CityLife FISHING & CAMPING
CityLife FISHING & CAMPING
Top 5 Easter Camping Tips
With Easter just around the corner there’s a couple of things we know for sure. We’ll soon be stuffing our faces with choccies, and the car will be packed to the brim with all the camping gear needed to make the most of the Easter holidays in BCFing style.
Whether you’re a first-time camper looking for a leg up, or a legend of the outdoors who wants to save a couple of seconds setting up, these handy hints should have you spending less time worrying and more time kicking back with a cold one. Before heading away this Easter break check out these great camp tips from the BCFing experts, they’ll get you sorted!
1. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION – TAKE TIME WHEN PICKING YOUR SPOT
Two of the biggest factors that impact the success of your camp trip include the company you travel with, and where you decide to set up shop. Whilst you can’t choose your family you can definitely choose your camping spot and it’s important that you take your time when picking a suitable location. Depending on the size and nature of your crew there are some important questions that need answering before locking in a site. These include:
• Will you need a powered or unpowered site?
• Does the spot have any amenities such as a loo or barbie?
• How far is it from the nearest town or shops?
• Is there a bin for all the empty drinks and choccy wrappers?
Especially if you’re travelling with the little tackers or those who prefer their creature comforts, it’s important to pick a site that’s a little less on the rough side. You’ll also want to pick a spot that lends itself to having some BCFing fun. Does it have a fishy creek nearby? Is there a perfect lake for paddle boarding within a stone’s throw from camp? While picking a camp site isn’t rocket science it’s an important first step and will make a huge difference when it comes to what you write down on the packing list. It’s also important you decide early and book in your spot if you get the chance, to avoid getting caught out camping in the backyard again this year! If you’re short on ideas, check out our Top Easter Camping Locations.
2. GOOD TO GO? CHECK YOUR GEAR BEFORE HEADING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
So, you’ve decided on your camp spot and can’t sleep without dreaming of the nights that will be spent whiling the hours away in front of the bush telly. Marshmallows by the fire, the sound of a slow-flowing stream, beer o’clock whenever you so choose, life is but a dream you think to yourself… That is until you get to the spot and roll out your swag, only to find it’s covered in mould. Forgetting to check your gear before heading away can seriously ruin your camp trip and could land you in some seriously hot water, especially if you’re camping in a remote location. Make sure that your gear is in tip top shape before loading it up into the car. Do the sleeping bags need a wash? Is your cooker in working order? Have you got all the tent poles? Don’t just assume everything’s Mickey Mouse before you leave, get in there and have a test run. Set up the tent, blow up the mattress, fire up the cooker and have a pre-camp snag to get you in the mood. Make sure you physically inspect all of your gear at least a couple of days before your trip and if it’s not up to scratch you’ll have enough time to duck into your local BCF to pick up a few bits and pieces. If you’re not sure what to bring (or check), suss out this camping checklist that the BCFing experts have chalked up.
3. LET’S GET COOKING – BUST OUT A NEW CAMP RECIPE
It’s all too easy to throw a couple of snags on the barbie and call it a dinner, but if you’re really keen to take your camping experience up a notch or two it’s a great idea to add a couple of new recipes to your arsenal before you head away. You don’t need to be the next Gordon Ramsay to cook up a storm and there are so many simple camp cook-up ideas that will have your taste buds singing. Whether it’s a mouth-watering dessert like these Choc Banana Toasties or you simply level up your snag game with this Ultimate Snag on Bread, camp cooking doesn’t have to be hard to get the crew licking their lips.
The Easter break could also be a great time to test out a couple of new ways of making a feed. Pick up a camp oven and enter the world of open fire camp cooking. With a camp oven in tow the options are pretty much limitless, and you’ll feel like a true bushman when harnessing the heat of an open fire to fill your belly. There’s nothing wrong with a sausage in bread, but the Easter break is the ideal time to push your limits and try something new. Even if you don’t fancy yourself as much of a chef give a new recipe a crack this camp trip and you never know, you might surprise yourself!
4. SAFETY FIRST – DON’T FORGET THE FIRST AID KIT
A very simple but important tip here – don’t forget the first aid kit! You never know when things can turn pear-shaped so it’s important you have the gear to make sure that you can deal with any nicks, grazes, splinters, or other nasties that might turn a great day at camp on its head. Get your hands on a first aid kit that has all the essentials and you’ll be good to go. If you’ve given your current first aid kit a bit of a beat around, make sure that you have a good look through it and stock up on anything that might be missing. A first aid kit is a must-have when heading off to camp, so make sure that you’ve got a fully stocked kit this Easter holidays. It’s also important to make sure you’re wearing suitable clothing at camp and that you load up on sunscreen, bug spray, and all the other bits of gear that’ll mean the first aid kit can also kick back and have a rest.
5. LEAVE NO TRACE – MAKE SURE YOU DEAL WITH YOUR CHOCCY WRAPPERS THE RIGHT WAY
There’s no better excuse to stuff your face with choccies than the Easter break, and while hundreds of individually wrapped eggs will go down an absolute treat, they’ll also create a whole heap of tiny bits of rubbish that could be of harm to the resident wildlife. Make sure that wrappers and any other rubbish ends up in the bin and not the floor. If you do decide to have an Easter egg hunt, make sure you remember the hiding location of every egg so that none get left behind in nature. You could even snap a photo of every hiding spot so that you can go back and double check they’ve all been found. You never know, you might be lucky enough to snag one that the crew have missed!
Source: Thanks to BCF (www.bcf.com.au)
