Tell someone, carry a beacon: trip intentions, PLBs and phone coverage for Australian hikers

Last updated: 1 November 2026

Most hiking emergencies in Australia aren't dramatic. A rolled ankle, a wrong turn or a slower-than-expected walk ends with someone stuck on a track after dark. What decides how that ends is often simple: did someone know where you were, and could you call for help?

This guide covers three habits that make rescues faster and safer: leaving trip intentions, carrying a personal locator beacon (PLB) and understanding phone coverage.

Leave your trip intentions

Before every walk, tell a reliable person:

Which track you're doing, including the start point and route
Who is in your group
Your car's make, colour and registration, and where it will be parked
When you expect to finish, and a firm time to call for help if they haven't heard from you
What gear you have, such as a PLB, tent or extra food

Agree on what they should do. Usually that's to call 000 and give the police your details. Once you're back, let them know straight away so they don't raise a false alarm.

Some parks offer written or online trip intention forms, and some, including parts of NSW, lend PLBs free from visitor centres or police stations. Many walkers also leave a note on the car dashboard.

Mobile coverage: patchy at best

Many walking tracks have little or no mobile signal, especially in gorges, valleys and remote parks.

Check your carrier's coverage map before you go, but treat it as a rough guide only.
Keep your phone charged and in flight mode when you don't need it, to save battery. A small power bank is worth carrying.
Download offline maps of the area before you leave home.

How to call for help

000 is Australia's emergency number for police, fire and ambulance.
112 can be dialled from mobile phones and may connect through another carrier's network if yours has no coverage. It doesn't work without any network at all.
106 is the text-based relay for people who are deaf or have a speech impairment.

The free Emergency+ app, developed by Australian emergency services, shows your GPS coordinates and what3words address so you can read your exact location to the operator. Install it before you walk.

Some newer phones can send emergency messages by satellite when there's no mobile coverage. Check whether your phone supports this, and how it works, before relying on it.

Personal locator beacons

A PLB is a small device that sends a distress signal via satellite to rescue authorities when you activate it. In Australia, signals go to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which coordinates the rescue with police.

When to carry one

Consider a PLB for:

Remote day walks with no reliable mobile coverage
Multi-day walks, such as the Larapinta Trail, the Thorsborne Trail or the Overland Track
Solo walks
Off-track or seldom-visited routes

Buying and registering

Buy a 406 MHz beacon with built-in GPS.
Register it with AMSA. Registration is free, and lets rescuers contact your emergency contact and see your trip details.
Update your registration with trip details before each big walk, and renew it every two years as required.
Check the battery expiry date.

Using it

Only activate a PLB in a genuine life-threatening emergency, when you can't get help any other way. Extend the antenna, keep it upright with a clear view of the sky and leave it on until help arrives. If you set it off by accident, call AMSA to let them know.

Satellite messengers are another option. They often let you send text messages too, but they usually rely on a paid subscription and a commercial monitoring centre. Many walkers carry both.

If something goes wrong

Stop and stay calm. Most people who get lost are found quickly if they stay put.
Stay together and stay on or close to the track.
Call 000 or 112 if you have coverage. Use Emergency+ to give your location.
Use your PLB if the situation is serious and you can't call.
Make yourself visible. Bright clothing, a whistle (three blasts is the distress signal) or a torch at night help searchers find you.
Keep warm and dry. Put on layers, and share food and water.

A simple routine

Choose a walk that suits your group, using our guide to track grades.
Check weather, fire danger and park alerts.
Leave trip intentions with someone reliable.
Pack a charged phone, power bank, offline map, torch and first aid kit.
Carry a registered PLB on remote walks.
Let your contact know when you're back.

Shorter walks like the Wineglass Bay Lookout are busy and close to help, but even there, telling someone your plans costs nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hire a PLB instead of buying one? Yes. Some outdoor shops hire beacons, and in some areas parks or police lend them free. Hired beacons are already registered, but you should still leave trip details.

Does activating a PLB cost me anything? In Australia, beacon rescues are coordinated by government authorities, and you are not normally charged for a genuine emergency.

Is a satellite phone better than a PLB? It lets you talk to rescuers and others, which can be useful, but it needs coverage of the sky, charged batteries and a subscription. A PLB is simpler and designed purely for distress.