IVE GOT SOME FREE TIME AT THE MOMENT SO HAVE JUMPED ON HERE TO ASK IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANY ROAD SIDE STOPD USED BY NOMADS THAT ARE PRETTY SAFE BETWEEN MELBOURNE AND GOODIWINDI? THANKS ROBYN MAC.

plenty of road side stops along that route that are safe but you will probably find them all full of trucks.

Suggest you follow Camps Australia Wide - buy the book if you've not already - then look for camp sites where someone else has already stopped if you're nervous. Andrea

As Andrea said, get a copy of Camps Australia Wide 5. The larger sites will have a symbol looking like a motorhome indicating plenty of room. Don't select a site too close to towns and check for wheel marks where the hoons have been playing (if they turn up you are not in much danger but it does nothing for a god nights sleep.) Look for a good camp from 1400 - 1500. Don't set up too much. If you look like you are stopping then others will join you. If anyone dodgy turns up you then have time to escape to the next caravan park.

I rarely roadside "free camp", but it occurs to me that if camping in a site that's intended mainly for trucks, keep in mind that refrigeration trucks and stock trucks can be quite noisy during the night and that you have little cause to complain (pointless anyway) as it's "their" stop.

More frequent "free campers" may care to comment on this.

-- Edited by jimricho on Thursday 17th of June 2010 07:04:51 AM

I agree camps five is great I have a copy and there are heaps of freebies on that route also look at

http:// www.ozcamps.net

Hi All, Road side stops are great, they save you money plus you meet peole..And 99% of the time are very quite..We try to pick DMR sites with gravel dumps ,the ground is most time hard and there are not the trucks stopping there.. and you just have to take your rubbish with you ,as we do anyhow.. Most over nighters dont come up in Camps book, unless they are a 24hour stayover..or some thing like that..We have been on the road awhile and have only had two HOON thingos ..One at exmouth sprayed the van with gravel then took off..one just out of fitzroy crossing tried to steal the washing..Not realy scary things. .I think good old AUSSIE is a very safe place to camp over night..Dont frighten your self by thinking the worst.. Just enjoy the trip, its all fun..Bob n Bev..

PS. We have a uhf set up in the van and if needed could call a trucky, "IF needed" we never have.. 

-- Edited by BobnBev on Thursday 17th of June 2010 08:47:15 AM

 Thanks for the info very much. Trucks ok better for safety I think.

 Hi Andrea , thanks for the info on the stops. Will try and track down a copy of the book sounds good. Cheers Robyn.

 Thanks goinsoon. We are goinsoon! on Sunday so will checkout the website too. Cheers robynmacd

 Thanks PeterD. Will do and keep our eyes wide open!! Cheers ROBYN.

 Hi Bev. Thanks for all your help. Yes we will watchout for any undesireables. Have used Servo truck stops twice and they were ok, just a bit noisy. Counting down to Sunday!! Cheers Robyn.

 Hi gold dandelion, thanks for your info . Do agree we have done that before. Cheers Robyn.

Heaps of camp stops on the newell h'way we've done a lot of free camps in the last 4 years and never had any trouble, we like to pull in well off the road where you cant be seen if there is an idiot on the road, the mrd areas  are a good spot and the trucks dont usually stay there, we're still using the camp 3 book must update one day good luck. 

have stayed in quite a lot of free camps all the way from Darwin to Gold Coast via W Aust, most important thing to remember is safety in numbers, never had a problem and met some great people