Baker's dozen for beginners - 13 tips

1. Plan everything - who is going, where you are going and what facilities you want, eg showers, fresh water etc, and what you are going to eat. Write check lists of everything and use them.

2. Put your tent up at home before the trip. Not just once but two, three or four times. This helps you not to look like a absolute nong when you arrive at the site.

3. Have a look at the bureau of meteorology website and check out the forecaste and then pack clothes and gear to suit. Or don't go if it's that bad. Always take a rain coat, never take an umbrella - umbrella's are stupid.

4. Think about how you will store food. Some foods need to be kept cold or you spew. Eski's need ice, fridges need power or gas. If you think hard enough you can survive very well without any refrigeration or eski - we know because that's what we do.

5. Think about how you are going to cook. There are many options. Pick one and then practice at home before you set out. There are some easy recipes on mycampgear.com.

6. Take a decent first aid kit and know what is in it.

7. Let someone know where you are going and when you will get back. Then let them know you are back...

8. Clean your site when you leave, otherwise I'll burn your tent down next time you go camping.

9. Go with someone who is an experienced camper so you can see how they do things.

10. Take things to do - card games, small board games, cricket bat and ball, frisbie etc - whatever turns you on.

11. Put things in plastic tubs with lids, but get smallish ones no bigger than 40 litres. You can't lift the big ones when they are full. Zip-lock bags are good too.

12. Don't go to a camping shop and buy everything at once. Borrow some gear and get to know what style of camping you like and then get the right gear for you. Trading post and ebay are great sources of cheap gear.

13. Keep it simple. The more technology you take, the more that can go wrong. Simplicity is more reliable than complexity.