Completely agree. Had a tree branch do the same about 20metres away from us. Never park under a large tree even for the shade they offer.
Phil C said
08:31 PM Apr 2, 2016
Hmmmmm
A mate of mine was parked under a tree at a caravan park we stayed at, this bloody big tree squished his van with him sleeping in it... missed him by this much I I
CIL paid the claim but it seems the caravan park owner didnt want to know, even though my mate parked where he was put... wonder if CIL had a rip at the owner? Surely he was insured??
Not a good move parking under trees, or for that, driving into them viz me at Kimba Oct 13
cya
Aus-Kiwi said
10:27 PM Apr 2, 2016
Never ever park under grey gums . They are not called widow makers for nothing . I've often bee working on a still night erecting overhead mains . Only to have a branch full on mains . Pretty scary when you up a 11m pole ..
KevKim37 said
02:54 AM Apr 3, 2016
We were camped at Caboolture Showgrounds in Nov 2014 when during a storm lightning struck a tree over near the race track completely blowing it apart. One motorhomer had a large branch hit his Roof mounted solar panels damaging one and he was approx 70 metres away and a branch just as large landed on the race track nearly 100 metres from the tree.
I saw the lightning bolt hit and destroy the tree and the explosion rocked our van a little approx 200j metres away.
It was the loudest lightning strikes I have ever experienced. Another couple about 100 metres from the tree said their ears were ringing after the strike. I Definitely stay right away from trees as it is because of the mess they cause on the Roof and solar panels.
Cheers Kev.
Dougwe said
12:46 PM Apr 3, 2016
Phil C wrote:
Hmmmmm A mate of mine was parked under a tree at a caravan park we stayed at, this bloody big tree squished his van with him sleeping in it... missed him by this much I I
CIL paid the claim but it seems the caravan park owner didnt want to know, even though my mate parked where he was put... wonder if CIL had a rip at the owner? Surely he was insured??
Not a good move parking under trees, or for that, driving into them viz me at Kimba Oct 13
cya
Yeh! Ya gotta be careful of trees for sure Phil, they can jump out behind ya too
I try and avoid trees where ever possible. Solar Panels don't work all that good under trees let alone any damage they can do. That was a big branch Neil and Raine.
JayDee said
08:11 PM Apr 3, 2016
We try and park so as to get the afternoon shade. But keep our distance due to any falling branches.
We get enough solar power during the morning and mid afternoon for the batteries.
But a shady spot is a temptation during the hot summer. But a temptation to be avoided.
jay&Dee
Hylife said
10:28 PM Apr 3, 2016
Depends on the type of tree.
The key is to look at the type of bark. Trees that behave like a camel (can tolerate long dry spells and then drink huge amounts when there is water) shed their bark and those are the ones you need to avoid. Eucalypts of all types go spastic with soaking up water after rain and are prone to dropping branches.
Bruce and Bev said
11:02 PM Apr 3, 2016
most CPs have a gum tree hanging over nearly every site..........they must know the risk it causes but I guess it pulls the customers in for the shade.....
Its hard to imagine that they are not insured for damage to vehicles in such events and they would have public liability insurance for injury or death
03_Troopy said
11:03 PM Apr 3, 2016
Many Eucalypts are also self pruning, and in times of hot dry weather will drop limbs to lessen transpiration.
Desert Dweller said
11:11 AM Apr 4, 2016
We were camped at Lake Hattah in Hattah National Park a few years ago when a mini cyclone & dust storm came through one afternoon.
All around us we could hear huge limbs falling off the River Red Gums all around us as they thumped to the ground, some limbs were a metre in diameter.
Onedodger said
04:46 PM Apr 4, 2016
We were camped in the forest at Barmah on the Murray river but not under any trees and one night heard a great crack in the distant, a couple of days later we went to exit the forest and a huge tree had come down across the only track in or out. Boy was it a big job to clear a path for the rig to get out. Chicka chainsaw certainly earn't his keep that day.
Proving there are many ways a tree can get revenge on us.
snap1946 said
07:37 PM Apr 4, 2016
that's not to bad this happened at Somerset dam in a storm when we were there
I have had the odd near miss with falling limbs over the years I have spent camping on the mighty Murray. I nearly lost a relative who had a limb crash onto her caravan. Many surgeries later she made it but her health & her life was changed forever.
This was in Caboolture showground over Easter. No wind just a lot of rain
A mate of mine was parked under a tree at a caravan park we stayed at, this bloody big tree squished his van with him sleeping in it... missed him by this much I I
CIL paid the claim but it seems the caravan park owner didnt want to know, even though my mate parked where he was put... wonder if CIL had a rip at the owner? Surely he was insured??
Not a good move parking under trees, or for that, driving into them viz me at Kimba Oct 13
cya
We were camped at Caboolture Showgrounds in Nov 2014 when during a storm lightning struck a tree over near the race track completely blowing it apart. One motorhomer had a large branch hit his Roof mounted solar panels damaging one and he was approx 70 metres away and a branch just as large landed on the race track nearly 100 metres from the tree.
I saw the lightning bolt hit and destroy the tree and the explosion rocked our van a little approx 200j metres away.
It was the loudest lightning strikes I have ever experienced. Another couple about 100 metres from the tree said their ears were ringing after the strike. I Definitely stay right away from trees as it is because of the mess they cause on the Roof and solar panels.
Cheers Kev.
Yeh! Ya gotta be careful of trees for sure Phil, they can jump out behind ya too
I try and avoid trees where ever possible. Solar Panels don't work all that good under trees let alone any damage they can do. That was a big branch Neil and Raine.
We get enough solar power during the morning and mid afternoon for the batteries.
But a shady spot is a temptation during the hot summer. But a temptation to be avoided.
jay&Dee
Depends on the type of tree.
The key is to look at the type of bark. Trees that behave like a camel (can tolerate long dry spells and then drink huge amounts when there is water) shed their bark and those are the ones you need to avoid.
Eucalypts of all types go spastic with soaking up water after rain and are prone to dropping branches.
Its hard to imagine that they are not insured for damage to vehicles in such events and they would have public liability insurance for injury or death
All around us we could hear huge limbs falling off the River Red Gums all around us as they thumped to the ground, some limbs were a metre in diameter.
We were camped in the forest at Barmah on the Murray river but not under any trees and one night heard a great crack in the distant,
a couple of days later we went to exit the forest and a huge tree had come down across the only track in or out. Boy was it a big job to clear a path for the rig to get out. Chicka chainsaw certainly earn't his keep that day. 
Proving there are many ways a tree can get revenge on us.
that's not to bad this happened at Somerset dam in a storm when we were there