Not sure where to start or need some help with Camping Buddy? Read our handy FAQs below.

What is Camping Buddy?

Camping Buddy is your ultimate festival sidekick. This free platform helps you stay prepared, track your gear, and borrow what you need from mates, all while reducing waste. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned camper, Camping Buddy ensures you’re ready for the festival without unnecessary purchases that hurt your wallet and the planet. Plan smarter, pack lighter, and protect the natural spaces we all love.

Is Camping Buddy free?

Yes, Camping Buddy is 100% free for users. It was designed by the independent not-for-profit Green Music Australia in partnership with QUT to try and reduce the massive issue of festival campsite waste. Together with festivals, we hope that Camping Buddy will encourage music lovers to plan ahead and reduce the impact music festivals have on our environment. After all, there's no music on a dead planet.

How do I know what to pack for a camping festival?

After you select which festival you're attending, Camping Buddy will provide you a curated list of packing items. You don't have to bring everything that is suggested, simply select the items you want, and Camping Buddy will help you plan the rest!

How do I organise my items?

On the List screen, select ‘Have’ or ‘Need’ next to an item. The items you ‘Have’ will be sorted into the Pack list, ready to be checked off as you pack your bags. The items you ‘Need’ will appear on your ‘Get Gear’ list, which you can borrow from your mates (or buy as a last resort).

How do I add or remove items?

To remove an item, press the red X next to the item. To add an item, press the plus button at the bottom of the List page or ‘+ Add more to this list’ on the Get Gear or Pack list.

How do I borrow items from my mates?

Share your ‘Get Gear’ list effortlessly by clicking the ‘Ask your mates’ button! This creates a shareable link that you can send directly to your group chat. If a friend can lend you something, they simply select the item from your list and add their name to it. Please note, this feature is exclusive to Camping Buddy members and isn’t accessible in guest mode.

Can I have multiple festivals on Camping Buddy?

Yes you can, you party animal! Head to the Settings page where you'll find the My Events banner to add additional festivals. You can easily switch between festivals to organise each of your camping lists, or create your own event.

How can I hire stuff from the festival I’m going to?

If the festival we’ve partnered with has hiring options available, an icon will appear next to the item with a link to the supplier. If it isn’t an option and you click ‘Need’ when you’re organising your item, we’ll give them feedback that they should provide hiring options! After all, making festivals more sustainable is a two-way street.

Why has my planet changed colour?! It looks crispy now.

Click on your planet to learn about your Earth Score, but long story short if you are buying new camping gear all the time (especially things like tents, chairs, etc) then your score goes down and your Earth goes brown. Did you know one single-use tent is equivalent to 8750 straws? Try to borrow, reuse, or hire your gear to help protect our environment.

I think this is pretty cool, but why didn’t you make an app?

Well look, we had to make some hard choices, and this was one of them. Good thing for you is that there’s a way to quickly make a Camping Buddy icon on your phone. Simply open up Camping Buddy on your phone’s web browser and then click the three dots to the top right of your screen. Click  ‘Add to Home screen’ or something similar and a clickable icon will appear next to your other apps so you can access Camping Buddy on the go.

I want to make a difference because I’ve seen how big a problem camping waste is, but it’s overwhelming and my friends don’t seem to care about it as much as I do.

We know this is a big, complicated problem with no easy solution. One of the best things you can do is to plan ahead and avoid purchasing cheap single-use camping gear. We made Camping Buddy to try to make that job a little easier.

I have another question.

Please Contact Us for other questions.

I run a festival and would love to partner with Camping Buddy.

We are always keen to partner with more festivals. Please contact us.