The Mountain Safety Council’s Bushcraft Manual is getting a 21st century makeover.

The iconic backcountry manual, which has been an invaluable resource to Kiwi trampers for decades, is in the process of being digitised into six educational online modules.

The modules will include multimedia and interactive quizzes, and are designed to complement field-based experience.

“Instead of having static webpage content, we want to move towards a more engaging style of information, where users can interact and test their knowledge,” MSC operations manager Nathan Watson said.

A river safety module is the first to become available on the MSC website, and will be followed by modules covering trip planning, basic navigation, field skills, tramping above the bushline and what to do when things go wrong.

“The Bushcraft Manual is awesome, but it’s quite a beast,” Watson said. “With digital tools, we can break down a topic and allow users to tackle it in bite-sized chunks.”