For all you lucky punters calling North Byron Parklands ‘home’ next weekend, our Survivor’s Guide to Splendour in the Grass will make your Splendour… splendid!

Whether you’re a veteran or a newbie, with the festival only one week away it’s time to start thinking about those little essentials: What to pack and what not to pack. Here are our tips and tricks for you to use before you make the long drive up from Canberra.

WHAT TO PACK

Your ticket & I.D
Okay, so these may be obvious items but you’d be surprised how many people forget them! Besides the fact that you won’t be allowed in the festival, without a valid I.D you won’t be given a wristband to purchase alcohol at the festival. Do you really want to be bugging your mates for three days?

There are also no printers near the venue, either, so don’t leave home without your ticket!

Cash money- ching ching!
We know it’s hard to plan just how much you will spend in three days, but try to take a stab at it. You’ll avoid queuing at the limited ATM locations when your favourite act is about to come on and annoying your crew for having to wait around for you.

Wet wipes
Might not see it just yet but these are worth their weight in gold at festivals! Shower queues can be up to two-hours long – and a little private spruce-up may be all you need. You’ll also be able to clean up any cuts or graze you might get from breaking it down on the D floor.

Gumboots/wellies with plenty of long socks
You don’t need to spend a fortune, but just make sure you have a pair – if it rains the ground turns to mush, and you won’t last five minutes in flats and definitely not thongs! These are a life saver that you will undoubtedly wear all weekend. Because of this, long socks are essential. The wellies will rub your calves to pieces if you don’t have long socks!

Light clothes- Layers
No matter how hot it is during the day at Splendour it will get chilly in the evening. Take a couple of warm hoodies, jumpers and jackets that can be shoved in your bag or around your waist for later – you’ll be glad you did when you’re shivering at 12.00am!

Snacks
Take as many non-perishable snacks as you can. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning with a hangover and then having to trek around the campsite to find a food van. A sneaky little breakfast bar will give you the energy you need to reach a burger van and treat yourself to that bacon & egg roll and coffee. Yum!

Sunnies
Picture the scene: The sun is going down over the Amphitheatre stage and your favourite band is playing your favourite track. Unfortunately, you can’t see anything while you squint into the sun!

Remember to bring your sunglasses; they’ll improve your view and protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays. Leave your expensive pairs behind though, unless you’re lucky enough to be in the VIP area where they’re less likely to get trampled on.

Solar powered phone charger
Like the infamous wet wipes, phone chargers are also worth their weight in gold at festivals! While there are some phone charging stations around the site, it’s much more convenient to have your own to avoid the queuing. To ensure you have enough battery to take pictures and call your friends if you get lost, a solar powered phone charger is a winner!

WHAT NOT TO BRING

Alcohol
Unfortunately Splendour is not BYO, alcohol brought in from the outside will be confiscated upon entry.

Valuable accessories, clothes and shoes
As far as accessories go, expensive jewellery is often heavy, can easily get caught on other people’s clothes(or your own) and making for awkward untangling moments. It is also easy to lose and can even cause an injury. Clothes or shoes you care about will likely to get ruined, borrowed, lost or left behind, Splendour is all about digging out vintage items you’ve found over the years not the precious ones you get nervous about getting dirty.

Bulky clothing
It’s all about layering at festivals at any time of year, as it could go from torrential downpour to blazing sunshine with very little warning, you want clothes that will dry quickly and will pack easily.

Bad attitudes
There is nothing worse than people with bad attitudes and closed minds at these events. Remember you are at a three day festival, it’s going to be loud, you’re going to get dirty, you will get little if any sleep and people will bump into you in a crowded space – you’re at a festival! Be a hero, not a zero.

Now, pack your bags and get on the road!