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Guide, Australia

Prepping for beginners in Australia: a calm first-week plan

How we wrote this: researched from the official and public sources listed at the end and checked on 1 November 2026. General information, not medical or legal advice. Last checked 1 November 2026.

Prepping for beginners in Australia means getting your household ready for a few days of trouble: a flood, a fire, a storm or a power cut. Do one job a day for 7 days: plan, water, food, light and power, first aid, documents and cash, then a go bag.

Last reviewed: 1 November 2026. We sell packs and gear for this, and we say so up front. Here is how Holdline Provisions chooses: we start you with a plan, then the 72-hour basics, and we describe items by what the supplier documents. We call it being ready.

What prepping means in Australia

In an opinion piece republished by the University of Wollongong, authors Tom Doig and Jordan McKenzie describe Australian prepping as more about food, water and community than anything dramatic. They define preppers as people who "expect to experience some form of major disruption". They say Australians increasingly picture "frequent floods, bushfires, heatwaves and supply-chain breakdowns".

The word carries baggage. The same authors note that many people in this space "reject, or resent, having the labels" of prepper and survivalist. We are not going to argue about it. We call it being ready, and everything below is ordinary household preparation drawn from government, fire service and charity pages.

Why it matters

Australian Red Cross research found that only one in three Australians (35%) were prepared for emergencies. It surveyed 2,011 adults between 26 June and 10 July 2025, and "it won't happen to me" was one of the main reasons given for not preparing, at 22%. The release does not define "prepared", so read the 35% as the Red Cross's own measure.

Here is a real day. On 28 September 2016, storms hit South Australia. SBS News reported tornadoes with winds up to 260 km/h, and 3 major transmission lines downed. ESD News, reporting AEMO's final report, quoted it: "all supply to the SA region was lost at 4.18pm." We could not open the report itself, so we rely on those two reports of it, and we print no customer count because neither gives one.

That is one day, in one state. It is a reason to take a first step, not a forecast of anything. The first step is below, and it is small.

Dry rice and beans in jars.
Dry rice and beans in jars.

The first week, day by day

Day 1: plan and contacts

Make a household plan. Get Ready Queensland says you can "make your household emergency plan online in just a few minutes". The Red Cross RediPlan covers bushfires, floods, heatwaves and personal emergencies, and has an interactive household plan and a full guide. Write down your emergency phone numbers on paper. AusNet's outage kit asks for printed phone numbers of essential services. Paper does not need a charger.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services home emergency and evacuation plan is a good template, whatever state you live in. It asks you to fill in:

  • Which hazards could affect you.
  • Your household members, including anyone who needs special assistance, and their medications.
  • Your pets, with ID and vet details.
  • Your vehicles.
  • Your home services: electricity, gas, water, phone and internet providers, and where to shut each one off.
  • Two meeting places, a contact name for each, and out-of-town contacts.

That is an evening's job, and it is the most useful hour in this plan.

Day 2: water

Get Ready lists "Water (at least 3 litres per person, per day)" in its kit. That is 9 litres each for 3 days, or 36 litres for a household of 4. Containers first, then fill them. Queensland Health's fact sheet (November 2025) adds a warning to keep in mind: "During a disaster, your tap water may not be safe to drink." It says to boil water with an electric kettle, or on a gas stove, barbecue or portable gas cooker if you have no power, and to follow local advice. That is a Queensland sheet, so check your own state's health department and water utility. The full numbers, and where to store them, are in how much water per person per day.

Day 3: food and pantry

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lists "Three days worth of non-perishable food for each person" and a can opener. The Queensland Government pantry list is built for 2 people for 7 days. Buy what your household already eats, because food you will not eat is money in a cupboard. The 2008 pamphlet adds a practical tip: aim for ready-to-eat products that do not require cooking, in case the gas or electricity supply is disrupted. See the emergency pantry list.

Day 4: light and power

A torch with spare batteries and a battery-operated radio are on the Get Ready kit list. The ABC says to set your local ABC station on a battery-powered radio, in your car and in the ABC listen app. AusNet asks for fully charged power banks with the correct cables, and cash in case ATMs and electronic payment systems are not working. It also asks for instructions on how to manually open any electric gates or garage doors, which is the kind of detail you only think of once. The full picture is in our power outage guide.

Day 5: first aid and medicines

Get Ready lists "Medicines and a first aid kit", and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lists medication and prescriptions. Check the dates on both. We do not list first aid contents here. Follow the kit's own list and the advice of your doctor or a first aid trainer.

General information, not medical advice.

Day 6: documents and cash

Get Ready says to take important documents, valuables, and cash and bank cards if you need to leave. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services names passports, driver's licence, insurance papers and birth and marriage certificates. The NSW Rural Fire Service suggests a waterproof bag for valuables. Put copies in one pouch, in one place.

Day 7: a go bag

Get Ready's leaving list is short: phone and charger, documents, valuables, cash and bank cards, and medicines. The Salvation Army has 2 checklists, an Emergency Go Bag and a Blackout Bag. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services' evacuation checklist adds a few habits: before leaving, fill the vehicles with fuel and check your evacuation routes; when leaving, take the emergency kit and contact your out-of-town contacts. Start with our go bag and bug out bag guide.

Water containers ready to fill.
Water containers ready to fill.

Make it a family job

If you have a family, the plan is part of the job, and it works better when everyone is in on it. The NSW Rural Fire Service says to keep the kit where it is easy to reach and where everyone in the household knows about it. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lists blankets or sleeping bags, pillows, toys and games for the things to take when leaving, which tells you children belong in the plan. Walk through it together once. Show everyone where the kit lives, who carries what, and where you meet if you are apart.

The week in one list

  • [ ] Day 1: household plan done, phone numbers on paper
  • [ ] Day 2: water containers filled
  • [ ] Day 3: three days of food you eat, and a can opener
  • [ ] Day 4: torch, spare batteries, radio set to your local ABC station, power bank charged
  • [ ] Day 5: first aid kit and medicines checked
  • [ ] Day 6: documents in one pouch, some cash
  • [ ] Day 7: go bag packed, and everyone knows where it lives

Costs: a starter ladder

We state prices only from the live catalogue, and none appear here. The ladder runs like this:

  • Free: your plan, your phone numbers on paper, your document pouch.
  • Low: water containers, a torch, a battery radio, spare batteries, a can opener.
  • Next: a 72-hour pack bundles the basics for a household. Check each pack page for exactly what is in it.
  • Later: a second week of supplies, power backup, and a go bag for each person.

Think of it like insurance you hope you never use. It is not insurance, and we never call a product that.

Beginner mistakes

  • Buying gear before a plan. A plan tells you what you are missing. Day 1 comes first for a reason.
  • Ignoring your own hazard. A flood plan and a bushfire plan are different plans. Know yours.
  • Stockpiling food you will not eat. An Emergency Management Australia pamphlet, dated 2008, says to start building supplies over time, adding more each time you shop. It is old, but the idea holds.
  • Forgetting rotation. The same pamphlet says: "Ensure food is rotated, and use-by dates are checked regularly."

Know your state's hazard

Get Ready Queensland's "Know your risk" covers storm, flood, cyclone and storm surge, and bushfire. The NSW Rural Fire Service lists its Fires Near Me website, the Hazards Near Me NSW app and the Fires Near Me Australia app. The Australian Warning System tells you how serious a warning is, in 3 levels, and points you to your state or territory emergency service. We read the Queensland and NSW pages for this guide, so check your own state's emergency service site for yours.

Smoke from a bushfire across the sky.
Smoke from a bushfire across the sky.

Next steps

Once week one is done, build toward a longer stretch. That 2008 pamphlet suggests planning for a 14-day stay at home, while noting that many emergencies only last a few days. Add power backup. Then add the part nobody sells: skills and community. The piece above lists community alongside food and water, and your neighbours are part of your plan.

Take the readiness quiz to see where you stand.

FAQ

Is prepping legal? Everything in this plan is on kit lists published by state governments, fire services and charities, so it is ordinary household preparation. If you plan to go beyond it, check your own state's rules.

How much space do I need? Start small: water and a bag. The space depends on your household and how many days you cover. Our pack pages list sizes where the supplier documents them.

What about apartments? Water storage and a go bag fit in a flat. If you rent, your options for locks and cameras differ, so see home security for renters.

Next step: Start with the 72-hour checklist, then pick your first 72-hour pack.

Sources and last checked

Opened and read on 1 November 2026.

A first aid kit with bandages.
A first aid kit with bandages.
A phone charging from a power bank.
A phone charging from a power bank.

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