Campfires in Brisbane and Delicious Campfire Recipes

Few simple pleasures equal sitting by a camp fire—basking in the warmth, toasting marshmallows and telling stories. There are many parks and forests where you can camp and have campfires in Brisbane. There are also a number of “day use” areas near Brisbane that have wood-fired barbecues. Warm up this winter with your Brisbane kids and enjoy a meal or snack around a glowing fire.

Campfires and wood-fired barbecues in Queensland parks and forests

Many of Queensland’s parks and forests provide free barbecues—gas, electric or wood—in the camping or day-use areas.  If the park has wood-fueled barbecues, wood is rarely supplied, so bring your own clean-milled wood, such as untreated mill cut-offs. Where camp fires are allowed, use the fireplaces and fire rings provided. Never collect firewood or kindling from the park—everything, including dead branches, are protected by law. To find out which parks and forests near you provide barbecues, visit the National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing web site or the Brisbane City Council list of parklands and forests.

Campfires in Brisbane at Home

Small backyard fires are allowed in the Brisbane City Council region, providing:

• the fire is used for a barbecue or similar apparatus to cook food for human consumption
• an outdoor fire pit is being used for the purpose of heating and there is little to no open flame and smoke produced as a result
• a brazier is being used for the purpose of heating and there is little to no open flame and smoke produced as a result.

Delicious Campfire Recipes

The internet is full of awesome inspiration, especially when it comes to adapting recipes to make them more simple. Take a look at these campfire recipes we think you’ll enjoy –

Orange Brownies

Put simply, these are brownies baked in half orange skins. Camping with Gus has included full written instructions, as well as a straight-forward video tutorial of this site.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

We’ve improvised on this recipe we found on Taste.com.au. Simply place whole sweet potatoes over a campfire (wrapped in foil) for mushy hot morsels of goodness. When cooked, slit the potatoes and add your favourite toppings such as sour cream and chives, baked beans etc.

Campfire Cones

Campfire Cones – chopped fruit such as strawberries and – bananas – mini-marshmallows – chocolate chips – waffle ice-cream cones -tin foil. To wrap your cone once you have it stuffed to capacity. Roast on the coals for 5 – 7 minutes and then enjoy your gooey treat! These were found on Kids Activities Blog.

Campfire Pigs in a Blanket

Wrap a layer of dough (pre-made puff pastry would work well!) around a hot dog frankfurt and put it on a stick to roast over your campfire. What a simple idea!

Campfire Safety

Remember to supervise children diligently around a campfire and ensure they keep a safe distance away. Before you light the match, read these five campfire rules, issued by the QLD Fire and Emergency Services.

1. Positioning – Campfires should be positioned in cleared areas, where there are no overhanging branches, minimal grass and scrub. Ensure the campfire is a safe distance from tents, and that any other camping equipment is stored well away from it – especially flammable items such as gas cylinders and fuel cans.
2. Building – Where possible use a fireplace such as a barbeque pit or build a fire pit and surround it with large rocks. When selecting rocks, be aware that heated river or creek stones may shatter if cooled quickly. Ensure the fire stays a controllable size.
3. Starting – Start your campfire using appropriate ignition source and firelighter, paper and small kindling. Never use any kind of flammable liquids (such as petrol) on a fire to get it started.
4. Extinguishing – Put your campfire out with water when you have finished with it. Use the water from your washing up to put your campfire out.
5. Monitoring – Never leave unattended. Any campfire left unattended for any period of time, particularly overnight, should be extinguished by using a bucket of water.

Prohibitions and Bans on Campfires in Brisbane

For your safety, QPWS and QFRS may sometimes impose a fire prohibition in all or parts of a park or forest, or across a whole region. When a fire prohibition is in place, no camp fires are permitted to be lit in the prohibition area (including wood-fueled barbecues and stoves). Fire prohibitions are widely advertised and remain in place until cancelled by QPWS or QFRS.

Gas and electric barbecues, including gas and spirit stoves, are permitted to be used during QPWS and QFRS-imposed fire prohibition, provided:

• they do not have the potential to generate airborne embers or possibly ignite nearby ground fuels
• are not left unattended
• are suitably contained.