How to Navigate (3rd edition) 2025
$39.95
The art of traditional map and compass navigation in an Australian context
As used by the NSW State Emergency Service, NSW Police Rescue Squad, Volunteer Rescue Association and TAFE NSW.A straight-talking, modern approach to map reading and compass navigation, along with clear explanations of how to really navigate in the Aussie bush through deep awareness and observations of the world around us.
117 pages of photographs, diagrams, stories and how-to's, told from the perspective of a passionate bushwalker, involved in search and rescue.
While GPS devices and apps have increased in popularity over the past few years, the importance of the traditional skills of how to read a map, use a compass and navigate in the bush, hasn’t changed.
Learning to read map to ground and interpret the landscape, walking with the land - not against it, helps deepen our understanding of the world around us and our connection with it.
How to Navigate is suitable for novice navigators getting started, through to experienced bushies who want to brush up on their skills.
3rd Edition (2025)
The latest update has undergone a complete revision, including a new chapter on digital navigation with apps and sections on basic use of sun and stars, night navigation and insights into First Nations approaches to navigation.There are new maps, illustrations, photographs, explainers, tips, memory joggers, with over 13 additional pages.
The update also features QR code links for those seeking further explanations or to dig deeper into the content including video.
For full details of what's covered, check out the Table of Contents in the image gallery.
Book Reviews
"I've spent my life and have been on many expeditions where I have had to rely on a map and compass. Caro's book brings a fresh approach, breaking down old-fashioned jargon and making learning how to navigate with a map and compass, easy." Dick Smith (Adventurer and philanthropist)
Shipping & Bulk Orders
Shipping & handling time: 5-7 business days
Shipping location: This product only ships within Australia
Bulk Discount: 10% for 5 or more. Get in touch to arrange discount and shipping for quantities over 5 or wholesale pricing for retailers.
Book + Lanyard deal
Pay only $5 for the scale ruler lanyard when purchased in conjunction with the book. Price of the lanyard will drop if you've already added the book to your cart. Then simply add the lanyard to your cart and they will ship together.
In stock
Rohan McAlpine –
We used your (signed for Grace) book when walking our kids (13,9 and 9) from Round Mountain to Dershkos over the Xmas break. Was a great resource. Thanks again.
Sam Kapeen –
I just read the book “How to Navigate” and I love it. Full of information explained well. And I want to thank you for acknowledging aboriginal people and aboriginal land it’s too often I see people on social media comfortably degrade our culture and it was nice to see an acknowledgement worded out as beautiful as that.
Brendan Davies (verified owner) –
Just finished reading it tonight and it’s excellent. I have read a lot over the years on the subject of nav and your book was by far the most easiest to follow. I know that it would read very user friendly to many, especially those new to off track walking. I like how you used pictures and diagrams and little bits of info such as ‘Caro’s Tips’. It was very easy to read and understand and remember. eg. you memory aid with the fist for spurs, gullies, etc I haven’t seen that before but as a visual learner it is priceless.
Sean Hounslow –
Not a suck up but this book is excellent. I have been bushwalking for 30 years and taught navigation to many DOE (Duke of Ed) candidates and I have learnt from this book.
Michelle McIntyre –
Just wanted to say thank you for getting my order to me so quickly. Book is super. Have been practising my navigation on and off for a while – lots of good ideas from the book already 🙂 Thanks Caro
Jessica Magner –
Caro! Your book has been the most incredible resource on my nav journey so far. So easy to digest and funny moments throughout 😛 thanks for being so passionate about walking through natures guts and wanting to share this!!!
Daniel Hernandez –
Your navigation book is top notch. Thanks for all your great tips and articles. Really appreciate the stuff you post!
Angie –
I just wanted to say I used your blog during lockdown to teach Outdoor Ed online. Wish I could have sat and chatted with you a little longer!!
Paul (verified owner) –
The guide has arrived and I am more than happy with its presentation. I’ve been instructing navigation technics with the RFS for many years, have a number of similar publications on the shelf, and yours is clearly at the top of the tree!
Andrew Marotta –
Having initially learned navigation in Scouts a lifetime ago and realising I had forgotten much of what I had learned over the years through lack of practice, I purchased this book. Best decision ever. Much of what I had previously learned returned and I acquire new knowledge as well. This book has really boosted my confidence (not to the point of overconfidence without practice) to move to more challenging bushwalk where trails may not be as clearly defined and some navigation is required. Thanks, Caro!!!
Rob Thomas –
I went hiking the A-K Moraine on the Western Arthurs, Tasmania last week and whilst I am not a hard core bushwalker this was an amazing experience and I learnt so much. I had done a little bit of navigation in the past but I read your book before I left. I just wanted to share a short story as to how your book saved us that day.
Michael and I had got to High Moor and we started on the Beggary Bumps. The second bump has a section called “tilted chasm”. As we were ascending the second bump we saw a tilted chasm and assumed that it couldn’t be anything else than the tilted chasm.
We scaled a scary section down a drop that was about 10 to 15 metres. We got to the bottom and we were very pleased with ourselves until we walked on another 20m only to find there was no more track. We realised we had taken the wrong turn. Getting back up was not going to be easy. My friend used AllTrails but was disoriented and I couldn’t make sense of what he was saying.
The page in your book of what to do when you’re lost sprang to my mind. I sat down and whilst I didn’t make a cup of tea, I did the equivalent in my head. I got out my paper map and compass and figured out where we were and looked at what our options could be. We had three options:
1) Find a way around the cliff – the contour lines suggested it might be feasible;
2) Back track but do a pack haul because we couldn’t make it otherwise;
3) Call In the calvary.
First we chose option 1 but in reality it dropped away steeply afterwhile making it impassable. We moved to option 2 and even though it was hard and it took us about 2 1/2 hours to correct our error, we made it back up and even made it to our destination by the end of the day.
I also realised that I was the only one on the trail using a map and compass and everyone thought I was old fashioned. I loved every bit of it and felt that no matter what l’d be ok. It also reminded me of the Japanese trail runner who ran through our campsite at night on the side of Mt Solitary last year and I had to stop him from blindly running off a cliff because he was watching his phone the whole time.
So, thank you for writing such a concise yet comprehensive book on navigation. I love it and I told everyone on the hike about it.
Luke Hall –
I was a guide on a nav trip you ran on the Overland a few years ago, along with my colleague Timmi. It was great fun & we enjoyed being part of the learning experience! I’ve finally read your nav book that you generously sent us & I love it! I’ve read it coinciding with completing a nav course here in Canada, & found your book to be easy to follow, fun, & super informative, so thanks for making nav fun & lighthearted! I’m sure people learning the art of nav get a lot from your book!
Joel Anderson –
The book arrived yesterday and I already read a large part. It’s great to see navigation described in such an accessible language.
Rosalind Peart (verified owner) –
I did Caro’s Intro to Navigation course in the Grampians last weekend. OUTSTANDING. This book is a great reference and ongoing learning tool. The course itself was superb, worth every penny and you will come away enlightened, inspired and capable of keeping yourself and others safe. GO AND DO IT.
Caro Ryan (store manager) –
It was great getting to know you (especially your good sense of humour while pushing through the dense tea tree scrub!) on the course and your passion for bushwalking. Thanks for coming along.
Matt (verified owner) –
I’ve just finished the book. I’ve had a compass for many, many years. Never known how to use it. I always take a digital and a paper map and the compass with me and always ensure that I have power banks so that I’m always able to still use the GPS on airplane mode.
I’ve never been able to use the compass no matter what I download from the internet. For example New South Wales hunting navigation guide, US army Field guide navigation. I just couldn’t work it all out.
So I’m letting you now that the way you spoke in the book was so much more understandable and I liked that you just spoke normally and not like a textbook.
The basic stuff that I knew you were able to completely go to that next step of making me fully understand it instead of the other books that tell you about it, but don’t walk you through it like you did.
Thank you very much.
Matt –
You’ve made my day! I’m so glad that the time I put into writing the step by step stuff and using everyday language has hit the mark for you. Appreciate it. Cheers Caro
Kristin Young (verified owner) –
I have just finished reading your navigation book. It’s great. Not only is it easy to read but it’s so well structured and organised and easy to follow.
It’s really realistic too, it’s just like what we really do out there in practice.
I feel like we do nav very similarly. I really related to your comment about reading topo maps like reading a book. I do that.
Kristin Young –
Wonderful! I’ve found a fellow ‘read a map like a book’ person. I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found it easy to follow. Thanks for letting me know. Cheers Caro