I'm baaaaack, I have just got back from my few days away in my new Avan camper, everything whent really well and I had a very relaxing time at the Walkerville Camping reserve in South Gipplsland overlooking the "Prom" and Warratah Bay. This is a great park well maintained and plenty of private sites in and around plenty of bush or open sites if you prefer, the open sites have the water right at the back of you. The camper was great the TV didn't work due to poor reception and digital TV, not sure about digital TV in poor reception areas.
You might recall I mentioned I lost my wife to cancer well I just finished setting up the Avan and a voice from the site next to me said "hi Doug" I looked over and there was the main Palative care nurse that helped me care for my wife, what a small world, her and her husband and I sat around a camp fire that night and chatted, it was great. The next morning a couple on the other side of the drive were having trouble setting up their new annex on their camper so I helped them to sort it all out, 3 heads were better than 2 in that case. All in all it was a great weekend, I wish Marg was with me to enjoy as well. I have booked in again for mid November for 5 nights, can't wait. DOUG.
HeadnHome said
07:41 PM Oct 18, 2011
Sounds like a beautiful spot, so glad you enjoyed your time away..
Cruising Granny said
08:30 PM Oct 18, 2011
Doug, I have a feeling Marg is there with you. Just enjoy it for what it is, where you are. If it's in Marg's memory or whatever, just enjoy. The fact you relaxed and met familiar people is an amazing coincidence. You spent ta good time in good company.
pauline said
08:59 PM Oct 18, 2011
Life goes on mate, don't waste a minute...
jules47 said
08:27 AM Oct 19, 2011
Yep - Doug - I know what you mean - live your life the best way that you can - have only good memories, and make new ones - most of all enjoy your life.
denninelli said
07:15 PM Oct 20, 2011
Glad you had a good first solo trip. Nothing like meeting good people to chat with. I met a lovely couple at Seymour on my way down to the Mornington peninsula for the current granny duty. That park sounds delightful. Do they take doglets there?
-- Edited by denninelli on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:15:47 PM
Dougwe said
07:48 PM Oct 20, 2011
Sorry Denninelli no dogs or cats. There is so much birdlife there.
Happywanderer said
04:00 PM Oct 21, 2011
Great to see you have been out on your first trip and did well Dougwe. Congrats. Now it gets easier.
Elle on Wheels said
11:21 PM Oct 22, 2011
Glad your first trip is going so well and really you could not have asked for a better sign or omen, it must have knocked your socks off. I think someone might be with youin spirit.
Bent Axle Bob said
09:20 PM Oct 23, 2011
Glad you enjoyed the trip. The Prom is a wonderful place, very scenic in its own rugged way, and the fauna is fantastic. Spent many a weekend there when I lived in Gippsland many years ago.
jonathan said
09:37 PM Oct 23, 2011
.. It's good to see you enjoyed your trip away .. Since I've hit the road some (2) years ago, it's been a very good healing for me after going through very similar circumstances. Now, I simply cant imagine doing anything else ..
The folk here are so very supportive .. enjoy .. will see you out and about again soon ..
Jon
Dougwe said
09:38 AM Oct 24, 2011
Thankyou all for your kind comments. I really enjoy looking through Grey Nomad site and will be looking around for the Grey Nomad book and Camps 6. I am going up to Townsville mid April 2012 to see my granddaughter and a new grandchild due late March. I normally fly up and stay in a cabin as their house is too small. I am considering making it a road trip with my AU Falcon sedan and on road Avan camper, going from south west Gippsland via Tocumwall, Dubbo and up from there to Townsville (although I might even throw in Cairns first), stay Townsville for a week then travel down the coast. I will probably take 2 weeks to get up there and 2 weeks to get back. Is it worth getting a Tom Tom or similar or just go with the good old paper maps? What are the roads like through those areas and any suggestions? Oh! I have also got a small water cooler for the camper for those hot nights.
Peterpan said
03:36 PM Oct 24, 2011
Doug, Did the trip to Rockhamptom in February ,March from Boronia via the Newell and Leichardt highways. It wasn't too long after the floods and there were quite a number of roadwaorks happening.
The roads other than that weren't too bad. At the risk of being pummelled verbally I will say that the Victorian roads are better than the NSW roads and that the Qld roads aren't as good as the NSW roads.
Moree is a great reviver stop, fantastic spa pools.
We stopped at a free camping area 65+ klms out from Dubbo called Mendouran, its off te main highway and cuts off the hills and 20 k's between Dubbo and Coonabarrabran #425 in Camps 5. Page 132. Nice little town with great murals. Butchers shop sells great meat.
Small C/p at Taroom is cheap, cane toads were prolific when we were there.
Dululu in Qld is free or for a small fee you can have keys to the Toilets/Showers. Pub is not too bad either. #437 in Camps 5 page 64.
We don't go through Mt Morgan ( Hate that Mountain ) Usually go to Westwood then into Rocky.
The others on this forum will have lots of great spots in their little black books that they will share with you.
It really doesn't matter which way you go as long as you enjoy the trip.
I'm baaaaack, I have just got back from my few days away in my new Avan camper, everything whent really well and I had a very relaxing time at the Walkerville Camping reserve in South Gipplsland overlooking the "Prom" and Warratah Bay. This is a great park well maintained and plenty of private sites in and around plenty of bush or open sites if you prefer, the open sites have the water right at the back of you. The camper was great the TV didn't work due to poor reception and digital TV, not sure about digital TV in poor reception areas.
You might recall I mentioned I lost my wife to cancer well I just finished setting up the Avan and a voice from the site next to me said "hi Doug" I looked over and there was the main Palative care nurse that helped me care for my wife, what a small world, her and her husband and I sat around a camp fire that night and chatted, it was great. The next morning a couple on the other side of the drive were having trouble setting up their new annex on their camper so I helped them to sort it all out, 3 heads were better than 2 in that case. All in all it was a great weekend, I wish Marg was with me to enjoy as well. I have booked in again for mid November for 5 nights, can't wait. DOUG.
Just enjoy it for what it is, where you are. If it's in Marg's memory or whatever, just enjoy.
The fact you relaxed and met familiar people is an amazing coincidence. You spent ta good time in good company.
Glad you had a good first solo trip. Nothing like meeting good people to chat with. I met a lovely couple at Seymour on my way down to the Mornington peninsula for the current granny duty. That park sounds delightful. Do they take doglets there?
-- Edited by denninelli on Thursday 20th of October 2011 07:15:47 PM
Sorry Denninelli no dogs or cats. There is so much birdlife there.
.. It's good to see you enjoyed your trip away .. Since I've hit the road some (2) years ago, it's been a very good healing for me after going through very similar circumstances. Now, I simply cant imagine doing anything else ..
The folk here are so very supportive .. enjoy .. will see you out and about again soon ..
Jon
Thankyou all for your kind comments. I really enjoy looking through Grey Nomad site and will be looking around for the Grey Nomad book and Camps 6. I am going up to Townsville mid April 2012 to see my granddaughter and a new grandchild due late March. I normally fly up and stay in a cabin as their house is too small. I am considering making it a road trip with my AU Falcon sedan and on road Avan camper, going from south west Gippsland via Tocumwall, Dubbo and up from there to Townsville (although I might even throw in Cairns first), stay Townsville for a week then travel down the coast. I will probably take 2 weeks to get up there and 2 weeks to get back. Is it worth getting a Tom Tom or similar or just go with the good old paper maps? What are the roads like through those areas and any suggestions? Oh! I have also got a small water cooler for the camper for those hot nights.
Did the trip to Rockhamptom in February ,March from Boronia via the Newell and Leichardt highways. It wasn't too long after the floods and there were quite a number of roadwaorks happening.
The roads other than that weren't too bad. At the risk of being pummelled verbally I will say that the Victorian roads are better than the NSW roads and that the Qld roads aren't as good as the NSW roads.
Moree is a great reviver stop, fantastic spa pools.
We stopped at a free camping area 65+ klms out from Dubbo called Mendouran, its off te main highway and cuts off the hills and 20 k's between Dubbo and Coonabarrabran #425 in Camps 5. Page 132. Nice little town with great murals. Butchers shop sells great meat.
Small C/p at Taroom is cheap, cane toads were prolific when we were there.
Dululu in Qld is free or for a small fee you can have keys to the Toilets/Showers. Pub is not too bad either. #437 in Camps 5 page 64.
We don't go through Mt Morgan ( Hate that Mountain ) Usually go to Westwood then into Rocky.
The others on this forum will have lots of great spots in their little black books that they will share with you.
It really doesn't matter which way you go as long as you enjoy the trip.
Brownie