Leave better prepared / Equipment guides
Build a manageable first night on the trail: choose your route, plan water and meals, test your sleep system and organise the journey home.
Base Camp editorial guide · Reviewed 20 September 2026
Plan the local part
Choose a manageable route and verify access, water arrangements and campsite information before packing.
Pack, check, go
Your packing checklist
Adapt this to your route, group and conditions. Ticks stay on this page until you leave or refresh.
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Choose a route that suits your experience with a loaded pack, not your best unladen day-walk distance. Check legal access, the full return distance and a realistic finish time. For the Bibbulmun, use the Foundation’s planner and designated access points. A campsite shown nearby on a road map is not necessarily vehicle-accessible.
Pitch your shelter and try your sleeping mat and insulation before leaving. Practise packing it away, including when the shelter is damp. Keep sleep clothing and bedding protected separately from wet gear. Carry shelter rather than depending on space being available in a track hut.
Lay out dinner, breakfast, walking food and a reserve. Include the water required for cooking and your treatment method. Check current cooking restrictions; a meal that can be eaten without cooking is useful if plans change. Do not rely on an unverified tank supply.
Keep a dry change for camp, protect the sleeping kit and make rain protection easy to reach. Plan where wet clothing will go when you pack. Check the forecast and warnings before leaving; changing the date or choosing a day walk is a reasonable decision.
Share the intended route, start and return times, and what someone should do if you are overdue. Download navigation before leaving reception and carry a backup. Consider emergency communication suitable for the route rather than relying on a mobile signal.
Walk with the equipment, food and water you will actually carry. Adjust the pack and check rubbing before the trip. Remove unnecessary duplicates without stripping out essential protection or emergency equipment. Comfort and familiarity matter more than chasing a particular pack weight.
Do I need a tent if there is a hut?
Carry a suitable shelter. Do not depend on a free space in a hut; other walkers may already be there. Check the Foundation’s current campsite guidance.
Should I buy everything new?
Start with the equipment you have and test it. Replace what is unsuitable or does not fit the actual load, rather than buying a complete new kit by default.
Explore our brands and shop selected equipment online. Check product pages for current options and availability. Our physical store at 2 Marinup Street is opening soon.
Shop selected gear online. Our physical store in Dwellingup is opening soon; contact us before travelling for a specific item. Tell us what you already own, what you plan to do and what is not working for you.
Ask about your equipment
Explore the range / Overnight hiking
Carry what makes a night away work.
Fit the pack with your full load, protect the sleeping kit and choose a sleep system for the conditions.
Useful gear for this trip
Check each product page for current options and availability. The physical store is opening soon; contact us before travelling.