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We all love camping and the sheer joy of freedom and travel. But like all forms of tourism and travel, camping has an impact on the world around us. Here, we’ll show you why sustainable camping in Australia is not only better for the environment, but how it’s also better for you – and for all of us.
Some of these simple changes to the way we camp may seem small or insignificant, but if we all make little changes to the way we travel, it will help to make camping in Australia more sustainable.
Here are a few small changes you can easily make that will help you contribute to more eco-friendly camping.
Travelling together is better
It’s simple common sense, but the more of you that share a campervan rental, the lower the impact on the environment. Your Spaceships campervan is fuel efficient, but will release similar emissions with one passenger as it will with two, three or four Space Travellers.
As well as being more fun, you can also share the cost, making it cheaper for all of you on your Australia road trip.
Our Beta Standard Campervan seats 4 and sleeps 2, so 2 could sleep in the back of the campervan while the other 2 sleep in a tent. Alternatively, you could live the high life in the Beta 4-berth with rooftop tent. This Family Campervan - sleeps 4 Space Travellers - is perfect for travelling together, its rooftop tent is spacious and comfortable.
If 4 of you travel together, there are other small savings that will benefit you and the environment. You’ll get more food cooked for a similar amount of fuel on the camp barbie and you’re more likely to reduce food waste.
Travelling with friends or family, the Beta 4-berth with rooftop tent is the perfect choice
Eco-friendly camping that doesn’t cost the Earth
You have already made a more sustainable choice by hiring a Spaceships campervan. That’s because most of the equipment you need is included in the hire, meaning you don’t have to buy new kit.
This includes all bedding, cutlery and cooking gear, including a camping stove and fresh water tank which are all provided. They will be thoroughly cleaned and re-used by future Space travellers!
You can also use more eco-friendly products on your campervan road trip in Australia. Look for bio-degradable and vegan multi-purpose soap bars. These can be used as hair and body wash, but also for washing clothes and dishes. By using a soap saver – bag for your soap made from sustainable materials – you can use up the bar until the last crumbs. And it is easier to use the soap bar, no more dropping it or slipping from your hands.
A great way to use less water on your Aussie road trip, is by adding an optional accessory like the famous solar shower. Simply fill the bag with water, hang it high, for example on a tree branch, let the sun heat the water, release the water and enjoy your shower.
Also, use washable re-usable bamboo towels instead of conventional disposable wipes. You may already use a bamboo toothbrush to reduce plastic consumption just as you may have a stainless-steel drink flask to reduce your use of single-use plastic bottles or cans.
Save water & power by using the solar shower, an optional accessory that can be added to your campervan booking
Recycle on the road
Another small change you can make is to keep your waste that can be recycled. If there are no recycling bins where you are staying, don’t just throw it away, keep hold of your recyclable waste until you can recycle it properly.
Try to buy loose food, especially not packed in plastic, by shopping at farmer's markets or refilleries. And if you can’t re-use your food waste to rustle up a tasty snack in the next day or so, try to compost it.
If you buy take-away food or salad packs, avoid those with a plastic fork. They are slow to break down and can be harmful to wildlife by spreading toxins into the local environment.
Support eco-friendly camp sites
On your road trip in Australia, you may be able to stay at eco-friendly campsites. By doing this, you are not only supporting the individual site, you are also supporting the local environment. Some eco-campsite initiatives include:
- Waste water recycling
- Eco-friendly laundry facilities
- Dual flush toilets
- Recycling & composting facilities
In Queensland, Townsville Eco Resort has its own on-site wetlands which naturally filters sediment, nutrients and pollutants from recycled waste water. And while you are in the Townsville area, you can experience the magic of a sunset, set against the Great Barrier Reef on an eco-friendly sailboat cruise: Townsville Sunset Sail.
Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park has wildlife carers to release injured wallabies and kangaroos that have recovered back into the wild, as well as low level lighting near the beach to avoid confusing turtles during the mating season.
Use fire in a smart way, don't play with it!
The idea of spending the evening chatting and cooking around the camp fire is part of the romance and appeal of camping. This is possible, even in Australia, but you must be careful, considerate and responsible at all times. First, and most importantly, you must always check that fires are permitted where you are staying. Bush fires are a massive danger to life and the environment and it only takes a spark or piece of hot ash to cause a major incident.
If in any doubt, do not build an open fire. Always use a camp ground barbie where there is one available. Also, only use it for as long as you need it to cook your food.
Keep portable barbecues off the ground at all times to avoid damaging your camp site.
If a controlled camp fire is permitted, only build it as big as you need it, contain it with bricks or stones and always make sure it is fully extinguished with water, sand or dirt.
Be careful when making a campfire, and be safe
More green camping tips for sustainable travel in Australia
Save water, especially in areas of drought. By adding a solar shower to your campervan booking, you'll enjoy a nice warm shower in a more natural way, it's showering Aussie style. And the amount of water you save when compared to a regular campsite shower is huge.
Don’t feed the local wildlife. As well as being dangerous for you, human food can be harmful to animals in the wild. Keep to the paths and walkways. Going off the path can harm flora and fauna, contribute to soil erosion and damage the local eco-system.
And, Leave No Trace! The Golden rule of all camping. Leave everything as you found it, take all litter and waste with you, and if there is litter around from a previous visitor, bag that and take it with you too. These are the 7 principles of Leave No Trace.
- Plan ahead & prepare
- Camp & hike on durable surfaces
- Properly dispose of waste
- Leave Nature as you find it
- Minimise campfire impact
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors and the local community
Find out more about eco-friendly camping in Australia at Leave No Trace Australia and Australia Conservation Foundation.
Take it easy and enjoy your #SpaceshipsRoadTrip
When you’re on a road trip, the temptation is to go far and fast to see it all in Australia. We totally get that. We love life on the road too. But if you want a more eco-friendly road trip, we have learned there is heaps to see and experience in Australia, wherever you find yourself. So slow down, and make the most of where you are. Live your best life, but travel more slowly, relax and enjoy it.
We hope we’ve inspired you to think about sustainable travel and be more environmentally aware. Your campervan hire in Australia will be an unforgettable experience, and with a little planning, you can make it into a more sustainable, eco-friendly camping trip.
Sustainable camping is better for the environment, better for you and better for us all. If we all make some small changes, together we can make a big difference.
Book your Spaceship - best price guaranteed! - and get ready to take-off on a fantastic eco-friendly camping trip in Australia.