Get Home Alive 21st / 22nd Feb 2026

20 / 21 February 2026

How to Prepare and Gain Skills to Navigate Remote Adventure Safely

 Program Overview

“Get Home Alive” is a two-day immersive training weekend designed to equip adventurers with the knowledge, confidence, and calm needed when things don’t go to plan — because in the outdoors, they rarely do.

Whether it’s a wrong turn, a storm rolling in, an injury in the bush, or simply running out of daylight, this program teaches you how to make smart, safe, and effective decisions under pressure.

You’ll learn to recognise risk before it escalates, manage uncertainty with clear thinking, and apply practical survival and navigation skills that could mean the difference between a good story and a rescue call.

Core Philosophy

Prepared people don’t panic — they adapt.

Every activity in Get Home Alive reinforces this principle. You’ll learn not only what to do, but how to think — applying the calm, sequential decision-making process used by professionals:

Pause → Assess → Plan → Act

By the end of the weekend, you’ll be able to recognise when a plan is failing, stabilise the situation, and take the right steps to get yourself and others home safely.

Program Format

• Duration: 2 Days / 1 Night

• Location: Private, river-based campground in the bushland near Erica — just over two hours east of Melbourne. The site is accessible by two-wheel drive.

• Accommodation: BYO Tent or swag camping. Toilet and shower facilities are available onsite

• Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate — suitable for all outdoor enthusiasts

Price includes

• two days of professional instruction from two fully qualified and insured instructors
• Parks Victoria license and insurance 
• Emergency comms and wilderness first aid
• Campsite fees for Saturday night
• Facility fees for Saturday and Sunday
• All maps stationary and extra demonstration gear 

Learning Outcomes

 By the end of the weekend, you’ll be able to:

• Plan safe, efficient routes and travel through difficult terrain
• Understand and practise safe river-crossing techniques
• Recognise how and why people get lost
• Build a decision-making toolkit for moments of uncertainty
• Stay calm and think clearly when plans fall apart
• Construct emergency shelters and locate safe water
• Use PLBs, radios, and communication systems effectively
• Manage exposure, fatigue, and panic in remote environments
• Develop a personal preparedness system
• Make realistic decisions about when to turn back, bivvy up, or call for help
• Apply real-world “field hacks” gained from our instructors’ 30+ years of experience
• Participate in practical scenario drills

Core Survival Scenarios Include

• Lost or disoriented
•  Injury management and communication
• Sudden weather changes or gear failure
• Psychological management and fear control
• Camp setup, weather analysis, and equipment demonstrations
• Fieldcraft: packing and preparing for when plans change

Meet Your Instructors

Paddy Howlett

Paddy is an ex–Special Operations, survival-trained outdoor educator with over 30 years of experience operating in extreme environments across multiple countries. His background includes combat survival training, aviation rescue operations and years of instructing teams in remote, high-pressure settings where calm, clarity and teamwork are vital.

He is Swift Water Rescue qualified and has worked for Babcock crewing rescue helicopters across Australia — including HEMS 2 in Victoria, as well as operations in Horn Island and Adelaide. This frontline experience in aviation rescue has given him a deep understanding of risk management, leadership and decision-making under pressure.

Now based in Gippsland, Paddy brings this wealth of global field experience to civilian adventure education — teaching both the skills and the mindset needed to make effective decisions when things go wrong. He specialises in bush navigation, field survival, and risk management, combining military precision with a calm, approachable teaching style that empowers participants to stay composed and capable in the outdoors.

 Kelly van den Berg

Kelly is a qualified Nordic ski instructor who works as a mountain guide and outdoor education specialist with extensive experience leading expeditions across Gippsland’s alpine, river, and wilderness regions — as well as internationally. She designs and delivers comprehensive safety, navigation, and leadership programs for schools, guides, and adventure enthusiasts, fostering capability, confidence and respect for the natural environment.

Also Swift Water Rescue qualified, Kelly has also completed Expedition Medicine training through the University of Tasmania and holds Canadian Avalanche Association Operations Level 1 certification. Her focus on calm decision-making, situational awareness, and environmental stewardship complements Paddy’s tactical expertise, together offering participants a balanced, professional, and experience-driven approach to outdoor survival and education.

Please note that a non-refundable booking fee of 10% is incurred at the time of purchase.*

- 14 days or more notice: 10% fee to reschedule or cancel your booking

- 14 - 7 days notice: 50% fee to reschedule or cancel your booking

- 7 days or less notice: You forfeit your full payment

- No Show: You forfeit your full payment