Free Camping

jimbo · Guru

Free Camping

jimricho · Guru

I'm no apologist for caravan park owners but I think it's a bit rich allowing free camping right next door to to a caravan park in a town unless that campsite is only an overflow area in a peak tourist season. As for using the amenities the owner only needs to fit locks as is done in many parks these days.

Ma · Guru

I am not referring to any particular caravan park but am generalising.

If these parks kept their fees at a reasonable level then IMHO more of us would frequent their establishments.

Granted they have overheads to be met but the exhorbitant fees that some of them charge is beyond the purse of a lot of us.

They should start doing a bit more homework and actually find out what it is we are all seeking and if any of these issues can be met then maybe they would find more vans "plugged" in at their establishments.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

We've found that, Caravan parks are usually much better value than National Parks who charge $10-$12 per person per night. I'm wondering if the plan is for National Parks to get rid of campers? confuse

With Caravan Parks theres often a choice of 3 or 4 in a town, and it surprises me that the most expensive ones are often booked out first! Horses for courses I guess.

Edited to fix ambiguity/spelling errors.

-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Tuesday 8th of March 2011 11:26:38 AM

jimbo · Guru

The Council Parks I find are the most expensive.....But then! What would one expect from them....I do believe for one minute that a grey Nomad would sneak into a park to use their toilets I have never been in a park that did'nt have a key to get in...What is this bloke in Tassie trying to say.sneaking in to use the amenities...Barly Charlie..I intent too email this bloke under my real name of course and give him a pay

Smokeydk · Guru

End of last year I stayed at Meningie CP..SA....the owner hired drums for camp fires even supplied the wood at a reasonable cost

Thats Lake Albert CP.......Top Tourist Park

http://www.murrayriver.com.au/lake-albert-caravan-park-1243/

Milo's relations run it

-- Edited by Smokeydk on Tuesday 8th of March 2011 10:11:44 AM

jimbo · Guru

Of course ...Their are good and very ordinary Parks.....What they did was terrific...Try and light one at a Big Four park

valnrob · Guru

Cobb & Co Caravan Park at Charleville supplies drums and firewood, no extra cost in their park. We had a great time while we stayed there last May. The owner was fantastic and amenities nice. $20 per night powered site if I remember rightly.

Cheers

-- Edited by valnrob on Tuesday 8th of March 2011 11:32:46 AM

Firefly · Guru

I think it comes down to giving people what they want. I don't think free camps should be next to a park, thats poor form really.

Most older nomads don't hunger for the resort style of facility the bigger organisations are aiming for so we avoid those parks. We avoid the school holiday times across the board mostly.

We want to enjoy nature now, get back to basics, albeit comfortable ones.

I want to light a campfire, lay and look at the stars, interact with like minded people and within a budget I can afford.

A cheap holiday was always a van park, now its getting beyond a lot of peoples budgets.

Its a hard call either way, we free camp most of the time because we love it. We contribute to each community we stop at buying goods and services, we just prefer not to use parks, its more fun in the bush. smile

valnrob · Guru

Have to agree Firefly, nothing like a campfire, the smell of woodsmoke and laying back looking at the stars. Love it!!

cheers

Pejay · Guru

Don't get me wrong, we look for 'value' when we go to caravan parks, and as we get more 'into' travelling now that Pete has retired and we travel more we will look to do some free camping, but we see some inconsiderate people in motorhomes that park at the boat ramp parking area across the road from the caravan park near our home on Bribie Island - now that I don't think is fair!

Pete & June

-- Edited by Pejay on Tuesday 8th of March 2011 12:58:10 PM

DillyDallyingAround · Veteran Member

I have had my campervan for only a short time. Yes I free camp, why, because I don't have the funds to spend on caravan parks who charge me for two people when there is only me, one person. I also have a dog and most caravan parks do not allow dogs. If they do allowed dogs they ask for a bond, "bond I asked, what is that" and was told if my dog annoyed anyone, I would forfeit the $50 yes, $50, that was the second and last park I have stayed in.

I have used caravan parks for just a shower only, this costs me, $4 to $5 depending on the park, with a deposit of $10 for the key, paid back when I handed it in, as many keys are forgotten or accidently taken at the end of the shower, I have no problem with that.

Yes Jimbo, not many, if any parks have ammenties without locks on their doors. This I understand.

I feel the worse offenders would be back packers, or younger people in the "wicked" campervan. Most of these are from overseas and really don't care if they spoil it for us "oldies" who have worked hard all their lives and now just want a little enjoyment in our retirement, without breaking the bank.

No offence aimed at anyone, young or old.

jimbo · Guru

Does anybody think That the Caravan Park owners and Councils read what we are saying...Love feed/back on that one

Ps Grey nomads site

Happywanderer · The Master

I have seen campervanners park in the sports ground next to the Rochester, Vic, c/p. About 10 years ago. C/p on one side of the fence, they were just through the fence next to the sports ground toilets, had their washing machine out on the grass attached to the tap doing their washing. And a clothes line strung up between the van and the building. Never thought anything wrong with it at the time.

DillyDallyingAround · Veteran Member

Happywanderer wrote:

I have seen campervanners park in the sports ground next to the Rochester, Vic, c/p. About 10 years ago. C/p on one side of the fence, they were just through the fence next to the sports ground toilets, had their washing machine out on the grass attached to the tap doing their washing. And a clothes line strung up between the van and the building. Never thought anything wrong with it at the time.

Thats just it Marj, 10 years ago, no one cared, now it all about the big bucks. Everyone wants his cut. It drives me mad. Live and let live I say. As long as the camp site is left clean what is the harm.

ChiChi1 · Guru

Any business not supplying what a potential customer wants will inevitably go out of business. Isn't that the law of supply and demand? Why should we be forced to prop up caravan parks when they don't supply what we want. Of course if we dont use caravan parks, we live under the threat that local councils will prohibit parking anywhere. There seem to be so many "don't signs" these days makes one wonder what we can "do"

Onedodger · Guru

When we find a Small town that has what we want (as above) I allways let the locals know that their Town / Caravan park / free camp area is much appreciated and that I will sing their praises.
EG. Pilliga bore Baths. A great spot where a campfire can be had (supply your own wood) and is about 2k east of Pilliga. Fees are a donation at the little store in town.
Meals can be had by prior arrangement at the Pilliga Pub.
Bore Location
30 21 17.87S 148 54 24.61E

Now each time I go there I make sure that my small contribution and thanks are given at the store. Plus a quiet ale at the local, again saying thanks.

If we all did this then the Locals would appreciate our input in more ways than one.

A couple of other places come to mind , Surat, Mitchell, and Injune in Qld.

jimbo · Guru

I remember at Yaamba Qld last year 40 klm Nth of Rochester $10 for a powered site if you have a beer at the pub..I ended up spending well over $50 that night and more on the way back.....

Helena · Guru

I agree with what most of us are saying we really don't need all the bells and whistles in the parks so why should we pay for them also sometimes you are running late because of delays get to a caravan park at 2p.m have to leave before 10a.m. but still get charged for a full day makes you wonder. Helena.

milo · Guru

i too hate have to pay as a couple when i travel on my own..not fair..and some parks charge as much as a hotel,,

chris & terry · Senior Member

from my limited experience caravan parks seem to cater for holiday makers, & mostly families at that, not travelers, & particularly not those with a dog. consequently I have seen an up-serge in town show grounds that are catering to what are my needs, if & when I feel the need for company, power, washing (both clothes & me), with mostly good, clean basic amenities that are not over the top, & don't treat me like a leper because I have the temerity to travel with a dog. they are also generally priced far cheaper than caravan parks. now that seems to suggest that someone has seen a market & is filling it. those I have seen seem to be well patronised. good on them & good on free enterprise.

terry

Sheba · Guru

jimbo wrote:

I remember at Yaamba Qld last year 40 klm Nth of Rochester $10 for a powered site if you have a beer at the pub..I ended up spending well over $50 that night and more on the way back.....

Think that should read Rockhampton Jimbo.

Cheers,
Sheba.

jimbo · Guru

Thanks Sheba...I stand to be corrected.....

jimricho · Guru

The pub at Marlborough north of Yaamba does a similar arrangement

beachball57 · Senior Member

well i've just finished work on our home made camper trailer, based on an 8x5 box trailer with sides and a roof with a roof top tent, one hlaf has storage for our camping stuff the other half is a mobile kitchen, with a caravan gas/electric fridge, 2 burner cooker and caravan steel sink with plumbed water from a caravan water tank on the floor of the trailer, with 2 gas bottles a large esky on the draw bar of the trailer and the a small generator when we want to use it, the trailer has 12/240 volt lighting in the kitche area as well, it's set up to do more "free camping" than anything else but when i say "free camping" i mean more bush camping, i think if you're gunna free camp next to a 'van park you may as well stay in there and be done with it,, i have also installed a shower room as well so for us there is very little need for a van park all that often, i guess for me it bols down to if you want to free camp then do so if you want to stay at a park well do that, isn't it our choise what we do and where we stay?? just a though anyway...
ps
first shake down trip away with the USS enterprise( to boldly go where no camper has gone before) will be this weekend 12,13,14 march lets just see how good my handy work is..

Firefly · Guru

Your camper sounds spot on BB, the shower really makes it ideal.

Free/bush camping is so much easier if there is a place to have a quick tub isn't it. smile

Andrea · Senior Member

DillyDallyingAround wrote:

I feel the worse offenders would be back packers, or younger people in the "wicked" campervan. Most of these are from overseas and really don't care if they spoil it for us "oldies" who have worked hard all their lives and now just want a little enjoyment in our retirement, without breaking the bank.

No offence aimed at anyone, young or old.

Seems to me that many of us are all too ready to blame the backpackers or 'Wicked' campers. Apart from occasional incidents (none at all observed by us in our 2 1/2 years on the road), are they really any more reprehensible than an equal proportion of the above-mentioned 'oldies', some of whom we have observed in irresponsible behaviour??

Just a thought...

Andrea

Galahs · Member

Just want to add my two bobs worth.
If when visiting a van park, we all asked the manager/owner if they have camping areas with no power or water and you don't need a key to amenities, and what they charge for one of these sites, I'm sure they would soon learn that grey nomads don't want all the fancy stuff, and that we are fully self suffcient, we only want to pay a minimal fee for the site and the security. Suggest a fee of $10/night. It has worked for me in a couple of places.
The last thing I want in a van park is BBQ, swimming pools, TV rooms. All I want is the security and safety of being able to unhook and go sight seeing and know that when I come back my van will still be where I left it.
People power is a wonderful thing. Just look at the news to see what can be achieved if we all put the above to van park operators.

Ma · Guru

Great idea in theory Galahs and certainly worth putting into practice. I mean, what's the worst that can happen.

DillyDallyingAround · Veteran Member

Andrea wrote:

DillyDallyingAround wrote:

I feel the worse offenders would be back packers, or younger people in the "wicked" campervan. Most of these are from overseas and really don't care if they spoil it for us "oldies" who have worked hard all their lives and now just want a little enjoyment in our retirement, without breaking the bank.

No offence aimed at anyone, young or old.

Seems to me that many of us are all too ready to blame the backpackers or 'Wicked' campers. Apart from occasional incidents (none at all observed by us in our 2 1/2 years on the road), are they really any more reprehensible than an equal proportion of the above-mentioned 'oldies', some of whom we have observed in irresponsible behaviour??

Just a thought...

Andrea

My apologies Andrea and other readers.