Mosquitoes, March Flies, Midges and Ticks: Camping in Australia 2026

What bites, where and when

Four groups do most of the biting. Mosquitoes are found across the country and are busiest in warm, wet weather. The Australian Museum says march flies live throughout Australia around freshwater creeks, estuaries and mangroves, and that only the females bite, because they need blood to breed.

Western Australia's health department says biting midges bite around dawn and dusk, can keep going through the night, and bite all day when it is overcast, mostly in tropical and subtropical areas near sandy estuaries and mangroves. Ticks used to live mainly on the east coast but now have populations inland too, and the risk is there all year.

The mosquito diseases to know

Healthdirect, the national health advice service, lists Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis among the mosquito-borne diseases in Australia. Ross River and Barmah Forest are the common ones, with fever, rash and sore joints. There is no vaccine for either, so the only protection is not being bitten.

Japanese encephalitis has a vaccine. The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends it for some people who live, work or spend time in risk areas, and states have offered it free to campers in high-risk areas in recent seasons, so ask a GP or pharmacist before a summer trip along inland rivers; protection can take up to two weeks. Dengue is a risk in north Queensland: Queensland Health says the mosquito that spreads it lives in north and central Queensland, and outbreaks start when a traveller brings the virus in.

Repellent and clothing that work

Healthdirect says the best repellents contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, and that you should use products approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. Put repellent on after sunscreen, on exposed skin only. An adult should apply it to children under 5, and it is not advised for babies under 3 months, who are better protected by clothing and a net over the pram or cot.

For midges, Healthy WA says DEET or picaridin works best and that a higher concentration lasts longer, so match the strength to the time you will be outside. Cover up with long, loose and light-coloured clothing at dawn and dusk. Even if you have had a vaccine, healthdirect says you still need to avoid bites.

Pick the pitch and close the camp

Mosquitoes breed in still water and midges in estuary mud, so the same campground can be bearable on one side and miserable on the other. Choose a site with a breeze, away from mangroves, swamps and stagnant creeks, and arrive early enough to judge it in daylight.

Healthy WA says midges are small enough to get through standard fly screens, so screen caravans and tents with fine mesh, and notes that a fan or moving air discourages them. Close up before dusk, keep the screen door shut while you cook, and sleep under a net if your tent or van has gaps.

Ticks: freeze it, don't squeeze it

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy says the paralysis tick can cause allergic reactions when it is disturbed, because squeezing it makes it inject more saliva. Its advice is to freeze the tick with a product that rapidly freezes and kills it, usually an ether-containing spray, and let it drop off, or to leave it in place and get medical help.

Do not pull it out with tweezers, and do not dab it with methylated spirits or kerosene. The society also links tick bites to mammalian meat allergy, a reaction to beef, lamb, pork and kangaroo meat that can appear later. After a walk through long grass or scrub on the east coast, check your skin and your hairline.

When a bite is more than a bite

Most bites only itch. See a doctor if a fever, rash or joint pain follows a trip, and say where you camped, because that is what points to Ross River, Barmah Forest or dengue.

A severe allergic reaction to a tick or an insect bite is an emergency: trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or collapse. Call triple zero (000). Where there is no coverage, 112 will try any available network from a mobile phone.

Choose breezier camps in AussieCamps

AussieCamps shows campgrounds and national parks across Australia with the facilities, access and fees the park agencies publish, and a 7-day forecast on each place page, so you can see whether a still, humid night is coming. Filters for water, toilets, showers and power help you find a site where you can close up early and still cook and wash.

Place details stay readable with no signal, which is useful in the mangrove and river country where reception drops. The map, directions and weather need a connection. AussieCamps runs on iPhone.

Places along the way