Camping and Caravaning around Australia

[iBooz2]

We have a travel thread and now a fishing thread, so I thought why not a camping and caravaning thread as us Aussies are usually big on local travel and camping out.  We have undoubtably the best country on earth for it.

Tell us about and show us some photos of your camping or caravaning setup and of your favourite places to travel to and camp out.  And/Or the most memorable places you have been to in Australia and why. 

Most would know I am a big explorer and enjoy our great outdoors and love adventuring way out into the bush.  I don’t mind if it’s in a swag or tent or caravan just so long as I am out there.

[Malter White]

I bought this 2004 Transit minibus in 2018 with the idea of making it a campervan. It was a very rudimentary conversion because I'm no handyman. Basically pulled the seats out and threw a bed in the back.

I'm glad I didn't go to great lengths to do it up because it turned out the fun police and I had differing ideas of camping holidays. She wanted ensuite sites at caravan parks which were almost the price of a hotel room and I wanted cheap holidays. We were actually getting on each other's nerves travelling confined so the campervan is just our second car now.

Before abandoning our van life dream we did manage a few trips including this one around SA's Eyre Peninsula. Photos are of Murphy's Haystacks and Elliston beach. There's some great scenery in that part of the world.

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, Malter White said:

I bought this 2004 Transit minibus in 2018 with the idea of making it a campervan. It was a very rudimentary conversion because I'm no handyman. Basically pulled the seats out and threw a bed in the back.

I'm glad I didn't go to great lengths to do it up because it turned out the fun police and I had differing ideas of camping holidays. She wanted ensuite sites at caravan parks which were almost the price of a hotel room and I wanted cheap holidays. We were actually getting on each other's nerves travelling confined so the campervan is just our second car now.

Before abandoning our van life dream we did manage a few trips including this one around SA's Eyre Peninsula. Photos are of Murphy's Haystacks and Elliston beach. There's some great scenery in that part of the world.

Reminds me of the Saturday nights at the Drive-in with the Sandman Muzza & all of your mates.

The only difference is, I think we used to back in. 

[Tricky Micky]

19 hours ago, iBooz2 said:

We have a travel thread

Good be my lying eyes but I can't find one anywhere Al.

[John304]

Here’s our setup, been caravanning and camping for almost 40 years, bit  of free camping, mainly caravan parks,  unfortunately it’s time to give it up,this current van will be up for sale soon

[Popo the Reprobate]

1 hour ago, John304 said:

unfortunately it’s time to give it up

Why so, John?

[John304]

2 minutes ago, Popo the Degenerate said:

Why so, John?

Not enjoying it as much as we use to, wife’s mobility isn’t that great, all getting a bit of a hassle now, going to upgrade the brewing equipment and brew more

[Classic Brewing Co]

I don't really qualify for this thread as I don't have a caravan or went camping but in my travels across Australia, I stayed in many towns over the years in 4 different states, here's just one of many photos of one overnight stay.

That's my wagon on the right.

[Popo the Reprobate]

1 hour ago, John304 said:

Not enjoying it as much as we use to, wife’s mobility isn’t that great, all getting a bit of a hassle now, going to upgrade the brewing equipment and brew more

Gotcha. That's a bummer - at least there's an upside!

[John304]

2 hours ago, Popo the Degenerate said:

Gotcha. That's a bummer - at least there's an upside!

Absolutely, life’s not done yet for this brewer, gonna miss it but shite we have a lot of great memories and hopefully even better brews coming up 

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, John304 said:

Absolutely, life’s not done yet for this brewer, gonna miss it but shite we have a lot of great memories and hopefully even better brews coming up 

You will be alright John, instead of carting a caravan around you could get a Winnebago & set up a brewery inside.

[John304]

2 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

You will be alright John, instead of carting a caravan around you could get a Winnebago & set up a brewery inside.

Great thought, I won’t share with the other half tho

[John304]

1 minute ago, John304 said:

Great thought, I won’t share with the other half tho

We’ll still travel this great country but the accommodation a little different 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Did a lot of exploring in my younger days. I took 2005 off and went firstly all around NSW which took a couple of months and then from end of March to end of November I went all around. Counter clockwise to avoid the winter down south. Camped most places with the ocassional motel stay. If I had to rate each state it would be in the following order and some of the highlights I remember.

1. WA - My fav state. Highlights Kimberleys, Exmouth, Kalbarri, Esperance. The state with the most natural beauty IMO

2. NT - Lichfield NP, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge. McDonnell ranges in the Alice

2. QLD - tied with the NT. Whitsundays, Daintree, some nice swimming in Babinda, some nice fishing in Karumba

4. NSW - Coastal regions are the pick but the inland is nice too. Narooma on the south coast is a place I keep going back to

5. VIC - Great Ocean Road, Wilson's Prom, Lakes Entrance is beautiful

6. SA - most of the action is around the coast. Ceduna, streaky bay , Camping on the water at Robe comes to mind.

Scariest place - Halls Creek WA. When you get to the caravan park and there is razor wire on the fences and the park owners ask you to be inside by 8 as they lock the gates you know it's a rough place. Hopefully it's improved.

Loved every minute of it and no issues bar 1 flat tyre, a cracked windscreen in Queensland which ironically was caused by a speeding cop car going the other way and a smashed drivers side window in Broome. Had countless beers on the way around and a few sessions with locals at Ceduna, Whyalla, Kalbarri and Portland were memorable.

 

 

[iBooz2]

22 hours ago, Tricky Micky said:

Good be my lying eyes but I can't find one anywhere Al.

Here 'tis Mick

[Triple B Brewing]

On 1/28/2024 at 4:27 PM, John304 said:

Absolutely, life’s not done yet for this brewer, gonna miss it but shite we have a lot of great memories and hopefully even better brews coming up 

It sux havin to give some of life’s treats up, but I love your outlook @John304 

Here’s to health n happiness to you both cobber  

[Triple B Brewing]

On 1/28/2024 at 6:37 PM, Greenyinthewestofsydney said:

Did a lot of exploring in my younger days. I took 2005 off and went firstly all around NSW which took a couple of months and then from end of March to end of November I went all around. Counter clockwise to avoid the winter down south. Camped most places with the ocassional motel stay. If I had to rate each state it would be in the following order and some of the highlights I remember.

1. WA - My fav state. Highlights Kimberleys, Exmouth, Kalbarri, Esperance. The state with the most natural beauty IMO

2. NT - Lichfield NP, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge. McDonnell ranges in the Alice

2. QLD - tied with the NT. Whitsundays, Daintree, some nice swimming in Babinda, some nice fishing in Karumba

4. NSW - Coastal regions are the pick but the inland is nice too. Narooma on the south coast is a place I keep going back to

5. VIC - Great Ocean Road, Wilson's Prom, Lakes Entrance is beautiful

6. SA - most of the action is around the coast. Ceduna, streaky bay , Camping on the water at Robe comes to mind.

Scariest place - Halls Creek WA. When you get to the caravan park and there is razor wire on the fences and the park owners ask you to be inside by 8 as they lock the gates you know it's a rough place. Hopefully it's improved.

Loved every minute of it and no issues bar 1 flat tyre, a cracked windscreen in Queensland which ironically was caused by a speeding cop car going the other way and a smashed drivers side window in Broome. Had countless beers on the way around and a few sessions with locals at Ceduna, Whyalla, Kalbarri and Portland were memorable.

 

 

Thanks for your post @Greenyinthewestofsydney,

We’re extremely lucky to have such open pristine spaces and locations aren’t we

Unfortunately Halls Creek is still demonstrating the Wild, Wild West  The Kimberley Hotel - Halls Creek ordered to remove razor wire. 

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

49 minutes ago, Triple B Brewing said:

Thanks for your post @Greenyinthewestofsydney,

We’re extremely lucky to have such open pristine spaces and locations aren’t we

Unfortunately Halls Creek is still demonstrating the Wild, Wild West  The Kimberley Hotel - Halls Creek ordered to remove razor wire. 

Oh we are mate. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Just need to win powerball this Thursday to make it happen

Pretty sure I had something to eat at that hotel as from memory it's right next to the caravan park.

"In Halls Creek alone, there were close to 300 reports of property damage made to police in 2022. Vehicle theft reports were also at a nine-year high." 

Wow. Town of 1500 and 300 cases of property damage in one year. Sounds like its got worse not better.

[Triple B Brewing]

8 minutes ago, Greenyinthewestofsydney said:

Oh we are mate. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Just need to win powerball this Thursday to make it happen

Pretty sure I had something to eat at that hotel as from memory it's right next to the caravan park.

"In Halls Creek alone, there were close to 300 reports of property damage made to police in 2022. Vehicle theft reports were also at a nine-year high." 

Wow. Town of 1500 and 300 cases of property damage in one year. Sounds like its got worse not better.

Unfortunately, I think that would be a fair statement to make Greeny 

Well good luck with that lotto ticket then eh cobber  - "on the road again, just can't wait to get back on that road again, la,la,la,la,la,lala" 

[iBooz2]

On 1/27/2024 at 8:39 PM, Malter White said:

I bought this 2004 Transit minibus in 2018 with the idea of making it a campervan. It was a very rudimentary conversion because I'm no handyman. Basically pulled the seats out and threw a bed in the back.

I'm glad I didn't go to great lengths to do it up because it turned out the fun police and I had differing ideas of camping holidays. She wanted ensuite sites at caravan parks which were almost the price of a hotel room and I wanted cheap holidays. We were actually getting on each other's nerves travelling confined so the campervan is just our second car now.

Before abandoning our van life dream we did manage a few trips including this one around SA's Eyre Peninsula. Photos are of Murphy's Haystacks and Elliston beach. There's some great scenery in that part of the world.

That is a real pity @Malter White sorry the "dream" did not work out for you two.  You do have to work on it and try not to grate the other's gears, but I am sure the good times would have outweighed the bad times and if you work on it there will be many more happy times together.  We started off camping in swags then moved up to a small tent, then a bigger tent, then a much bigger tent.  In the end we were taking so much equipment with us to be "so called" comfortable we had to stand back and re-think this out.  We did have a caravan back in the late 70's for a few years so I thought why not get another one for our retirement.

As we get older, we like our little comforts, and the girls are no different.  They like to have their own shower and toilet facilities, be warm and feel safe on cold nights (I am sure you expertly take care of that) and cool and safe on hot nights with air-con etc.  My HSSH's "must have" is a 240 V hair drier for example.  So, we started shopping around and getting quotes for a caravan build that suited us, but the prices were astronomical and each year we would get a fresh quote and it was 15% more than last years.  So, I decided, as we had a few years up our sleeve before heading off, to build one exactly the way we wanted it.  It has full ensuite with separate shower and toilet, a washing machine and a full queen-sized mattress to die for so the HSSH is very happy.

Ask your wife what she really wants or needs to make her a happy camper and see if you can make it happen.  I agree that caravan park fees are outrageous sometime just for a patch of dirt when they advertise a grass site.  We paid $75 per night for a dirt site up at Kings Canyon a couple of years back.

[iBooz2]

On 1/28/2024 at 2:15 PM, John304 said:

Here’s our setup, been caravanning and camping for almost 40 years, bit  of free camping, mainly caravan parks,  unfortunately it’s time to give it up,this current van will be up for sale soon

Sorry to hear that you may have to give up your caravaning @John304 , good luck with the mobility and health issues.  Yours looks a nice clean and well-kept van.  I am sure if you do have to sell it will sell quickly.  Don't forget we have a selling thread here on this forum so if you post up the specs, floorplan and a few pics I am sure there will be someone interested or can pass the info onto someone who is.  All the very best - AL

Edited January 30 by iBooz2

[iBooz2]

On 1/27/2024 at 11:45 PM, Classic Brewing Co said:

Reminds me of the Saturday nights at the Drive-in with the Sandman Muzza & all of your mates.

The only difference is, I think we used to back in. 

I used to have a Sandman back in my late teens.  It was purchased brand new early in 1976, a 5 litre V8 HX model in absinth yellow.  I actually ordered a HJ model, but they took so long to build it, ended being the HX.

Gee I wish I still had it now, be worth a mint.  Pic is a web snip.

Edited January 30 by iBooz2

[Back Brewing]

53 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

We paid $75 per night for a dirt site up at Kings Canyon a couple of years back.

We stayed at Curtin just before the turn off at the back of the pub it was free for the dirt just pick a place and park up and have a couple of beers in the pub

When we travelled we spent about 75% in free camps and 25% caravan parks one night on the Nullarbor we veered off and parked on the cliffs above the ocean and parked behind a pile of gravel

It was fantastic a BBQ under the stars hearing the waves crashing on the cliffs below.

[Malter White]

1 hour ago, iBooz2 said:

That is a real pity @Malter White sorry the "dream" did not work out for you two.  You do have to work on it and try not to grate the other's gears, but I am sure the good times would have outweighed the bad times and if you work on it there will be many more happy times together.  We started off camping in swags then moved up to a small tent, then a bigger tent, then a much bigger tent.  In the end we were taking so much equipment with us to be "so called" comfortable we had to stand back and re-think this out.  We did have a caravan back in the late 70's for a few years so I thought why not get another one for our retirement.

As we get older, we like our little comforts, and the girls are no different.  They like to have their own shower and toilet facilities, be warm and feel safe on cold nights (I am sure you expertly take care of that) and cool and safe on hot nights with air-con etc.  My HSSH's "must have" is a 240 V hair drier for example.  So, we started shopping around and getting quotes for a caravan build that suited us, but the prices were astronomical and each year we would get a fresh quote and it was 15% more than last years.  So, I decided, as we had a few years up our sleeve before heading off, to build one exactly the way we wanted it.  It has full ensuite with separate shower and toilet, a washing machine and a full queen-sized mattress to die for so the HSSH is very happy.

Ask your wife what she really wants or needs to make her a happy camper and see if you can make it happen.  I agree that caravan park fees are outrageous sometime just for a patch of dirt when they advertise a grass site.  We paid $75 per night for a dirt site up at Kings Canyon a couple of years back.

Thanks for the feedback, Boozer. I think our ship has sailed in regards to camping. I no longer feel the desire to go like I did before we tried it and I know the missus wasn't/isn't so keen either.

[iBooz2]

I am a big bush camper and hate caravan parks because it's like camping in some else's back yard.  Wiki Camps is your friend.

I know the spot at Curtin Springs you talk about.  My HSSH bought a bottle of port there labelled "F ing Good Port" and we had a pub lunch there.

We came around the back way from Alice Springs via Hermannsburg to Kings Canyon via the Mereenie loop track.  Weather report said they had 1 to 2 mm of rain but when we got out there it turned out to be 1 - 2 inches of rain.  We were the only ones to make it through.  Even the 4 x 4 ambulance from Hermannsburg that left in front of us to attend a roll-over "out there" decided to turn back.  They must have thought we were crazy continuing on with a 3.5 T van in tow, or sometimes the van was towing us.

When we got to Kings canyon, we parked up in the caravan park next to a workers donga and the guy come out, took one look at our tug and van and asked which track we came in on.  I told him the Mereenie Loop and it turns out he was a foreman and was in charge of all the roads out there and shut it down by hanging "closed" on the road signs.  Nearly everyone in the park come over to us to ask us if they might get through the next day.  When they found out the track was closed, they were a bit annoyed with us.

 

Edited January 30 by iBooz2