Navigation and route finding (SACE Stage 2 Outdoor Education)

What this dot point is asking

You must apply navigation skills to travel safely through a natural environment. This is a practical competency assessed through your journeys in Assessment Type 2.

Reading a topographic map

A topographic map shows the shape and features of the land. Key elements are the scale (for example 1:50000, where one centimetre equals five hundred metres), the legend, the grid, and contour lines. Always orient the map to the ground using terrain features or a compass so that what you see matches what is drawn.

Grid references and locating points

Grid references let you describe an exact position. A four-figure reference identifies a one-kilometre square; a six-figure reference narrows it to roughly one hundred metres by reading eastings first (the numbers across the bottom) then northings (the numbers up the side). The phrase "along the corridor, then up the stairs" reminds you to read east before north. Accurate grid references are essential for trip plans, communicating your position and calling for help.

Interpreting contours and terrain

Reading contours turns a flat map into a three-dimensional picture. Closely spaced contours warn of steep climbs or descents; a V pointing uphill marks a gully or watercourse; a V pointing downhill marks a spur. Understanding this lets you choose efficient, safe routes, avoid cliffs and identify water. Linking map features to what you see on the ground (a saddle, a creek junction, a knoll) is the core skill of staying found.

Using a compass

A baseplate compass does three main jobs: orienting the map, taking a bearing from the map, and following a bearing on the ground. To take a bearing you align the compass edge from your location to your destination, rotate the housing so the orienting lines match the map's north-south grid lines, then read the bearing at the index. To follow it, you turn your body until the magnetic needle sits in the orienting arrow, then walk in the direction of travel.

Pacing, timing and staying found

Beyond map and compass, you estimate distance travelled using pacing (counting paces over a known distance) and timing (using an expected speed). Combining timing, pacing and terrain recognition lets you track your progress and recognise quickly if you have gone wrong. The best navigators continuously check that the ground matches the map rather than waiting until they are lost.

Responsible use of GPS

GPS and phone mapping apps give a quick position fix and are valuable backup, but they have limits: batteries fail, signal can drop in gorges or dense forest, and devices break. Relying on them alone is a common cause of people becoming lost when technology fails. Best practice is to navigate primarily with map and compass, use GPS to confirm position, and always carry spare power and a paper map.