New Year camping Australia: top tips for celebration

Ring In 2020 With A Celebratory Camping Trip!

Ah, New Year’s Eve. A time for partying with your nearest and dearest as you wave goodbye to last year’s trials and get excited about the adventures ahead. But it’s also a time for forking out obscene amounts on event tickets, taxis and cocktails. After years of the same old celebrations, why not try something different?

Swap the jam-packed venues and eye-watering expenses for sweeping beaches, starry skies and the best company. Whether it’s New Year’s Eve camping in NSW, WA or Tassie, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable (and affordable) countdown! With the festive feels, your own playlists and extra eskys full of cans, this is summer camping at it’s finest.

But it’s easy to get things wrong, be it free camping on New Year’s Eve without the right supplies or trying to book a holiday park during its most popular time of year. Below, we’ve put together some pro tips to help you make the most of your New Year’s Eve camping adventure!

Rally The Troops

The more mates, the merrier. So get your friends on board for a wild New Year’s Eve! Unlike an uncomfortably cramped bar or hot, stuffy house, there’s no limit to the number of people that can party in the great outdoors.

That said, don’t get too carried away - remember that the larger the group, the harder it will be to find a campground that can accommodate all of you.

Pack The Party Supplies

There’s nothing worse than setting up camp on New Year’s Eve, only to realise you’ve forgotten those decorations, drinks or nibbles that you bought specifically for the occasion. So make a packing list and have everything ready to go before the big day!

As well as all of the usual camping gear, you’ll need to bring special New Year’s Eve additions. Think extra coolers, tasty treats, festive bunting, fairy lights, first aid kits and, of course, some hampers. Don’t forget to pack a pair of ear plugs, either - with the party in full swing until the early hours, your sleepy 2020 self will thank you.

Go With The Flow

And we mean this literally. Be it a river, lake or ocean, camp near water so that you can cool off whenever needed. With summer temperatures expected to rise higher than ever, you’ll want a refreshing dip every now and again or you’ll be too hot and bothered to bother with the festivities!

Be Tactical With Your Choice Of Campground

As with all things New Year’s Eve, you should book your campsite as far ahead as possible. The early bird gets the worm, and never has this held more true than the fight for New Year’s Eve campsites! Secure your space in September, October or November (at the very latest) and you’ll enjoy a prime party spot without the post-Christmas stress.

Left it too late? Fear not - you don’t have to camp on a busy beach to have an awesome time. Rather, your best bet is to find a free camping spot, book a space on Youcamp or stay at a National Park campground a few kilometres inland. You’ll enjoy more space and cheaper rates, while still being only a short drive from the water. And if you’re driving a 4WD, then you can even camp off-grid to avoid the crowds!

If you’re in need of some New Year’s Eve campsite inspo, check out some of our favourites below:

NSW

• Black Rocks campground in Bundjalung National Park

• Apsley Falls campground in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

• Diamond Head campground in Crowdy Bay National Park

• Old Camp campground in Chichester State Forest

• Hobart Beach campground in Bournda National Park

Queensland

• Coochin Creek camping area in Beerwah State Forest

• Any of the campsites at Cape Palmerston National Park

• Noah Beach camping area in Daintree National Park

• Babinda Rotary Park campground

Western Australia

• Thomas River campground in Cape Arid National Park

• Osprey Bay campground at Ningaloo Reef

• Mitchell Falls campground in Mitchell River National Park

• Elachbutting Rock campsite by Westonia

• Conto campground near Margaret River

Northern Territory

• Butterfly Springs camping area in Limmen National Park

• Wangi Falls camping area in Litchfield National Park

• Gunlom campground in Kakadu National Park

• Djurrang campground in Flora River Nature Park

Victoria

• 90 Mile Beach campgrounds in Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park

• Sheepyard Flat South campsite in Howqua Hills Historic Area

• Point Leo Foreshore Park on the Mornington Peninsula

• Aire River West campground on Cape Otway

• Barmah Lakes camping area in Barmah National Park

South Australia

• Wilpena Pound Campground in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

• Pondalowie Campgroundin Innes National Park

• 42 Mile campground in Coorong National Park

• Mambray Creek campground in Mount Remarkable National Park

ACT

• Cotter campground on the Murrumbidgee River

• Honeysuckle campground in Namadgi National Park

• Blue Waterholes campground in Kosciuszko National Park

Tasmania

• Cockle Creek campground in Southwest National Park

• Mayfield Beach campground near Swansea

• Friendly Beaches campground in Freycinet National Park

• Stumpy Bay 1 campground in Mt. William National Park

Wherever you decide to stay, make sure to claim a spot nice and early - many National Parks have a first-come, best-dressed policy. And if you’re late to the party, ask a mate to save a spot for you if possible!

Beware Of Traffic

When you’re ready to hit the road, try your best to avoid peak travel times - with New Year’s Eve celebrations come seemingly endless trails of traffic across the country. Everyone is heading somewhere for the countdown, and our highways bare the brunt of this mass dash to the party!

Our advice is to leave in the morning before the lanes fill up. Or even better, head out into nature a few days early to unwind from the Christmas chaos in peace!

Never Drink And Drive

You’d think we could leave this one out by now, but better safe than sorry. Refrain from that festive brekky beer before your drive and step away from the wheel after that first sip at the campsite!

With a fully-stocked set up and so much fun to be had at your campground, there’s really no need to risk the roads at any point. Tonight is about embracing Australia’s wilderness, not its city lights.

Respect The Local Wildlife

Be considerate of the environment you camp in, remembering to keep the noise under control so that local animals aren’t stressed or scared away from their natural habitat. It’s also a good idea to forgo the confetti, opting for decorations that are easy to clean up and won’t harm the ecosystem in any way.

And let’s not lie: most of us will have at least a couple of drinks on New Year’s Eve. To ensure our festivities don’t harm the native wildlife, skip wine bottles and bring cans instead. This will eliminate the risk of leaving any broken glass behind - a cardinal sin of camping!

Leave The Fireworks And Sparklers At Home

Obviously, fireworks are a definite no-no. Who needs them anyway when you’ve got a front-row seat to the twinkling night sky?

On a related note, please err on the safe side and avoid using sparklers during your party (as tempting as it may be). We know that New Year’s Eve calls for all things shiny and glittery, but it’s more important to protect our land from bushfire risks - it’s suffered enough.

And if your sparkler tradition is an absolute must, then the only place you should light up is in the water.

Clean Up After Your Celebrations

This point is pretty simple: leave your surroundings as pristine as they were before the party. Tidy up all decorations, rubbish and cans, double checking that you got everything before you leave.__

For less chores to worry about in the morning, keep the area as clean as possible as the night goes on. A quick and easy way to do this is to make sure there’s a bin handy. And once your campsite is all cleaned up, sit back, relax and enjoy a big fry up for a delicious start to 2020!

Plan Some Fun In The Sun For New Year’s Day

A holiday camping trip is all about spending quality time with your favourite people. So pack a few games and organise some group activities for your trip together! Especially for New Year’s Day, which can easily be forgotten about in the build up to countdown celebrations.

The activities don’t have to be anything fancy - it’s likely that everyone will be pretty tired and slightly worse for wear. But something as simple as bringing body boards or a volleyball with you can make a huge difference to New Year’s Day, entertaining the whole crew for hours.

Bring More Water Than Ever Before

New Year’s Day hangover + intense summer heat = serious dehydration.

Chances are it’ll be sweltering out and you’ll be feeling the effects of the night before, so take plenty of water with you. To make sure you don’t run out of this vital H20, calculate how many litres you think you’ll need and then double it!

Kick Off The New Year In Comfort With A Van Rental

They say that how you spend New Year’s Eve is a reflection of how you’ll spend the rest of the year - and no one wants to be stuck in a messy, muggy tent!

Why not hire an awesome van on Camplify to ring in the new year with comfort, style and convenience? With yet another year under your belt, you deserve it. Simply search by location and use the handy date filter to check out which vans are still available.

From nomads to homebirds, everyone needs to discover the magic of a New Year’s Eve camping trip at least once! There’s honestly no better way to welcome January 1st than waking up to a glorious sunrise in the great outdoors. So if you’re keen to spice up your New Year’s festivities (and save hundreds of dollars on extortionate event fees, expensive bevvys and taxi surge charges), then choose a campsite and head for the hills. You’re about to experience an epic celebration under the stars!

So what is Camplify?

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We are Australia’s largest caravan and motorhome sharing community, helping connect holidaymakers with thousands of local van owners.

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What does that mean?

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Essentially, we provide a unique sharing platform where local owners of caravans, camper trailers, motorhomes, and campervans list their van for hire while not in use. As a van owner, this enables you to earn up to $10,000 - $20,000 a year by sharing with others

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As a holidaymaker, Camplify helps you find a van that’s perfect for your next adventure, so you can experience the freedom & joys of caravanning - without having to own one yourself.

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Interested? Learn more about Camplify here.