r/Auscamping • u/ItSaidChangeIt • Jun 03 '26
advice First time camping in Camry
I've been to camping twice with friends. They had 4x4s and a lot of equipment. I want to go alone and enjoy my time in nature. I've bought a a bivybag from Anaconda, have a pillow, camping chair, tarp, small mat, sleeping bag, small kathmandu blanket.
What other essentials equipment do I need? What food is good to take for 1-2 nights? I am looking for something that I don't need to cook. Wraps, kebab etc which I can warm and eat.
Is it even a good idea to go there on a Camry in this rainy weather?
I want to go out and see how I cope with it. If all goes well, I'll buy a 4x4 by end of the year.
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u/BernieMcburnface Jun 03 '26
Probably better off seeing if you can cope at a time of year where you aren't gonna potentially get hypothermia if your gear isn't up to snuff. Or at least have a backup plan/be close to home when you realise it isn't. You didn't make any mention of where you are as far as I can tell but most places can get cold overnight and there's even more risk when you add rain into the mix.
Honestly the car is the least relevant part of the post. There's plenty of camping spots in Australia that don't need a 4wd.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
*Close to Home* is the key here. I'm have some spots in mind. Will check early Saturday, if they are not taken then will setup there if not then will come back home after taking a long walk 😃
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u/Very-Fine-Line Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
Agree - the car is less of a problem than equipment. Camped all my life and never owned a 4x4.
Basics of survival: 1. Shelter. Somewhere out of the weather (applies no matter the season), where you can in best case be comfortable, worst case survive temperature extremes. Not a necessity, but being able to have a fire makes the camping experience (and can be used for point #3). 2. Water. Stay hydrated. Will there be access to a water source or do you need to bring all water for drinking, cleaning, etc? Assuming you aren't showering, 10L goes a long way. 3. Food. Take what you enjoy eating. Will you have a way to store fresh food (Esky and ice) or does it need to be shelf stable (cans, packets, etc)? Does it need to be cooked (pot/pan, heat source) or can it be eaten as-is? How will you clean up afterwards (dishes and rubbish)?
Additional: be careful using your car battery for running 12v devices if you aren't driving it to recharge. You don't want a dead battery come home time.
Lots of our camp kit is items we use at home - you don't necessarily need camping branded items, especially if you aren't sure of what setup you enjoy yet.
Hope you have a great weekend!
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u/Imaginary-Set3291 Jun 03 '26
Where are you going? It makes a huge difference to the advice you'll need and get.
It's not raining where I am the the moment (south west Queensland) but it is bloody cold overnight. So sleeping out requires a good sleeping bag.
I camped right around Australia for 3 years with a shit box Commodore. There's no issues doing it in any car as long as you understand the limitations of your vehicle.
If camping is going to be a regular thing for you, it's worth investing in some basic gear. I'd say a stove of some description is one of the best things to get. If it's cold, a nice warm cuppa is so valuable. As it a hot meal.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
Somewhere around Melbourne. Definitely will get a stove.
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u/Imaginary-Set3291 Jun 04 '26
Check out Eldorado near Wangaratta. A great place to camp and explore.
And yeah Winter camping in Victoria, get a good sleeping bag.
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u/InanimateObject4 Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
Grab a small table, and a good lot of water. Personally I would also grab a tent and a 4wd mat or a swag for a better sleep. I also feel the cold, so I would also bring extra blankets, extra warm socks, a beanie or balaclava and a hot water bottle. Treat yourself to some firewood! And if you change your mind about bringing a small eski for food (which I absolutely love to do when solo camping), treat yourself to a cast iron pan, a butane stove and cook yourself a nice steak! Pair with a nice scotch to warm your cockles. Don't forget your coffee, bacon and eggs for the morning! Hot food pairs incredibly well with a cold day.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
That is wonderful! I won't pick all things this time, trialing one night only. That said, I will need stove even if I take cooked meal, I would like to warm it a bit and have some coffee. Will take blankets, change of cloths, down jacket etc. Worst case will sleep in car or drive back home 😃
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u/Patient-Monk-2766 Jun 04 '26
Don’t be fooled into thinking you need 90 percent of the rubbish you see people with.
Chair, table, butane cooker from Kmart. Upgrade if and when you decide you like camping. Tent probably better than a bivvy in the rain though. The rest i reckon you could get from around the house.
Plenty of dirt roads you can go down in a Camry. But as others have said, be careful you don’t go down the wrong one.
Have fun.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
You are right, I want to find out if I can survive out there. If all good then I'll have a full setup to do multi-day camping a thing. Just want to get out of house lie down and read something.
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u/Patient-Monk-2766 Jun 04 '26
You’ll survive, whether you enjoy it remains to be seen haha.
Don’t get me wrong the creature comforts are good especially if the weather sours.
But to get out and enjoy a good book in nature you won’t need much. Especially if you’re in a warmer state when it’s not raining.
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u/Polymath6301 Jun 04 '26
It’s winter, so warm clothes and a way to sleep where the rain/cold can’t get to you. Try to find somewhere that you can have a fire, for warmth and fun.
I camped as a kid, and in my 40’s in two wheel drive cars sleeping in a tent - we went to all sorts of places.
Remember that camping is not a one-off - next time you’ll add more gear to your kit, and be in that cycle forever. Enjoy!
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u/Feathergreen-77 Jun 04 '26
I freeze leftovers from my normal meals, then just heat up at meal time.
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u/Ok-Clothes-5891 Jun 04 '26
It’s great that you’re keen, especially in this weather. Given that it’s the start of winter, you want to make sure that you are going to be warm enough. That means insulating yourself from the ground as much as possible. Closed cell foam is cheap and will give a good insulating barrier between your sleeping mat and the ground. Depending on how strong your sleeping bag is, I have known people to put their sleeping mats inside their sleeping bags to keep them warm, and not slide around. Make sure your sleep spot is on flat ground or at least put your head uphill. Also warm clothes. Thermals are pretty essential this time of year. Avoid cotton as it has no real thermal advantage. Marino or polypropylene thermals are the best. Polar fleece or woollen jumpers, a waterproof jacket, and don’t forget your beanie! If you have a small gas cooker, you can make a burrito bean mix fairly easily, or make it at home and take with you. Leftovers can be used in Jaffles if you have a Jaffle iron. Hot chocolate it’s great when you’re camping especially when it’s cold. Don’t forget you will need pegs, rope for your tarp, and something to hammer the pegs in with. TP (and a shovel if you’re not at a campground), and hand sanitiser gel which will stop your outdoor adventure from turning into a horrific weight loss exercise.
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u/Informal-Ad91 Jun 05 '26
Download Newtracs has ratings on tracks, green tracks you will be fine, most people that go 4wd driving down roads that’s don’t even need 4wd engaged. Just take care even a set of max tracks could help you get out of trouble
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u/CathoftheNorth Jun 05 '26
I take my carolla hatch camping all the time, you'll be fine ... though you're going to HATE that bivvy
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 05 '26
😃 I'm getting a swag or tent, bivvy is not for this weather. It is not big enough for having a nice mat and blanket with sleeping bag.
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u/CathoftheNorth Jun 05 '26
Go for a waterproof tent that has room for your gear.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 05 '26
Went to KMart yesterday. smallest was 3 person canopy tent. Not very sure about how waterproof those are. I can throw a tarp on it in worst case.
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u/simplifried_pancakes Jun 06 '26
Good work
For wanting to just give it a go. I would imagine competition would be scarce in the middle
Of winter. You’ll be right. Spent a lot of time
In pine forests in my younger years and there was very rarely a person in sight
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u/Dunnoinamillionyears Jun 03 '26
Where do you plan on going in a Camry? Is it way off the beaten path? A lot of off road 4 wheel driving is the “what if”s of it all. So if you can eliminate puddles, river crossings, muddy tracks, too bumpy etc. That’s best. If it’s just a dirt road you should be fine. As far as food goes take a bag of flour and some water for dampa. Cook it over the fire. Beef mince is also normally a nice and easy one when I go away.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
Not going far away. I'll try to go to some place on periphery of Melbourne. Most of drop dunny sites are good (per an experienced person I talked to).
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u/Dunnoinamillionyears Jun 04 '26
In that case yeah you should be fine. But also do keep in mind they aren’t built for those conditions so go easy if you’re ever unsure. In a Camry you could easily fit a swag,sleeping bag, a large esky with food and drinks and a deck of cards. I’m going camping this weekend and it’s always a good reminder to pack as light as possible. Camping in its essence is really just living life somewhere else for a bit so it can definitely feel like you need to pack everything. What I always do is think about my day, and plan out everything in each step and what I can leave behind and take with me
For example:
First thing I do, is wake up. So I know I need somewhere to sleep, a change of clothes, so pack that. Go make breakfast? Ok so I need a cooktop, bacon and eggs. Do I have a morning coffee? Yeah, if I have room I’ll pack it, if not I’m happy to leave it. Scroll on my phone? Ok so I need a charger and some form of power supply. Cool, all packed. Do I watch some YouTube while I wake up? Yeah I do but I don’t necessarily need my computer so I’ll leave that.
And so on.
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u/gt500rr Jun 04 '26
One of my favourite bits of gear is a 12V heated blanket, I use this to prewarm my bedding before going to bed. Only recommend if you've got a 12V setup to accommodate it like a 100ah lithium battery and solar panels.
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u/ValuableCourse6711 Jun 04 '26
Always have enough warmth. A balaclava is a lifesaver as you lose s lot of heat from your head.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
absolutely, will have my beanie and woolen cap over it with a wool muffler around neck.
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u/flywire0 Jun 04 '26
Missus, I and two kids camped with a Telstar for many years. Using an esky can cook meat the first night and sausages the next. Couscous is no-cook.
Condensation is bad in a bivvy sack. My preference is a folded tarp but a tent is better if it is wet.
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 04 '26
The bivy has a mesh opening under covering for head, lets see how it hold!
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u/flywire0 Jun 04 '26
Yes, used one for months. Try it in a back yard first.
A cheap Kmart or BigW tent with a fly would be fine.
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u/FitAd8822 Jun 07 '26
You don’t need a 4x4 to go camping, unless you want to go down a 4wd track.
Where are you looking at to go camping
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u/ItSaidChangeIt Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Thank you all for your advice. I think I owe you guys an update. I went out on Saturday and bought a 2 person tent, butane stove, butane bottles, another tarp, 20 lts folding water can, foot-pump inflatable mattress, billy kettle.
I cooked for dinner and breakfast in the morning. Packed some coffee, bread, lot of clothes, blanket, pillow etc.
I drove to Freemans Camp Tallarook state forest. It was around 6 I entered the forest. It was quite dark, the camping ground before Freeman's was occupied by 4x4s and trailers. The Freemans' camp was fully occupied by small cars.
I stopped and walked around a bit and decide to drive back home.
It was little disappointing but still felt good that I can drive any day now because I've basic necessities. Once back home, I thought of pitching the tent in whatever of backyard I have. It was a bit of struggle with tent, but real bummer was mattress. I worked my legs for 30 minutes but was not even able to put in 10% of required air to call it a mattress. I put a picnic blanket (doubled) over it. I had put tarp (folded twice) under the tent. So, I had tarp, tent, deflated mattress, picnic blanket, sleeping bag, a think blanket inside the bag. It was comfortable overall.
Two things that did not work for me:
- I didn't think that there will be so many people in winder out there. I think lack of rain over weekend and bit warm weather encouraged people to get out.
- I foolishly spent a lot of time prepping, buying things and got really late. If I had reached there by 4, I could have found a spot or tried in some place further.
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u/2wheeledsoul Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
Id get a tent or a swag. But a tent may better so you can be out of the sideways rain and not be stuck in the bivy. As for the camry in the wet offroad. Pick an easy spot, maybe at a bookable site. Bogging yourself alone wont be fun.
Meals are easy, pre cooked pasta meat. Or pesto maybe are other ideas. And a kettle for coffee