Camping Safety in Australia: What Beginners Should Know
Camping in Australia is safe, and good camping safety mostly comes down to a few simple habits. The risks that do exist aren't the ones beginners worry about. Far more trips go wrong because a tent is pitched under the wrong tree, in the wrong gully, or on a total fire ban day.
Most camping risks are easy to avoid.
Where You Pitch Matters Most
Never camp under large gum trees. Eucalypts drop huge limbs without warning - healthy-looking ones included, especially in heat and after rain. Look up before you pitch: no big branches overhead, ever. Campers call them widowmakers for a reason.
Stay out of creek beds and gullies. Dry creek beds flood from rain you can't see, hours away and upstream. Camp above old flood debris lines, never in drainage lines or road ditches.
Read the ground: where would water run? Where would a branch land? Flat, open, elevated and clear-overhead wins every time.
Full guide: How to Choose a Campsite in Australia.
Bushfire Awareness and Total Fire Bans
Check the fire danger rating
Check the rating for your district before leaving and every morning of the trip - it's published daily by your state fire authority.
Total fire ban means no campfire. The rules are in Campfire Rules and Fire Bans in Australia.
No campfire, full stop - and on Extreme or Catastrophic days, the safe call is not being in the bush at all. Parks may close; respect closures.
Know your exit
One road in means one road out. Plan how you'd leave in a hurry, before you need to.
Snakes and Wildlife
Snakes around camp want your campsite's mice, not you. Keep the site clean, shake out shoes, use a torch at night, and never walk barefoot. More in What to Do If You See a Snake While Bushwalking in Australia and Snake Bite First Aid: How to Apply the Pressure Immobilisation Technique.
Never feed wildlife - fed animals become aggressive animals, and human food harms them. Lock food and rubbish in the car or sealed tubs overnight; possums, goannas and dingoes are professional thieves.
Ticks, mosquitoes and leeches cause more grief than anything larger: repellent, long sleeves at dusk, and check for ticks after bush time.
Campfire Safety
Designated fireplaces only
Never left unattended, and put out with water, not soil, until it's cold to the touch - before bed and before leaving.
Keep kids well back. More in Camping With Kids and Family: What Makes It Easier.
Keep kids well back from the fire, and remember a fire pit can stay hot enough to burn small feet all night.
Telling Someone Your Plans and Staying Connected
Tell someone
Same rule as bushwalking: someone at home knows where you are, when you're back, and what to do if you're not.
Assume no phone reception
And be pleasantly surprised - download offline maps, and consider a PLB for remote trips.
Know your exact location
Know your campsite's actual address or coordinates - "the campground past the bridge" doesn't help an ambulance.
First aid and the nearest hospital
Carry a proper first aid kit and know the nearest hospital - look it up on arrival day, not emergency day.
New to camping? Start with Camping in Australia for the First Time: A Beginner's Guide.
Link to downloadable resource: Setting Up Camp Safety Check
You'll find what to look up, down and around before you unpack, plus fire safety once you are set up. Download or print the PDF with full details and keep it in your kit. The phone download version is a quick overview reminder list.
Link to downloadable resource: The Outdoor First Aid Kit
You'll find what belongs in a lightweight day walk first aid kit, by category. Download or print the PDF with full details and keep it in your kit. The phone download version is a quick overview reminder list.
Source: campsite hazard, wildlife, campfire and first aid guidance from the South Australian Department for Environment and Water - 8 ways to stay safe while camping.
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