What should be in a 72-hour emergency kit in Australia?

Australian agencies list drinking water, non-perishable food and a can opener, a torch and a battery radio with spare batteries, a phone, charger and power bank, a first aid kit, medicines and copies of prescriptions, important documents in a waterproof bag, cash, toiletries and hygiene items, spare clothes and bedding, and supplies for babies and pets. Get Ready Queensland's 2026 printable checklist says to plan for at least five days, while its web page and Queensland SES still say three.

How many days of supplies should my emergency kit have?

At least three days is the long-standing minimum, and the Get Ready Queensland web page and Queensland SES still say three. Get Ready Queensland's 2026 Emergency Kit Checklist says at least five days for water, food and batteries. NSW Government says several days. If you live somewhere that could be cut off by floods or fire, plan for longer.

How much water should I store per person?

Get Ready Queensland's 2026 checklist says: "Water for at least five (5) days – 10 litres of drinking water per person at a minimum." Queensland SES says "Water for three days (10 litres per person)". SA's Country Fire Service says "Three litres of drinking water per day is the recommended amount of water you should keep in your emergency kit" and doesn't say per person. NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services says to have "at least 3 litres of water per person per day for at least 72 hours". For a five-day kit we use the NT figure, 15 litres each, and store more if it's hot, if anyone is unwell, and for pets, cooking and hygiene.

What food should go in an emergency kit?

Pack non-perishable food your household already eats and can prepare without power: tinned meals, fish and beans, long-life milk, crackers, muesli bars, dried fruit and nuts, plus baby food or formula if needed. Add a manual can opener, and a gas stove with a spare canister if you plan to cook. Rotate food before its best-before date.

Should I buy a ready-made emergency kit or build my own?

A ready-made kit is a fast start, especially for first aid, but no off-the-shelf kit has your prescriptions, documents, glasses, baby supplies or pet food. Most households do best building their own kit from an agency checklist and buying a quality first aid kit to go in it.

What's the difference between an emergency kit and an evacuation (go) bag?

The home emergency kit holds enough to get you through several days at home without power, water or shops. The go-bag is the smaller, carry-it-out version: documents, medicines, a phone and charger, cash, a torch, water, snacks and a change of clothes. Queensland SES suggests listing the extra items you would grab on the way out, such as your phone, keys, blankets, valuables and pet carriers.

What should I include for pets and babies?

For pets: food, water, bowls, medicines, a lead or carrier, bedding and vaccination records. For babies, Get Ready Queensland's 2026 checklist says to pack "enough food, nappies and wipes for at least five (5) days", plus formula, bottles, sterilising gear, medicines and comfort items.

How often should I check and refresh my kit?

Get Ready Queensland says to review the contents at least twice a year. NSW Government says to check your kit before every storm and bushfire season, and Queensland SES says every season. Swap out expired food, water, medicines and batteries each time.

72-Hour Emergency Kit Australia: Checklist and the 3 vs 5 Day Question

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000). For flood and storm help in any state, call the SES on 132 500. This guide gives general information only. If your state emergency service or local council says something different, follow them.

An Australian emergency kit holds drinking water, non-perishable food, a torch, a battery radio, spare batteries, a phone charger and power bank, first aid, medicines, documents, cash, hygiene items, clothes and bedding, plus supplies for babies and pets. “72 hours” is the minimum. Get Ready Queensland’s 2026 printable checklist says to plan for at least five days, while its web page and Queensland SES still say three.

The checklist below is drawn from Get Ready Queensland, Queensland SES, NSW SES, NSW Government and Australian Red Cross, with daily water figures from SA’s Country Fire Service and NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services. Water and food safety advice comes from HealthyWA and the Queensland Government. A printable version is at the end.

Last reviewed: 1 November 2026, by the Survivalist team, against the live agency pages listed under Sources. Product prices re-checked 2 November 2026.

72 hours or 5 days? What Australian agencies say

The 72-hour kit comes from overseas guidance, and a lot of what you’ll find searching for it is American or Canadian. Australian agencies don’t all say the same thing, and even Get Ready Queensland’s own materials differ.

Get Ready Queensland’s 2026 Emergency Kit Checklist (PDF) says, word for word:

“Water for at least five (5) days – 10 litres of drinking water per person at a minimum.”

The same checklist asks for “Non-perishable food for five (5) days”, a torch and a battery-powered radio “with spare batteries for at least five (5) days use”, and “Essential medication – include a week’s supply of prescription and over the counter medication.”

Get Ready Queensland’s own emergency kit web page, which was updated in September 2026, still said three days when we checked. Under the heading “Water for three days” it says: “Pack 10 litres of drinking water per person at a minimum.” The page links to both the older 2023 checklist and the 2026 one. Queensland SES also says three days. So both figures are current official Queensland advice, and they don’t match. We’ve built the checklist below around five days because it’s the more cautious figure, not because it replaces the three-day advice.

Agency	How long to plan for	Water guidance (as written)	Source
Get Ready Queensland (2026 checklist)	At least five days	“Water for at least five (5) days – 10 litres of drinking water per person at a minimum.”	2026 checklist PDF
Get Ready Queensland (web page)	Three days	“Water for three days”: “Pack 10 litres of drinking water per person at a minimum.”	Emergency kit
Queensland SES	“several days”; water and food for three days	“Water for three days (10 litres per person)”	Pack your emergency kit
NSW SES	No day count for water; medications for 5 days	Drinking water listed, no quantity given	Emergency kit
NSW Government	“supplies for several days”	No water quantity on the kit page	Emergency survival kit
Australian Red Cross	No day count	“Food and water” on the survival kit checklist	Get packing
SA Country Fire Service	“up to four days following a fire”	“Three litres of drinking water per day is the recommended amount of water you should keep in your emergency kit”	Nine things you need in your emergency kit
NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services	“at least 72 hours”	“at least 3 litres of water per person per day for at least 72 hours”	Cyclones

Note the wording on water. Both Get Ready Queensland sources say 10 litres of drinking water per person “at a minimum” without saying whether that’s per day or for the whole period. We’ve quoted it exactly rather than guess. Queensland SES pairs the same 10 litres with three days, which works out to about 3.3 litres per person per day. SA’s Country Fire Service gives a daily figure of 3 litres for your kit but doesn’t say whether that’s per person or for the household. NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services does give a per-person figure: at least 3 litres per person per day. Spread over Get Ready Queensland’s five days, 10 litres is only 2 litres per person per day, so for a five-day kit we use the NT figure of 3 litres per person per day, or 15 litres each. None of these sources says its figure covers cooking, washing or pets. Our guide to how much water to store for an emergency works through the maths for different households.

Our view: build for five days if you can. Get Ready Queensland’s 2026 checklist also says “Consider adding more items to your emergency kit if you are at risk of isolation”. The Get Ready web page adds that “If you are in a rural or remote area, or you are at risk of extended periods of isolation, you might need to pack supplies for more days.” If your road floods every wet season, five days is a starting point, not a ceiling.

The checklist

These groups follow the agency lists. Each item notes who recommends it.

Water and food

Drinking water. See the table above for quantities. Store it in clean, food-grade containers and keep it out of the sun.
Non-perishable food for the same number of days. Get Ready Queensland’s 2026 checklist says five days, and Queensland SES says three. Choose things your household already eats.
A manual can opener, plates, cups and cutlery.
A gas stove with a spare canister if you’ll cook. Get Ready Queensland lists a “Gas powered stove – with spare canister”, and Queensland SES lists a portable stove and fuel. Use it outdoors or somewhere well ventilated. Our guide to the best camping stove for emergencies covers the options.
A way to treat water. HealthyWA’s emergency drinking water page calls boiling “the simplest and best” method and says: “Vigorous boiling for at least 1 minute will kill any disease-causing micro-organism present in the water.” It gives chlorine bleach doses too, but warns that chlorine and iodine “may not be effective against cryptosporidium”. The Queensland Government adds that “Water contaminated by chemicals (including fuels) will not be made safe by boiling.”

Light, power and communications

A torch for each adult. Get Ready Queensland says to pack it “with spare batteries for at least five (5) days use”.
A battery-powered or wind-up radio with spare batteries, so you can hear warnings on local ABC radio when mobile networks are down.
A mobile phone, charger and power bank. Get Ready Queensland, Queensland SES and Red Cross all list them.
A whistle to signal for help (Get Ready Queensland and NSW SES).
Candles and waterproof matches are on the NSW Government list. A torch is safer: never leave a candle burning unattended.

First aid and medicines

A first aid kit and a first aid manual.
Essential medicines. Get Ready Queensland says a week’s supply of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. NSW SES lists “Medications for 5 days and prescriptions” and adds “Talk to your pharmacist about eScripts”. It also suggests a small esky with ice bricks for medicines that need to stay cold.
Spare glasses, contact lenses and hearing aid batteries.
Face masks and gloves. Get Ready Queensland lists face masks, thick work gloves and disposable gloves. NSW Government lists P2/N95 masks, which “can filter out the fine particles in smoke”.

Ask your GP or pharmacist how to keep a buffer of your prescriptions and how to store any medicine that needs refrigeration. We don’t give dosing advice.

Documents and money

Important documents in a waterproof bag, or saved to a USB stick (Get Ready Queensland). Red Cross’s recovery checklist lists copies of passports and ID, birth and marriage certificates, ownership documents, insurance documents, wills and important prescriptions, plus a list of important numbers and “Access details for bank accounts, superannuation and others”.
Cash. NSW SES puts it bluntly: “Cash (ATMs & EFTPOS may not work)”.
A written list of contacts and emergency numbers, in case your phone is flat.
Spare house and car keys, and local maps “to navigate road closures” (NSW SES).

Hygiene and sanitation

Toiletries, toilet paper, hand sanitiser and sanitary items.
Rubbish bags (Get Ready Queensland).
Gloves, for cleaning up.

Clothing, bedding and tools

A change of clothes and sturdy shoes for everyone. Red Cross lists “Warm, waterproof clothing and comfortable shoes”, and Get Ready Queensland lists waterproof jackets and sun hats.
Bedding. Get Ready Queensland lists “sleeping bags or warm blankets, camping mattress”, and NSW Government lists woollen blankets.
Sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses or safety glasses.
Basic tools. Get Ready Queensland lists a wrench, pliers and a screwdriver “to help turn off power, water and gas supplies if needed”, a safety knife, and a tarpaulin and ropes. NSW Government suggests putting reflective tape on the kit so you can find it in the dark.

Pets

Food, water and bowls, medicines, a lead or carrier, bedding, toys, and registration and vaccination records. Get Ready Queensland, Queensland SES and Red Cross all list pet supplies.

Kids and babies

Baby supplies. Get Ready Queensland’s 2026 checklist says “enough food, nappies and wipes for at least five (5) days”. Red Cross’s baby essentials add wipes, toys, nappies, blankets, a baby sling, medication and formula. Add bottles and sterilising gear.
Something to do. Get Ready Queensland suggests “books, pack of cards, some glow sticks”, and Red Cross lists activities for children. Cards, books and colouring keep children calm through a long blackout.

Build it for your household

Agencies give quantities per person, not per family, so scale up. Here’s what that means in practice. Every figure below comes from the sources above.

A family of four. Get Ready Queensland’s minimum of 10 litres per person means at least 40 litres of drinking water, or two 20-litre water carriers. That lines up with Queensland SES’s three days, but over five days it’s only 2 litres each a day. At NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services’ figure of 3 litres per person per day, four people for five days need 60 litres, or three 20-litre carriers. Treat that as drinking water and add more for cooking, washing and pets, and more again in hot weather. Budget food and batteries for five days, and a week of everyone’s regular medicines. Give each person their own torch, and pack one change of clothes each.

Babies and toddlers. Pack nappies, wipes and food for at least five days, per the 2026 checklist. If you use formula, pack enough for the same period, plus clean water to make it up. Add a baby first aid kit and a thermometer.

Older people and anyone with a disability or health condition. Pack a week’s medicines and copies of scripts, spare glasses and hearing aid batteries, and mobility aids. List any equipment that needs power, such as a CPAP machine, a nebuliser or a powered wheelchair. If someone relies on powered medical equipment, talk to their doctor and your electricity retailer about a plan for blackouts. Our power station guide for home backup covers backup batteries.

Pets. Plan pet water separately from people water. Keep a lead or carrier by the kit, and a photo of each pet with its microchip number in case you’re separated.

Hazard add-ons

The checklist above is the all-hazards base. Add these extras for the risks you face:

Bushfire: woollen blankets, protective clothing, P2 masks and a leave-early plan. See our bushfire survival kit checklist.
Flood: waterproof storage, gumboots, sandbags and an evacuation route that stays dry. See the flood emergency kit checklist .
Blackout: a way to keep phones, lights, the modem and medical devices running, and a plan for the fridge. The Queensland Government says to throw out refrigerated food that has been above 5°C for more than 4 hours. A full freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for about 24. As it puts it: “If in doubt, throw it out!” See our guide to the best portable power station for home backup.
The car: NSW SES says to keep at least a quarter of a tank of fuel. See our car emergency kit guide.
Evacuation: a smaller bag you can carry out the door. See our guide to building a bug out bag in Australia .

Ready-made kits vs DIY

Ready-made “72-hour” and “survival” kits are quick to buy, but none of them comes with your prescriptions, documents, glasses, hearing aid batteries, baby formula or pet food. Those are the items agencies list first. Many prepper kits also arrive with a few days’ rations and water sachets sized for a US-style 72 hours, and some include gear that’s hard to use under stress.

Building your own from an agency checklist costs less, fits your household and teaches you where everything is. The one area where buying in makes sense is first aid. A well-stocked kit is cheaper than buying the items one at a time, and the better kits come with a manual. Our guide to the best first aid kits for camping and 4WD covers what to look for.

What we suggest is a DIY kit built around a quality first aid kit, with your personal items added and a second, smaller go-bag.

Store, check and rotate

Where: somewhere cool, dry and easy to reach, near an exit, and not in a garage that floods. Keep the go-bag separate so you can grab it.
When: Get Ready Queensland says to “review contents at least twice a year”, NSW Government says to check it “before every storm and bushfire season”, and Queensland SES says “Check your kit every season”. In much of Australia, storm and bushfire season start at about the same time, not six months apart. The Bureau of Meteorology says most severe thunderstorms happen between September and March, and the NSW statutory Bush Fire Danger Period runs from 1 October to 31 March, though it can vary locally. So an easy rhythm is a full check in late winter or early spring, before both seasons start, and a second in autumn, six months later. Check your own state’s season dates.
What to check: water and food dates, medicine expiry dates, battery charge (store batteries outside the torch), power bank charge, documents and contact lists, and whether the kids have outgrown their spare clothes.

Products mentioned

Optional gear. Prices and stock were checked on each non-Amazon retailer’s Australian site on 2 November 2026 and will change. We haven’t tested these products hands-on. Whatever you buy, check that it matches the agency checklist.

First aid (Survival First Aid Kits (affiliate link))

SURVIVAL First Aid KIT – Large (affiliate link): A$274.95, in stock. The brand’s flagship home kit, which it says is built “to treat three or more people”.
Family First Aid Bundle (Gen 8) (affiliate link): A$649.50, in stock. One Large kit, two smaller kits for the car or bag, and the First Aid Emergency Handbook.
Family with Pets First Aid Bundle (Gen 8) (affiliate link): A$683.80, in stock. A Large kit for home, a Medium for the car, the Pet kit and the Handbook.
SURVIVAL Grab&Go First Aid KIT (affiliate link): A$229.95, in stock. A grab-bag kit with an insulated EpiPen holder and an asthma section. It suits a go-bag.
SURVIVAL Baby First Aid KIT (affiliate link): A$189.95, in stock. Includes a digital thermometer.
SURVIVAL Pet First Aid KIT (affiliate link): A$199.95, in stock. The brand says it was “Designed with input from veterinarians”.
First Aid Emergency Handbook (affiliate link): A$49.95, in stock (6th edition), which won an Australian Design Award, the brand says.

Water storage

Dometic GO 11L Water Storage Jug, Ice White (affiliate link) (BCF): A$119.00, in stock online. A pricier option.
Pro Quip 22L Wide Mouth Heavy Duty Water Jerry Can with Tap (affiliate link) (Snowys): A$49.00, in stock. Snowys lists it as “Food grade, BPA Free HDPE plastic”.
MB Agencies Plastic Water Jerry Can with Pourer, 20L (affiliate link) (Snowys): A$32.90, in stock. Snowys lists it as BPA free.

Light, radio and documents (Amazon Australia)

Panasonic RF-P50 AM/FM pocket radio (affiliate link): check current price on Amazon. Runs on two AA batteries.
Solar and hand-crank AM/FM radio with torch and power bank (affiliate link): check current price on Amazon. The listing names the brand as TFTDOUP (model XSY088), not a well-known radio maker, and gives the power bank as both 2000mAh and 1000mAh in different places, so treat its specs as the seller’s claims. Its NOAA weather band is a US service, so in Australia you’ll be using AM/FM.
EverBrite LED head torch, 2 pack (affiliate link): check current price on Amazon. Runs on AAA batteries.
SentrySafe fire and water resistant document bag (affiliate link): check current price on Amazon.
Micropur Forte MF 1T water purification tablets (affiliate link): check current price on Amazon. Micropur is made by Katadyn. The listing says 100 tablets, one per litre, with 30 minutes’ contact time for bacteria and viruses, or 2 hours for Giardia, in clear water. Those are the listing’s claims, so follow the directions on the pack. The listing also warns that English instructions aren’t guaranteed, so check you can read the label before relying on it.

Go-bag

Macpac Atlas+ 24L Backpack (affiliate link) (Macpac): A$159.99 (A$127.99 for Macpac club members), in stock. A 24-litre daypack weighing 730 g, with recycled polyester ripstop fabric.

Power (optional upgrade from a power bank) A power bank charges phones. A small power station can also run a modem and lights overnight, and possibly a CPAP machine, depending on how much power it uses. Two small models on sale in Australia are the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus (affiliate link) (286Wh, A$499 on EcoFlow AU) and the BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 (affiliate link) (288Wh, A$499 on BLUETTI AU). Both were in stock on 2 November 2026. Our home backup power station guide explains how to size one.

Printable emergency kit checklist

Tick it off, print it, and stick it inside the kit lid.

Water and food

Drinking water: at least 10 L per person (Get Ready Qld minimum). For five days, allow 15 L each (NT PFES: 3 L per person a day), plus extra for pets, cooking and washing
Non-perishable food for five days
Manual can opener, plates, cups, cutlery
Gas stove and spare canister (outdoor use)
Water treatment (boiling gear or purification tablets)

Light, power and comms

Torch for each adult, plus spare batteries for five days
Battery or wind-up radio, plus spare batteries
Mobile phone, charger and charged power bank
Whistle

First aid and medicines

First aid kit and manual
A week’s supply of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Copies of prescriptions (ask your pharmacist about eScripts)
Small esky and ice bricks for medicines that must stay cold
Spare glasses, contact lenses, hearing aid batteries
Face masks (P2/N95) and gloves

Documents and money

ID, insurance, property, wills, certificates (waterproof bag or USB)
Bank and super access details
Cash in small notes
Written list of contacts and emergency numbers
Spare house and car keys, paper map

Hygiene

Toiletries, toilet paper, sanitary items
Hand sanitiser
Heavy-duty rubbish bags

Clothing, bedding and tools

Change of clothes and sturdy shoes for everyone
Warm and waterproof layers
Blankets or sleeping bags (wool if you’re in bushfire country)
Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses or safety glasses
Wrench, pliers, screwdriver, safety knife
Tarpaulin and rope

Pets

Food, water, bowls
Medicines, lead or carrier, bedding
Registration, vaccination and microchip details

Babies and kids

Food, nappies and wipes for at least five days
Formula, bottles, sterilising gear
Baby medicines and thermometer
Books, cards, games

Every six months (early spring, before storm and fire seasons, and again in autumn)

Water and food dates checked and rotated
Medicine expiry dates checked
Batteries and power bank charged or replaced
Documents and contact list updated
Kids’ clothes still fit

Sources

All pages were checked live on 1 November 2026.

Get Ready Queensland: Emergency Kit Checklist 2026 (PDF); Emergency kit
Queensland SES: Pack your emergency kit
SA Country Fire Service: Nine things you need in your emergency kit; Emergency kits (checked 2 November 2026)
NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services: Cyclones (checked 2 November 2026)
Bureau of Meteorology: Thunderstorms (checked 2 November 2026)
NSW Rural Fire Service: Bush Fire Danger Period and Fire Permits (checked 2 November 2026)
NSW SES: Emergency kit (checklist, PDF)
NSW Government: Emergency survival kit
Australian Red Cross: Prepare for emergencies; Step 4: Get packing
HealthyWA: Emergency treatment of drinking water supplies
Queensland Government: Food and drinking water after a disaster

General information only. It isn’t professional, medical or emergency advice. Follow your state emergency service and local council, and call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.