A road trip means absolute freedom: come and go from places at your own desire. It also means a life without constant running water and endless electricity. Which for some might be a disturbing thought, but there is no need to panic! To help your camping trip go smoothly we will help you with your camping packing list so you have all the needed essentials on board!
A vehicle
This is a no brainer!
If you are hiring a campervan you might already have everything on board that is needed for a camping road trip, therefore, this camping packing list will come in handy to double-check everything.
Renting a vehicle is a great idea, but if you are planning to travel for more than 3 months it is worth looking at secondhand vehicles to buy.
If you do decide to rent a vehicle, we recommend using an online comparison portal such as MotorHome Republic to receive the best deals!
For more information visit: Campervan Rental Australia.
The “bedroom”
Even though you will not have a queen size bed with 6 pillows and a feather quilt, you can still wake up comfortably out in the wilderness. The most comfortable would definitely be building a bed base in your car, if possible, and buying a foam mattress which can be cut to size. The second option is to sleep in a tent. Whether you install a rooftop tent or have a normal tent to pitch in the ground, it will be comfortable to be surrounded by four walls. For the real adventure seekers who want the real Australian experience, get a swag. A swag is a small mattress rolled up in a canvas bag to keep it waterproof. Whichever sleep arrangement you opt for, always remember to pack a pillow and a warm sleeping bag or small blanket! Very important camping essentials!
The kitchen
Having a basic kitchen set up while road tripping around Australia will not only save you money, but you will have some of the most incredible kitchen backdrops ever! Imagine cooking a curry on the beach in Western Australia and watching the sunset over the ocean under a candy coloured sky?! How dreamy! However, this cannot be achieved if you don’t have the following on board:
- A gas cooker
- A 3KG gas bottle at minimum
- A lighter for backup
- Cutlery
- Plates and bowls
- Pot with a lid
- Frypan
- Spatula/mixing spoon
- A sieve
- Vegetable peeler
- Can opener
- Kettle
- Sharp knife
- If you do not have a fridge installed, then you will certainly need a cool box (Esky) to keep your fresh food and beer cold!
Please note that having a gas cooker is necessary as some regions during the summer have total fire bans therefore cooking on a fire is completely out of the question. Always check the region if you are allowed to have campfires.
The dining room
Even though you will find tables and chairs in most campsites and public areas it is always worth packing your own to enjoy dinner away from the crowds. A nice big picnic blanket would do the job also!
Electronic equipment
Obviously electricity is limited on a road trip and although there is the possibility to charge devices at the 12V output in the car, the engine needs to be running and doing this for long periods of time could make the car battery go flat. Instead, invest in a portable power bank and treat yourself to a café lunch every now and ask to use their power points (and Wi-Fi). It is also worth having a GPS or offline maps on your phone, a boom box for road trip singalongs, a camera to capture amazing moments and a laptop. You will be very thankful for those camping essentials.
Survival Tips – Fuel & Water
Australian is one of the 10 largest countries in the world and unlike most, it is extremely vast and isolated between towns and communities. Sometimes the nearest fuel stations will be 400KM away. Therefore, we highly encourage you to have a full jerry can on you at all times in the event of running out of fuel in the wilderness. In addition to extra fuel, your camping packing list also includes 10-20L of water. Not only will it serve as drinking water but also used in the kitchen. Portable water canisters can be purchased in most supermarkets and by using the camping app Wikicamps you will find potable water points to fill up at.
Tools
We all hope to escape a breakdown. Nevertheless, one should be prepared in case of an emergency. Your vehicle should contain a basic tool kit including:
- A jack
- Torque
- Spare tyre
- Spanners
- Screwdrivers
- Socket set
- Compressor
- Spare engine oil
- Spare coolant
- Ducktape
- Zip ties
You might not be able to do a lot of repairs yourself but with the above tools, you should be able to get out trouble and to the nearest town. Keep in mind that Australia has a lot of dirt roads and this is where most problems occur. If you intend to go off-road four-wheel driving, then you will need to recovery equipment to your camping packing list.
Things that make your life easier
Overall, you do not need a lot when road tripping through Australia. Afterall, less means more these days. However, some things that may make your life easier are:
- Always carry toilet paper
- Wet wipes come in handy when there are no showers available
- Boxes/crates to help store your clothes and food
- A headlamp
- Mosquito nets
- Insect repellent / coils
Extra items
Sometimes when you travel you forget to slow down and relax. Every so often you need to take a day to relax and refresh your body. On days like these, it is good to have packed a hammock, offline movies, a deck of cards or other board games, some books and of course a beach towel!! Those are essentials when going on a camping trip.
Alrighty! With all the items now ticked off the camping pack list, you are now ready to hit the road!! Fasten your seat belts and enjoy everything Australia has to offer!
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