All this explains why prepping in Australia has developed as an idiosyncratic phenomenon, veering sharply from its American analogue. In the United States, grow your own often means guns and right-wing anti-government militia movements. Australian preppers, on the other hand, focus on practical skills like food storage, water conservation, and developing close community connections. Most Australians don’t experience the reality that the government will turn out to be their primary supply of assist in occasions of disaster. This encourages them to train on their own.
Currently, the Australian Preppers Facebook group, started by Stephen Mallett, has more than 40,500 members. This immersive, online learning platform intentionally curates participants from varied professions and jurisdictions. Through frequent, informal meetups and workshops, they spread knowledge about how to prepare and pioneer what survivalism looks like in Australia.
The Distinction Between Prepping and Survivalism
Big ‘S’ Survivalism
Big-B survivalism almost always intersects with white, far-right, anti-government extremism. These notions have deep-seated origins in post-war Americana, particularly within the militia movement.
Small-‘S’ survivalism is all about realistic, sane prepping for emergencies. Rather than armed self-defense, it emphasizes health, fitness, and developing community resilience.
Many Australians, by necessity or design, are involved in disaster preparedness to some degree. Yet, despite the fears and repeated warnings, only about 10% take serious basic precautions, and an even smaller fraction might be called true preppers. This is a striking statistic that highlights perhaps the largest cultural difference between Australian and American prepping communities. The latter often appears more entrenched in political beliefs linked to government paranoia, while in Australia, prepping is driven more by a desire for self-reliance.
Kezia Barker, a UK-based geographer, highlights this distinction by stating, “Prepping is driven by a desire for self-reliance and community, rather than paranoia about government.” This narrative certainly reflects a prevailing mood in Australian prepper circles. They look at different aspects of resilience, but all with an eye toward restoring faith in government institutions.
Community Reactions to Recent Events
Dezi Freeman’s links to these extremist groups have sparked strong local Australian prepper community reactions. Other members were understandably upset about the negative stigma that Freeman’s actions could place on the real preppers. Additionally, some were wondering what the government’s motives were in directing this kind of scrutiny at people who are into prepping.
As one Facebook commenter put it most succinctly, “You can’t prep in jail. This assertion reiterates that legitimate advance should honor legal limits. Another user noted the importance of personal freedoms within prepping: “It’s one thing to home school, grow your own food and mind your own business,” which emphasizes the community’s focus on autonomy in preparation.
Many of the people in the Working Group were worried about linking the movement to far-right extremism. One user remarked, “I love prepping but this group is not about that, is it. You’re sovereign citizens by the sounds. I’m out. You’re nut jobs.” This comment reflects an internal struggle to define the ethos of the Australian prepper community amid rising tensions surrounding its image.
John Scarinci, secretary general of the Australian People’s Survival League, addressed these concerns directly: “We don’t promote breaking the law as a prepper. It’s a great way to potentially land yourself in jail. We are not America. We’re Australia.” His remarks highlight the need for a sensible, responsible approach to prepping that is compatible with an Australian way of life and the Australian legal framework.
The Influence of Media on Prepping Culture
Like in other countries, American media portrayals have heavily influenced the notion of prepping within Australia. Films and television series such as “28 Days Later,” “The Walking Dead,” and “The Last of Us” have influenced perceptions of disaster preparedness and survival strategies. While these narratives can inspire some Australians to take action, they contribute to the misconceptions about what prepping entails.
Australian preppers generally keep a level head, staying grounded in the practical over the sensational. Tom Doig, a researcher who has interviewed Australia’s preppers and others in five additional countries, found that most of them are motivated by real-world considerations, rather than dystopian nightmares about the collapse of civilization.
Te Wehi Ratana, a Māori climate activist and prepper, expressed this sentiment succinctly: “Such a huge part of me is waiting for the apocalypse to happen.” This represents a wider apprehension about climate change and resource depletion that motivates many people to take up prepping in Australia.