Campsite Etiquette

Campsite Etiquette

Regardless of where you stay; at a caravan park or a bush camp, the following simple Campsite Etiquette guidelines can make yours and everyone else’s campsite stay enjoyable.

• At all times comply with the venue rules and directions of the venue manager.
• Introduce yourself to your neighbours. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference this makes towards everyone enjoying their time at the venue. You might even score a meal or drinks with some interesting people. After all, one of the benefits of caravanning is meeting fellow travellers.
• Be aware that there are boundaries between sites. Don’t walk across someone else’s site. It might be a shorter route, but you’ll step on some toes at the same time. stick to the roads and walkways.
• Be sure to keep your belongings caravan, vehicle, bikes etc. within your allocated site boundaries.
• If you are travelling with children, be sure to make them aware of the neighbours and the rules of the venue.
• if you have a pet with you, make sure it’s under control and be sure to pick up after it. Remember not everyone is an animal lover and some people are allergic to cats. Firstly, make sure pets are allowed in the venue.
• Every experienced caravanner will have heard a story or two, about a venue toilet mishap. To avoid an unpleasant incident, be sure to empty toilet waste in the designated dump point. The laundry, bathroom sinks or camp kitchens are definitely not the place to ‘empty the tank’. These and are extremely unhygienic places to do so.
• Always wash down a dump point with the hose provided after emptying a cassette.
• Use a sullage hose for greywater. No-one appreciates the noise of sullage splashing from the sink onto the ground.
• If there isn’t a drain nearby, don’t let sullage run into open common areas or onto someone else’s site. Direct it under your van, into the bush or on to a tree.
• You will learn very quickly that there is a shortage of water in most parts of Australia. Be water conscious and make the effort to minimise your water usage.
• Keep your site clean and tidy. Disposing of rubbish and food scraps in the appropriate bins. Packing away towels and other equipment.
• If rubbish bins have not been provided, take all your rubbish away with you when you leave.
• Unfortunately, theft does occur, be sure to secure any valuables when you are leaving the site or going to bed.
• The majority of venue have specified areas for activities and ball games purposefully set away from the caravans. Use these areas if you and your children want to play.
• Monitor how much noise is coming from your site. Keep the noise to a minimum before 8am and after 10pm, even if you’re partying with your neighbours.
• Keep Australia clean – We love our country, most people are clean and do the right thing, it’s just a few that don’t seem to care. Put your rubbish in your bin, this includes cigarette butts and beer cans. If there are no bins take your rubbish with you. Make sure you leave a site cleaner than when you arrived and if you see rubbish somewhere else, do Australia a favour and pick it up. If there are bins and they are full don’t just pile your rubbish on top of it, again take it with you. Birds, other animals and the wind can distribute the rubbish everywhere and make a big mess. Our wildlife is precious, we don’t want to see them choking on a plastic bag or a piece of your rubbish.
• Australia offers some beautiful, natural campsites with an abundance of flora and fauna. As tempting as it may be to interact with the local wildlife, for your own good and the good of fellow travellers, resist feeding the local wildlife.
• When you eventually depart the venue, leave your site in perfect condition for the next occupants.
• Whether you stay a couple of nights, or a couple of weeks, be sure to say goodbye to your neighbours and other people who may have met along the way. You never know where a friendly venue interaction could lead.
• Remember, take away only photographs and memories, and leave only foot prints
  

  Campsite Etiquette