Welcome To SCT’s Australia Survival Course
Led by an instructor with over 35 years of real-world experience, we provide authentic, hands-on survival and bushcraft training
On an Australia survival course at Survival Courses Tasmania (SCT), we train people in real-world survival and bushcraft techniques that you can replicate in real-life conditions…honed in remote regions of the world over the past three and a half decades.
Through hands-on training, you will learn how to build self-confidence, problem solve under pressure, and rely more on training skills than gear when spending time in the wilderness.
Why Choose An Australia Survival Course with SCT?
SCT trains people of all ages in essential, genuine survival and bushcraft techniques in an outdoor environment – developed through decades of experience in remote environments.
The focus is on real, repeatable skills that help you stay calm, think clearly, and act effectively if conditions change or a survival situation occurs outdoors. See an overview of all of our courses here.
As you progress through SCT’s bushcraft and survival courses, you’ll steadily build your confidence, resilience, self-reliance, and resourcefulness…so, by the end, you can utilise bushcraft and survival techniques on the fly / as you go.
Rather than depending on numerous pieces of survival gear (which you need at first), you’ll gradually learn from the training to make the most of your newly acquired skills, relying on only minimal equipment.
With the ever-increasing uncertainty in the world these days, it’s more important than ever to get outside and reconnect with nature. However, being underprepared can often lead to trouble.
As increasing numbers of people venture into the Aussie bush and beyond for their mental health, the need for wilderness survival courses and bushcraft training has grown significantly.
Effective and practical bushcraft survival skills not only help you in an emergency, but also equip you to handle almost any unexpected situation, making your time in the wilderness both enjoyable and safe.
What You’ll Learn On A Survival Course With SCT
- Hands-on bushcraft and wilderness survival techniques taught outdoors
- Practical decision-making skills for unexpected situations in the field and life in general
- Greater confidence using minimal equipment
- Improved resilience, self-reliance, and problem solving
- Training that helps skills become more automatic under pressure
Hands-on training is key because survival skills need to be practised physically, not just read about. In a genuine emergency, people often fall back on what they have physically trained in and remember under stress. That is why practical outdoor training is such a valuable part of learning to survive in the wild.
Who Are These Courses For?
SCT teaches all ages through carefully designed outdoor training courses. Our customers have travelled from across Australia, Tasmania, and overseas to take part, including from the US, Canada, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, and the UK. Whether you are new to bushcraft or want to strengthen your existing wilderness skills, the training is designed to be practical, grounded, and useful.
On an Australia survival course – when it comes to surviving in the wild – the best possible skills and techniques are learnt from hands-on, physical training courses if you do find yourself in a real-life emergency / survival situation.
I refer to it as ‘muscle memory,’ which will kick in when the adrenaline starts pumping, you’re cold, hungry and exhausted, the weather is closing in fast, you’re miles from help, and you have to survive a few freezing wet nights up a mountain or in the bush.
Essentially, the more survival & bushcraft training you have, and the highest level of skills and knowledge you can arm yourself with…the less equipment you need to take with you. So, if something breaks, or you lose it, or you didn’t pack it – the less you need to rely on it in the field, and that’s a huge psychological boost!
“I recently completed the Essential Basic Survival Course 1, and I couldn’t be more impressed. This course is packed with value from start to finish. Alex’s delivery is both informative and engaging, making even complex topics easy to grasp.
What stood out the most was Alex’s genuine passion for survival & bushcraft, and ensuring every participant feels confident and prepared for the bush. He was open to all questions and even went above and beyond to share knowledge beyond the course material.
Just an hour into the course, I was already certain—I’ll be coming back for the follow-up courses!”
“Fantastic Day! Alex is a great instructor – he has a rare combination of incredible knowledge, clear explanations, and patience with his students. Thank you so much for the training, and I’ll see you on the next course shortly.”
“I found Alex to be very knowledgeable and helpful…and, despite being an experienced bushwalker of more than 30 years myself, I was able to learn some very useful skills and tips for surviving an emergency in the wilderness. Thanks heaps and look forward to getting out there again.”
“I had the best time! It was really great to get outside and challenge myself. Alex is a fantastic instructor who explains survival and bushcraft techniques clearly, and has a lot of patience with his students. Thanks again for the training…I’ll see you soon for the next course.”
“I had an absolutely brilliant time! I enjoyed every minute of it…Alex is an excellent trainer! I’d love to do the next stage of the course soon. I would highly recommend this course to anyone keen on learning some great bushcraft & survival techniques and skills.”
“Alex is a fantastic instructor who is extremely empathetic and considerate. He does a brilliant job of ensuring everybody is included, and is confident yet humble with the concepts being taught. He uses engaging examples throughout pointing to his decades of experience. I highly recommend his courses!”
“We both had fun…the survival course was very good and covered many essential topics. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and adapted to our pre-existing knowledge well.”
“The course was fantastic…I really enjoyed it. I’m keen to learn more, so I’ll definitely be coming back. The instructor’s knowledge base and manner of instructing are both magnificent.”
“The course was really informative…and we certainly learnt a lot! We both really enjoyed it. The instruction was detailed, grounded and provided in a clear, coherent, and engaging manner. It was an excellent introduction to bushcraft and survival, especially for my son who is wanting to go hiking more often. We would thoroughly recommend anyone interested in bushcraft and survivalism to attend this course.”
“I went on SCT’s courses to become more independent when hiking and camping. Through Alex’s courses I have learnt the skills I was hoping to and so much more. I’m now more confident and I’m doing things that I never thought I would. Alex is extremely generous with his knowledge and time, and is very encouraging no matter what level of skill you start with.”
“It was a great day…we had fun on the course and learnt loads! Can’t wait to practise some of the skills we learnt when we’re out in the bush. Some of the places we go are pretty hard to get to.”
“The Intermediate Survival Course 1 I did was great! I learnt how to make a multi-pronged fishing spear, a disc knife, and many other things. I’m really enjoying the courses and gaining lots of knowledge. It just goes to show…the more you learn, the less equipment you need in a survival situation or just on a camping trip even. I consider these skills priceless. Alex is a brilliant instructor and explains everything well and clearly – I appreciate how he’s tailored some things to my personal request.”
“I learnt a great deal from the Intermediate Survival Course 2. Having done all of SCT’s courses, the second intermediate course was a really good progression from the Intermediate Survival Course 1. I’d definitely recommend doing all of the courses.”
“Alex is a true professional of his craft and a great instructor overall. It has been a pleasure to get to learn from him across all of his courses…he has a true wealth of knowledge with immense experience!”
“Alex is very knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and approachable with survival and bushcraft life-skills where you can feel comfortable asking questions while learning out in the field. Hands-on activities including building shelters, finding water, and navigating unfamiliar terrain (and much more!), with real teamwork and without a smartphone, gave me more confidence in handling adversity in the Australian bush. I’d recommend the SCT courses to anyone looking to learn and expand their survival and bushcraft skills with active learning and having an awesome time doing so. I’ve done all of SCT’s courses, and I got a lot out of them!”
“I’ve done all of SCT’s bushcraft and survival courses now, and they’re fantastic! I really learnt a lot, and they have given me so much self-confidence to go out for hikes on my own…even in places I wouldn’t have dreamt to venture into before.”
“The Essential Basic Survival Course 1 was a perfect introduction to overall survival training. As a hiker, having these skills not only makes me more aware of my safety, surroundings, and which essentials to pack — it gives me increased confidence in handling challenging situations that could arise.
Alex is very passionate and informative in this field. I left the class with a great appreciation and respect for survival training and will be taking another class through his company in the future.”
Meet SCT’s Chief Instructor, Alex Mileham
Alex has trained in truly diverse areas of bushcraft and wilderness survival techniques over the past 35 years…and has been solo hiking for well over three decades in rugged mountainous regions around the world – climbing over 1,000 mountain summits!
He has hiked up to 6,000m above sea level twice and has had altitude sickness (AMS) at least once…completing a number of extended treks over the decades, and spending a few months on each trip practising survival and bushcraft techniques.
Some of those regions include: the Nepalese Himalayas, North & Northwest India, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, numerous remote areas in the UK, Indonesian volcanoes, the mainland of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania.
Alex has done survival and bushcraft courses with Ray Mears (Woodlore Bushcraft, UK), Bob Cooper (Outback Survival) and has trained with former members of the 2nd Commando Regiment. He is also trained in Wilderness First Aid (TasTAFE: HLTAID003, SISOFLD004 & SISXEMR002).
You can find out more about Alex on our About Page
On an Australia survival course…as well as numerous other real-world bushcraft and survival skills you will learn over the series of Survival Courses Tasmania’s one-day courses, you will also learn how to:
- Make a multi-pronged fishing spear
- Convert undrinkable seawater into fresh drinking water
- Make a disc knife out of discarded items
- Improvise an effective water filter in the field
- Light a fire using a traditional bushcraft technique of flint and steel onto tinder
- Make a deadfall trap
- Construct a Teepee shelter
- Light a fire using a chemical reaction between two substances you’re likely to have on you when hiking etc.
- Gathering edibles – using natural plants around you to help stave off hunger & boost essential energy
- Learn which plants can be used for tinder
- Build animal snares & traps
- Make your own catapult / slingshot
- Improvise a ‘moon boot’ for a sprained ankle / broken leg
- Build 5 different kinds of shelters
- Make a Dakota fire pit
- Navigate using the sun, the stars, and the land
- Improvise a fish hook and line
Our well-structured courses are designed to span a range of bushcraft and survival knowledge and skill sets, from the priorities of survival (click on our Essential Basic Survival Course 1 for the ‘Top 5 survival priorities’), to traditional fieldcraft and wilderness skill sets.
There’s a huge and diverse range of key bushcraft techniques that we cover on our courses…in addition to dynamic survival methods, all of which have been tried and tested over decades in the field.
We cater to suit all levels of experience: from the beginner to the experienced outdoorsperson, and our variety of engaging courses will appeal to:
- interstate & international visitors doing the Overland Track, Walls of Jerusalem, Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires, or other Tassie hikes
- day hikers & multi-day hikers
- campers
- 4WD enthusiasts
- mountain bikers
- climbers
- mountaineers
- skiers / snowboarders
- backpackers
- hiking guides
- fishermen & women
- kayakers & people going packrafting
- bushcraft & survival enthusiasts
- people working in remote areas for business
- anyone wanting to apply to survival TV shows such as Alone Australia etc – you ideally want as much training as possible
- corporate groups looking to build teamwork, communication, and confident teams
- from age 8 and over
Quite simply, anyone with a passion for the outdoors and natural environments will benefit from our courses!
To Book Or View An Australia Survival Course Please Click On The Orange Course Dates Button
(*Online Booking Fees Apply To The Online Booking System)
Outdoor Venues. Launceston Courses Now Running On Mondays – Fridays & Sundays! Gift Vouchers Available
Australia Survival Course Overview
From our Essential Basic Survival Courses 1 & 2, Intermediate Survival Courses 1 & 2, and our Bushcraft Survival Skills Course…our courses equip you with self-reliance coupled with tested and practical outdoor skills that can be used and adapted to suit a range of different environments.
Our Australia survival course training sessions are made up of outdoor instruction to provide students with the essential, required knowledge paired with the practical skills development that’s so important.
They are equal parts fun, rewarding and demanding…will build resilience and resourcefulness, and will give you the confidence to go out and explore any environment you choose. They will introduce you to the world of wilderness survival in a comprehensive way, starting with the essential basics and learning to use techniques and equipment, before moving away from relying on equipment.
We will cover many traditional bushcraft skills, and the use of natural resources at Survival Courses Tasmania, and we also teach survival techniques to give our students the best all-round knowledge and practical skillset (find out what the difference is between bushcraft and survival here).
You’ll learn this essential knowledge and these valuable life skills in our friendly environment, where the skillsets taught are carefully explained and then demonstrated by our highly trained instructors. After which, you will be able to practise and hone the technique for yourself.
As each new skill is acquired, we will help you to apply it in a real-world environment and gradually build upon what you have already learned, providing you with increased self-reliance and self-confidence in the wilderness, and allowing you to become much more at ease and safer in the outdoors before you head off on your next trip or adventure.
We have five different bushland venues at SCT…located outside of Launceston, so it couldn’t be more convenient to get here. Also, with many of the major mainland airports offering direct flights to Launceston airport, we’re really easy to find!
Read more in our survival blogs here and if you’re looking for an Australia survival course – why not book one of our survival and bushcraft courses in Tasmania and be prepared for any situation.
See the definition of survival here.