Your Camping Check List

No matter how experienced you are, you need a camping check list.  This list also gives some thoughts and advice about when you might need certain items.  We have not included obvious items like 'tent' and 'tables and chairs' etc.  We figure you are bright enough to work that our for yourself. The same with 'fishing gear', 'surf boards' 'bikes; etc.,  things that you know you'll bring, because you are interested in the activity.

Please bear in mind, that it all depends on how you like to travel and if you are going for a more back to basics feel or would like to take as much as you need to make you comfortable.

We also have a separate list of things that other TAWKers have suggested are Must Have Items for your kids here.

The Camping Check List below is also available as a free download at the bottom of the page, which you can then print.  ALSO for the experienced TAWKer, we would love to know what you feel we have left off or the quirky item that you took with you, that you found invaluable! 

So please go through the list and if somethings missing, then please share with us all by completing the form at the bottom of the page and I'll add it.

Sleeping

• Sleeping Bags  - You will use in cold areas
• Sheets  -  Sometimes sleeping bags are too hot
  
• Pillows - Use also for long car trips 
• Lamps/Nightlights     
• Teddies/comforters    
  
• Nightclothes    
  
• Air beds/pump    
  
• Fans – Big and small  - Handy for bunk beds as you won’t want to run air con all night
     
  

Personal

• Clothing   -  All Seasons 
• Shoes  -  Hiking boots, thongs, runners 
• Bathers     
• Good First Aid Kit (suggestions here) and antiseptic creams - Spend the extra $ for a comprehensive one
  
• Medication  -  Adult and Children’s    
  
• Extra band aids  -  Never enough 
• Good insect repellent  - we sell the fabulous all Natural Natures Botanicals 
  
• Sunscreen    
  
• Feminine items    
  
• Hats    
  
• Baby essentials  - Nappies and all things baby
• Hot water bottle - Handy for stomach cramps (suggested by TAWKer)
• Fly Nets - The ones you put around your hat to keep the flies away from your face.  (Suggested by TAWKer)
  
• Wart-Off Freeze Spray - (Suggested by TAWKer below) A wart freezing kit that uses cryoliquid to remove ticks.
  

Showering

• Cloth shopping bags  - One for each member of the family as a wash bag/doubles up for shopping
  
• Several small plastic bottles* -  Fill up from large shampoo and conditioner bottles for all members of the family to have their own.
• Several soap containers     
• Tissues    
  
• Large shampoo and conditioner - To fill small bottles* - saves taking huge bottles to shower or waiting for each other to return to use
• Wash cloths     
• Coloured towels  
  
• Bathing and swimming items
  
• General toiletries     
• Thongs  -  To use in showers

Kitchen

• Coffee Machine/Peculator - essential if you love your coffee!
• Plastic containers  -  If in camper trailer or tent – a big one for storage of food items, otherwise good to keep items of food sealed from insects. 
• EXTRA Cutlery, utensils, cups, wine glasses, plates, bowls, pots and pans - Guests may visit - Melamine sets are good as light and sturdy 
• Scissors & bottle opener    
  
• Foil, baking paper, glad wrap, zip bags  -  Baking paper handy for public BBQ – less cleaning
  
• Dish wash cloths and tea towels     
• Washing up liquid    
  
• Pantry items - Jams, spices etc 
• Garbage bags  -  Although I lined bins with old newspapers
  
• Zip lock bags - 
• Broom, dust pan and brush - So essential: your fight back against the sand!
• Spare plugs for your sink - definitely needed!
• Chopping boards - suggested below by TAWKer
• Soda Stream - suggested below by TAWKer

Miscellaneous

• Chargers -   For all electronics 
• Camera/video     
• Torches and batteries -  LED torches good as use less batteries 
• Duck tape  -  To fix everything! 
• Blu tac  -  So handy
  
• Most recent Camps book  - The Bible for campers 
• Schooling materials     
• Toys, games & cards    
  
• Electronics and radio    
  
• Maps  -  Although will pick up at visitor centres on trip 
• Portable 2 plate burner - Gas and/or electric one – electric one means if staying at a camp site can use their electricity rather than your gas in van
• Internet dongle/connectivity    
• Heater -  It can get really cold at night and if you have power, great.
  
• Clothes horse -  Easy to store and really handy for drying towels etc
  
• Porta loo and chemicals  -  If your van does not have one, really handy for kids at night
  
• Washing basket    
  
• Slow Cooker  -  If you can fit it in, great to come home from sightseeing to a ready cooked meal 
• Esky -  If your fridge is not big enough – can also use as freezer 
• Sewing Kit    
  
• Map or Australia  - Good to laminate and mark trip with a permanent marker. We put ours on wall in van, others use for table mat
• Plastic curtain for caravan or annex door  -  To keep out the bugs when the doors cannot be closed (suggested by a TAWKer)
  

Outdoors

• Shade cloth -  Really handy for shade or for pegging onto the ground outside your tent or caravan. Also helps with sand issue. 
• Portable BBQ and tools - Although you’ll probably use caravan parks if in one as it saves your gas and they are usually free
• Non Stick Re-Usable BBQ Sheets - (suggested by TAWKer)
  
• Gas Bottle & refill     
• Ant Powder  - There are a lot of ants nest around – put around anything touching the ground to stop ants getting into van
  
• Mallet and extra tent pegs  - Mallets better than hammers 
• Tools  -  Can you ever take enough tools? 
  
• Rope/tow ropes, straps 
• Compressor 12v  -   Handy for pumping up tyres after letting them down for 4wd 
• Camp oven/Billy
  
• Walkie talkie/UHF Radio - Long range good for tuning in to those around you when remote and for communicating with road trains 
• Generator    
• Extension cords 
• Fuel and water containers     
• Shovel  -  You never know where you might get caught short and digging will be the go!
• Mosquito Coils  -  (suggested by TAWKer)
• Solar Lights - Place near tent ropes to stop being 'coat-hangered'! (Suggested by TAWKer)
  
• Epirb - Suggested by TAWKer who said “I work for an emergency service and will be taking it this year, seen too many people rescued who should have had one!”
• Solar Blanket/Panel The Solar blanket is better and quieter than generator!
• Lanyard for caravan key -  Lanyard to put caravan key on for each adult and child.
• Pool Noodle - Handy for water holes, but other uses too.
• Plastic Bucket  - Washing feet
• Trestle Table - Fold-able trestle table for food prep/eating/gathering around.
• Thermos Flask  - TAWKer Suggestion
• Glowsticks -  Keep the kids occupied, can use them around guy ropes 

BUT more importantly if you think there is something that we have left off or have a quirky thing that you took with you or are taking with you on your trip, then please contribute below or if you just want to comment on our camping check list, again please complete the form and we will include your thoughts on our site.

Now this is where you can help your fellow TAWKers......