Paws Outdoors

Paws Outdoors is a furry camping convention run from Sydney, Australia, by Outdoor Anthro Adventures Incorporated. Instead of a hotel, its camps take place at scout and bush camps in New South Wales, with tents, campfires, outdoor activities and DJ nights. The organizers ran several camps a year, from a relaxed autumn weekend to a music-festival camp and a snow trip. Paws Outdoors is an 18+ event, and it is on hiatus with no next edition announced.

On Hiatus: No Edition Announced

Paws Outdoors is on hold until further notice. Its May 2026 camp, Tails Across the Wasteland, was cancelled on 25 March 2026, after the new campsite cancelled a booking the organizers had already signed and confirmed, and all tickets were refunded. The organizers say Paws Outdoors will return once they have secured a reliable site, and that a return will allow their original plan of a four-day camp with car camping. Follow the Paws Announcements channel on Telegram and the Paws Outdoors Bluesky account for news of a return.

Why Attend?

Paws Outdoors is for furries who would rather spend a long weekend in the bush than in a hotel. The organizers state their mission as delivering unique outdoor experiences in a safe and welcoming environment for the local community. Past camps mixed the usual convention social life with things a hotel cannot offer: archery, high ropes and abseiling run by the camp wardens, bushwalks, nightly raves under the stars and fursuit photoshoots in the open air. Each camp had its own character. Vibe in the Bush was the laid-back autumn weekend with limited activities, Woofstock was a music-festival camp with a stage for DJs and live musicians, and Tails Across the Wasteland wrapped a camp in a wasteland theme where "the world has ended but the packs are forming". Places are limited, and Chaos Camp 2023 sold its first 100 tickets within four hours of release. The organizers' behaviour rules ask attendees to be polite and respectful, bans discriminatory speech and harassment, and forbids alt-right, alt-furry or other extremist symbolism at any Paws Outdoors event.

What Are the Highlights of Paws Outdoors?

• Camping instead of a hotel: You pitch a tent, or in some camps book a bed in a shared bunkhouse, at a scout or bush camp outside the city.
• Activities run by the camp wardens: The 2025 flagship camp listed archery, abseiling, caving, a flying fox, high and low ropes courses and orienteering as a $75 upgrade.
• Nightly dances: DJs played the main dance each night, and at Woofstock 2024 the stage also opened during the day for new performers.
• Market Hall: Woofstock 2024 had a Market Hall where attendees could sell their goods, and the organizers planned to bring it back for Tails Across the Wasteland.
• Catered or self-catered tickets: Many camps included meals in the ticket, while Woofstock and the 2025 flagship camp also sold cheaper tickets for people who bring their own food.
• Themed camps through the year: The calendar ranged from the relaxed Vibe in the Bush to the Woofstock music festival and the Frostbite snow trip.

How Do I Get to Paws Outdoors?

By air: For interstate and overseas visitors, the main airport is Sydney Airport (SYD). Every camp so far has been a drive from Sydney rather than a walk from a station, so plan the last leg by road.

By car: Driving is the normal way in. Past sites include the Cataract Activity Centre in Appin, south of Sydney, and Scout Camp Kariong near Gosford. The planned 2026 site was about 130 km south-west of Sydney. The organizers set a 10 km/h walking-pace speed limit for drivers inside the campsite at Vibe in the Bush 2023, and they hope to offer car camping when the event returns.

By shared ride: For early camps the organizers shared a list of drivers so attendees without a car could arrange a lift. Ask in the Paws Outdoors group chat on Telegram about sharing a ride once a new camp is announced.

On arrival: Have your ticket confirmation email and ID ready, since registration is required before you set up. Take a screenshot of the email in case the mobile reception at the campsite is poor.

Where Should I Stay for Paws Outdoors?

Paws Outdoors is a camping convention, so you stay at the campsite itself and there is no hotel block to book. With a camping ticket you bring your own tent and sleep on site for the whole event. Some camps also offered beds indoors: at Vibe in the Bush 2025 a Lodging ticket gave a bed in a shared bunkhouse for up to 40 people, and the 2025 flagship camp listed a limited lodging upgrade for groups of up to three. These indoor places were limited, so book them early when a camp is announced.

The organizers' packing list covers what you need to bring:

• Shelter and bedding: A tent if you are camping, plus a sleeping bag, pillow, bedding and an inflatable mattress.
• Food and kitchen gear: Bring your own food, an esky and cooking equipment unless you hold a catered ticket, because a camp kitchen, cooking and refrigeration are not provided.
• Personal items: Tableware, toiletries, a towel, a water bottle, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and a camping chair.
• Useful extras: A torch, swimmers and a power bank.

Do not bring weapons, knives or archery bows unless an admin has approved them. Every person on site must be registered with a valid ticket for safety and insurance reasons, although day passes may be available.