We are currently staying in a caravan park in Airlie Beach. Nice enough caravan park, I guess...
But bloody hell...packed in like sardines in a can!
We have been travelling a while now and LOVE free camping! Can't understand why anyone would want to stay in a caravan park! we stay in them when working but otherwise love the free camps...more space, nice folk to chat with, don't get woken at crack of dawn by people moving around! (8am is crack of dawn!!)
Got about 2 weeks to kill before I start new job in Townsville.....any ideas of places to go around Airlie Beach and upwards/inwards?? Cheers!
Dunmowin said
09:18 AM Jul 27, 2014
If you are looking for a full day trip, there is an interesting drive from Bowen to Collinsville - about 80k.
As you know there is no "free" camping in the Whitsundays Shire., Caravan park in Bowen is nice - I think it was called Harbour Lights - we stayed there when we did the bean harvest few years back.
EDIT: I believe Home Hill has a spot to camp beside the railway line in town, but it is probably only 24 hour.
-- Edited by Dunmowin on Sunday 27th of July 2014 09:19:12 AM
oldboar said
09:37 AM Jul 27, 2014
Lake Elphinstone near Glenden is a good freebie. Home Hill also has the freebie at the railway station or else cheapie at the show ground, $10 / night I think. Not sure about time limits.
Darrell & Sandra
jules47 said
09:45 AM Jul 27, 2014
Hey Buffy - I can't stand caravan parks that pack you in - and in "the season" that is what they do.
As Dumowin says above there is a free camp in Home Hill, it is 48 hour, and beside the railway line, and behind the shops - Home Hill is a great little place, they really know how to look after travellers - the other place in Home Hill is the showgrounds - I think it is only $10 night, they have power, water, conveniences, and a fair bit of room I believe. Yeoeleven (John) stayed there recently - and he has written about it in the Solos section - he is probably one of the best ones to tell you about it.
Home Hill has grocery store (think a new one is being built as well), hotels, chemist, doctors, cafes, a bakery (in Ninth Avenue I think - down behind the shops), petrol station, and heaps more.
Someone told me that register checkouts from all the people who shopped and stayed at the Free Camp over a six week period - $46,000 was spent by travellers - and some say we don't spend money in towns.
Just at the outskirts of town, heading north, there is a place that sell, cut, polish gemstones and a heap of other stuff, can spend hours in there.
Gwian said
01:44 PM Jul 27, 2014
Stayed at Home Hill showgrounds last week and the cost is now $15.00 p/n
jules47 said
02:54 PM Jul 27, 2014
Still cheap at $15 p/n, I reckon.
NeilandRaine said
04:00 PM Jul 27, 2014
If you are prepared to go a few k's north of Townsville there are a number of free sites, 24 and 48 hrs. Rollingston and Tomala beach would be my pics There are 5 or 6 within 30 k of Townsville and you can move from camp to camp
glassies said
10:36 AM Jul 28, 2014
Detest caravan parks they are way too expensive and overcrowded too love free camping
We are currently staying in a caravan park in Airlie Beach. Nice enough caravan park, I guess...
But bloody hell...packed in like sardines in a can!
We have been travelling a while now and LOVE free camping! Can't understand why anyone would want to stay in a caravan park! we stay in them when working but otherwise love the free camps...more space, nice folk to chat with, don't get woken at crack of dawn by people moving around! (8am is crack of dawn!!
)
Got about 2 weeks to kill before I start new job in Townsville.....any ideas of places to go around Airlie Beach and upwards/inwards?? Cheers!
If you are looking for a full day trip, there is an interesting drive from Bowen to Collinsville - about 80k.
As you know there is no "free" camping in the Whitsundays Shire., Caravan park in Bowen is nice - I think it was called Harbour Lights - we stayed there when we did the bean harvest few years back.
EDIT: I believe Home Hill has a spot to camp beside the railway line in town, but it is probably only 24 hour.
-- Edited by Dunmowin on Sunday 27th of July 2014 09:19:12 AM
Darrell & Sandra
As Dumowin says above there is a free camp in Home Hill, it is 48 hour, and beside the railway line, and behind the shops - Home Hill is a great little place, they really know how to look after travellers - the other place in Home Hill is the showgrounds - I think it is only $10 night, they have power, water, conveniences, and a fair bit of room I believe. Yeoeleven (John) stayed there recently - and he has written about it in the Solos section - he is probably one of the best ones to tell you about it.
Home Hill has grocery store (think a new one is being built as well), hotels, chemist, doctors, cafes, a bakery (in Ninth Avenue I think - down behind the shops), petrol station, and heaps more.
Someone told me that register checkouts from all the people who shopped and stayed at the Free Camp over a six week period - $46,000 was spent by travellers - and some say we don't spend money in towns.
Just at the outskirts of town, heading north, there is a place that sell, cut, polish gemstones and a heap of other stuff, can spend hours in there.