Australian Emergency Services Wilderness Navigation Shield has returned after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19

After COVID-19 stopped them for two years, the Australian Emergency Services Wilderness Navigation Shield, better known as 'NavShield', returned in full swing on July 16 and 17.

Each year, Bush Search and Rescue NSW organise and run the event, with a focus on training participants on how to navigate the bush during the day and overnight in case they have to deal with and save a patient in those conditions.

Whilst being an important training exercise, the event also comes with a slight competitive angle, as teams from around the country work to win awards.

NSW Ambulance member, Jason Watson has been participating for 30 years and is part of the Shoalhaven NSW Ambulance team in the event.

Mr Watson said while the event is not your average bushwalking day, it is important because it teaches participants skills which can be used in real world situations.

"We walked about 48km in the 27 hours the event ran," Mr Watson said.

"I was very sore after but it is so important because it teaches us the skills needed for areas like this."

The event attracts entries from local, interstate and overseas organisations, including:

After a quick word from Police representatives and the SES commissioner, about 500 participants worked their way into the scrub to begin the event.

The 2022 NavShield saw participants put their bush skills and knowledge to the test at the Taro River National Park.

The park is rarely visited and normally has no public access, making it the perfect location for the event.

Event organisers were given special access to the park, giving participants a rare opportunity to see the natural gem.

"We go to different areas each year and this year's bush land was very open," Mr Watson said.

"There were lots of hills though, so lots of going up and down."

The Shoalhaven have had a team in the event since 1999, with different organisations running teams in the event.

While teams participated, improving their bush skills in case of an emergency in the area, little did they know two NSW Ambulance members who would usually join the event were using the skills they learnt from NavShield, saving someone in the exact same conditions.

The NSW Ambulance members were staying overnight in the bush with a patient who was injured.

Mr Watson said NavShield taught the individuals working in the bush that night the skills needed for such a situation.

"While we were at NavShield training for these sorts of conditions, two people were in there doing it for real," he said.

"That alone justifies the training this event gives us."

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The event ended with two separate award presentations, one on Saturday night and one on Sunday as many participants will leave by Saturday night.

Awards ranged from the NavShield, which was given to the overall winner, sub category awards and participants awards.

Shoalhaven Ambulance took home the Ambulance Shield award and Mr Watson took home the 30 year participation award.

With the event set to return next year, Mr Watson said he is excited to be seeing more young people getting involved.

"I'm happy to be seeing more younger people getting involved because this event teaches you skills that can save lives," he said.