Your tent should be a small lightweight 3-4 season tent. There are many brands available.

It may be possible to share tents. I can help organise tent accommodation. Contact me about borrowing or sharing a tent if you do not have one. If you do have a tent with spare space, please let me know.

Rent a Nemo Hornet 1-person tent for 1 night ($30), 2 nights ($40) or 3 nights ($50).

You may borrow a lightweight 1-person tent from me.

Brand: Nemo Hornet 1P

Weight: About 1.0kg

Fee to hire: $30 for 1 night + $10 for each additional night.

A foam mat can be purchased inexpensively from camping stores.

Other options are Thermarest or similar brands such as Sea to Summit or Nemo sleeping pads. There are many different models in the Thermarest range. The Thermarest NeoAir is the lightest for the amount of warmth, insulation, comfort and compactness.

Enough to hold at least 4 litres is required. 4 x 1L Nalgene bottles are recommended. Alternatively just take old soft drink bottles.

There is very little water available en route and you need to be able to carry enough water to last a full day and night. It is very important that your bottles and bladders are watertight. Before the trip, check all water containers carefully. Bladders with bite valves are prone to leak whenever pressure is placed on the valve so please be careful with these and take screwtop Nalgene bottles as a backup. Bottles with a wide mouth are preferred.

Cooking and eating utensils:

• Billy or cookset
• Plastic cup
• Spoon
• Pocket knife
• Fork (optional)

Campfires will not be used in total fire bans, park fire bans, or if conditions are in any way unsuited to campfires.

A "billy" is a small blackened aluminium pot which is used to cook over the fire. A cookset is a set of vessels for boiling water or cooking on a camping stove.

We adopt a minimal impact approach to bushwalking so stoves are preferred over campfires and we will always adhere to park fire bans or total fire bans.

Stoves may be shared, one between two. If you do not have, or don't bring a stove, you may either share mine or have me boil water for you, 

There are many types of camping stove. For this type of trip, a gas stove such as MSR pocket rocket or similar is the lightest, most compact, and easiest to use.

Recommended brand: Soto Windmaster gas hiking stove

Bring enough food for yourself for the duration of the trip. Normally everyone brings their own food unless specific arrangements to share food are made.

See food suggestions below for help on what sort of food to bring.

For the Pantoneys Crown hike you require:

• An evening meal for the pre-hike camping by the cars on the evening prior to the hike in the Ben Bullen state forest.
• A breakfast for the morning of the first hiking day, consumed by the cars before we start the hike.

Plus for the hike itself:

• 2 breakfasts
• 3 lunches
• 2 dinners

Shirt and shorts or long pants for walking in during the day

Additional warm clothes (depending on time of year):

• Beanie
• Gloves

Check the weather forecast prior to the trip. The weather in May-September can be variable and cold weather is likely, especially at night. Ensure you have sufficient warm clothes for chilly evenings and mornings. Most likely not needed on trips in March, April and October.

Personal items:

• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitizer gel
• First aid

Keep to minimum. Due to limited water availability and for environmental concerns, do not bring soap, shampoo or detergent. Hand sanitizer gel (that doesn't require water) should be used for hygiene and for cleaning hands after toileting and before handling food.

First aid kit must include as a minimum:

• 1 x compression bandage (minimum dimensions 7.5cm wide x 2.3m long unstretched)
• band aids
• Antiseptic cream or betadine
• Blister kit - for prevention and treatment of blisters

Also recommended:

• Cotton wool balls
• safety pins

A light climbing harness such as one that you would use in the climbing gym or when canyoning. This will only be used once or at most twice on the trip and will need to be carried the rest of the time so it should be a minimalist harness simply to tie into a rope for protection on the steepest rock scrambling sections.

If you do not have this item, MountainSphere can supply one for you for the trip.

The Pantoneys Crown walk is an opportunity for you to practise navigation skills learned on the MountainSphere navigation training weekend. Bring your compass with you, and a map will be provided for you to use on the weekend. I can supply compasses at competitive prices. Compasses can also be purchased from camping and outdoor stores or online. On this trip a compass is optional.

For information on what is the best compass to buy, see Section 7.2 of my navigation tutorial.

Topographic Map of the area we will be walking in. Optional

Ben Bullen 1:25000 (8931-4S)

The required map is no longer in print. You will be provided a topographic map printed on waterproof and tearproof paper when you attend the trip and this is included in the trip cost. The map is then yours to keep. It is printed on durable paper, laminated on the reverse side.

If you already have your own copy of the Ben Bullen 1:25000 topographic map (8931-4S) you may bring it, and then you will receive $20 off the cost of the trip.

Part of the route is on the Cullen Bullen 1:25000 topographic map (8931-3N) however this is only for fire trails in the Ben Bullen state forest where we will be for the first hour and final hour of the hike.

For your personal expenses travelling to and from the start point.

Payment for the trip is required in advance, however you may purchase maps, compasses and other gear on the day for cash.

A whistle is an important safety item for attracting attention in an emergency or in the unlikely event that you become separated from the group.

Some backpacks come with a whistle built in or attached. These are often too small and feeble for a genuine emergency. Bring a separate pealess whistle if you have one. If you don't have one, MountainSphere can supply one for you for the trip.

Proof of COVID vaccination

(No longer mandatory)

COVID vaccination is no longer mandatory for clients and staff attending any MountainSphere trip. It is however, strongly encouraged that your COVID vaccinations be fully up to date.

Your vaccination should be considered part of your safety gear, brought with you along with your first aid kit, protective clothing, and everything else that you carry to keep yourself and others safe.

The NSW Government health orders and rules concerning COVID vaccination will be adhered to, and if those rules mandate vaccination then those rules will apply to everyone attending this trip.

For more information about COVID and how to provide proof of vaccination, please refer to the NSW Government website.