Do They Get Toilet Paper? Can They Smoke? All Your Australian Survivor Questions Answered

Australian Survivor has always been a fan favourite — both in Australia and internationally — and the fact that we just wrapped up the very first global season Survivor: Australia v The World is proof of that. But while we get an insight into a lot of the action through our screens, there are many questions that still go unanswered about behind-the-scenes details that make Australian Survivor the addictive watch that it is.

But that mystery ends here. From what the contestants actually eat to the filming hours and how they deal with their periods, we've rounded up the most frequently asked questions about Australian Survivor and answered them below.

In an interview with Refinery29 Australia, Titans vs Rebels and Australia v The World contestant Kirby Bentley said that the contestants can't take any personal items with them. That means no toothbrushes, no hairbrushes, no photos from home.

"I've never smelled so bad in my life," Kirby says. "I've never gone so long without a shower." She also adds that other women's hair "started to knot pretty bad."

Despite many of the Survivor: Australia v The World contestants looking quite sunburnt at times, production does provide sunblock. "I was very burnt in the first episode. I clearly didn't apply any [sunblock] pre game," Shonee Bowtell says. "But yeah, I think like duty of care, we are in the sun 24/7, we literally live in the elements. So yeah, we do use sunscreen."

According to Kirby Bentley, Australian Survivor contestants can bring seven clothing items in.

"My day one outfit has shoes, socks, shorts, underwear set, jumper... so that's what I had," she says. "Then later on, there's like extra items that can be brought, which is two or three items."

"I burnt a pair of socks... but that was all I had," she continues. "So if my shirt was burnt or clothes were lost, you were just done. Unless someone was willing to share, and I don't know how willing people are to share."

On Survivor: Australia v The World, contestants weren't allowed to bring many items, but Shonee managed to sneak a few things in.

"You just get your day one outfit and then a couple of other items," Shonee says. "I actually tried to wear the most on day one, you know, wrap a little jumper around, I think I had like five hair ties in my hair. If you're wearing it, it's fine. It's kind of like going through security on a budget airline, where they're like, you're five kilos over, so you have to wear it."

The rules of the game state that a contestant can’t go through someone else’s bag or personal belongings.

There's a dedicated team of medical professionals available to the contestants 24/7, and it's this team who dispenses personal medications or other medical items to the contestants when required.

Unfortunately, if you're a smoker, you've got no choice but to quit before heading to the beaches of Samoa.

"You need to quit and have your withdrawals on the island," Bentley says. "There's a couple of vapers there that were struggling, so it is what it is. You chose to come here!"

As someone who wears glasses myself, I've often wondered about this. The answer is, yes! Contestants can wear contact lenses, which will surely be helpful given the array of physical challenges and tasks they face where wearing glasses just may not be practical.

"Do they supply toilet paper?" Bentley says. "No, you just go into the ocean."

Australian Survivor contestants have a lot to face — from battling harsh weather conditions to consuming limited food and then putting their bodies through intense physical challenges. Applicants need to be 21 years old or over to apply for the reality show.

As viewers, we've seen contestants sneakily tuck away their found idols into their bags before a challenge or tribal council. But, what are the odds of another cast member stealing them at some point?

The rules state that idols cannot be taken from the bag of another contestant, nor can they be physically snatched from another player. That's good news!

However, if, as in previous seasons like Blood vs Water, an idol is willingly handed over to another player, it then becomes the property of the recipient.

Also, if the idol is left anywhere that is not in the player's bag or on their person, it is fair game and can be ‘stolen’.

Shannon Lawson, who competed on Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn in 2021, has explained contestants undergo several medical checks before the show and are given the option to take the contraceptive pill to help manage their cycle if they wish.

"Should we elect to use the pill on the show to help manage or stop our periods, we are absolutely allowed to have them in our medical bag," she previously told Refinery29 Australia.

"Keeping in mind these are your responsibility and should you lose them or run out, producers find it hard to source more for you while filming."

There are no proper flushing toilets during the Survivor experience, but rather a "drop hole" – a toilet seat and a 10-metre-long drop. There, contestants can access pads and tampons, but things can get a bit sticky if your flow is heaviest when you're out at a challenge that's far from camp.

"The upside is you have access to female sanitary products at the drop hole but again need to carry these with you through the day, should you need them," she explained.

"Between challenges, should you need to change your sanitary towels or tampons, it would become a challenge, if access to the drop hole was out of sight and you would need to go behind a tree."

Yes, the clothing on Australian Survivor is pre-approved to ensure contestants are dressed appropriately for the weather and different from the rest of the cast.

"You can't just rock up in like, a full Kathmandu outfit," Shonee jokes. "It has to definitely be approved [by producers]."

The cast of Survivor is always being watched, with the cameras on them 24 hours a day.

Survivor cast members are provided daily rations of rice and beans, but they must decide how much or how little to eat of these rations. They can also eat anything they catch or forage on their beach — such as crabs, fish, papayas and coconuts.

Speaking to Refinery29 Australia, contestant Shonee Bowtell explained the challenges she faced when it came to food this season.

"I don't think there were any pawpaws growing in Samoa. There were coconuts but sometimes, if you eat too much protein, you end up with digestive issues which aren't the best," she said.

"We get rice and beans, but obviously you need to cook those things and it rained so solidly that everything was saturated."

Shonee tells R29 contestants are given "a lot of support on the show", and says they have easy access to a psychologist. "You can talk to the psych anytime you want, right? Which is great. And then yeah, after they'll always touch base and see how you'r egoing, you could also reach out to them at any time as well," she explains.

"There's definitely so much good support on the show as well, which is great, because I think, naturally, you do have to be really strong when you're out there, and because you truly know that you can only rely on yourself. You haven't known these people for very long, and the entire game is based on outwitting, outlasting, outplaying."

Producers have confirmed there is a dedicated medical team and psychologist available to the cast at any time during and after the filming of Australian Survivor.