St Helens

The Roamer · Member

St Helens

Mike - Merle · Newbie

I saw this site recently and considered staying, however as with a lot of sites in Tassie the signs say your van must be "fully contained" I take this to mean that your van must be fitted with a waste holding tank. A bucket is not considered to be a holding tank. Ok for motor homes but these tanks are not fitted on caravans. Your thoughts please.

Phillipn · Guru

We had a 100 litre waste water tank fitted when the van was built.

Mike - Merle · Newbie

Hi Philipn. So do your tank collect all your grey water (kitchen, and shower etc) and where is the tank positioned under your van? Maybe this should be brought to the attention of caravan manufacturers and be an option. Cheers Mike.

-- Edited by Mike - Merle on Sunday 4th of January 2015 08:20:49 PM

spida · Guru

So many places in Tas say self contained only but seems to be ignored by caravan owners - including myself. No-one seems to come and check. If on grass I dont see a problem although if there is a dump point I will use a bucket and empty it in to the dump. I think they are more concerned that you have a toilet on board. Just dont use the town water at this site to wash your vehicle - there seems to be a council man who sees and comes to tell you off so I am told.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Hi spida - have you been up to Cosy Corner North - Bay of Fires - great camp spot!

Phillipn · Guru

Mike - Merle wrote:
Hi Philipn. So do your tank collect all your grey water (kitchen, and shower etc) and where is the tank positioned under your van? Maybe this should be brought to the attention of caravan manufacturers and be an option. Cheers Mike.

-- Edited by Mike - Merle on Sunday 4th of January 2015 08:20:49 PM

Sorry for the delay replying.

Our van is a Winjana, built in Toowoomba.

Yes, all water from the van is collected in the waste water tank. The tank is positioned just behind the rear wheels. 102 litre capacity.

ELWYN54 · Veteran Member

Hi Jules, not only Cosy Corner Nth and Sth, but at SWIMCART just before there. Beautiful beaches, toilets and plenty of space for vans , motorhomes and campers. Heading back there mid December for a few weeks. In answer to the grey water matter, I use a 25L container to catch that then empty it in the bush, it is only wash up and shower water, good for the vegetation

ants_oz · Veteran Member

Mike - Merle wrote:
Hi Philipn. So do your tank collect all your grey water (kitchen, and shower etc) and where is the tank positioned under your van? Maybe this should be brought to the attention of caravan manufacturers and be an option. Cheers Mike.

-- Edited by Mike - Merle on Sunday 4th of January 2015 08:20:49 PM

Grey water tank - collects all grey water (shower, ensuite basin, kitchen sink) - factory option installed on our Jayco.

ants_oz · Veteran Member

If you like Cosy Corner, then you'll go nuts over Policemans Point (at the entrance to Ansons Bay) at the top end of the Bay of Fires. No facilities - you must be entirely self sufficient. The first pic is the view from under the awning. The others are just general scenery pics from the location.

The rangers have recently undertaken a bunch of work - maintenance on the road, closing off camping in the back of the dunes (which was damaging dune-based vegetation) to generally improve the ongoing viability of the place.

-- Edited by ants_oz on Tuesday 10th of January 2017 10:57:14 AM

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We loved Tassy when we were there 2012/13 - the camps right on beaches are spectacular! As were some of the inland ones - Lake MacKenzie at Tulla, was our stop after Cradle Mountain (snow on 6 Dec) and we ended up staying there a few days - great spot.

ELWYN54 · Veteran Member

Hi people, I have two 20L plastic tubs fitted in a rack under my ute, never had a problem, even when asked

PeterD · Guru

Mike - Merle wrote:
I take this to mean that your van must be fitted with a waste holding tank. A bucket is not considered to be a holding tank. Ok for motor homes but these tanks are not fitted on caravans. Your thoughts please.

There are very few vans that can not be retrofitted with grey water tanks. Do a search using the search function near the top of each page. This subject is dragged up at least once a month in the Techies' Corner. There is very little weight added to a van when this is done, it's just the weight of the empty tank and the plumbing. The weight of the water in the tank does not add you your load as you are just shifting water from one tank to another, just don't refill your fresh water tank before emptying the grey one.

PeterD · Guru

Mike - Merle wrote:
Maybe this should be brought to the attention of caravan manufacturers and be an option.

It has been referred to them. The bastards don't listen. For many years Jayco used to say something like "we don't fit them because no one wants them." Its only recently that Jayco started begrudgingly fitting them. Despite manufacturers are now fitting them rather than lose a sale they don't generally offer them as options.

PeterD · Guru

The Roamer wrote:
On outskirt of town .Dump point ,Water and good flat camp area. No toilet but available in town.

Who would want to camp there? I have seen them squeezed in tighter than in caravan parks. It may be OK to suffer a night or three there if you need to walk into town for business. With all the delightful camp grounds north and south of town on the coast, who would willingly camp there.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

My thoughts as well PeterD - when we were in Tassy 2012/13, that spot at St Helens was a no camping area. Not a huge area, and if someone parks in front of the dump point or fresh water tap - there will be uproar from some. Especially if someone connects the water directly to their van. We actually saw someone fill their fresh water tank with the dump point tap - fresh water tap was about 3m away!!!!