see also:

• stealth camping for solo woman hikers
• risk management when camping
• camping security
• photography and camping main index page

• escaping from mundane ground hog day urban experiences to get away to absorb the beauty and sensorial delights which nature can provide should be available to everyone without fearing harm
• everyone should have safe opportunities to escape from winter doldrums and run around free absorbing the winter sun and do something very different to their normal lives
• this page is to provide tips on how to optimise your safety and importantly your feeling that you are safe
• if you are not ready for solo camping yet, consider going with a friend first, or joining a camp group on Facebook or Meetup (preferably contact other females who have attended camps to ascertain if the group is OK for you)

• research and work out a Plan A, B and C campsite - all within 30min drive of each other
  • eg. Melville Caves campground, Kooyoora State Park might be Plan A as it is an awesome fairly remote camp with very few people around mid-week with options for stealth bush camps, Newbridge Recreation Reserve camp ground might be Plan B, Maldon Mt Tarrengower Butt's Reserve camp ground might be Plan C and Leanganook camp ground Mount Alexander might be Plan D
• tell your family or a trusted friend where you will be going, when and how you will inform them you are OK - but do NOT broadcast this on social media - you don't want everyone knowing where you are going!
• ensure you have the appropriate gear to take, water and food, etc
• ensure your car is in good working order
• check online to ensure their are no warnings or road closures for that area
  • Melbourne and Victoria's traffic conditions and road closures
  • Vic emergency response incidents, flood warnings, etc
  • Parks Victoria closures
  • Parks Victoria Changed conditions and closures
  • Vic State Forest closures
  • Victorian seasonal road closures
  • campgrounds in Victoria with links and general information
• take a note pad and biro so you can leave notes on your windscreen to either send a real message or to mess with the minds of would be thieves or predators

• until you are comfortable camping solo, you are probably best to select locations where there is mobile phone reception
• there are two main options here:
  • find a spot where it is very unlikely anyone else will be
    • ideally this would be not visible from any passerbys on nearby roads (and preferably your car should also be hidden from view)
    • you may decide to leave your car in the car park and walk to a hidden area well away from any walking paths to set up camp
      • however, leaving a car overnight in a car park unattended near an urban area does expose it to risk of locals coming and breaking into it
      • if you do leave your car, mess with the minds of potential thieves by leaving a note on the windscreen such as “Hey guys we will be back soon, just seeing if we can shoot a couple of bunnies for dinner - Rob and Mike” or “Bet you can't see where we hid our security camera in the bush”
    • you may wish to combine this with stealth camping for solo woman hikers
      • consider not having a camp fire after dark if this may draw attention to passer-bys that someone is camping (plus you lose your night vision)
  • find a spot where there are other campers who are likely to be protective rather than predatorial
    • in reality, most camp sites will have campers who are protective (only a very small minority of campers embark on predatorial behavior), this is especially the case with grey nomad couples

• AVOID strong winds or very heavy rain forecasts
  • not only will these risk compromising your shelter (and maybe killing you) and your experience but you may find your access roads blocked by fallen trees or flood water
• AVOID total fire ban days
  • getting caught in a bushfire in mountainous areas, or even a rapidly spreading grass fire is never a great idea

• ensure you get to the camp ground well before sunset
  • this allows you to:
    • check out the camp ground and make an assessment of:
      • who is camping there
        • are they likely to be significantly alcohol or drug affected?
          • drunk people tend to become aggressive and violent, do stupid things, and are not fun on camps
        • homeless people often make semi-permanent camps, usually they are well behaved but those with ice addictions in particular are prone to thieving and potential psychoses
        • talk to people to get a gut feeling about them before you commit to setting up, be nice and respectful to other campers and they will more than likely return this - don't get into arguments, but do provide your expectations of behaviour boundaries in a diplomatic manner and actively discourage any unwanted incursions into your camp site
      • who is likely to arrive there - if it is close to an urban area, signs of rubbish or syringes may indicate it is used for substance usage in the evenings
      • the layout of the camp ground - where are the exit points, in case you decide to make an exit
      • the appropriateness of a camp site for your tent, ensuring it will be safe from potential falling branches, etc.
      • consider proximity to those who you feel will keep an eye out for you rather than going to a remote part of a camp ground (a remote part though is probably OK if no-one knows you are there)
    • decide whether or not to use this camp ground or go to Plan B or Plan C campgrounds
      • you need to feel comfortable - if the people don't make you feel comfortable, then leave and go to Plan B.
• make your camp site appear that you are not alone
  • take a second chair, or,
  • set up a second swag or hiking tent
  • this may deter those who are just passing by from stopping and considering stealing or from setting up camp near you
• park your car so you can quickly exit if you need to
  • reverse park so you can just drive straight out
• take a small shelter that is easy and fast to pack up
  • a light swag or hiking tent is ideal for this
• position your shelter so you can discretely see any area which may be of concern such as a camp ground entrance
  • many tents have a vent on the fly through which you can view out without having to unzip your fly
• if sleeping in your car, park you car so that other campers will not be walking past it
  • for example park in a camp site which has fences or bushes separating it from any pathway
• avoid mechanical car damage
  • take extra care to avoid tyre punctures, etc.
• avoid getting into arguments or discussing controversial topics
  • you can be Right or you can be HAPPY - being right and happy does not always work - so be tolerant of some behaviours and opinions but set boundaries and if there are concerns, just leave.
  • if the camp ground is a popular one within 1-2 hours of Melbourne on a weekend, then you can expect groups of young adults to camp with late noise and alcohol - go mid-week if you want peace and quiet, or go to a more remote, less well known camp
• don't display expensive items
  • this creates a theft motivation as well
• bring something that can be set off to make a loud noise to scare people of and to send an alarm to other campers to come and investigate
  • eg. canned air horn that boaters use, or a loud whistle
• bring a dog on a leash if permitted and you feel this will make you less anxious
  • even a small dog is great to alert you if someone is around while you are sleeping - but a constantly barking dog will really annoy everyone
  • dogs tend to be great deterrents to unwanted behaviour and help allay fears and anxieties at night - but they can create their own issues if there are other dogs there or there are wild dogs or snakes around plus you do need to take care they don't get burnt in camp fires - I have had to pull one out!
  • NB. dogs are NOT permitted in National Parks and some other camp grounds - see Victorian campgrounds allowing dogs for more information
• consider limiting your stay if there are other longer stay single campers
  • humans are incredibly social beings - even some men - and most campers like to have a chat
  • the general unwritten rule of camping chats with strangers is that neither party divulge personal identification details and leave things on a first name basis only, this allows for a casual interaction which is not invasive but does allow for deep and meaningfuls if that is desired, although most will keep the conversations related to camping and touring experiences.
  • some men, especially those under the age of 50, may be seeking more than a chat, and this risk tends to become more so with the longer duration of contact, hence if this behaviour is unwanted, some women elect to limit their stays to maximum of 2 nights and then move on to another camp as a routine
• consider having a nearby contact you can call who can come within 10-30 minutes if you are getting worried
  • if you are lucky enough a trusted friend may camp in a nearby camp ground to provide remote support but give you your freedom and independence of camping alone
  • despite all your preparations, trying to camp at night with all the weird native night noises and ever present background concerns of other humans can cause anxieties and fears - having a support person not too far away can go to a great deal to reduce this - as long as you can call them

• the more time you spend in nature and reading about it and talking with others, the better you will understand its secrets, the daily behavioural patterns of the various animals and what noises they make at night
• the more comfortable you get with this, the less anxious you will be about the non-human components
• none of the animals in Victoria are out to get you (apart from mosquitoes, leeches, and flies) - just give them space, don't step on snakes, and keep the insects out of your tent by keeping it zipped up. In addition, Victorian snakes are only active at night on very warm nights - nevertheless, always good to be using a torch - even if it is to avoid breaking your ankle!