Environmental responsibility; Our camps adhere to eco tourism guidelines. By keeping our groups small (max 8 participants) we minimise our impact on the environment. We foster environmental awareness by example.

Cultural responsibility; We are proud and grateful to be operating on land with such strong Aboriginal significance. We respect sacred sites and the requests of traditional owners in relation to land usage.
We are fostering a relationship with the Ngurratjuta Art Centre in Alice Springs so that sometimes when camped on the Finke River we are visited by a small group of Western Arrente women artists who enjoy painting alongside us and sharing this connection with their own country.

Camp program; The program will to some degree be determined by the needs and capabilites of the group. Generally we spend alternate days in and away from camp. The immediate camp environs provide plenty of inspiration with the benefits of 'infrastucture'. The days away from camp are spent either within walking distance or by driving to special locations in the vicinity. There will be some gentle walking each day and extended walks are a possibility for those who would like it. There is always the option of just relaxing in camp.
For those who request it Deborah offers tuition and support . For those who prefer to work independently the camp offers a stimulating small group environment.

Campsites; In most cases* our campsites are ‘bush’ camps, so there are no amenity blocks and consequently no buses, caravans and crowds of tourists. However Larapinta Creative Camps provides you with everything to make sure your camping experience is comfortable, safe and secure, as well as exciting and adventurous.

*We now offer a 'soft' camping option for those that would like it. Our Palm Valley camp is in a National Parks camp area and has an ammenities block, consequently we can expect neighbours here.

Our locations are chosen for their beauty and comfort. They are places that we have camped previously, so we are familiar with the lay of the land. If proximity to Alice allows we set up the basic infrastructure before the camp. There are no shops, so we take everything that we will need for the week. We don't travel back to town during the week unless there is an emergency. We carry a satellite phone for such occasions.

Infrastructure; We provide a marquee for our creative work space, other shade shelters, large tables and comfortable chairs. We sleep in the trademark of true territorian camping, a cosy ‘swag’ which is an ingenious combination of comfy foam mattress, pillow, doona and real sheets all contained by a zippered canvas sheath that allows you to enjoy our spectacular starry skies and a good night’s sleep.

For rainy occasions or for added privacy we provide 2 and 1 person tents. Our transport is a stretched Toyota Landcruiser with 11 comfortable forward facing seats. We tow a fully equipped kitchen trailer and if road access allows we take an additional vehicle towing a small enclosed trailer to carry more art materials. We provide a true camping experience where you will always feel comfortable & well looked after.

There are no showers at our campsites. However we will arrange for you to have a hot shower during the week at nearby locations, except when we are at Ruby Gap which is too remote. On the other days we provide enough water for a bowl style body wash, so bring a towel. There may be water in the water holes, though often very cold it is most refreshing. The toilet will be a sit down 'bush toilet' that we dig and erect ourselves, it is clean, comfortable and private.

Food; We cook a variety of well balanced meals with plenty of fresh vegetables, such as pasta, curries, laksa, stir frys and grills. Included is a cold beer or soft drink at sundown and wine with dinner. We serve locally roasted coffee and a good selection of teas. Our only complaint is that the food is too good to resist seconds.

Breakfast is porridge, muesli or cereal, tea in a pot and/or real coffee. Lunch is packed, wholemeal rolls with cold meat, tomato, cheese etc with fruit, juice, and snacks.

Special dietary requirements; Please let us know in advance if you have any medical dietary requirements so we can accomodate your needs. However we do ask people with non-medical food preferences to relax them for the trip if possible, as our cooking is done on a two burner stove so providing different meals can be problematic. If you are a vegetarian your preference will mean we will all eat less meat. However there are a some meals where we can easily prepare a non-meat version. Your cooperation on this will be appreciated.

Health; Before a camp like this its good to make sure that your body and mind are in good shape. If you have any medical conditions or potential medical issues make sure that you have seen your doctor recently and are well supplied with prescription medications. As we do quite a bit of walking on some of our trips, make sure that any corns, calluses etc. are seen to beforehand and that problem nails are trimmed, and all nails cut.

Charlie and I are not therapists, and the Creative Camps are not designed as 'art therapy' events. Emotions sometimes become heightened around the creative process - this goes with the territory - and of course we do our best to look after participants in their fragile moments. However, if you are 'generally' rather than 'occasionally' fragile, we are not equipped to respond adequately to your needs.

Prescription glasses; There are some steep, uneven surfaces on some of our walks and some occasional 'rock hopping'. It is essential for your safety that you can focus clearly on the ground, this means that bifocal or multifocal glasses can be unsafe so we suggest you bring some suitable single focus glasses if you require them for walking on rough ground.

Footwear; Campsites are on sandy even ground but often the surface in the Macdonnell Ranges is hard and rocky. This can be tough on shoes and feet. Good solid shoes or boots are required.

Clothing; We will supply campers with a comprehensive list of appropriate clothing well in advance of the camp. This list changes to reflect the average temperatures as shown below:

Note that these are averages only. Weather in central Australia is characterised by unpredictability and extreme variability. It can be warm in August, and cool in October. It can rain at any time of the year, but usually doesn’t.

Art Materials; We will supply campers with a comprehensive list of appropriate art materials for each climate and situation, well in advance of the camp. We supply art making 'infrastructure' to make sure your creative time is productive and comfortable. I also have a back up supply of many art making essentials as well as some interesting things for you to experiment with.