After oohing and aahing we finally hit the road to free camp along the Murray.  Little did we know that we would hit a high (phew!) in the weather but also the start of the fishing season!  We headed for Cobram last Sunday from Mornington, Vic and eventually found River Road at the Cobram/Barooga Bridge.  We were looking for Scotts Beach, which is in the Camps 6 book that showed some facilities.  Well you can forget that, very confusing!  After travelling down some really dusty tracks (they had recently been regraded) we arrived at what was Quicks No 2 beach.  At this point we approached a young couple who gave us their Murray River Access Map (available at the info centre in town for $8), which we found invaluable.  There wasn't any space for Fliv (our MH) and Suzi (flat-tower) but armed with our map we travelled back and found Horseshoe Beach, but again, no facilities although they were shown on the map.  Not a lot of beach but a swim in the river was very refreshing.  We stayed for 2 nights but decided to find a quieter spot as having a boat ramp it was quite busy.  We went out in Suzi for a rekkie on the Tues morning and found Seppelts Beach which turned out to be ideallic.  The hum from the pumps across the river (the winery) didn't bother us and it was a little piece of heaven with not a soul to bother us.  However, on Thursday the temperature gradually rose and became quite unbearable, which found us spending more time in the river than out of it.   It was no joke at midnight when it was still 40 degrees in the van.  We eventually set up the generator and managed to get a couple of hours sleep before a wind storm came up the river and found us at 3.40am madly packing and moving the vehicles from under the trees.  We had already decided to stay the weekend in the Willows CP (highly recommended) as we guessed it would get quite busy and on the Monday, return to Seppelts beach.  As we were packing up on the Friday morning a couple came in towing a caravan and said "Are you leaving, as you are in our spot and we have camped here for the last 30 years?"  We said "Yes we are, and when are you leaving?"  The reply was "Next March!!" Before we had finished packing, they left and fetched another caravan, and on our way out another one drove in, of the same party to install their van for the summer season.  Whilst in the CP we tried several other beaches only to find 'residents' vans hogging all the good spots.  Now we know we hit the fishing season, which started Saturday, but it was obvious that many of these vans are parked permanently.  So unfortunately our anticipated 2 week trip is now only 1 week as we cannot find a free camping spot on any of the beaches.  Next time we come, as we surely will, we will make certain it is in the closed fishing season, but we know there will still be the 'permanent residents' to contend with. Should this be allowed?  Oh, and by the way the 'facilites' mentioned in the books, according to a local, haven't been there for 35 years!