Two young girls who went missing and survived 19 hours in freezing bushland in central-west New South Wales at the weekend have been praised for their survival skills.

Marley Aplin and her friend Rhianna “hugged up” to keep warm and kept each other in good spirits when they got lost at Ophir Reserve, north of Orange.

They also made a bed out of sand and leaves which according to Caro Ryan, a search manager with Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad, was a “clever idea” to keep themselves insulated off the ground.

Ms Ryan told 702 ABC Sydney anyone who enjoyed camping or bushwalking had to be properly prepared before heading out and should avoid going alone.

She also suggested parents talk to their kids about what to do if they got lost, and shared her best tips for surviving in the bush if things did not go according to plan.

Think before you trek

Think Before You Trek is an initiative by New South Wales Police and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to encourage bush safety.

It is recommend bushwalkers use the ‘trek‘ acronym to remember the following tips:

T — Take adequate supplies of food, water, navigation and first aid equipment.
R — Register your planned route and tell friends and family when you expect to return.
E — carry an Emergency beacons or personal locator beacons (PLB’s)
K — Keep to your planned route and follow the map and walking trails.

Ms Ryan said an emergency beacon was particularly useful.

“If you are somewhere where your phone is not going to be working like the Blue Mountains, deep valleys and gullies which aren’t going to get coverage, when things go wrong you can push the button and we’ll come and get you,” Ms Ryan said.

Source
ABC News