Guides and Crew

TREK MASTER, GUIDES & CREW

Our crew are all grandsons, great grandsons or great nephews of the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels.

In addition to your Australian Trek Leader each trek will have a crew consisting of a Trek Master or a Head Guide, a Bush Chef, a First Aid officer, a Scout, Group Porters and Personal Porters.
TREK MASTER
Russell Eddie – Experience (200+ crossings) 
see About Us for more information.
HEAD GUIDE
All Toogee Treks are guided by a Head Guide – David Obed. Experience (100+ crossings), expertise and leadership qualities are essential to earn the title Head Guide. He is responsible for crew selection prior to the trek, the allocation of Personal Porters, he supervises the day to day tasks of the Group Porters, he organises bump in and bump out of camp each night, he liases with the guest house owners and villagers and makes sure camp sites are left clean and tidy.
CHEF
All meals are prepared and cooked by our Bush Chef, Steve Wilson. Steve has completed a  4 year apprenticeship under Toogee Treks principal Robert Frost and Head Chef Russell Eddie. Fresh game seasoned with bush herbs, eel steamed in medicinal leaves, bush cabbage dry fried in spices, stewed chicken with wild mushrooms or trout MuMu’d with baby ginger and then there are the deserts……….
GROUP PORTERS
Experience –
Trainees*/0 – 3 crossings,
Certificate I – 4 to 10 crossings,
Certificate II – 11 to 20 crossings,
Certificate III – 21+ crossings,
Certificate IV – Assistant Head Guide 50+ crossings.
Toogee Treks maintains strict guidelines for the selection of our porters and not all those applying make the grade. In fact you can be assured that any porter trekking with Toogee Treks has completed our training program and is skilled in all facets of their responsibilities. Group Porters carry the food, group camping equipment, are responsible for setting up camp and to assist trekkers along the track and at creek crossings.
*Toogee Treks has for a number of years run a trainee porters program where we offer the younger brothers and cousins of our regular porters a chance to try the life of a porter during their last year of schooling (during the holiday periods). They are paid full wages and learn as much as they can during the trek to give them the opportunity to see if this is the career path they want to follow.
PERSONAL PORTERS
Experience – Same as for group porters.
For an additional fee you can engage a personal porter to carry your pack (maximum weight 16kg), We recommended this service if you are unsure of your own ability and don’t have a lot of trekking experience (mandatory for over 55 year olds). Your personal porter will not only carry your pack but be there to assist if you have any difficulties along the track. Remember this is your holiday, don’t spoil it by attempting to carry a pack if you have not trained with a pack and can comfortably carry 20kgs over rough terrain for extended periods of time.