Your Camping Checklist - What You Must Have!

When it comes to camping equipment, there are three absolutely vital pieces of gear that outweigh everything else. Food, Water and Shelter. For some campers, especially those who are new to the hobby, these three things aren’t generally on the forefront of the mind when planning your adventure, but without making sure you’ve made the proper arrangements, your camping trip could wind up a disaster.

Food
Much of what you can cook at the campsite is dependent on where you’re going. Depending on how far you have to hike to reach your campsite, you might be limited to what you can carry. Some campsites are remote and isolated and can only be reached by hiking in on foot, and some campers would prefer that rather than just driving to a campsite. Though the downside to this is that it limits what food you can bring with you and what you can find near your campsite.
Another factor to consider is cooking utensils, what you can bring with you will also limit your food supply in terms of what you can cook and how much you can cook.

Water
Water is the most essential thing to have when camping, apart from drinking, it can also be used for cleaning, cooking, making tea or hot drinks, putting out the campfire… and the list goes on. Having a good amount of fresh, clean drinking water is just as essential if you’re planning to hike long distances or just spending a night under the stars with family and friends. A good idea is to plan your trip ahead of time and have a campsite that stays near a source of fresh water. While boiling water is a great way to purify fresh water, it’s also a good idea to bring the proper filtering supplies, either purification tablets or a water filter.

Shelter
One of the first things you have to arrange is the kind of shelter you’ll want to be staying in. You'll need to decide on a type of camp housing that suits your fancy, whether that's a tent, recreational vehicle (RV) or a cabin. Some adventurers go primitive and literally sleep under the stars in a hammock. However, if that’s a bit too extreme for you, then you may consider going with the “classic” option and pack a tent for your outdoor adventure.
Even though they’re quite a basic method to go camping with, tents can be very comfy with the right selection and the proper preparation. Before you select a tent, you should consider what your requirements are, or if you’re not entirely sure you can just look around or ask a sales professional. They will help you determine your needs in the size, shape and quality of the tent you select. Try to remember that with tents, bigger isn't necessarily better since you will still have to carry it around with you as you travel.

Here's a selection of camp sites around Australia you may want to check out:

• Arkaroola near Nepabunna, in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges
• Lake Glenbawm, Scone in New South Wales
• Snowy River National Park, north of Melbourne in Victoria
• The Mary River Park is a short drive from the Northern Territory’s famous Kakadu National Park
• Cape Tribulation, 160km north of Cairns in Queensland
• Cape Le Grande National Park, near Esperance in Western Australia
• Cradle Mountain National Park in Tasmania’s North-East
• The Newnes Camping Area in New South Wales’ Wollemi National Park
• Also known as Bungle Bungles National Park, Purnululu is near Halls Creek in Western Australia’s Kimberley region

If you are at all interested in taking camping as a serious hobby, it would be worth taking a look at our camping equipment suppliers and caravan & camping ground accommodation sites.

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