What happens on bivouacs?
Bivouacs - bivs for short - are field training camps where we conduct the practical aspects of our training. It's a weekend in the bush, working in platoons, on skills such as practical navigation, fieldcraft, living in the field, prepare & consume rations, patrolling, movement, and camouflage and concealment. Advanced training carried out in the two senior platoons often involves infantry minor tactics, survival skills, advanced navigation, roping, boating and some field construction work! During the dark hours, platoons hold night exercises that challenge a cadet's potential to carry out missions, operating in small teams or individually.
Where abouts are bivouacs held?
At 206 we hold our bivouacs in suitable bush sites, with a diverse amount of training ground available. Our favourite biv sites are at a farm in Woy Woy, the Black Range
Camping Ground near the Jenolan Caves, at Brooklyn Dam near the Hawkesbury, and in the Berowra Valley Regional Park, near Hornsby.
Look at those happy faces!
Cadets get ready to move from Hornsby to Woy Woy
Photo: CDTSSGT Yeung
1-Platoon set up a temporary observation point, while traversing difficult terrain
Location: Woy Woy.
Photo: CDTSSGT Yeung
Recruits take a breather. But only for a moment.
Location: Woy Woy
Photo: LT (AAC) Wootton
Two cadets plan the next leg of their navigational exercise, while the Platoon Commander stands by.
Location: Woy Woy.
Photo: CDTSSGT Yeung
The enemy guerilla commander, right, takes five with the loyalist forces, following his capture.
Location: Woy Woy; 1-Platoon Night Loc
Photo: CDTSSGT Yeung
A cadet lights his hexamine. Hexamine is a solid fuel cadets are issued to cook with. Older hexamine, like the type pictured, is notoriously difficult to light.
Photo: LT (AAC) Wootton
Cadets get to mix for a moment, as the different platoons all converge around the fireplace.
Location: Woy Woy
Photo: CDTSSGT Yeung
A lesson on field signals is given to recruits, during a break in the rainy weather.
Location: Black Range.
Photo: CDTCPL Boseley
A fire's always nice to warm up the cold, wet morning. Recruits enjoy brekky by the fire.
Location: Black Range.
Photo: CDTCPL Boseley
Teamwork to get the cam-job done...
Location: Black Range.
Photo: CDTCPL Boseley
1-Platoon patrols up a derelict track in the bush. The area was frequented by quadbikes, meaning the patrol regularly needed to
perform their break track procedure.
Location: Black Range.
Photo: CDTCPL Boseley
A recruit-platoon NCO puts on some concealment stuff to amuse his recruits.
Photo courtesy of: CUO Goh
It's pouring rain. But there's reason to be happy - at least we're not getting soaked.
Location: Black Range.
Photo coutesy of: CDTCPL Boseley
A Lance Corporal strikes a pose.
Location: Black Range.
Photo: CDTCPL Boseley
