North Queensland for winter - those who've not booked ahead, would you do it again without booking ahead
tonyob said
07:35 AM Nov 29, 2019
We start our big lap next year and will be attending the Wintermoon festival north of Mackay in May. Instead of heading south as we've done before, we plan to continue up north for an NQ winter.
Our preference is to not plan ahead and literally flip a coin to decide which way to go if we are undecided...
We've heard camp sites are in high demand in NQ during winter. Here's our plan....
Only book the specific events we are determined to attend (like the Wintermoon and other music festivals). For the rest of the winter we travel without a plan or itinerary. We are happiest at show grounds and free camp sites.
Interested in comments from others who've done this (more so than the knockers, don't mind the negative comments within reason....) and if they would do it again. We have a 6 metre caravan (not including tow bar).
Possum3 said
08:02 AM Nov 29, 2019
If staying near coastal towns you will be better off booking ahead, whereas if inland and western districts there are plenty of free and low cost camps. We do it from May each year (22ft X 3.25 tonne X twin axle) and rarely have to change itinerary do to no vacancies.
Relax-n said
09:36 AM Nov 29, 2019
We were in Qld for June, July & August. Some free/low cost camps, some c/van pks. Only booked for one park stay, with friends. But we were more outback, did the tip, then worked back through the ranges. Did not do more popular tourist places.
And it would strongly advise to book accom/sites for any functions, or specific things requiring time frames.
When at the tip we met quite a few people that wanted to go to the islands, but ferry was full and some had to wait up to 4 days for the trip.
And yes, we will be doing it again, as did not do and see all we wanted to.
Do it and enjoy it, remember, so much of your travels is what you make it to be.
TheHeaths said
02:55 PM Nov 29, 2019
We did 3 1/2 months in Qld this year, from June to September, travelling along the coast from Hervey Bay to Cooktown, and then across to Karumba, Burketown, Mt Isa, Richmond, Winton and thence to Birdsville week after races. We stayed in all major cities on the coast apart from Gladstone, and got parks in all of them as we went. also stayed at major tourist places such as Undara and Cobbold Gorge with no issues.
We only booked 2 or 3 days prior to moving on, and only in Cooktown did we fail to get the park we had decided on.
It can be done, especially if you are happy to take pot luck with respect to the actual park you do end up getting. Van is 8 meter all up length.
Enjoy the trip.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Friday 29th of November 2019 02:58:29 PM
tonyob said
08:17 AM Nov 30, 2019
Thanks all for the responses. Have a super weekend.
-- Edited by tonyob on Saturday 30th of November 2019 08:17:51 AM
Peter_n_Margaret said
11:13 AM Nov 30, 2019
National Parks generally require prior booking (at least before or at arrival), apart from that, we never prior book as we would never know where we would be in advance.
Cheers,
Peter
We start our big lap next year and will be attending the Wintermoon festival north of Mackay in May. Instead of heading south as we've done before, we plan to continue up north for an NQ winter.
Our preference is to not plan ahead and literally flip a coin to decide which way to go if we are undecided...
We've heard camp sites are in high demand in NQ during winter. Here's our plan....
Only book the specific events we are determined to attend (like the Wintermoon and other music festivals). For the rest of the winter we travel without a plan or itinerary. We are happiest at show grounds and free camp sites.
Interested in comments from others who've done this (more so than the knockers, don't mind the negative comments within reason....) and if they would do it again. We have a 6 metre caravan (not including tow bar).
We were in Qld for June, July & August. Some free/low cost camps, some c/van pks. Only booked for one park stay, with friends. But we were more outback, did the tip, then worked back through the ranges. Did not do more popular tourist places.
And it would strongly advise to book accom/sites for any functions, or specific things requiring time frames.
When at the tip we met quite a few people that wanted to go to the islands, but ferry was full and some had to wait up to 4 days for the trip.
And yes, we will be doing it again, as did not do and see all we wanted to.
Do it and enjoy it, remember, so much of your travels is what you make it to be.
We did 3 1/2 months in Qld this year, from June to September, travelling along the coast from Hervey Bay to Cooktown, and then across to Karumba, Burketown, Mt Isa, Richmond, Winton and thence to Birdsville week after races. We stayed in all major cities on the coast apart from Gladstone, and got parks in all of them as we went. also stayed at major tourist places such as Undara and Cobbold Gorge with no issues.
We only booked 2 or 3 days prior to moving on, and only in Cooktown did we fail to get the park we had decided on.
It can be done, especially if you are happy to take pot luck with respect to the actual park you do end up getting. Van is 8 meter all up length.
Enjoy the trip.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Friday 29th of November 2019 02:58:29 PM
Thanks all for the responses. Have a super weekend.
-- Edited by tonyob on Saturday 30th of November 2019 08:17:51 AM
Cheers,
Peter