Guest Code of Conduct

1. Introduction

NextCamp connects travellers with Australia’s best outdoor stays: private campsites, farm stays, glamping properties and nature escapes. Every Site on our platform is hosted by a real operator who has opened their land to Guests.

This Code sets out how every Guest is expected to behave when booking and staying through NextCamp. It also establishes the framework Hosts use to report Guest behaviour and the actions NextCamp takes in response.

This Code forms part of your contract. Clause 7 of the Guest Terms requires you to comply with it, and clause 14 of the Guest Terms is the route by which it is enforced.

2. Who this applies to

• –Every person who creates a NextCamp Guest account
• –Every person who makes or requests a Booking via nextcamp.com.au
• –All members of a Guest party, not just the lead booker
• –Any person who accesses a Site in connection with a Booking, whether or not they are named on it

3. Respect for Hosts, Sites and other Guests

Part 1 — Guest conduct standards. Sections 3 to 10 set out the standards every Guest must meet when booking and staying through NextCamp.

1. 3.1 Treat Hosts with courtesy and respect. Hosts are private individuals and business owners, not service staff.
2. 3.2 Respect the boundaries of your booked Site. Do not access other areas of the property unless the Host has explicitly invited you to.
3. 3.3 Follow all Site Rules provided by the Host at the time of booking. Site Rules form part of your booking agreement with the Host under clause 3 of the Guest Terms.
4. 3.4 Do not misrepresent your group size, composition, or intended use of the Site when booking. Undisclosed Guests or activities are a breach of this Code.
5. 3.5 Communicate honestly with your Host before and during your stay. If something goes wrong, tell the Host directly before escalating.
6. 3.6 Respect the privacy and quiet enjoyment of other Guests staying on the same property.

4. Noise and disturbance

1. 4.1 Observe quiet hours as specified by the Host. Where not specified, standard NextCamp quiet hours are 10pm to 7am.
2. 4.2 Keep music, amplified sound and generators at levels that do not disturb neighbouring properties or other Guests.
3. 4.3 Do not host parties, events or gatherings beyond the group size disclosed in your Booking without the Host’s prior written consent.
4. 4.4 Many Sites are rural or semi-rural. Sound travels significantly further in these environments than in urban settings.

5. Fire safety

1. 5.1 Never light a fire outside a designated fire pit or fireplace provided by the Host. Do not create new fire sites.
2. 5.2 Never leave a fire unattended. Extinguish completely before sleeping or leaving the Site. Pour water until no smoke or heat remains.
3. 5.3 Comply with all fire danger ratings, total fire bans and ember alerts issued by State fire authorities. This obligation overrides any permission given by a Host.
4. 5.4 Do not burn rubbish, plastics or treated timber. Only burn dry, natural firewood where permitted.
5. 5.5 Maintain a minimum 3 metre clear zone around all fires. Do not light fires in windy conditions.
6. 5.6 Report any sign of uncontrolled fire immediately. Call 000 first, then notify your Host.

6. Site care and environmental responsibility

1. 6.1 Leave No Trace. Pack out everything you bring in, unless Host-approved waste facilities are available and you are directed to use them.
2. 6.2 Do not damage, deface, move or remove any property belonging to the Host, including fences, gates, furniture, signage or natural features.
3. 6.3 Use toilet and waste facilities as directed. Where none are provided, follow Leave No Trace practices: bury human waste at least 200 metres from water sources and 70 metres from campsites.
4. 6.4 Do not disturb, harm, feed or interfere with native wildlife. Feeding native animals is harmful and may be illegal.
5. 6.5 Close all gates as you find them. On working farms an open gate can cause significant harm to livestock and operations.
6. 6.6 Do not drive on grass, paddocks or unsealed tracks beyond those designated for vehicle access. If the ground is wet, park on firm ground only.
7. 6.7 Do not use soap, detergent or any chemical product in or near natural water sources.

7. Pets

1. 7.1 Only bring pets where the Host has explicitly permitted pets in their listing. A pet friendly listing does not mean unlimited pets. Check the Host’s specific conditions.
2. 7.2 Keep pets under effective control at all times. Dogs must be on lead unless the Host has designated an off lead area.
3. 7.3 Prevent pets from accessing livestock, crops, native wildlife or other Guests’ sites.
4. 7.4 Clean up after your pets. Waste must be bagged and removed or placed in Host designated bins.
5. 7.5 Never leave pets unattended in a way that causes distress, noise or risk.
6. 7.6 Hosts on working farms may have specific requirements around pets near livestock. Comply immediately and without negotiation.

8. Check in, check out and booking accuracy

1. 8.1 Arrive and depart within the times agreed with your Host. Contact the Host in advance if your plans change.
2. 8.2 Do not arrive early or depart late without prior agreement. Hosts may have back to back Bookings or farm operations that depend on access windows.
3. 8.3 Your Booking is for the number of Guests and vehicles declared. Do not bring additional people, vehicles or tents without prior Host consent.
4. 8.4 Commercial activities, commercial photography, drone flights and social media content involving the Host’s property require prior written consent. See section 9.

9. Drone and aerial device operations

Australia’s outdoor and rural environments require particular care with drones. NextCamp Sites frequently include livestock, native wildlife, neighbouring farmland and privacy sensitive areas. CASA compliance is a legal baseline. It does not substitute for Host permission.

9.1 CASA legal requirements

• –Maximum altitude. Do not fly above 120 metres above ground level.
• –Visual line of sight. Keep your drone in direct visual sight at all times.
• –Daylight only. Fly only from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
• –Not over people. Do not fly directly over people not part of your operation, including Hosts, Host staff and other Guests.
• –Controlled airspace. Do not fly within 5.5km of a controlled aerodrome without air traffic control permission. Check the CASA CanIFly app before every flight.
• –Restricted areas. Never fly in prohibited or restricted areas declared by CASA. Many national parks adjacent to Sites have declared restrictions.
• –Emergency situations. Do not fly over or near any active emergency. This is a federal offence.
• –Alcohol and drugs. Do not operate a drone while impaired.
• –Registration. Drones used commercially, including content creation you earn income from, must be registered with CASA and the operator must hold a Remote Pilot Licence.

9.2 Site specific requirements

1. 9.2.1 Host written permission is required before flying. Submit your request via platform messaging before your stay, not on arrival.
2. 9.2.2 Hosts may decline at their absolute discretion and are not required to give a reason. A declined request is final for that Booking.
3. 9.2.3 Permission applies only to the specific area, purpose and dates stated. It does not carry over to future Bookings or other parts of the property.
4. 9.2.4 Do not fly over adjacent properties, neighbouring farms or public land beyond the boundary without the relevant landowner’s consent. This is separate to Host permission.
5. 9.2.5 Permission to fly is not permission to publish. See 9.4.

9.3 Livestock, wildlife and environment

1. 9.3.1 Do not fly over, near or towards livestock. Drones cause panic, stampede, miscarriage in pregnant animals and property damage. A single flight over a herd can cause significant financial loss to the Host.
2. 9.3.2 Do not fly over or near native wildlife including nesting birds. Disturbance of nesting birds is an offence under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth). If wildlife is present in your flight path, land immediately.
3. 9.3.3 Maintain a minimum 100 metre horizontal distance from livestock and known wildlife habitat, including dam edges, nesting tree lines and grazing pasture.
4. 9.3.4 Do not fly within or over any national park, State forest or conservation reserve without checking that authority’s drone policy. NSW National Parks prohibits drone use without a permit. Parks Victoria and Queensland Parks require prior authorisation.
5. 9.3.5 Do not fly over water sources, dams or rivers at low altitude. Waterfowl are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance.

9.4 Privacy

1. 9.4.1 Do not use a drone to record, photograph or observe other Guests, the Host, Host staff or neighbouring residents without their explicit consent.
2. 9.4.2 Do not fly near or over accommodation areas, toilet blocks, change facilities or any space where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
3. 9.4.3 Footage containing identifiable images of other people may not be published anywhere without the written consent of those individuals. This obligation applies permanently, not only during the stay.
4. 9.4.4 Where footage inadvertently includes other Guests or the Host, notify them and offer to delete it on request.

9.5 Commercial drone use

1. 9.5.1 Commercial operators must hold a current CASA Remote Pilot Licence, have the drone registered as a commercially operated RPA, and operate under a certified operator framework.
2. 9.5.2 Commercial operators must provide the Host with a copy of the licence and operator certificate before permission will be considered.
3. 9.5.3 Filming a Site for commercial publication requires a separate written agreement with the Host covering usage rights, revenue sharing and the areas that may be filmed.
4. 9.5.4 A standard Booking does not confer filming rights.

9.6 Breach of drone requirements

• –Flying without Host permission. May result in a warning, removal from the Site or account suspension, depending on the circumstances.
• –Flying over livestock or wildlife. May result in account suspension or closure. Harm to animals or property may be referred to CASA or another relevant authority.
• –Flying in a declared national park without permit. NextCamp may suspend the account and cooperate with the parks authority and CASA.
• –Privacy breach, recording without consent. The Guest may be required to delete footage and may be suspended or removed from the Platform. NextCamp may refer the matter where required or appropriate.
• –Commercial operation without licence or Host agreement. May result in account closure and referral to CASA.
• –Drone use during a Total Fire Ban. May result in account closure and reporting to the State fire authority as potential emergency interference.

10. Prohibited conduct

A single breach in any of these categories may result in immediate removal from the Site and permanent closure of your NextCamp account.

• –Violence and threats. Any act or threat of physical violence toward Hosts, Host staff, other Guests or NextCamp representatives.
• –Harassment. Verbal, written or physical harassment of Hosts or other Guests, including after check out via any channel.
• –Illegal activity. Committing or facilitating any unlawful act on or from a Site.
• –Deliberate damage. Intentional destruction or damage of Host property, equipment, fencing or natural features.
• –Arson and fire recklessness. Lighting unauthorised fires, ignoring Total Fire Bans, or any act creating serious fire risk.
• –Trespass beyond bounds. Accessing parts of the property not included in the Booking, including locked areas, farm infrastructure and neighbouring land.
• –Subletting or resale. Reselling or transferring a Booking without platform authorisation.
• –Fraudulent booking. Booking under a false identity, misrepresenting group size, or using another person’s account.
• –Wildlife harm. Deliberately disturbing, harming, trapping or poaching native wildlife.
• –Recording without consent. Recording Hosts, Host staff or other Guests without consent, including hidden cameras.

11. How Hosts report a Guest concern

Part 2 — Host reporting and flagging framework. Sections 11 to 18 set out how Hosts report Guest conduct and how NextCamp responds.

• –Platform report flow. From your Host dashboard, open the booking and select Report an issue. Attach photographs, screenshots and a written account. Use during or within 14 days of check out, for any breach of this Code.
• –Email. support@nextcamp.com.au, subject GUEST REPORT and the booking reference. Include date, description, evidence and outcome sought. Use for detailed post stay reports needing formal documentation.

12. What to include in a report

• –Booking reference number and Guest name
• –Dates and times of the incident
• –A clear factual description of what occurred, what was said or done, by whom, in what context
• –Supporting evidence: photographs, video, screenshots of messages, written communications
• –The impact on your property, other Guests, or your wellbeing
• –Any steps you took to resolve the issue directly and the Guest’s response
• –The outcome you are seeking

13. Reportable behaviour categories

• –Safety risk. Behaviour creating immediate risk to people or property. May require emergency removal and account action after review.
• –Property damage. Deliberate or reckless damage to Host property or equipment. Investigation and damage assessment under the Dispute Resolution Policy.
• –Code of Conduct breach. Noise, pet violations, group size breach, late departure. May result in a warning or suspension after review.
• –Misrepresentation. Guest misrepresented identity, group or purpose at booking. Account reviewed. May result in cancellation and suspension.
• –Harassment of Host. Verbal or written abuse, threats or intimidation. Immediate suspension pending review.
• –Review manipulation. Guest threatens a negative review to extract a refund or special treatment. The review may be removed and the account reviewed.
• –Illegal activity. Any criminal act committed at a Site. Host should contact police on 000. NextCamp cooperates with law enforcement.

14. Platform response

NextCamp reviews reports individually and considers the seriousness of the conduct, available evidence, immediate safety risk and any relevant account history. Report and enforcement information is personal information handled under the Privacy Policy.

• –Warning. NextCamp may issue a written warning for a verified lower-severity breach and retain the report as part of the case record.
• –Suspension. NextCamp may suspend an account while a serious report is investigated or after a serious or repeated breach is established. The Guest is notified of the action and any review path that applies.
• –Account closure. NextCamp may close an account for violence, illegal activity, deliberate property damage, harassment, a serious fire-safety breach or other conduct that makes continued access unsafe or inappropriate.

A platform-access decision does not determine your legal rights, affect any right under the Australian Consumer Law, or prevent you raising the matter with NSW Fair Trading, your State or Territory Fair Trading body, the ACCC, the OAIC or a court.

15. Investigation process

• –Acknowledgement. NextCamp assigns priority according to urgency and communicates the next step. Response bands are operational priorities, not guaranteed deadlines.
• –Evidence collection. NextCamp reviews the Host report, booking records, platform communications and submitted evidence. May contact the Guest for their account.
• –Guest right of reply. The Guest is given a reasonable response period communicated for the case. Their response is considered alongside the Host submission.
• –Determination. NextCamp communicates what was found and any platform action after the available evidence has been reviewed.
• –Action. Where a breach is found, NextCamp may warn, suspend or close the account. Any supported financial remedy is handled under the Dispute Resolution Policy, and both parties are notified in writing.
• –Review. Either party may request a review by emailing support@nextcamp.com.au. NextCamp communicates whether a review is available and any response period. The internal process does not affect either party’s legal rights or external avenues.

16. Host protections and confidentiality

1. 16.1 Host reports are treated as confidential within NextCamp. The general nature of the allegations is shared with the Guest as part of the right of reply process, because a Guest cannot fairly respond to an allegation they have not been told about.
2. 16.2 NextCamp will not volunteer the identity of a reporting Host to the Guest. NextCamp cannot guarantee that a Host’s identity will never be disclosed, because a Guest has a right under Australian Privacy Principle 12 to request access to personal information NextCamp holds about them, and because disclosure may be required by a court, tribunal or regulator. Where a Guest makes an access request, NextCamp will consider whether an exception under APP 12 applies, including where access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of another person.
3. 16.3 Hosts will not face adverse platform action as a result of making a good faith report, including removal from search results, reduced booking priority or any other commercial penalty.
4. 16.4 NextCamp will not share a Host’s personal contact details with a Guest against whom a report has been made, except as required by law.
5. 16.5 Where a Guest leaves a retaliatory review following a report, NextCamp will assess that review against the review policy and may remove it.
6. 16.6 Hosts may report a concern about a specific Guest to support@nextcamp.com.au. NextCamp does not currently provide a listing-specific Guest-block control and will assess any available platform action under section 14.

17. Guest rights in the reporting process

1. 17.1 Every Guest subject to a Host report will be notified and given a fair opportunity to respond.
2. 17.2 Guests may provide a written response, supporting evidence and relevant context within the response period communicated for the case.
3. 17.3 NextCamp’s determination considers both accounts. A report alone is not a finding. Evidence is required.
4. 17.4 Guests may ask whether a platform determination is eligible for internal review and may submit additional context for the case record.
5. 17.5 Guests who believe a report was made maliciously or in bad faith may raise this with NextCamp. Where bad faith reporting by a Host is found, the Host’s account may be actioned.
6. 17.6 Nothing in this section limits a Guest’s rights under the Australian Consumer Law or the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), or their ability to approach an external body.

18. Guest acknowledgement

By creating a Guest account or making a Booking on nextcamp.com.au, you acknowledge that:

• –you have read this Code and agree to comply with it
• –this Code forms part of your contract under clause 7 of the Guest Terms
• –you are responsible for every member of your booking party
• –Hosts may report conduct that breaches this Code, and NextCamp may take proportionate platform action under section 14
• –serious breaches may result in immediate removal from a Site without refund, and closure of your account
• –Site Rules set by your Host apply in addition to this Code, and where a Site Rule is stricter than this Code, the Site Rule applies

19. Document precedence

(a) The NextCamp platform documents are the Platform Terms of Use, the Host Terms of Service, the Guest Terms, the Guest Code of Conduct, the Dispute Resolution Policy and the Privacy Policy (together, the Platform Documents). This document is the Guest Code of Conduct.

(b) If there is any inconsistency between Platform Documents, the following order of precedence applies, with the higher ranked prevailing to the extent of the inconsistency:

1. (i) the Privacy Policy, but only in relation to the collection, use, holding, disclosure and security of personal information;
2. (ii) the Host Terms of Service, in relation to a Host and the operation of a Site;
3. (iii) the Guest Terms, in relation to a Guest and a Booking;
4. (iv) the Guest Code of Conduct, in relation to Guest conduct;
5. (v) the Dispute Resolution Policy, in relation to the process for resolving a dispute, but not in relation to any substantive right, liability or entitlement to money;
6. (vi) the Platform Terms of Use, in relation to all other matters.

(c) Despite paragraph (b), no Platform Document operates to exclude, restrict or modify any right or remedy under the Australian Consumer Law, the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or any other law to the extent it cannot lawfully be excluded.

(d) A Platform Document that is silent on a matter is not inconsistent with another Platform Document that deals with that matter.