3 Days SOLO Survival in Winter as a Traditional Australian Bushman

In this video I head up to the Australian mountains in the Victorian High Country during winter to test myself with a 3 day solo survival challenge. I bring out limited food and no tent or modern sleeping bag for this journey. With freezing conditions I have to stay warm with only a sheepskin bedroll and woollen blanket.
I manage to find a cave to spend the 3 days in and try and practice my survival skills.
Check out Peak Oil Company for sheep skin bedrolls:
www.peakoilcompany.com/
If you would like to support me in the early days of this channel, please consider joining my patreon: / membership
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#bushcraft #survival #survivalskills #wintercamping

[@TheSillySwagman]

Hahaha the socks 😂😂 Really enjoying this one so far mate!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Got home and ordered 2 more pairs straight away 😆😆

[@timchilman]

Love how he made sure to look after his good woolen ones but screw the old man's 😂

[@Peakoilcompany]

Mongrel socks in Tasmania are excellent.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@timchilman Need to keep them ready for the snow haha

[@craig2795]

I was thinking when watching this, that YT has helped bring things a long way in Bushcraft this last decade. I have picked up more new techniques and skills just watching people like yourself trying out different things than I learnt before. Growing up in the 70s & 80s all we had was tricks we picked up from a few family members, mistakes we learned from mates and the odd skills we picked up in the Military. Aside that all I had was Lofty Wiseman’s SAS survival book (who is still going strong and got to see him again at this years Bushcraft Show here in the UK a couple of weeks ago). But I would say it basically gave me the basics as you never come across many other Bushcrafters to learn from. YT and you fellas making them has helped open that all up and give new tricks and ideas - so thanks for all your doing 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

KZbin has been such a great place for learning. Also the community as well that has grown around it. I am certainly no pro, in fact I see myself as learning and experimenting a lot myself!

[@craig2795]

@@TheBeardedBushranger - very true - I do t think I any of us ever stop Learning, or making mistakes along the way. I think most of my real learning is based on more common mistakes 😂

[@Peakoilcompany]

Thanks for the mention Luke, you tough bugga. I need to get a hurry on, and get you a waxed canvas poncho with a thick wool blanket to match it. They would top that sheepskin nicely. I would carry a feather down quilt too.. but I'm not as hearty as you. Then a chair framepack to carry it. A lovely valley you scored there. That cave is really nice. I wonder if hot rocks would be possible. Big fire, then pull the rocks and place them close to you. That wind shot just before you caught the blackfish was a beauty. Cut sandwiches at the end would've been fun. Love what you're doing.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

haha yeah I've had a few comments about the food .. I think some fruit and sandwiches might of been a bit healthier .. mind you I couldn't stomach much of it cause I think my tummy shrunk a bit. Sheepskin worked great! I've been converted to sheepskin over down sleepingbags perhaps haha

[@AZMUNDOGATES]

Loved it Luke. Even the bit where you look like the Cookie Monster in the car. 😂👌

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😂 Felt like the cookie monster at the end there!

[@duffynorris-bailey854]

Congratulations. That was one of your best ones yet.Appreciate your honesty. Looking forward to seeing more adventures like this.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate! I definantly have a few more ones like this, planned for this year.

[@user-McGiver]

I agree... there's a lil magic in this one... very promising!

[@alanholley2031]

Yep, it was a goodun 👍

[@XXivision1]

Looks like you enjoyed the chips at the end😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Best tasting chips of my life 😆

[@BushKayakersCampingAustralia]

great effort ! What an awesome cave ! hahaha the last 10 seconds showed just how hard you were doing it . Imagine if it was a cold beer and a hot meat pie or bbq chicken waiting for you in your car lol . no time for filming just eat !

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

a cold beer would of gone down a treat haha Thanks heaps for watching.

[@damedavidfrith55]

What a lovely trip and admire your courage to take minimal food ❤

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for that! Next time I'll try and bring nothing .. I only wanted to bring the jerky cause it was my first time making it. Thanks for watching!

[@marekoybetchay]

wow that view in that cave front is stunning

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I got really blessed with a great outlook.

[@jibs36]

Awesome video mate! That cave was a great find.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. I remember vagualy seeing that cave while camping on that river years ago. Always wanted to check it out if it was an actual cave. And a cave it bloody was!

[@ericchilver9113]

Food is highly underrated lol get stuck in Luke😂. Great trip , camped in a cave in Grampians National Park on a 4 day hike with others. A memory I'll never forget, as you 34:52 said as though it was thousands of years ago. Time is not linear when it's not disturbed. If we see a stretch of water with no wind or wave mirror like undisturbed, just like time , now throw a stones into the water ripples disturb the mirror like surface, same thing with time. If we find a piece of nature where civilisation or mankind's rowdy society hasn't disturbed it then time is not linear and our surroundings could very well be thousands of years ago.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Interesting perspective mate. Thanks heaps for watching. The grampians camp you spoke of sounds great

[@rosemaryshepherdsmith5110]

Stunning country, love your walkabout adventures, reminds me of my bush childhood. Cheers mate❤😊

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Vicco high country is some of my favourite. Plenty more walkabout adventures to come.

[@davidneal6920]

Thats awesome mate! You did well. Must have been cold. Interesting how low your blood glucose levels must have got with no food. When I was a teenager we used to fish for trout in NZ in the back country with worms. Was deadly. Mind you we used rods. You tore into those snacks in the car! Keep up the great work! 🇦🇺 🇳🇿

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate! I won't lie, on the second night I realized I had 1 satche of rehydration powder (glucose) and I decided to drink that (mixes with 300 ml of water) ... more for the bordedom haha I usually always catch trout on a worm on these rivers, but they were having none of it this trip .. I reckon the fact that it was slowing down might have something to do with it.

[@sailingseriously2035]

Great work Luke….the snacks. 😂.

[@Williamleo71]

Excellent video! Truly enjoyed it. I know that feeling when you get back to your vehicle or home with all the snacky snacks and whatnot

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

haha yeah I'm a sucker for snacks! Thanks for watching.

[@chrism7034]

Loved this one mate, could feel how hungry you were when you started smashing that bag of chips 🤣

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😂 Thanks for watching mate.

[@Fiona_Chasing_Light]

Thanks! Enjoyed it very much.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thank you so much Fiona!!! Your support means heaps and is a big encouragement to continue making films! Stoked you enjoyed the film

[@anthonymitchell6764]

Really enjoyed this one mate Keep up the good vibes ❤

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate, thanks for watching. Plenty more vids this year.

[@herbsmith6871]

Very cool my friend❄😎

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thank you Herb! It was very cool (at night)

[@kurts64]

This one was epic mate! Watched it twice now. Awesome trip, beaut spot and good shots. That shot looking out of the cave was a cracker. Cheers, keep it up 👍👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers Kurt. It really was a great view. It must of been a great base location in history past, just with that view of the valley below and the river. You would of seen plenty of game moving around back in the day.

[@HoneysuckleCreekWallangra]

Deadly.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks heaps for watching!

[@gabrielbeedles1172]

Loved this, real Man From Snowy River vibes Thanks for filming and sharing :)

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers thanks. One of my favourite films!

[@elistein3639]

Great video! I know that spot pretty well and I know how cold it can get!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Such a ripper spot hey. The whole area is magical.

[@colinclarke3338]

Hey Eli, don’t give it away 😉🤣

[@elistein3639]

@@colinclarke3338 our secret Col! 😉

[@peacebrain4471]

What a view. It would be cool if caves weren't always filthy or damp or both. Thanks for the great video.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah this one had a fair bit of bird crap .. but very dry which was great. Thanks for watching.

[@peacebrain4471]

@@TheBeardedBushranger .... Glad it was dry. So if you were going to use it long term a good clean out would make it quite comfortable. Thanks again for the great video.

[@eliritashurina]

Good video Luke

[@_Sil_]

Love it, Luke. Your fortitude must rival the stone bones of those mountains to embark on such an adventure in this season. I find it a challenge to venture beyond my doorstep this time of year (give me 30°C+ any day).

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers thanks for watching. I appreciate that. Although the Canadian and Europeon guys would find this pretty warm, I do know what it's like to push yourself outside at this time of the year

[@stephentomlin1204]

Bet those snacks tasted good! Great video and beautiful country.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha yeah but I couldn't eat much of it. I reckon my stomach shrunk during this trip! Thanks for watching.

[@yuriy_kondor]

to camp there in a rain storm would be cool to see! it doesn't have to be survival, so bring some comfort food. great video like always

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I was thinking exactly that. Go back in a heavy storm, but do a nice big cook up with some good food. Thanks for watching.

[@yuriy_kondor]

@@TheBeardedBushranger ☔❄

[@OliviaAxisa]

quality content luke, well done

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers thanks heaps.

[@gearaustralia8767]

Well done 😎✌️nice challenge 🙌

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching

[@Pink_Sky_By_Night_Adventures]

Great adventure, bet those snacks taste good at the end 😝

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha they sure did. Thanks for watching!

[@davidbones8947]

Greetings from So Oregon brother really like your vids your bush skills make the adventure! God Bless

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching all the way from oregon!

[@ERIKOFFTRACK]

Enjoyed that one Luke! Bet the car food hit the spot afterwards! Cheers Erik

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers Erik! Yeah I'm a sucker for a bit of junk food after a trip 😆

[@Hoaintheforest]

It's a great location. he has good skills

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching

[@alanholley2031]

Great vid Luke, good onya mate, laughed hard and could totally relate to the chip and bikkies stuffing at the end. Enjoyed that 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha cheers mate, the chips washed down with gatorade went down a treat!

[@WeirdOneOz]

Thanks for sharing the experience. Time to get some fireproof woollen socks it seems 😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Not a bad investment I think 😄

[@herbevans2727]

Cool adventure Luke! That was a lot of fun...I can taste the Australian bush in your videos 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks herb! Does the Australian bush taste like gamey venison 😆

[@herbevans2727]

@@TheBeardedBushranger Haha no, more like rabbits and blackberries 😁

[@craig2795]

I always enjoy watching your videos Luke because you are truly living Bushcraft. Out there trying new and different things and refining previous skills. I am surprised you didn’t heat up some rocks on the fire to place behind you in the night. They will normally hold the heat through the night and keep you warm front and back. Picked that one up off a Canadian years ago and although I have only tried it once out of curiosity it seemed to work well. I remember thinking ahh that’s quite clever that trick. Keep them coming 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I've heard that trick before as well. One to mark down for the future. Moving to the back of the cave helped on the second night cause it really created an oven like effect! Thanks for watching mate!

[@mudzy6335]

Great video mate, I love these videos and seeing the beauty of the Australian bush

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate, I appreciate you giving it a watch

[@davidunderwood9863]

Great adventure, tough man. Good on you. Great video. Thanks.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate, it certainly pushed the limites a little, but I'll be doing more like this

[@Ade4fish]

Nice one

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers thanks.

[@johncopas8371]

Great video Luke! Loving your new channel. Really interesting content!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate, thanks for watching it.

[@waynemcmillan5970]

Luke great video. Thank you.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate.

[@shanehowlett6170]

Loved it

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

cheers mate.

[@jwphotos84]

Phenomenal work. Subscribed!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Awesome mate, thanks for subbing

[@dvmdz]

Awesome vid Luke, my fave yet 👌🏻 Keep it up

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. Thanks for watching.

[@ThatGingaKid94]

Great video! Always make me keen to get out!!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate! Get out there!

[@jonathanandtaliaschroder6108]

Another great video mate! Keep up the good work brother!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

And thanks heaps for watching.

[@michaelsewell3706]

Nice adventure, lovely looking area. Cannot believe you're allowed to make fires in a national park . Looking forward to the next adventure.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

State forests are really good in Vic (though they are trying to take that away) and then there are a few national parks (biggest being the alpine national park) where dispersed camping and little fires are allowed. NSW has even more options then Victoria as well. Thanks for watching.

[@DmitryKDV]

Wow it's amazing nature. It's very beautiful. Thanks for video.👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching. This place really has some great landscapes.

[@Graham_OntheGoldagain]

Enjoyed that what a fantastic adventure 👍

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate.

[@user-McGiver]

fine lil spot you found there!... it'll be nice to see you back in that cave... reminded me a cave I found in one of my hunting trips back in Greece... I kept coming back every year, I even used rocks and clay to build a wall on the entrance, and a fireplace on it... beautiful winter hunting trips alone and with friends... a fishy river near by, lots of game deer and pigs, just like your spot... all good times... thnx for sharing your experience mate... 19:12 you really had a''moment'' there... awsome!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks for watching mate. I thin kI'll be coming back to this spot like you said. Especially in some rainy weather. I've fished the river in the spring and it was booming with trout.

[@haggishunteroutdoors]

I love it when i find a new bushcraft channel to watch. Subbed mate and will go through your videos. Great video i love the look of the australian landscape would love to go there. Great video mate big love from scotland ATB.sam

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate thanks heaps for giving a Sub. Love meeting people in the bushcraft community around the world. I've just had a look at your channel!

[@mspalding]

Great video Luke , enjoyed the content. Would be really a top spot for you and your kids to spend a night with food and a little more comfort……

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

I reckon would be a fantastic spot to take the kids. Not a bad idea! Thanks for watching.

[@adrianmeredith7619]

Grown up bushcraft. thanks mate

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Sometimes I feel like a big kid to be honest. Thanks for watching.

[@fletchdad8755]

You have to be careful not to get too much heat on the top of your cave or the stone could break off and fall on top of you and hurt or kill you due to expansion of the rock !

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Hey mate, thanks for verifying this. It was something I was mindful about during the camp (but wasn't entirely sure) first night I had plenty of clearance so it was no worry, but on the second night I did actually touch the top of the cave a few times to make sure it wasn't too warm (it was fine). Again, this was only somethign in the back of my mind .. but now I'll be extra mindful about it. Thanks for watching.

[@damo.77]

That was very entertaining mate, really really enjoyed that. You did so well in those conditions with what you had, people who havnt been cant understand how cold it is up there in winter. Id be a bit concerned about a pack of dogs coming through though.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. I'm pretty keen to try this settup in the snow this year as well. I thought dogs would come through, as I have seen and heared plenty of dogs throughout the high country .. but nothing my whole time here. Only thing that startled me was a wallaby hop into the cave in the middle of the night.

[@hashnoodel2012]

Sick cave bro nice vid I really enjoyed it

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate!

[@torchandbucket4214]

I'm enjoying your vids mate - keep up the good work. I would definitely have had a bacon sandwich or 2 waiting for me in the car though

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😆 A few spring rolls on the way home! Thanks for watching.

[@ThatAussieSheila]

I really enjoyed this vid Luke! I’m new to vic and keen to discover places like this!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Thanks @ThatAussieSheila where abouts in Vic you coming from! The high country is the place to be

[@ThatAussieSheila]

@@TheBeardedBushranger I’m in Brunswick. There’s definitely many hikes and huts in the high country I wanna check out. There’s not a lot dog friendly up there tho hey?

[@dwhittz7]

Hey mate, I'd love to see a video on your jerky making progress. I've just begun to make kangaroo jerky myself but am interested to know how you do yours. Cheers

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers for watching. I actually got inspired by a little instagram reel from outback mike, from there I just researched different ways. I just used the oven for mine.

[@timchilman]

Excellent footage of a special part of Victoria. Think I'll stick to my modern gear thanks. Hats off for sticking it out with that amount of gear.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Tell me your jealous of the sheep skin at least 😆

[@timchilman]

@@TheBeardedBushranger I'm a kiwi, does the Pope shit in the woods?

[@awoodward37]

The first evening looked like a 3 dog night!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah she was icey!

[@Adam-jx8sm]

Looks like a great location, I was out at Bunyip state park about 2 weeks ago in the cold and got woken up by one of those deers! loud enough to hear him huffing in the distance. Those cold air wells are something to watch out for, you lucked out with that cave. Keep it up mate!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Cheers mate. Yeah the sambar and fallow run wild through the bunyip! I remember coming back from a camp there a year ago and seeing heaps of them in a paddock bodering the forest! It's amazing how those little pockets of cold air sit in the valleys.

[@terrykerslake2675]

Bunyip State Park is so close to home. Never ending tracks.

[@OliviaAxisa]

good o'l vicco hey !!

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Love it!

[@TasHikingAdventures]

Lol the sock moment, the end food moment, lights a fire in a national park and can't eat indigenous food lol 😂😂😂 Aboriginals would be like fuck your park rules lol 😂 😂 😂 good video mate High country reminds me so much of our high country down here.....always gets cold 🥶 be safe 💪

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😄 The foraging laws are ridiculous! They need to change. How many people are actually going to go out and eat wild foods anyway, as if it would do any damage. I'd love to see the tassie high country one day as well.

[@HLsab]

Nymphs under the rocks in the stream are a top bait .

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Hey I found a few of these and tried em out ... still no bites .. was really slow.

[@HLsab]

@@TheBeardedBushranger Sometimes the fish just shut down mate , you gave it a good crack . Excellent vid , did you hear any dogs while you were out there?

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

@@HLsab Nah, I thought I would hear them out here but just plenty of sambar honking around dark.

[@user-zz5gi1me8p]

Picnic at hollow rock

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

At least I didn't dissapear 😂

[@budget-adventure]

Great looking trip man. I was going to ask what rules can be bent if in a life or death situation, or doing a mock one but you said no foraging in a national park. So I’d imagine having set lines would be just as illegal since they are everywhere else. But in a serial situation laws shouldn’t matter

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

In a real survival situation I'd be eating all the lamandra plants I could find and swallowing that little blackfish I caught whole 😂

[@devono7230]

Interesting , I get my car oil from the peak oil company. This other peak oil has some nice looking gear. Couldn’t find the sheepskin bedroll though

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

😆 yeah different kind of oil products. If you follow them on instagram you can see thier different animal hide bedrolls, or just contact them for an enquiry. The sheep skin bedroll is one of thier more less expensive products as well

[@devono7230]

@@TheBeardedBushranger ok thanks mate.

[@Blashswanski]

Amazing spot to lay your head down. How many thousands of years have people been sleeping in that for?

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah I wonder, it really was in a strategic location so I would gather people used to.

[@TroyWilkinson-jl7kf]

Definitely a aboriginal site, would love to know where it is you might be on my country

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Yeah it felt like somewhere that could of been great shelter for a mob. This is in the Vicco high country - near the licola area

[@traviscampbell8345]

3 days. Burnt your socks and lost the fishing line. 😂 give you 5 days Max before 🇦🇺☠️ lol

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Don't forget the wet feet from constantly falling in the water!

[@dominickendall5013]

Pffffttt winter sleep in a cave in Wales at winter time the fire wouldn't save you 😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

There's always one Europeon (or Canadian) who has to rub it in ....

[@budget-adventure]

Ps- I would of put the pipe in the first aid kit, mental health ha ha

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Noted ... next survival challenge an essential bit of kit is a tobbacco pipe. Or maybe a new video concept ... Surviving 24 hours in the bush with ONLY a tobacco pipe 😆

[@ColtSievers1000]

This man knows nothing about cold 🤣😂😂

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Let me guess .. European or North American? Its custom for anyone from those continents to roll over in superior laughter anytime I make a winter vid

[@user-zz5gi1me8p]

you would have been better off with a tin of spam or beams in the car

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Or some more jerky!!

[@7purse]

Mate. You done so well until you got back to car and ate and drunk that poison. Fasting is the best thing any man or woman can do.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Haha every man has their weakness. I should have had some fruit and jerky in the car. To be honest, I ate about a 1/4 of those chips and cookies and couldn't stomach any more .. my stomach had shrunk

[@standingbear998]

not a survival situation at all.

[@TheBeardedBushranger]

Of course it's not ya Galah .. I have a bloody emergancy medical kit, GPS etc the point of these type of videos is to recreate survival situations as a personal challenge and sharpen skills ... not once in the video did I say I was actually in trouble of dying.