Our Jackaroo and our "new" campervan were both "born" in '96......They're both old and showing the inevitable signs of lives well lived. We drove our first camper home (yesterday), set her up and christened the old lady with a drop of a vintage much younger than herself. She's been raised and strengthened and words were mentioned that could only bode well....if I knew what they meant....I'm sure she'll look even better when we figure out the finer points of making a box into a miniature home. In an ideal world I'd want a gypsy wagon, pulled by a draught horse, but this must be the next best thing. We live in Bellingen and are thinking that maybe our first adventure should be to Opera in the Channon...about 3 hours away.....next weekend....maybe ????? I love reading everyone's stories and advice....soaking it all up......PS....Hubby, Tom thinks we should call her "Stepping High".....to reflect her pseudo off-road status......the twosome came in at about $15000...so we can see if wandering is our destiny before we sell the family farm!
First step taken to a new beginning, getting your tug and camper is that first big step and from all of us enjoy the experience and see this great country and meet some soon to be friends.
Have a ball and welcome to the Grey Nomad club. I expect someone will come online who lives near to you and make themselves known. How long before the family farm is sold? Well you will soon know if the life is for you or if you want to go the 4x4 route or maybe go the motorhome or caravan route.
Main thing is enjoy.
Cheers
Trevor
badgerhel said
06:36 PM Jul 22, 2013
Thanks for the welcome Trevor. Very exciting for us. Selling the farm (all of 9 acres) is the biggest decision. Makes me want to buy a lottery ticket...nah...that won't work!
We've always camped in National Parks, so this just keeps a bit of distance between the doona and the brown snakes. tee hee. We're planning on week ends away for maybe a year...or two....as my husband is still working....Could be sooner though....I just got a message from him that said "find me another job, I'm going mad!". I might just start packing the camper and not look in the classifieds. Ain't life just full of surprises.
Cheers
Helen
rockylizard said
07:27 PM Jul 22, 2013
Gday...
Welcome to the forum and it is wise to remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step.
Enjoy, experience, and just keep takin' steps
Cheers - John
mongrel said
07:32 PM Jul 22, 2013
Welcome to the forum from us as well Badgerhel. Hope you enjoy the forum as much as we have . strange things happen with a a lot of good results.really great people..Alan
Duh said
09:44 PM Jul 22, 2013
Welcome Helen and Tom, good idea buying cheaper units to "test the waters" before considering something else later.
My I suggest you call it a Camper Trailer though as Campervans are usually those with motors (eg; Hi Ace etc) so as to not confuse anyone you may be ringing for repairs etc.....just a thought.
Happy Travels, looks a good set up!
badgerhel said
10:43 PM Jul 22, 2013
Oh Vic. .I thought the camper trailers were the trailers with a sophisticated tent set up on them. This is a Goldstream Goldwing.....so I still call it a camper trailer....?? It's not a pop-top...cos it pops out half way, not just a foot or so.......oooo complications already and we haven't left the yard... hee hee.
Thanks everyone for your welcome.
Cheers
Helen
Sheba said
12:53 AM Jul 23, 2013
Duh wrote:
My I suggest you call it a Camper Trailer though as Campervans are usually those with motors (eg; Hi Ace etc) so as to not confuse anyone you may be ringing for repairs etc.....just a thought.
Welcome from me too badgerhel. That is definitely a Camper-Trailer. [It folds down to a Trailer, and is towed.] As Vic said, it might get confusing if you need repairs at some time. Don't know for sure, but it might also make a difference with Rego. and Insurance.
Cheers,
Sheba.
badgerhel said
01:50 AM Jul 23, 2013
Camper trailer it is ! Thanks everyone...will now move my questions away from here.....after all.....camper has been erected on our premises for over 24 hours and I visit it often...like an old friend already...Cheers
Helen
justcruisin01 said
03:49 AM Jul 23, 2013
Yuglamron wrote:
Have a ball and welcome to the Grey Nomad club. I expect someone will come online who lives near to you and make themselves known.
Cheers
Trevor
Ok Ok, we are about 1& 1/2 hrs south of you. LOL
Enjoy.
JC.
Duh said
05:26 AM Jul 23, 2013
badgerhel wrote:
Oh Vic. .I thought the camper trailers were the trailers with a sophisticated tent set up on them. This is a Goldstream Goldwing.....so I still call it a camper trailer....?? It's not a pop-top...cos it pops out half way, not just a foot or so.......oooo complications already and we haven't left the yard... hee hee.
Thanks everyone for your welcome.
Cheers
Helen
Even the hardtop A'vans and similar are camper trailers Helen, although some like to refer to them and Eco Tourers etc as "folding caravans".
I thought you must live near the ocean somewhere Trevor......no parkas or ear muffs on your avatar....
Cheers
Helen
-- Edited by badgerhel on Tuesday 23rd of July 2013 07:41:26 AM
Gerty Dancer said
08:40 PM Jul 23, 2013
Ahhh, Opera at the Channon, sigh.... you lucky thing you! Have a ball!
badgerhel said
10:57 PM Jul 23, 2013
Gerty....we've talked ourselves out of Opera in the Channon.....Tom couldn't get the Monday off....and it did sound a bit unusual to have the event from 11am til 5pm on the Sunday....too much of a drive, not a very relaxing excursion.... but I'll be rearing to go when Opera in the Hunter Valley rolls around!
Cheers Helen
neilnruth said
12:35 AM Jul 24, 2013
Welcome from us too badgerhel. We also have an 'oldie' but it's allowed us to see lots of this lovely country. It's a good way to start. Have fun on this forum.
badgerhel said
02:32 AM Jul 24, 2013
Thanks NeilnRuth, I hope our little camper trailer gets to enjoy different scenery this week-end, I think she's bored already.....
Cheers
Helen
jetj said
03:00 AM Jul 24, 2013
Lovely camper trailer, I much prefer the hard tops like those to the big tent types with the soft floors.
I hope you have a ball in it. That is the beauty of camping, you can park next to the biggest luxury unit and have just as much fun.
badgerhel said
02:15 PM Jul 24, 2013
Yeah Janette....I can't help thinking that it should be called a squashed caravan. We trotted off to the caravan and camping show at Lismore last Saturday, tried out (as in sat in) lots of different sizes and configurations....who knows????????? Certainly not us! I met one couple who'd bought a tent trailer and used it twice....then bought a caravan and used it three times....and now they were looking at motorhomes....all the others were still back home. Tee hee! We saw a caravan....ooohh....round about the $40000 mark, that had a foam "noodle" taped to the top of the entry door.......door size was huge design fault I think....
It was great fun meeting all the people and pretending we had choices...if only for a day...
Cheers
Helen
Duh said
07:27 PM Jul 24, 2013
I'm only guessing Helen, but I think with door sizes they are sometimes restricted by the height of the caravan or pop top walls, and if they make the step recess too low under the van it becomes a clearance problem.
There are many of different makes that you have to duck your head a bit getting out of......
badgerhel said
07:56 PM Jul 24, 2013
Yes Vic, a logistics problem...at the show we had to stoop just about every time...maybe he was the only one concerned with liability issues! The noodle did look funny though! Anyway, we're taking ours out of the yard and (we think) to Hat Head National Park for the week-end. A short stint, but far enough for one night. It will give us an idea of just how much we have to learn....
Cheers
Helen
Duh said
09:17 PM Jul 24, 2013
Hope it goes well Helen, please give us some feedback on the trip when you return...
badgerhel said
10:27 AM Jul 25, 2013
Got such a shock.......3 days before we go away and the "girls" are waiting at the front gate, must have packed themselves up and are waiting at the barrier! Well, honestly, it took us 50 minutes to pack her up.....but that was in the dark and the first time we'd ever done such a thing.....needless to say forgot to put anything in the camper, so luckily we'll only be away one night....... the car will be chockers!
Just in case you needed to oooh and ahhh a few more times.....three more pics.....geez, I hope we're this enthusiastic after we return......also...there's a rack for a motor bike......so I'll be on the look out for a postie bike befitting of our rig. Cheers Helen
-- Edited by badgerhel on Thursday 25th of July 2013 10:29:18 AM
chopit said
01:31 AM Jul 26, 2013
Welcome. We're new to the forum as well.
We have found people here to be very helpful.
We do like your set up.
We have a hard floor camper trailer ( tent on a trailer ).
Not as flash as yours but a good place for us to start,like you.
Would like to hear your thoughts on your set up once you
get used to it.
All the best.
GaryKelly said
03:35 AM Jul 27, 2013
G'day and welcome, badgerhel. Your rig looks pretty good to me... nice and comfy. It's younger than mine, by the way. Can't afford another one so it better last! I'm not that far from you at Taree but still waiting for the big day. Got a couple of medical issues to sort out first. Then, it's GN time!
badgerhel said
02:08 PM Jul 27, 2013
Thanks for the welcome Chopit and Gary........about 1 hour til we set off to be GNS.....that's if you can be a GN for one night.........Smoky Cape here we come....did a big shop yesterday....all sorts of goodies you (don't) need for one night away.....shower, tables, solar light butterflies.....you get the drift........we're going to try and pack some stuff in the van while it's still "down"??? What's the word.....lost my vocab...sooo excited....better actually get of my bum and help Tom.
Cheers
Helen
JulieM said
12:59 AM Jul 28, 2013
With your attitude, you will have a ball......stay safe and cosy! Come up north....it's warmer
Cheers Julie
badgerhel said
03:09 PM Jul 29, 2013
After the weekend away....van still remains unnamed.....thinking of "George".......nothing wrong with a few royal connections.
In order
The Van (hereafter known as "George")
He towed beautifully. We might have had an easier set-up at the campsite though if we'd remembered to bring the written instructions. We found levelling to be the trickiest part....align top of door with frame just stonkered us....and when we were just about up in the tree tops, we decided to drop all the "legs" and start again. Lowering the jockey wheel did the trick.
A few of the nylon zippers were missing some teeth and therefore couldn't work....don't know what we can do about that.....but still enough working to get a good breeze. Awning was fiddley, but bed flies were OK. Solar powered him up and put on fridge the night before we left....but obviously too early??? as no power left in the morning. Maybe take esky till we get to camp......Solar worked beautifully once at campsite....however solar butterflies went into hibernation. The CD set up in the van is magnificent...better than at home.
The Camp- Smoky Cape Campground, Hat Head National Park, South West Rocks area. (Will truncate sentences cause I know this info's in the wrong spot but sort of goes with George's first outing with our family.)
Lush coastal rainforest next to surf beach...beautiful. (For swimming, I'd probably go to South West Rocks' beach.)
Clean drop toilets with plenty of toilet paper...I was impressed!
Kindling there, (but take a bag of wood with you)
$5 each adult and $7 vehicle (daily) Ranger looks like Santa Claus (Has to be worth a few points)
We saw whales' blowholes and a huge pod of porpoise surfing the waves
A possum joined us after dinner and kangaroos hop nonchalantly around.
Above our table, a family of tawny frogmouths snuggled all day
People
I made the lovely lone camper near us possibly the worst meal he's ever had in his life
Two NZ campers might come to have a home cooked meal in the next couple of days...(Little do they know!)
So life is pleasant down there ......it's not too bad at home either. The photos are very ordinary....but will give a rough idea of George and family at Smoky Cape.
Will go north next Julie....thinking about Station Creek....about 1 and a half hours north this time......
Cheers
Helen
(yep, we had a great time)
the rocket said
04:40 AM Aug 14, 2013
happy adventures. cheers
Kendo said
03:09 PM Aug 17, 2013
*Thumbs up* Helen
I have just found this thread after looking around the forum. I have appreciated you comments on my posts and I will look forward to keeping an eye on a fellow "newby" as we progress into all this fun and frivolity.
Our Jackaroo and our "new" campervan were both "born" in '96......They're both old and showing the inevitable signs of lives well lived. We drove our first camper home (yesterday), set her up and christened the old lady with a drop of a vintage much younger than herself. She's been raised and strengthened and words were mentioned that could only bode well....if I knew what they meant....I'm sure she'll look even better when we figure out the finer points of making a box into a miniature home. In an ideal world I'd want a gypsy wagon, pulled by a draught horse, but this must be the next best thing. We live in Bellingen and are thinking that maybe our first adventure should be to Opera in the Channon...about 3 hours away.....next weekend....maybe ????? I love reading everyone's stories and advice....soaking it all up......PS....Hubby, Tom thinks we should call her "Stepping High".....to reflect her pseudo off-road status......the twosome came in at about $15000...so we can see if wandering is our destiny before we sell the family farm!
Cheers Helen
First step taken to a new beginning, getting your tug and camper is that first big step and from all of us enjoy the experience and see this great country and meet some soon to be friends.
Have a ball and welcome to the Grey Nomad club. I expect someone will come online who lives near to you and make themselves known. How long before the family farm is sold? Well you will soon know if the life is for you or if you want to go the 4x4 route or maybe go the motorhome or caravan route.
Main thing is enjoy.
Cheers
Trevor
We've always camped in National Parks, so this just keeps a bit of distance between the doona and the brown snakes. tee hee. We're planning on week ends away for maybe a year...or two....as my husband is still working....Could be sooner though....I just got a message from him that said "find me another job, I'm going mad!". I might just start packing the camper and not look in the classifieds. Ain't life just full of surprises.
Cheers
Helen
Gday...
Welcome to the forum and it is wise to remember that a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step.
Enjoy, experience, and just keep takin' steps
Cheers - John
Welcome Helen and Tom, good idea buying cheaper units to "test the waters" before considering something else later.
My I suggest you call it a Camper Trailer though as Campervans are usually those with motors (eg; Hi Ace etc) so as to not confuse anyone you may be ringing for repairs etc.....just a thought.
Happy Travels, looks a good set up!
Oh Vic. .I thought the camper trailers were the trailers with a sophisticated tent set up on them. This is a Goldstream Goldwing.....so I still call it a camper trailer....?? It's not a pop-top...cos it pops out half way, not just a foot or so.......oooo complications already and we haven't left the yard... hee hee.
Thanks everyone for your welcome.
Cheers
Helen
Welcome from me too badgerhel. That is definitely a Camper-Trailer. [It folds down to a Trailer, and is towed.] As Vic said, it might get confusing if you need repairs at some time. Don't know for sure, but it might also make a difference with Rego. and Insurance.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Camper trailer it is ! Thanks everyone...will now move my questions away from here.....after all.....camper has been erected on our premises for over 24 hours and I visit it often...like an old friend already...Cheers
Helen
Ok Ok, we are about 1& 1/2 hrs south of you. LOL
Enjoy.
JC.
Even the hardtop A'vans and similar are camper trailers Helen, although some like to refer to them and Eco Tourers etc as "folding caravans".
See these links;
http://www.towingguide.com.au/content/definitions.html
http://www.travel-australia-online.com/camping-trailers.html
Happy travels !
I thought you must live near the ocean somewhere Trevor......no parkas or ear muffs on your avatar....
Cheers
Helen
-- Edited by badgerhel on Tuesday 23rd of July 2013 07:41:26 AM
Cheers Helen
Cheers
Helen
Lovely camper trailer, I much prefer the hard tops like those to the big tent types with the soft floors.
I hope you have a ball in it. That is the beauty of camping, you can park next to the biggest luxury unit and have just as much fun.
It was great fun meeting all the people and pretending we had choices...if only for a day...
Cheers
Helen
I'm only guessing Helen, but I think with door sizes they are sometimes restricted by the height of the caravan or pop top walls, and if they make the step recess too low under the van it becomes a clearance problem.
There are many of different makes that you have to duck your head a bit getting out of......
Cheers
Helen
Hope it goes well Helen, please give us some feedback on the trip when you return...
Got such a shock.......3 days before we go away and the "girls" are waiting at the front gate, must have packed themselves up and are waiting at the barrier! Well, honestly, it took us 50 minutes to pack her up.....but that was in the dark and the first time we'd ever done such a thing.....needless to say forgot to put anything in the camper, so luckily we'll only be away one night....... the car will be chockers!
Just in case you needed to oooh and ahhh a few more times.....three more pics.....geez, I hope we're this enthusiastic after we return......also...there's a rack for a motor bike......so I'll be on the look out for a postie bike befitting of our rig.
Cheers Helen
-- Edited by badgerhel on Thursday 25th of July 2013 10:29:18 AM
We have found people here to be very helpful.
We do like your set up.
We have a hard floor camper trailer ( tent on a trailer ).
Not as flash as yours but a good place for us to start,like you.
Would like to hear your thoughts on your set up once you
get used to it.
All the best.
Cheers
Helen
With your attitude, you will have a ball......stay safe and cosy! Come up north....it's warmer
After the weekend away....van still remains unnamed.....thinking of "George".......nothing wrong with a few royal connections.
In order
The Van (hereafter known as "George")
He towed beautifully. We might have had an easier set-up at the campsite though if we'd remembered to bring the written instructions. We found levelling to be the trickiest part....align top of door with frame just stonkered us....and when we were just about up in the tree tops, we decided to drop all the "legs" and start again. Lowering the jockey wheel did the trick.
A few of the nylon zippers were missing some teeth and therefore couldn't work....don't know what we can do about that.....but still enough working to get a good breeze. Awning was fiddley, but bed flies were OK. Solar powered him up and put on fridge the night before we left....but obviously too early??? as no power left in the morning. Maybe take esky till we get to camp......Solar worked beautifully once at campsite....however solar butterflies went into hibernation. The CD set up in the van is magnificent...better than at home.
The Camp- Smoky Cape Campground, Hat Head National Park, South West Rocks area. (Will truncate sentences cause I know this info's in the wrong spot but sort of goes with George's first outing with our family.)
People
So life is pleasant down there ......it's not too bad at home either. The photos are very ordinary....but will give a rough idea of George and family at Smoky Cape.
Cheers everyone
Helen
Will go north next Julie....thinking about Station Creek....about 1 and a half hours north this time......
Cheers
Helen
(yep, we had a great time)
happy adventures. cheers
*Thumbs up* Helen
I have just found this thread after looking around the forum. I have appreciated you comments on my posts and I will look forward to keeping an eye on a fellow "newby" as we progress into all this fun and frivolity.
Enjoy!