Living it up in the sand and sun

Winderbandi Campground, Exmouth Gulf. Photo credit: @thelifestylepioneers.

Marine life encounters, glowing sunsets over the horizon and sleeping to the sounds of the waves — beachfront camping hardly needs a sales pitch.

However, for those without prior experience, sand — coupled with a tent — does not always equal confidence.

All for encouraging people to break out of their comfort zone, The Lifestyle Pioneers YouTube personalities Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Bailey and Simon Bailey, who chase the best beachfront campsites up the coast in their Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series, have lots of tips and tricks to share.

“It’s a pretty awesome experience to wake up on the beach and be able to go straight down for a swim or a fish,” Mr Bailey said.

“The kids also have plenty to do — they never seem to be bored at a beach when there’s sand

and waves to play in.”

From being able to moor your boat right in front of your campsite to wandering the nature trails, which are likely nearby, this outdoor hobby gives ample opportunity to get fully immersed in the landscape, as well as get to know like-minded individuals.

“Beach camping usually has a really good community vibe,” Ms Bailey said. “You can meet a lot of other people and hang out for the day or around the campfire in the evening.”

However, one sobering reality is sand — it is coarse, rough and gets everywhere.

“It can get throughout your vehicle, tent or caravan,” Mr Bailey said. “If you’re like us and you have kids, they come in with pockets full of sand.

“A battery-powered vacuum cleaner is great or, at the very least, a broom to brush off your gear.”

Whether pitching a tent or swaddling in your swag, the Baileys’ advice on finding a beachfront campsite came down to the plethora of available online resources.

“The top three apps most travellers use are WikiCamps Australia, Camps Australia Wide or Hipcamp for private campgrounds,” Ms Bailey said. “They give information about the location, facilities, pets and whether it’s four-wheel drive access only.”

“A lot of them also have reviews with tips about the tide or how soft the sand was,” Mr Bailey said.

While first-timers might find driving down the beach nerve-racking, Mr and Ms Bailey had some salient advice to take the stress out of your maiden voyage.

“It’s important to understand the tides and get a feel for how they affect the beach you’re going on,” Mr Bailey said. “Also make sure you bring a tyre deflator to let down your tyre pressure for beach driving and an air compressor to pump them back up again.”

The Baileys said basic recovery gear such as recovery tracks and a shovel were a must for beach driving.

And, if it is your very first time kipping out on the sand, Ms Bailey said a test run at your nearest local beach would help you on your way to become a seasoned seaside camper.

“This way, you can test your initial setup for a weekend, and then decide what you didn’t have, what you need and what would be nice to have,” she said.

Most of all, the Baileys’ advice was no matter what happens, enjoy yourself.

“You’ll definitely forget something — things will go wrong but it’s all part of the adventure,” Ms Bailey said. “Sometimes, they make the most memorable experiences in the long run.”

As it appeared in the 2024 July 21 edition of The Sunday Times.