The ultimate camping checklist

Nobody remembers everything on their first camping trip, and plenty of experienced campers still arrive without a lighter or the tent pegs. A good checklist turns packing from a stressful scramble into a quick routine, and it is the single easiest way to avoid a ruined weekend.

This checklist is built around a typical weekend of car camping, the most common kind of camping in Australia, with notes on what to add or leave out for hike-in, beach and caravan trips. It is organised by category so you can pack one box or bag at a time. You can tick items off as you go using the interactive checklists on this page, or use the packing list builder, which tailors the list to your trip.

Before you pack: plan and book

Good packing starts with good planning. Before anything goes in the car:

• Book your campsite or permit. In Queensland national parks you need a camping permit and must pay your fees before setting out. Private campgrounds take bookings directly.
• Read the campsite information. Check facilities (toilets, showers, drinking water), access, and rules on fires, generators and pets.
• Check the forecast. It affects what clothes, shelter and sleeping gear you need.
• Plan your meals. A simple menu tells you exactly what food, cookware and fuel to pack.
• Tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you will be back.

Shelter

Practise pitching the tent at home before your trip, and count the pegs. If rain is forecast, a tarp over your living area makes a huge difference. For more on choosing shelter, see how to choose a tent.

Sleep

Choose a sleeping bag by its comfort rating, and do not skimp on the mat: the ground draws heat away fast. Our sleeping bags and mats guide explains the ratings.

Kitchen

Keep perishable food at 5°C or colder, pack it cold and store raw meat separately. Queensland Health advises not using esky ice in drinks. See eskies and camp food safety and camp stoves and gas safety.

Water

Many campsites have no drinking water. Queensland Health advice is to boil water vigorously for one minute, or three minutes if it is cloudy.

Clothing

Pack for the coldest and wettest weather you might realistically get, not the average. Nights in the ranges can be much colder than in Brisbane.

Safety and health

Check the weather, fire bans and park alerts on the day you leave. If you plan to have a campfire, also pack a bucket for water and bring clean firewood from outside the park: QPWS says timber within parks and forests is protected and cannot be collected.

Camp comfort

Adapting the list

Hike-in camping

Leave behind chairs, tables, big eskies and heavy cookware. Choose a lightweight tent, a compact sleeping bag and mat, a small canister stove and a single pot. Carry water treatment rather than large containers, and add navigation, a personal locator beacon, a pack rain cover and dry bags. Weigh your pack before you go.

Beach camping

Add sand pegs or longer pegs, extra shade, extra sunscreen and swimmers. If you are driving on the beach, check whether a vehicle access permit is required. Areas such as Bribie Island and Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) require them. Pack recovery gear, a tyre pressure gauge and a compressor.

Caravan or camper trailer

Add levelling blocks, wheel chocks, hoses, a power lead and adaptors for powered sites, and check the gas and electrical systems before you leave. Test the smoke alarm. Queensland has smoke alarm requirements for caravans, so check the Queensland Fire Department's current advice.

Packing tips

• Use clear storage tubs for each category, so you can see what is inside.
• Keep a permanent camping box of kitchen items, so you are not raiding the house kitchen every trip.
• Pack the car in reverse order: the tent and tarp go in last, so they come out first.
• Keep safety gear accessible, not buried under everything else.
• Pack ice and perishable food last, just before you leave.
• Restock straight after each trip, while you remember what ran out.

Related guides

New to camping? Read camping for beginners. Planning a campfire? Read campfire safety and fire bans first.