Barrie, what a terrible thing to say!! Next thing you'll be getting castigated by one who delights in pointing out permitted times or a newby ( to this forum anyway) that has some pretty fixed & prejudicial ideas about camping. Weird, and they have the temerity to call Billeeee a nutter. While he does have a somewhat different sense of humour & loves to stir the pot, in all the time I've known him, I've found him a lot saner than some on this forum.
Darrell & Sandra
-- Edited by oldboar on Wednesday 6th of August 2014 10:06:38 AM
__________________
Love the bush & our native environment. Conservationist, not a bloody Greenie.
Next thing you'll be getting castigated by one who delights in pointing out permitted times or a newby ( to this forum anyway) that has some pretty fixed & prejudicial ideas about camping.
Yep, doing the right thing by obeying time limits in free camps is very prejudical isn't it.
-- Edited by ParamountCruiser on Wednesday 6th of August 2014 04:06:42 PM
Darrell, your using big words again, Castigated, Prejudicial, Temerity, I'm sure you got those words from Sandra,, heheheh,,,,,,, like Julie say's ,,, behind every smart Man , is a smarter woman, !!Do!!, I hear a Amen, Ladies,,,, great lunch we had today in Dampier at the Mermaid Pub, catch you guys some where down the track,,,,,,, We are heading down to Tom price tomorrow, to see what's its like,,,, We are in the Balmoral C/park in Karratha today,,( Can you believe this, Permanent people living in the park full time ) living next to !!Us!!, can you believe that,,????,, !!Darrell!!, can you believe that there are some people, who think that is wrong,,,, from the Grey Nomads,,,,,, must be weekend warriors Hmmmmm,,,,,,,, stay excited all you Nutty Nomads,,, Billeeeeeee
As a pensioner and living permanently on the road I always use free camps and I have worked out my own way of utilizing them. Firstly I find out what the official rules are and secondly find out what actually happens in that camp. I take note of who is camped there when I arrive and see if they are still there after the official time runs out then decide whether to move on.
If we take Babinda for example I arrived on a Thursday and the official time limit was 72 hours and there were several campers still there on Monday. I was not worried about moving and a camper came round taking number plates. I asked him what goes on and he told me that every Monday he takes numbers and tells council but he only watches the top area not the rest of the camp.
Overall there was plenty of spaces available so I stayed on until Saturday, it was clear to me that there was no council concern about parking over their official time limit and the local shopkeepers were not complaining as they were benefiting from the campers.
Another example are the free camps above Townsville where the ranger calls every Monday and Thursday so if I arrive prior to Thursday I will stay until Monday morning, move on to the next camp and depending whether I get my number taken I move on accordingly. I am not behaving irresponsibly just using the free camps to my advantage.
If funds were unlimited I would use caravan parks occasionally but not much, as there seems to be a different mindset amongst the campers and often there are residents who view us as passersby and are not interested in mixing. I have not stopped in a caravan park for over a year.
Gordonvale is another example of campers utilizing the area nominated as a day stopover for overnight camping, the sign clearly says NO Camping and every night it fills up and I stopped over 2 nights.
That is my view on using free camps and I don't regard myself as a potential threat to their survival neither do I automatically follow the official line. John
Another example are the free camps above Townsville where the ranger calls every Monday and Thursday so if I arrive prior to Thursday I will stay until Monday morning, move on to the next camp and depending whether I get my number taken I move on accordingly. I am not behaving irresponsibly just using the free camps to my advantage.
I'm sorry but in these camps (Bluewater, Balgal & Saunders Beach) where there are limited sites available you are more often than not preventing someone from getting site whilst you are enjoying your extra few days over and above the signed limits.
As some of you may have noticed, I try to stay out of these squabbles but there comes a time when one has to speak up. We class ourselves as still fairly new to this lifestyle, but let me say , that life style is what it is, this is what we do, how we live. We are not on holiday.
We have stayed in many small towns and communities that post a limit on the time you can stay, in the facilities they provide. If you take the time to get to know the locals and local authorities (ie council members info centre managers, local business) you will find that in most situations the prescribed limits are there to enable the authorities to enforce " the rules" and to move someone on if they have outstayed their welcome or are causing problems.
We have been told many times " as long as you keep the area clean, and support the community you can stay as long as you like."
I agree that there is the other side of the issue where places are limited, but if you care to read the posts, we, as Yeoeleven posted always consider the fairness and availability issue . As Yeoeleven said, " overall there was plenty of spaces available, so I stayed until Saturday ", had the place been crowded, and people waiting or missing out I am sure Yeoeleven, would have taken his turn and moved on as we would.
We are currently staying at the Garadunga hotel, this hotel would find it hard to survive if it were not for travellers like us. The owner offers free camping for as long as you would like to stay, all he asks is that occasionally you come into the pub maybe have a soft drink or beer and if you want to, a good value meal. If you want power its available for $10 a night.
Perhaps now I an being a little intolerant, but if you don't understand the meaning and intent of local support, or fairness and consideration of other travellers then may I suggest that you, ............ Stay home!!
__________________
You can't get lost, if you don't care where you are going.
Poppy Sore Eyes - well written - we also have been told, the rules are there so that if someone is causing problems, or settling in for a full time stay (as we have seen at some places) - they can legally be moved on.
Personally, I have never seen or heard of anyone being "evicted" from a free camp (apart from My Van from Rocky Creek - there is a sign "no generators" he used his generator to charge his motorised wheelchair - perhaps too long, who knows) most travellers are tolerant and easy going, as are most of the locals near these camps - shopkeepers usually like travellers, and campers, they spend money in the area, helps keep the economy of the town going.
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Poppysoreeyes, really well put, far better than my original version. Perhaps the know alls, that to be honest know SFA about life on the road as a true nomad (one that wanders WITH his home) might now grow something approaching a brain.
PC, it may seem odd to you but I respect your right to post advertised permitted times just as I respect on site authorities right to vary them on a case by case basis. My comment re prejudicial was not aimed at you but rather a clown that came out of nowhere & hopefully has now returned there.
Darrell & Sandra
__________________
Love the bush & our native environment. Conservationist, not a bloody Greenie.
