Gday...

I rarely travel on or near the east coast and I also rarely stay in caravan parks. I prefer the inland and bush camping or a simple camp-park in a small inland town with very few facilities.

Recently, circumstances have caused me to not only travel along the east coast but to stay in van parks close to, or on, the coast. I have also needed to stay in a place for a few weeks at a time which is also very unusual for me as I like to move on after a week or so.

So why am I bothering you with all this useless information, you ask. Well, I have begun to form a differing view to what is the traveller.

I had always formed the opinion, from observation, that the greater majority of travellers have fairly ordinary vans towed with functionally fitted out tow vehicles. I think a fair description would be vehicles and vans that are practical and focussed on function rather than an emphasis on style or elegance perhaps. People were down to earth, approachable and one could perhaps suggest homey.

As a result of this seemingly misplaced opinion of mine, formed from my previous observations, I always found it hard to accept the apparent results from the various surveys pushed by organisations etc regarding the worth and value of the travelling wallet to the economy of towns. The figures and, perhaps the lifestyle, depicted by the image conveyed in those surveys did not closely equate to those I usually encounter around this land.

Given my experiences in recent months, it seems I have lived a sort of sheltered life.

Caravan parks I have experienced along the east coast, generally speaking, are quite well laid out, religiously laid out with clearly marked bays for vans and often grassy patches amongst the wall to wall vans together with rules and restrictions to a myriad of things. A pleasant feature is that the amenity blocks are usually well-maintained, clean and a pleasure to use. I have found there are some exceptions to this but generally speaking of a higher standard that I am used to. Albeit, the site fees are also of a higher level than I usually accept but circumstances have decreed the need to loosen the purse strings.

In addition to the eye-opening created by the accommodation I have savoured recently, I have not seen so many near-new, very expensive and large vans. These vans are usually dragged by an also near-new ute of all makes and models or a Toyota/Mazda/Ford or similar SUV, loaded to the gunnels with an incredible array of items.

With a widely varying expertise the van is positioned on-site, the awning rolled out, the annex walls run out and affixed and then the array of items is removed from the vehicle and from within the bowels of the van. The annex is then suitably turned into a very comfortable home resplendent with chairs, tables, Webber-Q, a cupboard or two ... and even a small fridge in many cases. Not even unusual for a roll of carpet to be laid out on the concrete slab.

It seems that these travellers seem to have a pecking order of those with whom they converse or even acknowledge. Experience shows that I am not one who apparently fits that order.

OK ... I dress in clean clobber nothing flash mind you albeit a bit well-worn I guess. But it is usual for my neighbours to lounge around the van in clobber that I would wear to go out to the local RSL for tucker of an evening. When they head off for an evening out to the local club, I doubt I would get that flashed up for a funeral.

I must admit the average amount of money tied up in these rigs surprised me. Obviously, I have either failed to take enough notice of the set-ups of other travellers over past years, or the modern/recent traveller is more well-heeled on the coast route.

I have encountered travellers full-time or part-timers over the past eight years of every age range. From chats with them I have found an incredible range of occupations prior to their retiring.  I am unable to advise the range of occupations of my new observation group as it was difficult to stir up conversation on anything beyond the weather.

However, I would suggest that over the past couple of months, those I have encountered in the coast van parks are well beyond 70 and most in their early to middle 80s.Nothing wrong that I say just an observation. However, the agility and mobility of some gives pause for thought in how their reactions would be when driving their rig and something unexpected arose on the highway.

So there it is for what it is (or isnt) worth.

My circumstances are such that I will be forced to remain on the east coast of QLD, heading north against the south-headed throng of travellers escaping the heat.

I wonder if I will continue to encounter similar parks and travellers or if the past couple of months have been an apparition.

Cheers - John

Hello rockylizard
This is only my opinion, so I could be wrong

In one respect I agree with brickies, in regards to the major tourist towns, but I seldom see the smart set, in the smaller, off the beaten track towns

Because you are observant, you will most likely see more of the same, as well as many other different types of travellers, as well as some very highly cleaned ablution blocks, as well as some not so clean ones
I know people who live in my general area, (another town), who go north for the winter, and stay in the same caravan park for their three month duration of following the sun.

Sometimes when I stop for a cuppa between camps, I will casually ask other travellers who have stopped, which way they are heading
I do notice that those who mention the name of a caravan park, are usually smarter dressed than those who mention the name of a free camp.

Perhaps the caravan park travellers, carry an iron to iron their clothes

I can only say, from my own experience, that the cuppa tastes the same, no matter who I am talking to

Let's face it some people like the ammenities so the van park is for them, others like myself can afford to be in caravan parks but choose not to and it has nothing to do with money,I find camping alongside rivers and nice biig open areas where we can have a nice warm fire and other people sitting around it ,it's hard to beat it's sort of tribal just love that kind of life style don't you.

but haveing said that we're not going to limit ourselves to bush camping,although we love it ! the caravan park comes in handy when visiting coastal areas ,charging batteries, laundry  Ect so let's have the best of both worlds is the way to go in our opinion..

people who buy the big rig and play the big man in the the caravan park are few and far between and if you think owning an expensive rig sets you apart your just fooling yourself.

X2.

Hey BB yes the wrong way have a reread.

I agree with John on this. C V P travellers seem to have a different mind set. When you speak to them about free camping, they often either don't know about it or they say it's just not for them, they can't see themselves out in the bush at night on there lonesome.

Rons point is spot on. C V Ps can offer comforts for some, but i don't need to pay for a jumping castle and games nights ect. Also people wth small children seem to be most likely to use cvps.

But like Ron says sitting around an open fire ( with a port ) next to a river with open land is where i lay my hat.  Ron also mentioned laundry. We do our laundry at a local L/Mat in towns as we go, won't use a cp. But i have paid $2 to empty the ****ter at a cvp (couldn't find any other d/point)

cheers

Rocky, my main man. As usual your posts are well thought out and elicit much discussion among the posters. A couple of years ago I purchased a 24' Sterling (contrary to SWMBO wishes at the time) and apart from some problems with the slide-out, it has served us well up to now, but it did not take me long to realise that we could have purchased a 21 footer and had just as great an experience. By the way, I don't think that anyone would describe the Jayco as a "flash" van. So we have a 6yr old van being towed by a 6yr old vehicle driven by a 79yr old bloke (SWMBO would not have the confidence to handle the rig) We mostly free camp and like you Rocky, we have up to now, steered well clear of the East coast as we mainly prefer the inland, a little bit like Desert Dweller who likes to sit up there on his rock, we find the locals much nicer people and definately a lot more friendly.

I have had people look at us when we pull into camps, maybe because of the size of the rig, who knows? but when the old boy alights from his beloved tug, resplendent in baggy shorts, thongs and a three day old growth on his chin you can sometimes hear the sigh, relief or trepidation??? as the grizzled old bugger makes his way round on a meet and greet. I have always treated people the way I would like to be treated and have found very few that I could not get along with, that said, there will always be those who consider themselves to be a cut above above the rst of us and to them I say,

"You don't know what you are missing out on" We have made many friends on our way through our caravanning life, people who are the salt of the earth, and I hope that we can continue to do so for a lot longer yet.

I think that the present van may be the last, but who knows? when things get too tough maybe we will join motorhome mob.

Hi All

We have managed caravan parks for the last 5 years , and when we are on the road in our van  we stay in free camps where possible.

We have met good people in the parks and in the free camps.

Everyone is different , it would be a boring place if we were all the same. Caravans are no different than houses except they are mobile .

Some people live in mansions and some live in small cottages , no one is right and no one is wrong . We speak to everyone the same in our travels .

Some are interesting and some are not ,whether they have big rigs or small ones.

It's disappointing that here's an under lying cynicism in some of your posts here toward those that chose a different path .

Yeah B/B I think you can interpret the O/p in a few ways depending on what slant you want to put on it,personally I don't find it offensive its one persons view,some will agree with it some won't ..

Travellers' opinions is also great food for thought. Where we travel and the reasons we travel to those places are no doubt different to all of us in the playground. Some love free camping others hate it. Some enjoy 5 star parks for ultra conveniences and others prefer basics. Some are chatty and some are withdrawn. Some like tents, others vans and others RV's. Some rig out with the latest and greatest and others basic and less functional. Are we not mostly different by our own independence?

I have a friend, who rigged out on tug and den big and beautiful, forking out close on $200,000. Me, around $40,000 all up. I primarily free camp but don't shy away from CP's depending on reason of trips. My mate is a 5 star traveller expecting 5 star conveniences. Chalk and cheese.

Still mates though.

Rocky, thanks for your interesting post. I pretty much find the same as you with regards to all your points except maybe one. After over twenty years of dragging various vans around, I have managed to upgrade the van to a larger shower van which is much larger and shinier than the last one. I hope if you come across it that it would not stop you from saying a big g'day. Having 'one of those' vans makes me no different than I was with the old small van and tug. Tonight I arrived back from 3 weeks travelling around the Southern Flinders Ranges and Yorke Peninsula in SA. Didn't even see a caravan park. 

Your van was the latest thing out and new and shiny once as mine is now. I am looking forward to my new van being old and faded in due course with all the memories it will contain.

Cheers, John

-- some of the friendly wildlife I come across camping this last week.