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CAMPFIRE CHAT

Campfire Cooking – Simple, Tasty & Family-Friendly

There’s nothing quite like gathering around the fire at the end of a busy day of adventures. The crackle of the flames, the glow of the coals, and the smell of food cooking in the open air creates a sense of magic that a kitchen just can’t match. Campfire cooking is about more than just a meal—it’s about slowing down, making memories, and sharing something special with family and friends.

At BIG4 Harrington, our fire pit is the perfect place to try your hand at easy, family-friendly campfire recipes. From hearty dinners like snag and vegie foil packs, to fun favourites like burgers and loaded potatoes, to sweet treats that kids will love, these recipes are designed to be simple, tasty, and achievable with just a few ingredients.

Whether you’re a seasoned camper or trying it for the first time, cooking on the fire brings a rustic charm and unbeatable flavour to your holiday. So, gather your ingredients, grab a stick or foil packet, and get ready to enjoy the best part of the camping tradition—delicious food under the stars.

Here is some inspiration to get you started: 

Breakfast ideas:

Brekkie Damper on a Stick

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1 cup water (add more if needed)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Butter & Vegemite or golden syrup to serve

Method:

  1. Mix flour, water, and salt into a soft dough.
  2. Roll small pieces into a rope shape and wrap around a clean stick.
  3. Hold over campfire coals for 10–12 minutes, turning until golden.
  4. Spread with butter and top with Vegemite or golden syrup.

Why it works: Kids love the “twist on a stick” style, and it’s a classic Aussie tradition.

Bushman’s Breakfast Wraps

 Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 6 eggs, scrambled
  • 4 rashers bacon
  • 4 hash browns (frozen or homemade)
  • ½ cup grated cheese
  • 4 tbsp BBQ sauce

Method:

  1. Cook bacon and hash browns on a hotplate until crisp.
  2. Scramble eggs in a pan.
  3. Lay out tortillas, add eggs, bacon, hash browns, cheese, and sauce.
  4. Wrap tightly, then toast each wrap on the hotplate or foil for 2–3 minutes until warm.

Quick tip: Easy to eat while sitting around the campfire.

Lunch/dinner ideas:

Snag & Veggie Foil Packs

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 sausages
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Mix potato, carrot, and onion with oil, herbs, salt, and pepper.
  2. Divide between 4 sheets of foil, add one sausage each, and wrap tightly.
  3. Place in campfire coals for 25–30 minutes, turning once.

Family hack: Each person builds their own pack, so there’s no fussing over who wants what.

Campfire Meat Pies & Sausage Rolls (Mini Style)

Ingredients:

  • 8 frozen party pies
  • Tomato or BBQ sauce to serve

Method:

  1. Wrap each pie and sausage roll in foil.
  2. Place in a camp oven or on the hotplate for 15–20 minutes until piping hot.
  3. Serve with sauce. 

Family Hack: Who doesn’t love a pie or sausage roll! Great staple comforting dinner around the camp fire. 

Fish ’n’ Foil (Fresh Catch Edition)

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 fresh fish fillets (about 150g each – flathead, bream, or whiting)
  • 2 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

  1. Place each fillet on foil, top with ½ tbsp butter, lemon slices, garlic, and parsley.
  2. Wrap tightly and place in coals for 10–15 minutes.
  3. Carefully unwrap and serve with salad or damper.

Why locals love it: Perfect if the family has been fishing that day.

Campfire Stir-Fry in Foil Packs

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 500g chicken or beef strips
  • 2 cups mixed stir-fry veggies (capsicum, carrot, broccoli, beans)
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp ginger (optional)

Method:

  1. Mix meat, veggies, soy sauce, honey, and ginger.
  2. Divide into 4 foil packets and seal.
  3. Cook in coals for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway.
  4. Serve with pre-cooked rice (heated in foil or on the hotplate).

Campfire Loaded Potatoes

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 large potatoes
  • ½ cup grated cheese
  • ½ cup cooked bacon bits
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp chives, chopped

Method:

  1. Wrap potatoes in foil and place in coals for 40–50 minutes or until soft.
  2. Split open, fluff with a fork, and add cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives.

Classic Campfire Beef Burger

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 500g beef mince
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 4 burger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese
  • Lettuce leaves
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 4 tbsp tomato sauce or BBQ sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

  1. Mix beef mince with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Form into 4 patties.
  2. Heat a campfire grill or hotplate with olive oil. Cook patties for 4–5 minutes each side until cooked through.
  3. Top each patty with cheese during the last minute of cooking.
  4. Assemble burgers with lettuce, tomato, and sauce in buns. Serve hot

Tips: Add some beetroot, pineapple rings and an egg for that classic ‘The Lot’ burger! 

Dessert ideas:

Tim Tam S’ mores

  • Ingredients: Marshmallows, Tim Tams.
  • Method: Roast a marshmallow over the fire until it goes gooey, sandwich it between two halves of a Tim Tam.

Aussie upgrade: A cheeky twist on the American classic.

Banana & Caramello Boats

 Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 bananas
  • 4 Caramello Koalas
  • 8 marshmallows

Method:

  1. Slice each banana lengthways (without cutting through the skin).
  2. Stuff with a Caramello Koala and 2 marshmallows.
  3. Wrap in foil and cook in coals for 5 minutes until melted.
  4. Eat with a spoon.

Messy but amazing!

Fairy Bread Damper

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1 cup water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp 100s & 1000s

Method:

  1. Mix flour, water, and salt into a dough.
  2. Bake as a loaf in a camp oven (20–25 minutes) or on a stick over coals (10–12 minutes).
  3. Spread with butter and sprinkle with 100s & 1000s.

Why it’s great: An Aussie kids’ party classic turned into a campfire dessert.

Milo Campfire Hot Chocolate

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 cups milk
  • 4 tbsp Milo
  • 4 marshmallows

Method:

  1. Heat milk in a billy can or saucepan over the fire until steaming (not boiling).
  2. Stir in Milo and pour into mugs.
  3. Top each with a marshmallow and an extra sprinkle of Milo.

Tip: Add extra Milo powder on top for crunch.