Table of Contents

risk management when camping

see also:

Introduction

  • the main things that can destroy your camping trip in southern parts of Australia are:
    • rain and getting cold and your gear wet - especially your sleeping gear
    • strong winds
    • poor planning - where to camp, back up plans, forgetting important gear, inappropriate gear for destination and weather, etc
    • bug invasions
      • check the camp area before setting up
      • keep your sleeping area zipped up and bug-proof
      • don't leave food around
    • injury or illness such as gastro or migraines
    • over-crowding or people behaving badly
      • avoid peak periods and avoid camp grounds if the vibe doesn't feel good
    • vehicle issues
      • think twice before deciding to go down a 4WD track - under-carriage damage can leave you stranded without access to help
      • don't drive on soft sand unless you know how to (driving on beaches is illegal in Victoria)
  • as long as you are sensible, are aware of risks, don't take stupid risks and stay away from others who would be drunk or stupid, then your realistically severe risks are mainly:
    • severe storms - these are lethal if flash flooding causing drownings or death from car accidents, falling trees, lightning and dry lightning bush fires
      • don't go camping if severe storms are forecast and avoid taking your car on the roads
    • drowning whilst swimming or boating - wear a life jacket on boats and when swimming if you are not a strong swimmer, and know the rip current signs at beaches or swim between the flags
    • getting lost or injured hiking - take a EPIRB radio beacon and some rain/cold/sun protection with enough water
    • tripping over tent guy ropes and severely injuring wrist or elbow - ensure all guy ropes glow in the dark and are reflective!
    • injuring your back from lifting heavy gear poorly, or when pulling pegs out of hard ground
      • personally I avoid anything over 15-20kg when camping - remember, canvas tents get much heavier when packing up wet
    • breaking your ankle or injuring your knee walking on uneven ground
      • take extra care hiking down hill
      • always use a torch at night - preferably hand held rather than a head torch so you can look around but still keep the torch on the path in front of you
        • head torches are great when you need both hands for a task but they will blind other campers walking in the dark - hold them in your hand if you have a spare hand
        • avoid non-directional lanterns when walking as they unnecessarily impact other campers trying to sleep
        • avoid having camp flood lights unless they face vertically downwards as they adversely impact other campers trying to sleep and also impact the vision of those walking at night towards the light - they will be blinded by the bright light just like walking towards the low sun and this makes it much harder to see what is in front of you
      • don't walk far when you are drunk - better still, don't get drunk!
    • burns from camp fires or boat fires - check gear, especially gas connections, don't get drunk around fires or when cooking, and take extra care
    • for older hikers, medical emergencies such as heart attacks
  • NB. far more people die in Australia from either holiday car accidents, drownings, or falling trees in storms than from snake bites so don't let a fear of snakes prevent you from enjoying a refreshing experience in nature - and if the insects and snakes are still a worry, camp in southern parts of Australia in winter
    • no-one dies from spiders in Victoria - allergic reactions to bees or ant stings are a risk though.
    • most people who die from falling trees or branches are in urban areas rather than camping as that is where most people are.
    • and thankfully, in Australia, very few hikers or campers are attacked by predatory humans or animals - you are far more likely to be attacked in urban areas as that is where the far majority of would be attackers live and they generally don't go camping or hiking - that said, don't go looking for trouble and take care to avoid creating conflict with drone use, etc - some people want their privacy!

Research BEFORE you go

  • 90% of search and rescue efforts are for day hikers - be prepared even for short hikes!
  • most deaths in hiking and camping are due to falling from waterfalls or cliff edges or drowning - an Instagram pic is not worth the risks!
    • other deaths are mainly from trees or tree branches falling, very few are from snake bites or other animal injuries
    • in Victoria, you are far more likely to be killed by people you know or in urban areas (especially where substance abuse issues are rife) rather than by predators in the bush - these are thankfully rare but you must still use your judgement and avoid high risk scenarios
  • alpine hiking is particularly dangerous as weather can change rapidly and it can snow or be extremely cold any time of the year
    • beware exposed ridges and temperature inverted valleys (the absence of trees means it gets extremely cold - set up camp amongst trees instead even if this is higher)
    • in Oct 2025, two women hikers froze to death near Mt Bogong, Vic's highest peak - no suspicious causes found - but weather had been sub-zero with snowfalls and they were on an exposed ridge in an area with little opportunity for setting up a tent with very rocky ground and very little trees or vegetation for protection from wind chill - a situation where a cold front passing could cause death quickly if unprepared for it 2)
    • 22 May 2021, twenty-one professional runners out of 172 competing died from hypothermia while competing in a government-run 100-kilometre (62 mi) trail running race held in the Yellow River Stone Forest in Jingtai County, Gansu, China when a storm front hit the alpine area and they had no shelter or comms

The human factor

Camp site risks

Back injury from excessively heavy gear or pulling pegs out of hard ground

Camp fire smoke inhalation

Equipment failure

The weather

strong winds

alpine influences

convection lightning storms

cold fronts

low pressure systems

really hot days 35-45deg C

very cold nights

Animal life

  • fortunately in Victoria there are no animal predators which will attack you hiking or camping - unlike most other countries with their predatory bears and cougars
    • that said, if you get too close to Australian wildlife, they may try to defend themselves and most have sharp dirty claws (eg. kangaroos, koalas, large lizards) or lethal bites (eg. snakes) - especially avoid animals who are protecting their young and do NOT feed or try to pat or catch wildlife!
    • avoid leaving food scraps in camp site as this attracts wild animals, especially large lizards, cassowaries, wild boar and wild dogs
    • in other states there are wild animals which can attack you:
      • crocodiles in the tropics
      • wild boar - mainly NSW and Qld (there are small isolated areas in Victoria such as parts of the Murray River)
        • boar are strong, fast, and have poor eyesight, at night, they may stumble into tents or bivy sites while foraging, potentially trampling sleeping campers by mistake
        • most will avoid humans, but if they feel threatened, trapped, or are surprised at close range, they may charge or defend themselves with their tusks
      • wild dogs and dingoes - these are mainly an issue for your pet dogs in the high country, however dingos on K'gari (Fraser Island), Qld do attack people
      • cassowaries in tropical Qld can be aggressive and dangerous
  • many insects are attracted to light, a phenomenon called positive phototaxis, the good news is that most cannot see our visible red light in the range of 600-740nm so use orange/red lights when camping
  • of course, other insects such as mosquitoes are attracted to high levels of CO2 (your exhaled air) and skin odours so an orange/red light will not suffice for these - avoid wearing perfumes as they may attract mozzies!

Australian snakes

goannas (lace monitors)

dingos and wild dogs

wombats

bats and flying foxes

hairy caterpillars

Trees and other plants

sudden limb drop

stinging plants

Additional factors at lakes and rivers

  • water treatments such as chemical sterilisation, boiling, filtration and UV sterilisation will NOT decontaminate the water of the blue-green algae toxins and thus the water cannot be readily made potable! These toxins may have many effects such as destroying your liver.
  • water that is over 28degC with dirt and no chlorine may harbor lethal amoeba Naegleria fowleri that causes a 99% fatal amoebic meningitis - avoid swimming in at risk waters, or at least avoid water going up your nose
    • cases are RARE - usually only 1 or so every decade - you are at far higher risk of drowning - but worth being aware of the risk!
    • not usually a problem in Victoria other than in thermal pools, although the Murray River can hit 28degC in late Jan/early Feb
    • cases have occurred in Drakesbrook Weir, WA south of Perth 11) as well as in Qld

Additional factors taking young and even not so young kids

Additional factors taking dogs

Additional factors in the tropics

  • its hot and humid BUT swimming is generally only advised in the tropics in some fresh water streams and in swimming pools
    • lethal jellyfish are a major risk in sea water in summer and crocs can be a major risk all year in estuaries and beaches
    • there is NO surfing in tropical Australia that I am aware of!
    • obey warning signs - there is a particular drowning risk due to a peculiar water current and boulder formations in the popular Mossman Gorge, Nth Qld 12)
  • avoid going to the tropics in summer months (Dec-Apr) unless you really love hot, humid conditions with lots of heavy rain and severe lightning storms
    • roads are often cut due to flooding of river crossings or general damage from rains - so you may not be able to get to those magical waterfalls, and worse, you may get stranded in a remote area and survival will be your challenge
    • lethal jellyfish are a major issue in summer - you won't see them coming!
    • mosquitoes may transmit Dengue fever especially around Cairns
    • sandflies tend to be more problematic
    • mould grows a LOT faster in hot humid weather and it can be hard to dry your gear out
    • heat illness - it is nearly always hot and humid which leads to heat stress and difficulty cooling down - stay hydrated and take care!
    • fungal rashes from sweaty skin - especially in the groin area
    • heat rashes
    • melioidosis is rare, mainly affecting those in poor health, and mainly acquired in the wet season via muddy waters contacting cuts or skin sores, or from drinking or inhaling aerosols of contaminated water
      • it is a bacterial infection and people can get sick a few days to many years later, treatment is at least a 3 month course of strong antibiotic.
    • you probably won't be able to get out to the islands for snorkeling and scuba diving
    • cyclones may destroy your travel plans