Hi everyone, we are heading off in early Oct for the first time for upto a year. We have never done this before so would like some advice on how much notice / planning ahead we need to get onto sites. We have toddler so our trip would be a mix of free camp and then sites with pools & playground etc.
We started our first trip in April and the only place we booked into was Broome and as happens we couldn't have booked into a worst one, but every where we went we found a site, without any trouble. It depends on where you are fixing to go as well, if it is a major tourist spot you may need to book. You will need to book for Xmas and New Year and the shool holidays.
I have lunch think about where we might head to then look on Wikicamps ring on the mobile if we have chose to stop at a caravan park sort out a booking then head to the park, Have not very not been able to get in somewhere , If you have any problems there is always a free within 2 or 3 hours from anywhere , But don't wait till 4 pm to think about where to stop for the night enjoy the road and where it takes you .
hello grumbles and welcome. we used to book ahead but no longer do this. we arrive and have a look around first. can our van easily get in and be manouvered. what are the facilities like, is the place clean etc. etc. plenty of showgrounds with power and water all around the country too. happy travels. rocket n strop
if we intend to use a CP and its school holidays, we book ahead - but we phone first and check out what they will give you (always add a few feet to your van to stop them cramming you onto a tiny site) and tell them you cant back very well, so needs easy access and you want to put up your annexe and park your tow vehicle on the site. That way, you know what youre getting (hopefully). If you do it by email - you don't get the chance to tell them what you want.
If its not holidays, then we just rock up and drive past the CPs and decide which one we want - depending on price. If prices are pretty much the same, we park outside and ask if we can see the available drivethrough sites and their facilities - never hit one yet that said "no".
Otherwise follow brickies advice. Never leave it to look where you are going to stop until late arvo or night if you can avoid it. We usually aim to be at our overnight (or weeks stop) early to mid arvo
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Another method is to avoid the big towns altogether and book into a smaller town close by. For instance, I wanted to spend some time in Bendigo so I stayed at Heathcote in a Council park. I think I stayed four nights and paid for 3.
I used Heathcote as my base and explored from there.
Sorry Brickies, I never went to Ballarat that trip so can't help.
I stayed at Rochester and visited Echuca and surrounding districts. Nice park but very noisy with corellas every night. Caught the train from there to Melbourne for a few days stay. Good place to leave the van and ute as it is only a short walk to the train station.
I visited Green's Lake while I was there and I didn't think much of it. I guess the fact that it is a free camp makes it attractive to some but I couldn't find much to enthuse about. I spoke to a couple of people there, one lot were very nice but the other was a complete d***head. Not for me, I'm afraid.
I enjoyed Echuca and Rochester is a complete gem. Lovely town and friendly people.
Yes we only book ahead if we know it's school hols, we forget them sometimes. As others have said check Wikicamp comments re caravan park. Some you book into you cant even open the awning, or you are encroaching on next doors space, or are bloody noisy.
Only other time we book is if we are doing a quick trip over 4 or 5 nights then we book as we dont want the hassle of looking for a stop over.
We rarely book anywhere but I do a bit of planning for school vacations and long weekends. Search online to find the dates for these in the state you will be in. If you intend to be near the coast or in a major tourist spot you will need to book for those times, but often we find that by heading inland to smaller towns during the school holidays they are very quiet and no need to book, and you avoid the crowds.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone and the new jargon, 'drive through sites'.....We are now also driving a 42ft van
With a 42ft van you'd be flat out getting through the boom gates and then manouvering between the sites let alone trying to find a site long enough. Did you mean 24ft?
