The Ultimate Guide To Camping With Friends

There’s honestly nothing better than being out in the elements with some of your favourite people, sitting around in camp chairs and talking absolute shite for hours on end. Your biggest worry is who’s going to get stuck doing the washing up after dinner – and even that’s a great chance to have a D&M with whoever lands the drying up gig. 

If that all sounds pretty ideal to you, here are a few tips to help make it happen.

Actually Do Some Planning

As appealing as a spontaneous camping trip with just a tent, an esky and the clothes on your back is, if you want to actually enjoy yourself for multiple days, you best get a bit of planning done. To be honest, planning a holiday with your friends can be just as much fun as the actual trip itself. Set aside a day to head round to someone’s house, bring your laptops, and put your heads together. 

Some things you should make sure you have organised before you leave are: booking a spot to pitch your tent, the supplies you need to bring (and who’s bringing them), and what you’re going to eat for each meal.

Take Care of Yourselves (And Each Other)

When you’re camping it’s an absolute necessity to know the risks associated with the environment you’re in. If you’re camped out near the coast and heading to the beach, only swim between the flags and keep an eye out for each other. If you’re out in the bush, make sure a few of you know the basics of first aid in case anyone cops an injury or is bitten by a snake or insect. 

If you’re over 18 and planning on having a couple of bevvies, you’ll quickly realise that drinking becomes a whole different beast when you’re sitting out in the sun all day. So please, please, please space it out with a bit of water in between. And unless you want to end up looking like Elmo’s flakey cousin, you best be slipping, slopping and slapping too.

Be Respectful

Of course, having a great time should be the number one priority, but don’t cut your trip short by getting kicked out of the campsite. Be friendly and polite to the people camping around you and keep the noise down at night, especially if there are families with small children around. If you want to keep the party going after dark, head out to a local pub or restaurant. Or a more public area such as a park or the beach.

If you’d rather avoid other people altogether, camping on somebody’s property can be a great alternative to a caravan park. There are plenty of websites for renting a section of private acreage to camp on, which will give you and your mates ample room to cause a ruckus. 

Know What To Pack

Depending on where you’re heading and what facilities will be available, the list of items you'll need to pack will vary. But this list is a great place to start.

• Tent
• Tent pegs
• Mallet
• Sleeping Bag
• Pillow
• Clothes
• Enclosed shoes
• Toiletries
• Extension cord
• Power bank
• A good torch (and batteries)
• Camping chair
• Trestle table
• Tarp for shade
• Firewood
• Matches
• Clothesline (with pegs)
• Duct Tape
• Dust pan and broom
• Gas burner
• Pots and pans
• Cooking utensils
• Can opener
• Bottle opener
• Picnic set
• Esky/ camp fridge
• Bin Bags
• Hand Towel
• Bath Towel
• Dishwashing gear
• Outdoor sports gear

Once everything is planned and packed, all that’s left to do is have a great time! So this is officially your sign to message to group chat and pack everyone into a tent.