About us

Queensland Remote Area Tracking (QRAT)

QRAT is a non for profit, volunteer organisation with teams constantly available for activations as required to relieve the suffering, misfortune and helplessness of those who are lost or the victims of natural disaster. We currently have two active groups, a South East Queensland Group based at the Sunshine Coast, and a Central Queensland Group based in Mackay.

Missing persons in the bush

If you or a loved one are missing in the bush, QRAT using a mix of technological, traditional, and military skills will be there to help.
QRAT is a highly trained professional group that offers greater evidence gathering and remote area access than any other volunteer emergency service currently available. Anytime of the day or night in all weather and terrain, QRAT will be searching.

Emergency drones, mapping and communication services

QRAT provides Drone, Mapping and Communication equipment and resources that that prepare it’s members to immediately, when called upon, safely target and directly relieve the suffering, misfortune and helplessness of lost persons, and the victims of natural disaster, and are able to provide dynamic capable personnel in any emergency including fires, floods, and cyclones.

Specialised equipment, resources and training

In order to be effective and significantly contribute to saving lives, we need specialised equipment and resources that are expensive to acquire.
It costs more than $4000 to equip and train each QRAT member. This cost is far beyond most capable volunteers to provide privately, and in order to continue and grow we need all of the help we can get. Saving just one life is worth it and we have been directly involved in finding and saving many.

Help support QRAT

$
Personal Info

Thank you for your donation.

To make a donation via bank deposit, please deposit to our bank account:

  • Bank: ANZ
  • Name: QRAT Fund
  • BSB: 014023
  • ACC: 465917169

Donations can be made anonymously, or you can use your name or the name of your business as reference for the payment.

All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are tax deductible.

We appreciate your support!

Queensland Remote Area Tracking

Donation Total: $10.00

Search and rescue tracking teams

Search and rescue tracking teams are providing fast acting, flexible, and capable members to:•  purposefully find, render safe, and return lost persons to safety.

•  purposefully find, and return loved ones to their families.  If found deceased, by providing closure to distressed families.

•  directly provide essential communications systems that allow those in dire need to be rendered safe by allowing emergency communication with and access to emergency services at critical times when all other services are not functioning.

•   safely lead emergency services to stranded victims of natural disasters and returning them to safety.

•   Purposefully find, render safe, and return victims of natural disasters to safety.

The groups are capable of self-sufficient deployment into extreme remote terrain, day and night, in all weather, for indefinite periods.
This includes being constantly prepared for up to 72hrs unsupported, with the ability to remain active indefinitely dependent on resources.

New concept in Australian Search and Rescue

Queensland remote area tracking is a new concept in Australian Search and Rescue. The personal that we have brought to the group are in no way new to the search and rescue industry, however the technologies and concepts we employ certainly are. QRAT is providing specialised volunteer’s for search and rescue, that are highly trained, physically fit, and dynamic.

Self Sufficient

QRAT members are equipped to be self sufficient for a minimum of 72hrs. By staying in the field we eliminate wasted time travelling to and from the area of operations each day. This also allows us to look and listen at dawn and dusk as these are critical times for observation.

Experienced Emergency Service

The team is made up of members who between them have 120 years experience in activations with Rural fires and SES. Members also have experience in the military, as security managers, advanced first aiders, and bushman. All members are currently working professionals.
Members are qualified in communications, navigation, vertical mobility/rescue, advanced tracking, advanced first aid, briefings and debriefings and Emergency services doctrines.
All members are physically healthy professionals that are well versed in WH&S. Three safety officers and a WH&S diploma holder. Risk assessments are conducted continuously and collaboratively to ensure that risks are kept to an acceptable minimum. QRAT is fully insured in all aspects of its operations.
The team is able to meet with Police and other search and rescue groups via any means available, to ensure the best use of our capability. We can also attend your area, via appointment, to demonstrate or teach our skills and receive feedback on the enhancement of said skills.

Support Queensland Remote Area Tracking (QRAT)

We are a small but extremely potent charitable emergency service organisation. We are growing every day, however, we are looking for everyone’s support to help us purchase the equipment that we need to keep our trackers out there. Every donation is greatly appreciated!

Help support QRAT

$
Personal Info

Thank you for your donation.

To make a donation via bank deposit, please deposit to our bank account:

  • Bank: ANZ
  • Name: QRAT Fund
  • BSB: 014023
  • ACC: 465917169

Donations can be made anonymously, or you can use your name or the name of your business as reference for the payment.

All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are tax deductible.

We appreciate your support!

Queensland Remote Area Tracking

Donation Total: $10.00

Please contact Queensland Remote Area Tracking and find out how you can play your part in searching for the lost and missing, or providing assistance when disaster strikes.  If you are defence force or emergency service veterans, your skills are able to be directly employed with QRAT.

Goal

Providing immediate, flexible, capable, unique and vital services to the lost and helpless in any season, weather or terrain even when all other services are unavailable.

bush-search-rescue-in-difficulat-terrain-queensland-australia

Vital for Greater Queensland

QRAT is a vital organisation for the people of greater Queensland (QLD).

Specialised search and rescue equipment

Having more of the specialised equipment we need will allow us to equip more volunteers and have them undertake the necessary training required for our highly skilled operations. Help support our organisation – donate today!

Help support QRAT

$
Personal Info

Thank you for your donation.

To make a donation via bank deposit, please deposit to our bank account:

  • Bank: ANZ
  • Name: QRAT Fund
  • BSB: 014023
  • ACC: 465917169

Donations can be made anonymously, or you can use your name or the name of your business as reference for the payment.

All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are tax deductible.

We appreciate your support!

Queensland Remote Area Tracking

Donation Total: $10.00

In a short period QRAT has acquired a large quantity of technological equipment and unique capabilities that can be utilised when the need arises including missing persons cases and cyclonic disasters.

queensland-remote-area-rescue-specialised-equipment

Our equipment includes

  • Vertical access equipment
  • unmanned drones
  • extensive mapping resources
  • global positioning devices (GPS)
  • personal locator beacons
  • long range radio communications

This equipment, combined with flexible, fit, highly trained volunteers, all ensure that QRAT is a potent addition when disasters and mishaps occur.

Our search and rescue volunteers

QRAT is made up largely of defence force veterans. QRAT allows veterans to use their unique skills in a dutiful way while linking them with embedded veteran support to aid them in transitioning into daily life.

Queensland Remote Area Tracking is a not for profit organisation that is made of entirely of volunteers and does not charge for its assistance. Because of this very little money comes into our organisation.

Our member numbers have almost tripled this year, and as a result can provide services not just when available, but when required.

We are currently at maximum volunteer member capacity for Mackay and surrounding regions. When activated, individual volunteer members go straight to the scene, so are required to have all necessary personal search and rescue equipment with them ready for deployment.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

These units ensure that QRAT volunteers know where they are going, where they are, and how to get back.  These units coupled with traditional map and compass navigation allow QRAT to search with greater purpose.

The GPS units also capture photographs of evidence and allocate a time/date/location stamp to each image.

Bluetooth capabilities allow each team member to know where other team members are at any time.

Personal Locator Beacons

Personal locator Beacons are a requirement for each member as our standard operating procedures see our groups being able to break into minimum sized teams of two while in the field.

If successful we will have available enough GPS and PLB units to fully equip our members.

Support us with GPS and PLB

Some of the benefits of supporting us in this request are listed below:

  • A personal locator beacons ensures help from other emergency services is available if all other means of communication fail. This is especially true in the remote terrain that we operate and train in.
  • GPS units allow members to move with greater speed and purpose as they are not encumbered by traditional navigation techniques.
  • Individual members can attend the scene quickly as they do not have to report to a headquarters to collect equipment.
  • Individual members can split into smaller teams and still keep their individual GPS data. They also retain the safety of their individual personal locator beacon.
  • Police and Emergency Services can download GPS data from individual members to get a more accurate picture of the areas searched.
  • When in teams of two, should any one unit fail to function, another unit is able to be utilised.
  • PLBs currently being used have been donated by another company, and the additional units requested would allow all members to be safe should they get into trouble.

Invaluable abilities in tracking and communications

Providing emergency communications and printing maps whenever and wherever necessary is vital.

QRAT recently provided the only communications for rural fires during the first three days of the Finch Hatton and Eungella wildfires.

Being highly trained and individually equipped ensures that our members will not get lost themselves and make more work for the other providers.

Defence Force Veterans

Ex Defence force veterans make up the bulk of Queensland Remote Area Tracking’s membership.

This allows the unique skills and experience they possess to be utilised in a meaningful and dutiful way. Linking veterans with other support services while being members of the team allows them to transition into everyday life while still having purpose.

Area of Operation

Areas of operation are primarily the Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and surrounding regions, secondarily greater Queensland, and Tertiary Nationwide.

Lockable Mobile Headquarters

Queensland Remote Area Tracking and local businesses will be constructing and fitting out lockable mobile headquarters to house essential equipment.

This will require 100s of hours of volunteer work saving approximately $4,000 in setup costs. These include, Education Queensland, Consolidated Plastics, Premier Fire, and Battery Pro.

Communications systems

The communications systems that we have, have been donated by Anglo American and Ergon at an estimated value of $60,000+.

Communications are programmed, tested, and maintained by Mr Lawrence Ellis gratis.

Crossfire and SORD Australia who manufacture our Packs and toolbelts do this as they wish to minimise the risk of injury to members, and allow members to operate safely with purpose.

The Community Gaming Development Fund has provided equipment.

Both Mackay and Sunshine Coast Regional Councils have donated GPS units and Personal Locator Beacons to the value of $12,000.

Numerous smaller donators ensure that all projects are successful.

Donations make all the difference

Donations make all the difference to QRAT. Without your generous support we can not provide our valuable services to the community! Support QRAT and donate today.

Help support QRAT

$
Personal Info

Thank you for your donation.

To make a donation via bank deposit, please deposit to our bank account:

  • Bank: ANZ
  • Name: QRAT Fund
  • BSB: 014023
  • ACC: 465917169

Donations can be made anonymously, or you can use your name or the name of your business as reference for the payment.

All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are tax deductible.

We appreciate your support!

Queensland Remote Area Tracking

Donation Total: $10.00