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Camping in Australia and New Zealand

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So you are planning a trip down under and along the land of the white cloud. Here is a list of helpful information.
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Critters to look out for in New Zealand

New Zealand is safe from snakes and carnivorous animals. But there are some things that might bug you about these creatures.
 
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I have only seen this spider once in my life when we rented a house by the beach. It is small about the same size as a huge tick. It runs fast and is scared by anything that thumps around. They're very rare, so I watched it hurry along the grass. Thi...
New Zealand's endangered Katipō spider species and its habitat
 
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There are a few rare wetas that you won't see camping in New Zealand unless you are really lucky. The common weta has a dark brown head and big nippers. They will give you a good bite, but that's all. If you are bitten, you just might want to clean t...
Wētā: New Zealand invertebrates
 
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Common in New Zealand, they will give you a bite that might need antibiotics. They only bite as a last line of defence. My sister was bitten on her back and the bite looked like it had started eating at her flesh. Keep an eye on these bites if it hap...
White-tailed Spider
 
Gooymoko profile picture
I worked in a rural pharmacy by a national park and the thing that tourists don't get warned about are the sandflies. These little flies leave you with itchy bites when your at the beach or going on nature walks.
Why are sandfly bites so itchy?

What to bring when you head out camping in New Zealand

These are the essentials you should think about grabbing. You will probably end up on the beach at some stage. The items will make the camping trip much more fun.
 
Gooymoko profile picture
If I'm going to the beach or the rivers I use the natural stuff because the deet in the chemical repellents are awful for the waterways. Imagine what that's doing when everyone has it on and goes swimming. The bugs hate citronella! Wear it to deter t...
Citronella Spray
 
Gooymoko profile picture
If you are planning on going down to Queenstown pack a thermal top and some leggings. The sandflies won't bite through them and even in summer it might get cold at night down south.
Thermals
 
Gooymoko profile picture
If you want to go to a beach party and have your legs out, you will still want to cover your skin from those annoying flies. I can't stress that enough. The sandflies are like fleas that you see poor animals being harassed by.
Sheer Pantyhose
 
Gooymoko profile picture
Zinc all the way when you're in New Zealand. Don't go for anything under 50spf. This sunscreen has been tested for its zinc levels and efficiency in blocking the suns rays. It's a very good product and highly sought after.
Shop Australia's No.1 Choice for Sunscreen

Animals to look out for in Australia

Australia has a very different set of rules to New Zealand. These are the bigger things living in Australia that you need to think about before stepping into their home.
 
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If you are camping in the northern part of Australia you may find them. They don't usually attack adults, but they definitely will try a lone kid. They will have a nip at you aswell but it's the kind of nip where they're trying to say "hey I know you...
Dingo - The Australian Museum
 
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I was told by locals one day on a beach up in the northern parts of Australia to turn and walk away now... in the distance, I saw the closest thing to a dinosaur that I've ever seen! No body had warned me that the crocs swim around the beaches there....
Saltwater Crocodile
 
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This werid animal looks cute and harmless, but keep your distance if you see one in the water with you. The males have spurs on their ankles and these spurs are loaded with venom. They will only attack if you try touching them.
Platypus - The Australian Museum
 
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You will see them anywhere you go in summer. It doesn't matter if you're in Sydney's CBD or out in the blue mountains. There will be areas that warn you to stay away because the bats are breeding. The area they're in stinks, by the way.
Australian Bats

Critters to look out for in Australia

As we all know, this land is full of snakes, spiders, scorpions and lizards. I have seen my fair share of big spiders and snakes but don't let that put you off the nature walks.
 
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Be cautious of this one if you plan on being in the outer parts of Sydney. I haven't seen one yet in ten years of living here, but they are here. If you feel something sharp on your foot scout around the area to get a look at what's running away.
Sydney Funnel-web Spider, Atrax robustus
 
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You will see a lot of these if you're here in summer, not so much in winter. They will be in the trees near beaches and on the bush walks. It's pretty obvious that they're around you. They're big with huge webs but won't cause you much harm
Garden Orb Weaving Spiders
 
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I live next to these snakes! I always wear shoes when I go outside and I live in the city suburbs of Sydney. They're more scared of us, they hear our thumping and cars it's rare to see one.
Red-bellied Black Snake
 
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Jhgucchchuc
Eastern Brown Snake - The Australian Museum

What to bring camping in Australia

If you want to get away from the city life in Australia, pack these things.They're essential, don't risk going out without them.
 
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Make sure you have these bandages! They're the most important ones to have with you. These will make the venom travel slower up your limbs.
Snake Bite Kits
 
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Keep a whistle on you. It might be a bit over the top, but there's people that have gone missing in the bush 10 minutes away from train tracks. No one knows what happened to them, but there's a lot of danger. Having a whistle means people can rescue ...
Sports Whistles
 
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If you are planning on camping and walking for a few days, it's a good idea to have one in case you run out of water in your bottle but find water out in nature.
LifeStraw
 
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Get something like this for those camping trips. Australia is well known for the huntsman spider and they make a mess if you try and squish it. It's also so creepy getting close up with newspaper to pick th body up.
Spider Catcher (65cm Length)
 
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These work for blood ducking leeches as well. Don't worry you might not see a leech or tick, but they're common in the bushes. I've seen them a few times on people after a nature walk.
Tick Remover