A place for the night

GaryKelly · Guru

A place for the night

The dog lady · Guru

It is something to consider Gary, and I usually start looking for a campsite by about 14:00. However, if you've been sightseeing and just want somewhere to park up and sleep there never seems to be a shortage of suitable places. Recently I stopped for the night at a service centre on the motorway, and you'll find that many of them are happy for you to park overnight as you will presumably buy food and fuel there. Often they have showers available too. In Brisbane I found a park behind the airport, where there are always fishermen's boats & trailers plus night staff at the refinery park there. Stayed a number of times when I needed to be at the airport early in the morning and had no problems. Closer to home I've often seen RVs parked in front of the cemetery, at the entrance to a quarry and anywhere that Main Roads has left a turnout after roadworks. Plus of course there are always those rest areas along most highways.

Obviously none of these are places where you would set up camp and stay a week, but if all you need is your beauty sleep they are fine (unless you have problems sleeping when there is a bit of noise).

Big Gorilla · Guru

Depends on where you are and your vehicle. Bit hard to park a car and caravan in a suburban street or Woolworths Car Park, but a MH is a lot easier to get away with. When I do a long trip, I usually plan ahead using Camps 7. I don't like to travel more than 100 km, maybe up to 200 km a day, so I plan where I'm likely to be and check out the Free Camps before I set off for the day. There have been occasions when I head off unplanned and hope for the best...

oldbobsbus · Guru

We never plan on camping overnight in towns let alone Cities...

Once we are ready to pull up we just consult the available info and make a choice on the spot...

Interestingly tonight we pulleover over in a Rest Area around 3.00pm and within 5 mins a Winnibago must have lost 3000k off his tyres stopping to ask if we were stoppingb for the night only to pull up near us and lock themselves in their MH...

-- Edited by oldbobsbus on Sunday 26th of January 2014 06:59:40 PM

Big Gorilla · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:

BTW, I splurged today on some genuine GN Forum merchandise... bumper sticker, baseball cap and stubby holder. I'm official now. :)

Official what !!! Or are you an Official !!! wink wink biggrin biggrin

Vic41 · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:
Just occurred to me that there is one "worry" if you're a traveller. I've been reading about the freedom and carefree life of nomads for months now, but I just realized there's always the need to find a place to camp for the night. For example, if you're visiting a location and spending the day checking out the scene - maybe doing the day tripper thing and enjoying a nice park or beach - I imagine it's a bit late to start looking for somewhere to camp for the night once the sun begins to set. So I guess you'd always need to be mindful of that, and plan ahead (whereas it's not something you think about when you're living in a house).
BTW, I splurged today on some genuine GN Forum merchandise... bumper sticker, baseball cap and stubby holder. I'm official now. :)

Another place you could think about Gary is a well know fast food chain that is open 24/7......find a nice quiet corner to park, go in and maybe have a meal or coffee, use their free wifi for your laptop, toilets etc. Then bunk down for the night, in the morning have breakfast or a cuppa there, read the free newspaper etc, etc......your type of RV or campervan should get away with that ok....

Cloak · Guru

If the place has a boat ramp you can parkup safely. People coming and going all hours would be extra security. Usually there are facilities in those places too.

GaryKelly · Guru

There ya go, I'm worried about nothing. It's a no brainer. Thanks for the input.

whitey2 · Veteran Member

I usually go through the book the day before and check out the possibilities within a few 100ks and which ever we are closest to is where we stay, we try and be off the road about 2 ish, before the schools get out and to give the truckies a quicker trip.

aussietraveller · Guru

We are currently planning a trip to Darwin leaving mid to late may (subject to change) and going from Blue Mountains to mudgee and up through St George, longreach, Mt Isa, Tennant Creek and on to Darwin I have just checked a number of websites but mainly Badger to identify stops around 200 klm apart so we will have time to do the tourist bit and have not set a time to be at any location so if the urge takes us we can just stop and look around or have a rest day as required.

I have Identified caravan parks as swmbo will not agree to freecamp I have done a spread sheet which includes name and address of Caravan park also phone number and badger star rating but fe are flexible enough to select an alternative if needed.

We will be gone for somewhere aroung 4 months or may be longer depending on the urge to see grandchildren other than on skype.

Jenzarl · Senior Member

aussietraveller wrote:
We are currently planning a trip to Darwin leaving mid to late may (subject to change) and going from Blue Mountains to mudgee and up through St George, longreach, Mt Isa, Tennant Creek and on to Darwin I have just checked a number of websites but mainly Badger to identify stops around 200 klm apart so we will have time to do the tourist bit and have not set a time to be at any location so if the urge takes us we can just stop and look around or have a rest day as required.

I have Identified caravan parks as swmbo will not agree to freecamp I have done a spread sheet which includes name and address of Caravan park also phone number and badger star rating but fe are flexible enough to select an alternative if needed.

We will be gone for somewhere aroung 4 months or may be longer depending on the urge to see grandchildren other than on skype.

AT Might I ask what is a "Badger star" I haven't come across that term before (Newbie)

Gerty Dancer · Guru

http://acpr.myparklist.com/

Here's "Badger's" ... this is a comprehensive list of caravan park reviews.

Dunmowin · Guru

Vic41 wrote:
GaryKelly wrote:
Just occurred to me that there is one "worry" if you're a traveller. I've been reading about the freedom and carefree life of nomads for months now, but I just realized there's always the need to find a place to camp for the night. For example, if you're visiting a location and spending the day checking out the scene - maybe doing the day tripper thing and enjoying a nice park or beach - I imagine it's a bit late to start looking for somewhere to camp for the night once the sun begins to set. So I guess you'd always need to be mindful of that, and plan ahead (whereas it's not something you think about when you're living in a house).
BTW, I splurged today on some genuine GN Forum merchandise... bumper sticker, baseball cap and stubby holder. I'm official now. :)
Another place you could think about Gary is a well know fast food chain that is open 24/7......find a nice quiet corner to park, go in and maybe have a meal or coffee, use their free wifi for your laptop, toilets etc. Then bunk down for the night, in the morning have breakfast or a cuppa there, read the free newspaper etc, etc......your type of RV or campervan should get away with that ok....

These 24/7 fast food chains are cracking down on parking for longer than it takes to eat a hamburger and chips, at least in the cities that we have visited so far.....

Vic41 · Guru

The 24/7 one I stayed at overnight was on Gt Eastern Hwy near Perth Airport while waiting for Yeoeleven to return from Bali.

I had his previous Hi Ace campervan with peace symbols and flowers all over it parked there, had coffee and a snack, the a bit of a doze in the front seat. The staff didn't seem to take any notice. When it was time to pick John up, I drove it to the airport, picked him up and we returned their for breakfast and John caught up with his emails etc on his laptop with their free wifi.

Without looking at his blog that was about 2 years ago, things may have changed now, I think being near the airport they are used to people waiting there in the small hours of the night/morning.

beiffe · Guru

I have stayed at the big M on a couple of occasions when needing to be near a town and also at the big W a few times when there was hail stones forcasted and they shop had sails. I always talk to the staff before they close etc and advise what I intend to do and get them to accept. If the say NO and never have I would move on.
On a day I dicide to Move I check the book, I have all the recommended sites highlighted so I jsut check the track and then select one that will be my expected foirst stop and then another two or three in a short distance form the first. These all go into the gps track and then after noon the first one that looks OK to me , that's where I stop.
I must admit I do have some red circles as well and those are the don't stop as the town folk are not friendly.
You will get the hang of it Garry just relax and get your rig on the road and follow your nose.
Regards
Brian

oldbobsbus · Guru

beiffe wrote:

You will get the hang of it Garry just relax and get your rig on the road and follow your nose.
Regards
Brian

I second that Brian...

I remember when I first started out I drove out of the front gate and thought "Bugga what now" but after the firstnight I was more relaxed about the whole thing.. biggrin

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.