Camping in South East Queensland without a doubt is a fun experience that lets you enjoy the outdoors and all its beauty such as the fresh air, sounds of nature and spectacular views. Unfortunately, as much as it may be rare you will always find that one individual or group of people who would want to ruin your trip. Theft and even sometimes vandalism can occur on campsites when your tent, equipment or vehicle are left unattended to. As much as such cases may be rare, it’s better to be safe than sorry. With that being said, let’s look at some of the hacks and tricks you can incorporate to keep your vehicle and gear safe on your next camping trip.
Lock up your items in your vehicle
If you have made plans to go hiking or fishing and you won’t be around for the most part of the day, make sure that you lock up your gear inside your car and of course donโt forget to lock your car as well. You wouldnโt want to come back to a nasty surprise after your day’s activities and find all your valuable items missing. This is not to say that even if you are just passing by the kiosk for a moment you should leave your equipment lying around. As long as you are not nearby, make sure your gear is locked up. Also at night before you go to bed, the same applies. Unfortunately, some campers have been stolen from them while they were asleep. Putting all your equipment in the car then removing them at night will be such a tedious thing to do. This is where you will have to make a decision on what needs to go in the car and what you are okay with leaving outside.
Have an inventory checklistย
It’s important to come up with an inventory checklist when going for a camping or even hiking trip. This checklist prevents you from bringing any unnecessary items which will only lead to excess luggage and also works as a reminder when packing to leave the camping site. This way youโll be able to identify what is missing. If possible, every night or morning while you are at your campsite, go through the checklist and see whether all your belongings are with you so that in case you notice something is missing, youโll be able to sort that issue as soon as possible.
Read more: What To Pack For Camping In Australia
Do thorough research on your campsite
Before visiting the campsite, make sure youโve done your research on social media, TripAdvisor, read reviews or ask your friends or family members who have been there before. Ask questions like whether they have safety patrol, security cameras and what their check in and check out process is like. It’s important to choose a campsite that has some level of security. Lastly, you could also ask the staff at your campsite or park officials from surrounding parks to advise you on which campgrounds to avoid or to advise on the most secure and safe campsites.
Purchase tools that will offer security
Another way of ensuring your campsite security is effective, itโs wise to invest in items such as padlocks or chains which you could use to secure some of your portable and expensive belongings such as your fridge, cooler, grill etc. This an alternative method you can use if you feel like putting these items in the car then removing them the next day is a tedious task. Another security tool you could purchase is a cable lock with an alarm. If the cable is cut or tampered with, it sets off an alarm. Lastly, a drawback lock, a steering wheel lock or something similar to it on one of the four wheels for your campervan or RV, will offer maximum security as well. For a drawback lock, make sure you go for a steel model with a high quality U-lock instead of a plastic one.
Donโt forget personal safety
Weโve been talking about keeping your equipment and belongings safe but personal safety is more important at the end of the day. Nothing is worth putting yourself in danger for, be it your new phone, tent or fridge. If by any chance you catch the thief in the act, confronting the person may either lead them to surrendering or it could also go terribly wrong as they may attack you. So be careful when faced with such a situation and always keep your safety in mind first. The best thing you could do to avoid further damage is by calling out for help and making the other campers aware that there is an intruder in the vicinity. You can then later on call the police.
In conclusion, as much as camping in Australia is pretty much safe, you are still outdoors and anything can happen. The campsite security tips will help you lower your chances of becoming a victim. In case anything happens, immediately report to the authorities and check your insurance policy provides coverage for the theft. At Murphy’s Creek Escape, you are welcomed to a family campground for over 20 years and will have a safe stay at our campgrounds.