Bay of Fires RescueMED Retreat
Photo credits: Rescue Med & Wilkography
14 - 19 May, 2027
21 - 26 May, 2027
Book before 15 November to secure Early Bird Pricing of $5,695 (discount of $150pp). Single Supplement is an additional $500pp (maximum 4 available per departure).
Over five days in Launceston and on the remote Bay of Fires coast of Tasmania, complete a Wilderness Rescue Medicine Course for advanced care medical practitioners in remote and austere settings. RescueMED's ACEM-accredited course “Wilderness Rescue Medicine” is specifically designed for medical professionals seeking to broaden their skill base and build confidence in providing cutting-edge medical care in remote and austere settings. This course has been developed right here in Australia for our local conditions and has a particular emphasis on the medical presentations likely to be encountered in the Australian environment.
Wilderness Rescue Medicine is approved for the following CPD points: ACRRM - 31.75; ACEM - 34.25 hours, RACGP - 31 hours, RNZCGP - 62 CPD Points.
RescueMED: Expert Training at the Edge of Medicine
Founded and led by Kerryn Wratt-Critical Care Flight Paramedic, remote area practitioner, and all-around wilderness medicine powerhouse-RescueMED delivers top-tier medical training and clinical support in some of the world's most challenging environments.
We offer internationally recognized Wilderness Life Support for the Medical Professional courses, and we're proud to be developing the RescueMED Wilderness Rescue Medicine Course right here in Australasia - designed by professionals working in the field, for those ready to go further.
With over 21 years of frontline experience in ground and air ambulance services across Australia and New Zealand, Kerryn brings unmatched expertise and a passion for strengthening formal medical response systems in austere settings. He completed his Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine in 2020 and was honoured with the Warren D. Bowman Award by the Wilderness Medical Society in 2021. Kerryn also serves as the founding President of the Australasian Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Society (AWEMS).
But it's not just about one person-it's the team that makes RescueMED exceptional. We're proud to work alongside a talented crew of seasoned clinicians, rescue professionals, and educators to deliver high-impact training for medical and outdoor professionals who aren't afraid to push beyond the ordinary.
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Based in Queenstown, New Zealand, Kerryn Wratt is a Critical Care Flight Paramedic with Helicopters Otago and a Wilderness Paramedic with more than 25 years of experience delivering advanced prehospital and retrieval medicine across Australasia, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific. His career has encompassed frontline ambulance operations, critical care retrieval, remote area medicine, clinical leadership, education, and expedition medicine.
Kerryn is the Founding President of the Australasian Wilderness & Expedition Medicine Society (AWEMS) and Managing Director of RescueMED, an organisation dedicated to the delivery of wilderness, rescue, remote, and austere medicine education. He has taught wilderness and remote medicine internationally and has extensive operational experience in alpine, marine, tropical, desert, expedition, and aeromedical environments.His passion for wilderness medicine began while assisting in the management of an injured climber on New Zealand's Franz Josef Glacier.
That experience combined his lifelong love of the outdoors with his professional calling, shaping a career focused on bringing high-quality medical care to some of the world's most challenging environments.Kerryn holds fellowships with the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, the Australasian College of Paramedicine, the Academy of Extreme Environment Medicine, and the Faculty of Rural, Remote and Humanitarian Healthcare of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He remains actively involved in advancing wilderness, remote, expedition, and retrieval medicine through education, research, advocacy, and international collaboration.
Bay of Fires RescueMED Retreat (5-days)
The course will provide a contemporary overview of medical care in the wilderness and will be facilitated by internationally recognised experts in wilderness medicine. We will introduce the essential components of medical care in remote and austere settings and develop individual practitioners through group discussions, workshops and increasingly challenging scenario-based simulation. This will all be occurring in the tremendously beautiful and luxurious setting of the Bay of Fires Lodge.
This is a rare opportunity to bathe in the beauty of this remote coastal environment whilst pushing yourself to develop your clinical practice in a wilderness setting.
- Accreditation
"Wilderness Rescue Medicine is an Australian College for Emergency Medicine accredited 31.75-hour course. This course can be utilised by paramedics and nurses for CPD as far as it is relevant to the individual practice setting."
“This course has been approved for Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credits through the Wilderness Medical Society. Actual credits awarded depend on personal credit needs and history.” See the FAWM course approval here.
- Testimonials
The hike, guides, and food were fantastic. The accommodation was spectacular. - Treena Q., (June 2023).
Highlights - location, swimming in the icy waves. great integration with the rescuemed course location, swimming in the icy waves. great integration with the rescuemed course. - Emma W., (June 2023).
Well organised with incredibly knowledgable, personable and hard-working guides. Fantastic accommodation and set up at the Bay of Fires. The team with RescueMED were also very knowledgeable and catered the course to the group - I would highly recommend them. Luke D., (June 2023).
Day One: Arrive at Red Feather Inn
Preparation evening.
Preparing for your walk and course activities is crucial; that's why we start our experience the night before at our walker base at the quaint Red Feather Inn.
Spend the afternoon exploring the grounds, taking in the historic sandstone architecture or simply relaxing in your room with a long bath. Later on, you will meet your guides and Kerryn as they take you through what to expect from the next few days and conduct a gear check. After our short briefing, the night of celebration begins - your Bay of Fires adventure is finally here! Get to know your fellow walkers over a dinner of local fare, cooked for you in-house, served in the formal dining room and paired with local wines.
Day Two: Workshop Day at Red Feather Inn
Day two is devoted to units that require the use of audiovisual aids and connection to the internet. Morning tea, lunch and dinner are included.
- Workshop elements
- 9:00 am - For those staying in Launceston CBD, we offer a complimentary shuttle service from Chalmers Church (5A Frederick St, Launceston)
- 9:45 am Meet at Red Feather Inn and store luggage.
- 10:00 am Introduction and Welcome to Course.
- 10:30 am Safety Considerations.
- 11:30 am DRSMARCH Overview.
- 12.30 pm Lunch.
- 1:30 pm Haemorrhage Control Workshop.
- 2:30 pm Airway Workshop.
- 3:00 pm Spinal Cord Protection.
- 3:30 pm Afternoon Tea.
- 4:00 pm Hypothermia.
- 5:00 pm Scenario 1 — Putting it all Together.
- 6:00 pm Dinner.
- 7.30 pm Review of the day and briefing for tomorrow.
Day Three: Launceston to the Bay of Fires Lodge
Approximately 4 hours of walking
After our morning journey from Launceston, we arrive at the Bay of Fires, to be greeted by the azure blue waters, white sandy beaches and iconic orange lichen-covered granite boulders.
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Our lunch spot today is nestled in the dunes near Eddystone Point Lighthouse. We’ll have time to explore the lighthouse and its long-standing story before it's time to get our walking boots sandy as we trek far-stretching beaches that lead to the celebrated Bay of Fires Lodge.
Afternoon tea will be waiting. Come evening, venture into the library or have your hosts deliver a cold drop while you dip toes into a foot spa on the back deck. Dinner is a Tasmanian long-table affair, featuring produce from the island matched with fine local beer and wine. - Workshop elements
- 9:15 am Depart Red Feather Inn
- 9:15 pm Arrive at Eddystone to commence walk
- 5:30 pm Arrive at the Bay of Fires Lodge (Scenario)
- 6:30 pm Dinner
- 7:30 pm Review and day briefing for tomorrow
Day Four: RescueMED Retreat
Following a relaxed breakfast, our workshop takes place in the stunning Bay of Fires Lodge with scenarios at nearby locations. Dinner is a Tasmanian long-table affair, featuring produce from the island matched with fine local beer and wine.
- Workshop elements
- 7:15 am Breakfast.
- 8:30 am Water purification (MC).
- 9:30 am Communications in the wilderness.
- 10:00 am Navigation in the wilderness
- 12:00 pm Lunch.
- 2:00 pm Skill Stations
- Advanced patient packaging for movement
- Shelter and survival
- Expedition Medical Kits
- 3.30 pm Scenario
- 6.30 pm Dinner.
- 7:30 pm Scenario
Day Five: RescueMED Retreat
Following a relaxed breakfast, a second workshop day unfolds at the stunning Bay of Fires Lodge with scenarios at nearby locations.
- Workshop elements
- 8:15-9:30 am Breakfast
- 9:30 am Debrief Night Scenario
- 10:30 am Toxicology in Australasia
- 11:30 am Wound management skill station
- 12:30 pm Lunch
- 2:00 pm Pain management
- 2:30 pm Heat Illness
- 3.00 pm Lightning
- 6:00 pm Dinner
- 7:30-9:30 pm Debrief/Feedback. Cover off specific questions or gaps
Day Six: Return to Launceston rejuvenated
Approximately one hour walking
Following a leisurely breakfast at the lodge, there’s time for independent exploration before we depart the lodge. Unlike our other walking, today we venture through eucalypt forests and coastal heathland. We’ll enjoy a forest lunch to the sound of native birds, including the endemic green rosella.
We travel on to Launceston where you have the option of leaving us from Red Feather Inn around 5:45 pm. We drop off at Launceston Airport at 6pm followed by Launceston CBD at 6:15 pm. If you are staying at Quamby Homestead we will organise a transfer for you.
Upon our return to Red Feather Inne there will be time to raise a glass to your acheivements.
The Bay of Fires Lodge
Set on a hilltop, 40 metres above the pounding of the sea and surrounded by National Park, the Bay of Fires Lodge is the only building on 20km of outstanding coastal wilderness.
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Enjoying views up and down the pristine white sandy beaches in an area of great significance to the Aboriginal community, a truly ecologically aware building has been gently let into the landscape. Two long timber and glass pavilions allow maximum connection to the landscape with minimum impact on the environment: all building materials - Tasmanian hardwood and plantation pine - were lifted in by helicopter or hand carried to the site.
The lodge is autonomous in providing and managing its existence. Here you will experience true communion with nature in an accommodation that combines simplicity of design with comfort and warmth. In the magnificent living area with its large timber deck and open fire, you'll enjoy delicious meals prepared with the freshest local produce, accompanied by fine Tasmanian wines. Solar power provides the lighting, while hot showers and comfortable hotel beds add a touch of luxury at the end of each day's activities.
There is a small library which is comfortable and cosy looking out over the ocean. This is a great place to sit back and relax or look through our selection of books and magazines.
Itinerary Details
Bay of Fires 'RescueMED' Retreat (6-days)
Price - early bird rate of $5,695pp (price increases 15 November)
- Each trip requires a minimum of 8 guests (Single Share). The maximum is 9.
- Minimum numbers must be confirmed 4 months prior to departure.
Bookings
- Phone: (03) 6392 2211.
- Email: enquiries@taswalkingco.com.au
- or complete the below enquiry form.
- TWC Return Walker discounts do apply.
Special Interest Walks - Terms and Conditions
Our standard booking terms and conditions apply to all bookings. In addition:
- Cancellations
- more than 90 days from the scheduled departure date, a fee of $350 per person will be charged with the balance payment refunded;
- within 90 days of departure, no refund is available. Bookings are transferable.
- Minimum numbers are required four months before departure.
- This walk cannot be booked in conjunction with any other offers and discounts.
Inclusions
- Return transfers between Red Feather Inn and the walk.
- 2 x nights at Red Feather Inn and one workshop day
- Heritage or cottage room.
- Meeting space, tea, coffee, lunch, dinner and breakfast.
- 3 nights at Bay of Fires Lodge twin share.
- All meals and non-alcoholic beverages, plus a limited selection of Tasmanian wines.
- Use of a backpack and Gore-tex jacket for the duration of the walk.
- Two qualified guides for the duration of the walk.
- Two RescueMED instructors.
Need help deciding? Talk to an expert
We're here to help 9am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, otherwise, email us anytime and we'll be in touch.