Trish Miller wrote:

We have also lost our Camps 6 book in the accident. Could anyone be so kind to send us some co ordinates for free camp sites between here at Bremmer Bay in WA and Penong in SA. 

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 Hi Trish, sorry to hear about your experience, glad that you both survived ok despite some injuries. 

Are you going via Esperance and Norseman to cross the Nullabor?

If so, there is a free camp at Munglinup between Ravensthorpe and Esperance, it has a roadhouse there, the camping area is free and there are free flush toilets.  But if you want a shower (other end of toilet block) for a very small fee (donation to the local fire brigade) the Roadhouse (sells hot food and some minimart supplies) will give you a key to the shower block, nice hot showers too.

I haven't got my camps book at the moment, it is at another house, but if you keep your eye out for other RV's parked by the highway it is probably a free camp, but some are not listed.   Talk to others at the first one you come to and ask them also.

If you need a cheap caravan park in Esperance, Bushlands Retreat is handy, you will see the turn off on the coastal highway, they are on the east side of the lake and the closest one to it.   They are on bore water, but have rain water tanks for drinking.  A bit more upmarket not far from there is Pink Lakes C/P.

Hope this helps a bit.

Edit: just as you get onto the highway from Bremer Bay and just on the highway on a bridge you come to on the way to Jerrimup there is a free camp on the west side of the bridge as you come to it......no facilities but nice area...... 

-- Edited by Duh on Wednesday 1st of May 2013 10:19:45 PM

Welcome to you both. So sorry to read about your accident, thats really scarey. No, it hasn't happened to me and hope it never does.
Wishing you all the best with you insurance and getting back on the road.

Wow - how scary that must have been!!! Never had it happen like that - but did slide on a gravel road with our camper trailer on years ago, ended up nose first at a tree, and straddling a ditch - 8ft down!! Had to be towed out sideways - and would you believe we carried on to our destination!

Hope it all works out for you, insurance wise, and you know the old saying about bike riding - if you fall of, get straight back on.

Welcome to the forum, by the way!

So sorry to hear of your misfortune, but happy to know that it is only the car and van that has the 'serious' damage,  Trish you say in your ''Bio'' that you are living your dream ?? all dreams have a Hic-up or two ??? so don't throw the dream away for a hic-up ?? Caravanning is chock full of Memories'' with 95% of them good, ok ????? So lets just put this one in the 10% basket, and Get back to Dreaming''

When you are sitting around a campfire one night enjoying a happy hour with fellow travellers, we all need something to talk about ?? and you can tell them all about it, as it will by then, only be a distant memory

Any Idea's on ''How or Why?? it happened ?? as we can all learn from others on what to do or not to do ?? [ but watch what you say on an open forum ????] if you know what i mean ??  Also I notice you travell with 2 dogs ?? please tell me they also ''fared well '' ?

But do get back to your dream, All the best,  Dazren

Just read your message 

I do feel for any one involved in a car accident .

The danger of travelling  is not far from my mind and I guess every traveller 

I do hope all is. not a perminate injury

Perhaps we could discuss like issues when we (the G N ) meet 

at the meet ups  . This could  bring the  dangers of driving

to people's minds , it may help in some way

Hello and thankyou Happy Wanderer.

I am glad you have never had this unfortunate thing happen to you. We are covered by insurance, thank goodness. Its something we will have to get over, its nice to get other travellers support.

Thankyou again.

Trish

Hello, I would like to say a huge thankyou for the responses. I am not sure if I have been very clear as I am still suffering from effects of the accident (concussion etc).

When the accident happened the van started to sway and then it went out of control and jack knifed. The car rolled and I don't remember a great deal of it all yet.

The dogs are ok, both were seat belted in. One was thrown from the car, the clip broke. He has survived remarkably well. Like us a bit sore and sorry.

The ambulance took an hour to arrive after the WA Police, they didn't have a satellite phone so had to drive back to get reception. They were very kind to us, which we appreciated.

After being treated by the ambulance back at their office which is all there is at Eucla WA, they dropped us off at the roadhouse motel. We asked the Police if we could be taken to a bigger town as there is no transport from there. This isn't there job, so we were left stranded for 3 days in the motel. My brother who was the closest distance wise, 1200kls away, travelled from Bremmer Bay to come and get us to take us back to his place to try and recover a bit.

The wreck was left on the side of road unattended and we got told by other caravaners driving through that people were out there stealing things. This upset us tremendously, after ringing the Police we were told that they were trying to sort out if we were the SA or WA Police problem. The accident happened approx an hour before the WA border on the SA side but the WA Police attended as they said they were closer. We still don't know what is there and what has been stolen. Both car and van were retrieved from the site by tow driver who said he has got some of our things.

We have hired a camper van today and will leave tom to go back and see what is there. It was just physically impossible for us to go back before now. We are keeping our fingers crossed that all our hard earned possesions are safe. This is not a Police concern apparently.

Please don't get me wrong, we are so grateful to be alive, its just now we have to start facing some reality.

We have also lost our Camps 6 book in the accident. Could anyone be so kind to send us some co ordinates for free camp sites between here at Bremmer Bay in WA and Penong in SA.

I apologise if my reply is a bit all over the place, its just been such a shock and we are trying to sort out insurance etc.

Regards Trish.

 

herbie wrote:

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After reading Trish's report regarding the accident, it sure as hell makes one take stock of what can happen in remote place.And fancy the police not having a sat phn ,I thought everyone in Oz would know there is no mob phn service in that area. How sad to think there is such low life travelling this grate country to take someone elses gear ,and they them self could be in the same situation down the track.I just am gob smacked by the way these poor people in need were trated ,getting dumped at a road house.Have we lost our compasion for our fellow country men and women.I understand they both are grateful in the help they recieved, but i think it could of been  extended a little more...I would hate to think my wife and i were dumped at some road house in the out back...Just checked my insurance policy to make sure all the dots are covered regarding if this ever happened in such a place..All i can say to both of you is to just take your time and remember all travellers are not like the ones who stole from you...After reading this it also makes me think that a lot of the theft that goes on regarding our van/tugs/ and camping and fishing gear maybe just from these very people,not the locals of the area we are camping at.

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 Ditto. Thats a dreadful situation, so sorry to hear about this, just thinking about it is scary!

Take it easy driving back out there... very best wishes to you both.

Thankyou so much, it is a great help to us.

Trish - this site will restore your faith in human nature - so many good people on it - just read the story of Doug and Sharon (Extra, Extra read all about it) - my partner and I actually met on this site - and have now travelled together for over a year - we have a great love for each other, and intend to be doing this till the end of our days, together. We have met a lot of the members from here - and have had some great get togethers with them. It is the kind of site where - you ask - you will be helped.

Take care.

Thankyou everyone for the kindness you have shown, its a real boost for us to know there are other like minded people out there. I cannot express enough the gratitude I feel for your support. Thankyou!!!!! Trish and Steve. xxx

New to the nomad site, I was sorry to hear of your accident. We had our first trip recently and experienced a problem with the swaying only to realise we needed more weight up front.

What a terrible thing for you to go through at this joyous time of life. I hope you pick yourself up and look forward to better and happy times in the future. 

You have a lot of support on this site.

And disgusted to hear of the thieves who take advantage in this type of sad situation. Shame on them!

Take care and best wishes 

Dreadful to read about that lowlife stealing from your wrecked vehicle, Trish and Steve, and about your other misfortunes. But I'm also glad you've had so much moral support from this forum. It's comforting to know there are people who genuinely care for your predicament and who are willing to assist in your recovery... and to encourage you back to life on the road. I agree with those who have suggested an analysis of what caused your accident in the first place so that you can avoid a repeat. It would also be helpful to share that information with other GNs for the benefit of everyone.

Meanwhile, all the best of luck and I sincerely hope you can put this terrible episode behind you and continue your dream.

Hi Trish and Steve,

I wanted to tell how sad I was to learn of this horrible accident, I am so glad both you and your dogs are not too badly hurt. I hope the repair of your car and caravan are done very quickly. I can understand the anxiety you are going through, just take your time and hopefully you will come to feel more secure in your travelling.

Good luck for the future, and please let us know how you go.