Your Essential 4WD Holiday Packing List

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Firstly, your Britz 4WD campervan comes with a lot. Here's what you'll receive with your hire pack;

Kitchen essentials: gas stove, plates, bowls, cups, cutlery and cooking utensils, drinking glasses and tea towel
Fridge freezer and freshwater jerry can
Mattress, sleeping bag, pillow, bed linen, towels per person (vehicle dependent)
Outback Safety Kit including Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon (EPIRB), snatch straps, D-shackles, shovel and gloves
Picnic table and chairs
Storage boxes
Small first aid kit
Basic tool kit

And here are some of our suggestions of things that you MIGHT want to pack:

Chamois-type synthetic towel as a compact back up to a normal one
Insect repellent. Having a couple of brands as some work better than others in different conditions (mozzie coils are great also)
Head torch & small hand torch (with plenty of extra batteries)
Snake-bite kit: carry this everywhere (just in case)
Pocket knife or multi-tool. A Swiss Army style one or Leatherman multi-tool is also handy
Camelbak for water. It’s a good idea for someone to carry a cup as this helps you fill up from small springs where the water may only be dripping
Sunscreen. A must and plenty of it; SPF 50+ is best
Vaseline or water-based lubricant for chafing. Helps avoid chafing in warmer weather conditions
Small tarp. This has a lot of uses, ie keeping things clean when you are folding them on the ground for a start
Don’t underdo the toilet paper. Get what you think you'll need and double it and you’ll be closer to the mark. No one wants to run out

Outdoor-specific fabrics for t-shirts/socks/undies such as merino or synthetic materials rather than water absorbing cotton
Hat. If it's really hot you need ventilation to keep your head cool so go for a wide-brim version
Thongs (jandals) are handy around camp, as are an old pair of runners for walking on rocks at the beach and in the water
Gaiters/leggings. These will help to protect your legs below the knee from getting scratched by the bush on walks and against the unlikely, but the potentially serious event of a snake bite
Have a light water-resistant jacket as well as a full-weight Goretex rain jacket
A warm layer or two is always important as temperatures can dip significantly at night

To reduce volume and weight, snap-top bags are great to hold food where you don’t need the whole pack
It’s worthwhile buying some small containers at an outdoor shop to hold things like olive oil, powdered milk and sugar, as these are robust and easier to handle cleanly
Always have some food as a reserve that cannot be affected by heat or go off, for example freeze-dried or canned, as part of your back-up supplies

A long-handled washing scrubber will allow you to wash crockery in hot water without burning yourself
You don’t need much detergent so this can go in a space-saving smaller bottle
12v compressor. If you are going on an extended trip and need to let down the tyres a small compressor is a good idea
Bottle opener (unless you can do that trick opening a bottle on another bottle)
Clothes pegs - there is a rope line included, but to maximise space some plastic pegs are really useful
Antiseptic / hand sanitizer - always useful when travelling, especially when you don't want to waste precious water
Rubbish bags - useful for storage of dirty and wet clothes, as well as for rubbish (because the Outback doesn't have a bin every 400m)
Duct tape - literally the most useful thing ever invented. Take a role, you'll be surprised what you can mend if needed
A larger first aid kit if there are multiple people travelling or you're travelling for an extended period

For more tips and hints about packing and preparing, here are the 10 things you need to know before a 4WD holiday.