The BSA Team
Gordon Dedman
Senior Instructor at Bushcraft Survival Australia
Gordon Dedman is the founder of Bushcraft Survival Australia (BSA), an outdoor bushcraft survival school dedicated to teaching genuine and authentic modern and traditional outdoor living skills through carefully designed educational courses.
Gordon is a former member of the Australian Army 1st Commando Regiment and is presently a survival instructor in NORFORCE, an Australian Army Reserve Regional Force Surveillance Unit (RFSU). NORFORCE conducts patrols in the remote areas of Northern Australia, working closely with Aboriginal communities.
Gordon is also a Combat Survival SERE instructor (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) and regularly instructs on RAAF Combat Survival Training School Courses in North Queensland.
Gordon has trained at and completed numerous Survival and Bushcraft courses and certifications worldwide at leading schools run by Paul Kirtley (Frontier Bushcraft UK), Ray Mears (Woodlore Bushcraft UK), Dave Canterbury (Pathfinder School USA), Lofty Wiseman (Trueways Survival UK), Richard Hungerford (Bushlore Australia QLD) and Bob Cooper (Bob Cooper Outback Survival WA).
Gordon also works seasonally as an outdoor guide in the Northern Territory, taking clients on camping expeditions into Kakadu and Arnhemland.
Gordon is currently the survival / bushcraft consultant for the new “Alone Australia” TV series.
Lead by highly skilled, trained and experienced instructors, the teaching styles and methods used will keep you engaged and enthusiastic
Clive Keam
Instructor
Clive is a former member of the Australian Army, who has served as an infantry soldier, Special Forces soldier and a qualified SERE instructor with the RAAF Combat Survival Training School. Clive has deployed overseas as a Special Forces operator and as the Joint Personnel Recovery Officer. He joined the BSA Team after being invited by Gordon in October 2021.
Clive has a passion for teaching survival and bushcraft skills to those that are eager to learn new skills or to improve old skills. He takes pride in developing those he teaches and relishes the chance to learn new skills to further his own survival and bushcraft skills.
He has completed the RAAF Combat Survival Course, The RAAF Cold Weather Survival Course (Dinner Plains), the USAF Combat Survival Course (including Resistance to Interrogation techniques) and The USAF Cold Weather Course (Alaska).
Clive is passionate about connecting with the land and more so caring for it.
Courses completed:
Paul Kirtley Australian Elementary Bushcraft Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
CC Hua
Operations Manager / Course Assistant
Already an avid hiker, CC came to bushcraft through her love of the outdoors. She has completed various hikes including Everest Basecamp, Mount Kilimanjaro, Annapurna Circuit and the Inca Trail.
CC has a Diploma in Conservation and Ecosystem Management and Graduate Diploma of Science (Astronomy). She freelances as a web and graphic designer and looks after the BSA website and various other course materials. She is passionate about bush regeneration and sees bushcraft as an avenue for people to foster a connection with the environment.
CC discovered her affinity for bushcraft after attending a Fundamental Module 1 course and has since completed a suite of BSA courses. She joined the BSA team in October 2022.
Courses completed:
BSA Fundamental Module 1 Bushcraft Survival Course (3 days – Heathcote)
BSA Fundamental Module 2 Bushcraft Survival Course (4 days – Coffs Coast)
BSA Fundamental Modules 1 & 2 Bushcraft Survival Course (7 days – Darwin)
BSA Intermediate Module 3 Bushcraft Survival Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
Paul Kirtley Australian Elementary Bushcraft Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
Simone McMonigal
Course Administrator
Simone joined the BSA Team as Course Administrator in 2021, and is your first point of contact with regards to any queries you might have about our courses. She has assisted on a few courses, and looks after BSA course administration.
Simone has been passionate about nature and spending time in the bush since her youth, where she enjoyed hikes with her family, Venturers and even the challenge of a high-school Outward Bound course. She followed this passion by completing a Bachelor of Science. Her career has included working as a Qantas Emergency Procedures Instructor, a Taronga Zoo Roar & Snore sleepover Host, a Ranger Program Coordinator and Trainer-Assessor in Conservation and Land Management in Arnhem Land, and she is currently also working as a high-school teacher.
Having spent almost 7 years in Arnhem Land and working closely with Traditional Owner Elders and youths on country, Simone strongly believes in the connection between time outdoors and wellbeing, and enjoys helping more people – especially youths – find this connection.
Courses completed:
BSA Fundamental Module 1 Bushcraft Survival Course (3 days – Coffs Coast)
BSA Fundamental Modules 1 & 2 Bushcraft Survival Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
BSA Junior/Family Bushcraft Survival Course (2 days – Coffs Coast)
Paul Kirtley Australian Elementary Bushcraft Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
Nat Ziolkowski
Camp Assistant
Nat joined the BSA Team after completing the 3 Day Basic Bushcraft Survival Course (now Fundamental Module 1) in 2019, Nat realised her love for the outdoors. She came back to do the course a second time in 2020 which she enjoyed even more and was invited to help out as course assistant.
Nat has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University and works full time as Volunteer and Events Lead for Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC). She is also currently studying a Master of Human Rights at the University of Sydney. Passionate about the environment and women’s rights, Nat see’s bushcraft and survival training as a fantastic tool for building resilience and a brilliant way to connect with nature.
Courses completed:
BSA Fundamental Module 1 Bushcraft Survival Course (3 days)
BSA Fundamental Module 2 Bushcraft Survival Course (4 days)
Paul Kirtley Australian Elementary Bushcraft Course (7 days – Coffs Coast)
