour dehydrated food ration packs for 2 day participants. These are available for purchase online during registration and will be given to you when you pick up your team envelopes from the registration tent at the base site before the event start. Please note that while we have a limited supply of vegetarian and gluten free ration packs, which will be offered on request only, we will not be able to cater for all special dietary requests. It is recommended that participants who have special dietary needs should consider self-catering for their time on the course.

We are doing this to comply with NSW emergency services policy that emergency services personnel are provided meals for the duration of the event, regardless of whether they are at base or in the field. They are being offered as an option to the non-emergency services teams at cost.

The contents of the ration packs are:

12 hour MRE (for 1 day participants, $31.14):

  • Main meal (Lunch). One of:
    • Butter Chicken
    • Beef Casserole
    • Chicken Italiano
    • Chilli Con Carne
    • Chunky Chicken and Vegetables
    • Spaghetti Bolognese
    • Vegetable Curry
  • Cream crackers
  • Cereal bar x2, Wholemeal cereal bar, chia bar
  • Fruit bars x2
  • Steak bar, peppered
  • Jam sandwich biscuits
  • Vegemite
  • Lollies
  • Mentos
  • Peaches in juice
  • Flameless heater pack
  • Tissues
  • Hand wipes
  • Spoon
  • Total weight: 0.9kg

24 hours “Strive” ration packs (for 2 day participants, $27.12):

These are 24 hour dehydrated food ration packs supplied by Strive Foods. They contain a breakfast, lunch & main meal plus a range of snacks and a hot drink. Whereas the 12hr MRE packs can be eaten ‘on the go’, the Strive packs are dehydrated and will require boiled water to use. Several varieties will be available but we cannot guarantee quantities of specific ones.

Refer: Strive Food Website https://strivefood.com.au/collections/ration-packs/products/ration-packs?variant=43245424660

    Catering Arrangements for Emergency Services Members

    Participants in the 1 day event will get the following meals provided. You will not have to pay for the following catering:

    • Saturday breakfast
    • 1 day field rations (12 hour MRE)
    • Saturday dinner

    Participants in the 2 day event will get the following meals provided. You will not have to pay for the following catering:

    • Saturday breakfast
    • 2 day field rations (12 hour MRE and 24 hour Strive Ration Pack)
    • Sunday lunch

    If you would like additional meals catered during your stay at Navshield you will need to pay for them. You can order this during registration.

    Final Comments

    The prices charged for participants fees, meals and MREs are covering our costs only. NSW SES will not be making a profit on the event. 

    This event is limited to the first 550 fully registered participants