Now is the time to start planning

First: Research

Know where you’re going. Know how to get there. Know that you can get there. And that you can get back. If you’re towing a caravan, it might not be a great idea to take a route that involves beach driving. Common sense pays when it comes to getting away. 

Understand your vehicle BEFORE you leave. Check that your tow ball weight is correct and electric brakes are in order. Check your tail lights, spare tyre...the list goes on! Get your vehicle serviced prior to leaving so there are no unexpected suprises when you're 300km away from a service centre. Now could be the time to learn how to service your own vehicle and some simple maintenace you have been wanting to learn for a while now.

Carry a physical map of where you’re going in case your technology breaks down (it happens!). 

Many places in WA require national park permits for camping, check out the requirements at the campsite you are looking to park up at, don't just turn up and expect your site to be free and available. Many Australians have grown up camping, so it can be common that even though you are driving 10+ hours out of the city that your campsite may be fully booked!

If you're not planning to go to a campsite and you are going off the tracks, keep in mind that WA still has some strict regulations around the areas we can park up and stay the night...you want to avoid the ranger giving you a fine and havign to move on after you've spent 2 hours setting up camp. 

Second: The Gear

Make sure you’re prepared with the right gear you’ll need for the trip.

Tent: If it’s new, make sure it is seasoned (Google is your friend). If you’ve had it a while, pull it out, put it up in the backyard and make sure it’s in working order. Buy any spares and make any repairs. And you can never have enough tent pegs as these seem to grow legs and walk off. Look at getting sand pegs – they are super long and will give you extra security for windy days and nights. Don’t forget the mallet! If you have young kids, now could be the time to pitch the tent in the backyard and have some fun with teaching them to set it up. 

Bedding: If you’ve ever had a bad night’s sleep, you’ll know how much it can ruin the next day. Get yourself quality bedding, whether it is a mattress, swag, rooftop tent - it will be worth every penny! 

Clothing: Chances are you’ll be dressed for Summer and Winter nights will roll in. Always take a spare pair of warm tracksuit pants and thick jacket. Start writing a checklist of items so that when you do start parking you don't forget anything. 

Tech: Don’t forget the chargers & a torch! 

Water: Carry a 20 litre (minimum) jerry can of water at all times.

And don’t forget a quality camp chair! Do some online research and read the reviews for quality camping gear. 

If you’re going coastal, take some snorkel gear, you’d be amazed at the amount of incredible beaches along our sun drenched coast. If you have a pool at home, get the kids to test out their snorkel gear. Teach them how to de-fog their mask and get them confident for when they can head out in the ocean. 

Food: Depending on how remote you’re going, you’ll always find a family run general store – grab the majority of your supplies there and support a small business. Don't forget to keep your food stored away once you pull up to camp. The worst thing is waking up in the morning and going to make breakfast when you can see a trail of ants through your supplies...or worse, an animal has had a feast over night. Do some research on the best camping recipes with minimal products, now could be the time to test out your camping cooker and start testing out a few recipes. 

Offroading? Make sure you have the right recovery gear – snatch strap, recovery points, any sort of trax to help you out of a sand bog and compressor. A two-way radio is always handy as well. Watch some youtube videos that teach you how to get out of a sticky situation. 

Drop your tyres to 25psi for rock climbing and down to as far as 12psi for sand driving (depending on the softness of the sand and the weight of your vehicle – LC200? Drop them to 12-14psi and tackle the sand with ease). 

Medication: Pack things like mosquito repellent, pain killers, betadine, bandaids... anything to make you comfortable.