Quick answer: Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles for enjoying nature without damaging it: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimise campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of others. In Australia, that means booking and checking park rules before you go, camping on established sites, taking all rubbish home, managing toilet waste properly, following fire bans, never feeding animals and keeping noise and light down at night.
Australia's national parks, state forests and beaches are some of the most beautiful and fragile places on the planet. Many of our plants and animals live nowhere else, and some ecosystems recover from damage very slowly – a trampled alpine moss bed or a scarred desert crust can take decades to heal. As camping grows in popularity, the impact of each small action adds up. Leave No Trace gives every camper a simple framework to protect these places so they stay wild and beautiful for the next family, and the next generation. This guide explains each of the seven principles with practical Australian examples.
1. Plan ahead and prepare
Good planning is the foundation of low-impact camping – and it also keeps you safe. Before every trip:
- Check the park's website for alerts, closures, fire bans and camping rules. Rules differ between states and even between parks.
- Book your campsite where required. Many national parks require online bookings, and camping outside designated areas may not be allowed.
- Check the weather and fire danger rating with the Bureau of Meteorology and your state fire service.
- Know what facilities exist. If there are no bins, toilets or water, you need to bring a way to carry rubbish out, manage toilet waste and supply your own water.
- Repackage food into reusable containers to reduce rubbish at camp.
- Bring the right gear, including a gas stove so you're not dependent on fires, and a first aid kit.
- Leave a trip plan with someone at home, and consider a registered personal locator beacon for remote areas.
Planning also means keeping group sizes small where possible. Large groups have a bigger impact on campsites and tracks, and some parks limit group numbers or require group bookings.
Planning is also about timing. Popular parks are busiest during school holidays, Easter and long weekends, when campgrounds fill, tracks are crowded and facilities are stretched. If you can travel mid-week or in the shoulder seasons, you'll have a quieter experience and a lower impact. Check whether the park has seasonal closures too – some areas close for wildlife breeding, cultural reasons, fire risk or wet-season flooding. In northern Australia, many roads and campgrounds are only accessible in the dry season. A few minutes on the park website before you leave can save you a wasted drive and protects places that need a rest.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Every footstep and tent has an impact. Concentrating that impact on surfaces that can handle it protects the rest of the landscape.
- Stay on marked tracks, even when they're muddy. Walking around puddles widens tracks and damages vegetation.
- Don't cut corners on switchbacks – it causes erosion.
- Camp on established sites, tent pads or existing clearings rather than creating new ones.
- Keep your camp compact and avoid spreading gear over vegetation.
- Camp away from water. A common guideline is to camp at least 30 metres from lakes and streams where possible, and follow any park-specific rules.
- Drive only on formed roads and tracks, and respect closed tracks – especially in wet weather, when 4WDs can cause severe damage.
- Protect fragile environments such as sand dunes, alpine bogs, desert crusts and coastal heath, which can take many years to recover.
A camp stretcher or tent with a footprint helps you camp comfortably on harder, established ground, without needing to clear vegetation for a soft spot.
Beaches deserve a special mention. Coastal dunes are held together by fragile plants such as spinifex and coastal wattle, and once that vegetation is trampled, wind quickly erodes the sand. Always use marked beach access tracks, keep vehicles to designated beach driving zones where they are allowed, and avoid driving or walking on the soft upper beach during shorebird nesting seasons, when eggs and chicks are almost invisible in the sand. On 4WD beaches, lower tyre pressures according to the conditions, drive at low tide where possible and stay off the dunes entirely. These small habits protect some of Australia's most loved – and most threatened – landscapes.
3. Dispose of waste properly
"If you carry it in, carry it out" is the golden rule. Rubbish left behind spoils campsites, harms wildlife and can wash into waterways.
Rubbish:
- Take all rubbish home, including food scraps, fruit peels and cigarette butts. Food scraps are not "natural" for wildlife and attract pests.
- Bring sturdy bags and a sealable container for smelly rubbish.
- Pick up any litter you find – leave the site cleaner than you found it.
Toilet waste:
- Use toilets wherever they are provided.
- Where there are no toilets, and where the park allows it, bury human waste in a hole about 15 cm deep, at least 100 metres from water, campsites and tracks. Some parks and sensitive environments require you to carry waste out.
- Carry used toilet paper out in a sealed bag, as it breaks down slowly and animals dig it up.
- A portable camp toilet with privacy tent is the cleanest option for bush camping without facilities.
Washing: wash yourself and your dishes at least 100 metres from waterways, use minimal biodegradable soap, and scatter strained grey water widely on the ground. Never wash directly in creeks, rivers or lakes – even biodegradable soap harms aquatic life.
4. Leave what you find and minimise campfire impacts
Leave what you find. Take photos, not souvenirs. Leave rocks, shells, plants, flowers, feathers and wood where they are – they are part of the ecosystem and, in national parks, removing them is usually not allowed. Never damage trees, carve into rock or build structures. Aboriginal cultural sites – rock art, scarred trees, middens and stone arrangements – are protected by law and are of deep significance to Traditional Owners. Look, but don't touch, and follow any signs or requests to stay away.
Minimise campfire impacts. Campfires are a much-loved part of Australian camping, but they carry real risks. Follow these rules:
- Check for fire bans every day. No fires during total fire bans or park fire bans.
- Use existing fireplaces or fire rings where provided. Where portable fire pits are allowed, a raised fire pit on a fireproof mat avoids scarring the ground.
- Use a gas stove for cooking wherever you can – it has much less impact.
- Bring your own firewood where allowed, or collect only small, dead, fallen wood if the park permits it. Don't cut living trees or branches, and leave large logs, which are habitat for wildlife.
- Keep fires small, never leave them unattended and keep water on hand.
- Put fires out completely with water until the ashes are cold to the touch. Hot coals buried in sand can stay hot for many hours and cause serious burns.
5. Respect wildlife and be considerate of others
Respect wildlife. Seeing kangaroos, wombats, echidnas and birds up close is one of the joys of camping in Australia. Keep it that way:
- Never feed wildlife. Human food can make animals sick, makes them dependent and can make some, like dingoes, dangerous.
- Store food securely overnight, in your car or in sealed containers.
- Observe from a distance, and never approach, chase or handle animals – especially snakes.
- Drive slowly at dawn and dusk, when many animals are active.
- Leave pets at home unless the area explicitly allows them – most national parks don't.
- Use soft lighting at night. Red or warm light from a headlamp disturbs nocturnal animals less.
Be considerate of others. Everyone is at camp to enjoy nature. Keep noise low, especially early in the morning and after dark, and respect quiet hours. Use headphones rather than speakers, avoid shining lights into other campsites, give others space, and leave gates as you found them on farms and stations. A friendly hello goes a long way – campgrounds are among the most sociable places in Australia.
Respect extends to the people whose country you are visiting. Many national parks are jointly managed with Traditional Owners, and some ask visitors not to climb certain sites, enter particular areas or photograph specific places. Following these requests is part of camping responsibly in Australia. Taking a few minutes to read the park's cultural information, or joining a ranger-guided or Aboriginal-led tour where available, adds enormous depth to a trip – you'll understand the landscape in a completely different way and help support the communities who care for it.
Conclusion
Leave No Trace is not about strict rules – it's about respect: for the land, its plants and animals, its Traditional Owners and the other people who love it. Plan ahead, camp on durable ground, take all your rubbish home, deal with toilet waste properly, leave what you find, follow fire rules, never feed wildlife and be a good neighbour at camp. If every camper follows these seven principles, Australia's wild places will stay as beautiful as the day you first saw them. For low-impact camping essentials such as stoves, camp toilets and fire pits with protective mats, explore the Campoz range.
Leave No Trace FAQ
What are the 7 Leave No Trace principles?
Plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimise campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of others.
Can I collect firewood in national parks?
It depends on the park. Some prohibit collecting firewood entirely, while others allow small amounts of dead, fallen wood. Check the park's rules, and bring your own firewood where allowed.
How do I go to the toilet when bush camping?
Use toilets where provided. Otherwise, where allowed, bury waste about 15 cm deep at least 100 metres from water, camps and tracks, and carry toilet paper out. A portable camp toilet is the cleanest option.
Can I bring my dog to a national park?
Most national parks in Australia don't allow dogs, apart from assistance animals. Some state forests and reserves do allow them, so always check before you go.
Is it okay to feed kangaroos or birds at camp?
No. Feeding wildlife harms their health, makes them dependent on people and can make some animals aggressive.
Can I bury food scraps?
No. Animals dig them up, and they don't break down quickly. Take all food scraps home with your rubbish.
How far from water should I camp?
A common guideline is at least 30 metres from lakes and streams where possible, and many parks have their own rules. Wash dishes and bury toilet waste at least 100 metres from water.
Is biodegradable soap safe to use in creeks?
No. Even biodegradable soap harms aquatic life. Use it at least 100 metres from waterways and scatter the grey water on the ground.
What should I do if I find an Aboriginal site?
Look but don't touch. Aboriginal cultural sites are protected by law. Don't remove or disturb anything, and follow any signs from Traditional Owners or park staff.
How do I put out a campfire safely?
Drown it with water, stir the ashes and add more water until everything is cold to the touch. Don't cover it with sand or dirt alone – buried coals stay hot for hours.