FIFO Camp Survival Guide: Sleep, Food, Routine and Life on Site

Camp is where you recover between shifts. That makes it more than somewhere to leave your bag and sleep for a few hours.

A good camp routine can help you arrive at work rested, organised and ready. A poor one can leave you tired, irritated and counting the days until your flight home.

The facilities matter, but they are only part of the equation. You may not control the size of your room, the quality of the food, the distance to the mess, your neighbours, the internet connection, or the camp timetable. You can still build habits around the environment you have.

The goal is not to create a perfect lifestyle after a 12-hour shift. It is to make each day repeatable enough that the swing remains manageable.

What FIFO Camp Life Is Actually Like

Accommodation varies between sites and projects. A modern village may include private rooms and bathrooms, a large dining hall, gym, outdoor exercise areas, sporting facilities, laundry, recreation rooms, a shop, and a licensed wet mess. Another camp may offer only the basics.

Your room — commonly called a donga — may include a bed, desk, wardrobe, air conditioning, small refrigerator, television, and either a private or shared bathroom.

Do not expect a hotel. Camp accommodation exists to support a workforce operating in a remote area. Rooms can be small, facilities can be busy and several crews may be living on different shift patterns. The workers who handle camp best usually stop expecting it to feel like home, and instead create a simple temporary system that supports the job.

Camp Is Part of the Work Environment

What happens after shift can affect what happens during the next one. Poor sleep, excessive alcohol, inadequate food, dehydration, conflict and no recovery time can reduce your ability to work safely.

That does not mean fatigue and wellbeing are solely the worker’s responsibility. Employers and site operators also have duties to manage working hours, accommodation, workplace conditions and other risks so far as reasonably practicable.

Your role is to use the recovery opportunity available, follow reasonable camp and fitness-for-work rules, report problems that interfere with safe recovery, and speak up when fatigue or another issue affects your ability to work. Camp survival is not about silently accepting every condition — it is about managing what you can and reporting what needs to change.

1. Build a Routine Before You Need Motivation

Motivation becomes unreliable after several long shifts. A routine reduces the number of decisions you need to make when tired.

A basic after-shift routine might look like: return to camp, shower and change, eat dinner, prepare crib and work items, contact home, complete a short recovery activity, reduce light and stimulation, sleep.

Your routine does not need to match anybody else’s. A worker on day shift may go to the gym before dinner. Another may train immediately after getting off the bus. A night-shift worker may eat a light meal and go directly to bed.

The best routine fits the transport timetable, protects your main sleep period, keeps you ready for the next shift, and remains realistic across the whole swing. Do not design a camp routine that only works when you feel energetic.

Use Anchors

An anchor is an activity you complete at approximately the same point each day — waking, pre-shift meal, bus departure, shower, call home, preparing clothes, bedtime. These regular points make the swing feel less chaotic.

Prepare for the Next Shift Before Sleeping

Before bed, check your alarm, bus time, clothing, PPE, crib, water bottle where permitted, access card, and anything required at pre-start. This reduces rushed decisions after waking — a missing glove or uncharged phone should not be the reason you miss the bus.

2. Protect Your Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important parts of camp recovery. It can also be one of the hardest. Common disruptions include unfamiliar rooms, noisy neighbours, doors closing, buses, daylight, air-conditioning noise, shift changes, stress, caffeine, alcohol and phone use. You may not eliminate every disturbance, but you can improve the conditions.

Make the Room Sleep-Friendly

Try to keep the room dark, quiet, comfortable and free from unnecessary interruptions. Useful items include an eye mask, earplugs, a white-noise application, and a “do not disturb” arrangement where available. Close curtains fully and cover unnecessary light sources where this can be done safely. Tell people at home when you are sleeping so calls and messages do not repeatedly wake you.

Keep the Main Sleep Period Consistent

Try to sleep and wake at similar times across the same shift pattern. Protect a main block of sleep rather than relying entirely on several short naps — naps can help manage temporary sleepiness, but should not become a permanent replacement for adequate main sleep.

Manage Caffeine Strategically

Caffeine can improve short-term alertness, but late use can interfere with sleep. Consider using it earlier in the shift, reducing it well before planned sleep, and avoiding the habit of using more caffeine to compensate for increasingly poor sleep. Caffeine can temporarily mask sleepiness — it does not remove the underlying fatigue.

Alcohol Is Not a Sleep Tool

Alcohol can make you feel sleepy but still reduce sleep quality and recovery. It can also affect hydration, mood, judgement, reaction time and next-shift fitness. Do not use the wet mess as the main way to switch off after every shift.

Do Not Self-Medicate Sleep Problems

Do not begin using sleeping tablets, sedating antihistamines, melatonin or other substances based only on advice from co-workers. Speak with a doctor or pharmacist when sleep problems persist, and follow employer requirements for declaring medication that may affect fitness for work.

Report Accommodation Problems

Report issues such as air conditioning not working, persistent excessive noise, damaged blinds, unsafe electrical equipment, pests, poor sanitation, or repeated room-access problems. Note the room number, date, issue and person contacted. Do not accept serious sleep disruption for an entire swing because you assume nothing can be done.

3. Handle Day Shift and Night Shift Differently

Day-Shift Routine

Day-shift workers commonly wake very early. Prepare everything before bed, avoid late-night socialising, eat a manageable breakfast, limit evening screen time, and go to bed early enough to create a real sleep opportunity. Do not sacrifice two hours of sleep every night to watch one more episode — across a long swing, that lost sleep accumulates.

Night-Shift Routine

Night-shift workers often need to sleep during daylight and normal camp activity. Reduce bright-light exposure on the way back to camp where practical, eat a manageable meal before bed, darken the room, silence avoidable notifications, tell others not to disturb you, and keep a consistent daytime sleep window. Do not schedule laundry, long calls, intense training and social activities inside the main sleep period.

Shift Changeover

Changing between days and nights can be difficult. Follow the employer’s fatigue-management arrangements and avoid copying another worker’s strategy without considering your own health and response. If the shift transition leaves you unable to work safely, report it.

4. Eat for the Shift, Not for the Buffet

Camp food can be convenient and varied. It can also encourage oversized portions because food is prepaid or freely available, several options are presented at once, and workers are hungry after long shifts. You do not need to eat perfectly — you need a pattern that supports energy, recovery and health across the swing.

Build a Simple Plate

Where available, aim to include vegetables or salad, a protein source, a suitable carbohydrate source, and water. The exact amount depends on body size, medical needs, work intensity and personal preferences — do not copy the portions of the largest person on your crew.

Start with the Useful Food

When entering the mess, identify the protein options, add vegetables or salad, choose an appropriate carbohydrate, then decide whether you still want extras. This makes it easier to build a balanced meal before filling the plate with whatever looks most convenient.

Be Careful with Liquid Calories

Soft drinks, flavoured milk, energy drinks and multiple sweetened coffees can add substantial energy without feeling like a meal. Water should usually be the default drink unless your medical or workplace guidance indicates otherwise.

Manage Desserts and Fried Food

Camp desserts and fried options are not forbidden — the problem is frequency. A practical rule: choose a dessert on selected days, keep the portion reasonable, and avoid taking one automatically because it is available.

Pack Crib with the Whole Shift in Mind

Depending on site rules, consider a main meal, fruit, yoghurt, a wholegrain sandwich or wrap, nuts where permitted, and another suitable snack. Follow food-storage requirements and do not take food into restricted operational areas.

Dietary Requirements

Tell the employer or camp provider about legitimate dietary requirements through the correct process before mobilisation where possible — food allergy, coeliac disease, medically required diet, religious requirement, vegetarian or vegan diet. Do not wait until arriving at a remote village to discover that the available options cannot safely meet a serious allergy.

5. Stay Hydrated Without Turning It into a Competition

Remote work can involve heat, heavy PPE, physical activity and dry conditions. Follow the site’s hydration and heat-management instructions and use approved drinking-water facilities.

Possible signs that something is wrong include headache, dizziness, unusual fatigue, confusion, nausea, muscle cramps, or feeling unwell in the heat. Report symptoms early — do not wait until you collapse.

More Is Not Always Better

Excessive water consumption can also be harmful. Do not compete over how many litres you can drink. Fluid needs vary according to conditions, task, body size, sweating, health and medical advice. Use workplace guidance rather than a fixed number from social media.

Electrolytes and Supplements

Electrolyte products may be used in some hot-work environments, but they are not a universal replacement for meals, water or proper heat controls. Follow site or health advice.

6. Move, But Do Not Destroy Yourself

Exercise can support general health, mood, mobility, strength and sleep. It can also become another source of fatigue when the program ignores the physical demands of the job. You do not need to complete a personal record after every 12-hour shift.

Match Training to the Swing

Consider how physical the work is, shift type, accumulated fatigue, previous injuries, sleep, and the remaining swing length. A practical camp program might include short strength sessions, walking, cycling, mobility, light cardio, or a brief full-body routine. Consistency is usually more useful than one extreme session followed by several days of soreness.

Use a Minimum Session

On difficult days, the target might be a 10-minute walk, basic mobility, a few controlled exercises, or light recovery work. This keeps the habit alive without taking recovery away from the next shift.

Respect Gym Rules

Camp gyms are shared facilities. Follow rules around footwear, towels, cleaning equipment, noise and opening hours. Do not leave weights on equipment, film other workers without permission, train while clearly unwell, or attempt unfamiliar heavy lifts without appropriate support. Report broken equipment.

Physical Work Is Not Always Balanced Exercise

A demanding job can create fatigue without providing balanced fitness. Repeated lifting, awkward positions or long periods sitting in machinery may place stress on the same areas every day. Exercise should support the body rather than repeat the exact strain of the shift. When pain persists or affects your work, seek appropriate medical or allied-health advice rather than trying to train through it.

7. Keep Your Room and Gear Under Control

A small room becomes uncomfortable quickly when everything is left on the floor. Use simple zones: dirty clothing, clean clothing, work gear, toiletries, documents and personal electronics. Keep access to the door and exits clear and avoid blocking ventilation or creating trip hazards.

Ten-Minute Room Reset

Once per day: put dirty clothes in the laundry bag, remove rubbish, organise work clothing, refill essential supplies, clear the floor, and check what is needed for the next shift.

Laundry

Learn where laundry facilities are, whether machines require booking, whether detergent is provided, and how long cycles take. Do not leave clothes sitting in a shared machine for hours — set a timer and collect them promptly. Check care instructions for reflective materials, flame-resistant garments and specialist PPE, and do not wash hazardous or heavily contaminated items with personal clothing unless the employer’s process permits it.

Personal Hygiene

Long shifts, heat, boots and shared facilities can create skin, foot and hygiene problems. Shower after shift, wash hands, change socks and underwear, dry footwear where possible, and avoid sharing razors, towels or personal items. Report rashes, infections, wounds or other health issues early.

8. Keep Camp Social Without Letting It Run the Swing

Social contact can make camp easier, but it can also interfere with sleep, recovery and personal boundaries. You do not need to attend every gathering — choose what works for you, whether that’s dinner with the crew, a short conversation, occasional sport, quiz night, a controlled visit to the wet mess, or quiet time alone. Both constant isolation and constant socialising can become unhelpful.

Avoid Camp Drama

Remote camps can feel small and rumours travel quickly. Avoid gossip, arguments fuelled by alcohol, filming other people, discussing confidential work, entering other rooms without permission, and bringing workplace conflict back to accommodation. Treat other residents as co-workers even when everyone is off shift.

Respect Boundaries

Camp is also where people sleep, shower and manage personal time. Respect privacy, quiet hours, cultural differences and personal space. Harassment, bullying and unwanted behaviour are not acceptable because the camp is remote or informal — use the available reporting process when behaviour creates a safety or wellbeing issue.

9. Use the Wet Mess Carefully

Some camps have licensed venues; others prohibit alcohol entirely. Where a wet mess exists, follow purchase limits and identification rules, never supply alcohol to another worker in breach of policy, avoid pressuring others to drink, and remember the next shift.

The wet mess should not become the only way you manage boredom, stress or loneliness. If drinking is becoming a daily requirement to sleep, relax, socialise or cope with the swing, take the pattern seriously and seek support. You do not need to wait for a failed test or workplace incident before acting.

10. Stay Connected with Home Without Living on Your Phone

Connection with home can protect wellbeing. Poorly managed communication can also increase stress. Agree on a realistic system with your partner or family — for example, a short message before shift, a call after dinner, a longer call on selected days, and a plan for urgent communication.

Set Expectations Before the Swing

Explain that reception may be unreliable, buses can be delayed, shifts may finish late, and sleep sometimes needs priority. Do not promise to call at the exact same minute every day when the roster does not allow it. At the same time, do not disappear for several days without communication when a short message is possible — consistency builds trust.

Do Not Spend the Whole Evening Scrolling

It is easy to return to the room and lose the remaining evening to social media, videos, online shopping and endless messages. That time often comes directly from sleep. Set a stopping point and use the phone intentionally for connection and downtime rather than letting it consume the entire recovery window.

11. Deal with Boredom Before It Turns into a Bad Habit

Camp routine can become repetitive. Prepare several low-effort activities — reading, a downloaded series, a podcast, online learning, language study, journalling, budgeting, light exercise, or a small personal project. Do not create a second full-time job for yourself after shift — the activity should help you decompress, not leave you under more pressure.

12. Know When to Raise a Problem

Not every camp issue requires a formal complaint. Some do — safety, security, repeated sleep disruption, harassment, hygiene, food safety, serious dietary needs, damaged facilities, pests, medical concerns, mental wellbeing, or an inability to recover adequately.

Depending on the issue, speak with village reception, the camp manager, your supervisor, HSR, HR, the mobilisation coordinator, the medic or EAP. Be clear and factual: explain what happened, when, where, how it affects you or the crew, and what action has already been attempted. Do not retaliate against another worker for raising a legitimate concern.

Common Camp Mistakes

• Sacrificing sleep for entertainment
• Eating everything because it is available
• Training hard every day instead of matching effort to recovery
• Depending on energy drinks to compensate for poor sleep
• Using alcohol to switch off after every shift
• Leaving laundry in shared machines
• Making noise near rooms where someone may be sleeping before night shift
• Keeping every problem to yourself instead of reporting it
• Spending the entire evening on the phone
• Expecting camp to feel like home

The Bottom Line

Camp life becomes easier when the basics become automatic. You do not need a perfect diet, a two-hour gym program, a packed social calendar, or a complicated productivity system.

You need a routine that helps you sleep, eat, hydrate, prepare, stay connected, and return to work fit for the next shift. Some conditions remain outside your control — when accommodation, fatigue, behaviour or another issue affects safe recovery, raise it through the correct process.

The goal is not merely to survive until fly-out day. It is to complete the swing without allowing camp life to gradually wear down your health, safety or relationships.

Make Every Swing Easier to Prepare For

WATAhub is designed to help FIFO and shutdown workers keep their profile, work history, tickets and availability organised before the next mobilisation.

A good system reduces the admin you carry into camp and helps you focus on the work and routine ahead.

Stay organised before site. Keep the swing manageable once you arrive.

Health and safety note: This article provides general information only. Accommodation, food, medication, alcohol, fitness-for-work and fatigue requirements vary between sites and employers. Follow workplace procedures and obtain professional health advice for persistent sleep, medical, dietary or wellbeing concerns.