Summer festival-goers continue to abandon truckloads of camping gear

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-12/camping-gear-abandoned-at-festivals-causing-huge-waste-problem/106210328

22 Comments

  1. I remember being a kid in scouts.

    I saved up to buy a decent tent to take hiking.

    I loved that tent, with the flysheet above it, to prevent water coming in if someone touched the ceiling.

    My down sleeping bag was from my grandfather, who use to use it when fly-fishing.

    Now, people see all of them as disposable.

    And some of you wonder why we’re going to hell in a handbasket, climate wise?

  2. I was very confused by this, but apparently you can buy tents for like $40, which I have to assume are absolutely horrible quality, so I guess people buy them for the event but then end up being so bad they don’t want to use them again. That still doesn’t explain one in three getting left behind, I thought we were better than that. You can get a decent tent for not much more.

  3. The other thing people do (from festival I used to go to) is buy the cheap 4×4 marquees.

    https://media.bunnings.com.au/api/public/content/d457ebc8cca343849034b01a14a5eda4?v=5e3b5b0d&t=w700dpr2

    These are okay for your backyard, but no good for camping if there is any wind. As soon as some wind touches it, the metal frames bend instantly. After that happens, you can’t fold it up and it’s basically useless. There were always dozens of them all twisted and dumped at the end of the festival.

    Coleman Event 14 (the round one) lasted forever.

  4. Ah so it’s the usual culprits then? I’m totally shocked that the NYE festivals attracting the grubby ketamine-fueled crowd of 18-21yo Tiktok zombies have been overrun with dumped cheap Kmart trash that they never intended on taking home…

    I wonder if Woodford had the same problem? Or Meredith a few weeks ago? Or any other festival that works hard to promote a positive culture among it’s attendees? BTV and Lost Paradise don’t care, they’re only interested in selling tickets and the cost of cleaning up discarded tents is just the cost of doing business…

  5. Radiant-Visit1692 on

    Huge tragedy this, the ‘leave no trace’ culture was strong at many events I’ve been to, with significant recycling facilities, composting toilets etc, tree planting involved, ongoing investment into the festival site throughout the year, all as part of the event design. Responsible promoters, guests and landowners.

    Tragedy that that model didn’t root itself as the mainstream. The concepts are all there they are just not used.

  6. If things like this happen shouldn’t it be included in the approval process that the organisers be responsible for the cleanup of the site as well?

  7. Just shit people – go look at the pictures of Woodford folk festivals grounds after the campers leave – not a speck of rubbish

  8. DuskHourStudio on

    Probably impossible to implement but what if these festivals used non toxic paint to mark out site numbers, goers have to register to a site and that way if they leave shit behind they’re either heavily fined or barred from attending again?

  9. For anyone going to festivals, consider a swag instead of a tent. Smaller, lighter, easier to pack up.

  10. coffee_collection on

    Give each ticket holder an allocated campsite.
    If the site is left in a mess, charge the ticket holder a substantial cleaning fee.

    Concerned that someone might dump rubbish in your allocated campsite? Take a photo of your site before you leave and upload it to the festival server as proof.

  11. reckon there would be any decent branded stuff among the temu trash? I’d be tempted to drive out as everyone exits, for a salvage run

  12. The Temu generation is alive and well.

    I see marketplaces like this as just a vehicle for delivering mountain loads of refined oil as plastics directly into landfills.

    I’m sure the people who pull this shit behaviour have absolutely no issues with a “Shein haul” either of wear once plastic clothing.

  13. I don’t understand these people If you don’t want the gear anymore and have the money to just dump and run. at least donate them to a shelter or any place that supports people living rough.

  14. MidnightBeautiful149 on

    When are people going to go buy quality over quantity. I get 90% second hand things. People tell me to go to Kmart or use temu it is cheaper. Sure but it won’t last as long and I prefer to get something someone else does not want.

  15. Sufficient_Tower_366 on

    Totally expected behaviour from the fast fashion generation – buy it on Temu, use once and dispose. Then blame everyone else for climate change and the state of planet without clocking your own wasteful behaviour.