places to camp ?

dzcook · Veteran Member

places to camp ?

brickies · Guru

GGood question I use Wikicamps and camps 8 book and hope they have check it out , I would not go into private property unless invited

Chippy · Veteran Member

Hi David, Hope you can take to the road next year. When you do, grab hold of a copy of the latest Free Camps Book. It has thousands of free camp sites in every state. They may not all be free. Some are a donation, and others could be from $10 - $20 a night, depending on what facilities are provided. I certainly wouldn't camp on private property without the owners permission, but have never had the need to ask. If you do pull into a free camp site if you don't like it or feel uncomfortable then just move on. Some people will stop at a camp site at say 3pm and if no one stops within say 1/2hr or 1 hr they move on. Chances are if someone else sees you they will stop. It doesn't worry me if we are on our own, but I probably wasn't that game when we started caravanning. Many small towns have areas set up in town or handy where you can camp as the local businesses welcome the trade. Last year we went from Toowoomba to South Aust. for 3 1/2 months and never stayed at a caravan park. It certainly opens up what you can see when you are travelling, and we have never felt uncomfortable. It's not every ones cup of tea but what ever you are comfortable with. Try it and see, but it doesn't matter which way you travel as long as you enjoy yourself.

jetj · Guru

Unfortunately some people do go on private property, cut down trees, take firewood from those properties, steal water, dump their toilets, some even steal cabbages growing in a field. Through a friend who knows lots of farmers experiencing this stuff that gives nomads a very bad name.

sandsmere · Guru

Don't camp on private property and don't camp where there are " No Camping" signs.

We sometimes stay at areas that are not designated as camping areas, but are on crown land. eg. stock routes, gravel pits. unused railway sidings.

Always clean up the area before you leave.

Two weeks ago we were at an old railway yard and a police car pulled up. I thought we were going to be moved on, but the young copper just asked if we

were OK. He stayed for over half an hour and we had a good old chat.

Desert Dweller · Guru

There's a lot of Crown Land & State Forest out there, that's where you'll find us camped away from popular ''free camps''. We use the Free Camps Book occasionally, it's always handy to have around. Looking at SOME of the posts about places that we've camped at on Wikicamps there's a fair bit of misinformation posted by people. Just an observation.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

If you do the right thing your fine . Just as per usual there's minority stuff it up for others .. Been member of car clubs for years . Same thing .. There are truck stops or resting areas available to stop overnight . Not strictly camping .

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Friday 30th of October 2015 02:24:48 AM

Jamjar · Senior Member

May I ask about 'crown land'.

How do you know whether it is and are you allowed to stay on it, unrestricted?

It amazes me that folk would enter someone's property and camp, without permission.

J.

03_Troopy · Guru

In a lot of places out west, there are no fences, so it's pretty hard to tell if you're on private property or not. In those sort of places it's usually only mulga scrub or similar and you can go for miles along tracks in the bush, in places. We camp in some of these places, or along tracks down near rivers where it is unfenced. If you take all your cr@p out with you and don't damage anything, there's no problem. Even using a bit of firewood from fallen trees isn't a problem, provided you don't damage living trees or stack up a trailer full.

Desert Dweller · Guru

Jamjar wrote:
May I ask about 'crown land'.

How do you know whether it is and are you allowed to stay on it, unrestricted?

It amazes me that folk would enter someone's property and camp, without permission.

J.

Crown Land is basically everything EXCEPT Private Property. A lot of large Outback Stations are Crown Land leased to someone. If land is leased then it becomes almost like Private Property over the time of the lease.

National Parks, Flora & Fauna Reserves, Game Reserves, State Forests, Coastal Reserves, Road Easements & Traveling Stock Reserves are all Crown Land. Technically owned by all of us. If you want to camp on Private property ask the owner first.

Cloak · Guru

We used to do the same as DD... Drag the van up deep into the forest and prop near a creek. Had a ranger drop in for a coffee once up near tomahawk creek one year but never been bothered by anyone. Get to see hikers and trailbike riders but the international currency of coffee keeps things nice and friendly.

Free camp spots are ok if you are in transit to somewhere else but nothing like camping where noone goes and I'll tell you the wild animals are much more curious and friendly out in the wild.

These days we're too buggered up to set up camper trailers or tents so we use CP's most of the time ot lately we just drive the car and stay at motels they're about the same as a CP cabin.

Be good and enjoy life..

Jamjar · Senior Member

Ok, so it being crown land doesn't mean you have automatic free right to camp on it, as some of the areas mentioned have associated fees, yes?

J.

dishlicker · Senior Member

Gday DZCOOK

You must get a copy of the bible (camps 8) or other well published travel books they are available every where. The wife and i free camp as often as we can and have not had any trouble as yet (touch wood) i beleive that you make of situations the best you can so relax do some research and enjoy your travels cheers.

Radar · Guru

DZCook hi,

Now that you have the caravan braking situation sorted you now on track to go caravaning. Firstly ask yourself where you like to go and see.

Lest say it too a popular beach area, my guess a CP is the only option with a caravan for the time it will take to enjoy that area.

Now if it is say 400 ks away, time is yours, don't rush leave home after morning peak hour, stop occasionally, do couple hundred ks come about 4 r 5 ish pull into a vacant space somewhere along the road to where you are going, look around the area, don't unhitch or make it to hard to walk back into your car to take off if you do not feel comfortable. With practice it becomes easier to pick a safe spot to park for the night. Somtimes you may find other travellers doing the some, park about 50 metres away, give them a wave to say hello, its to let them know your friendly.

Next morning proceed to your choice of destination, you have a free camp under your belt, the more you do the easier it gets.

Wiki camps webb site is good for low cost camping, purchase a campbook, no real need to have the latest but it all helps in findng low cost camping.

If I remember correctly you are up Nth. Qld, there is some great camps at dams and rivers to practise for using your van in that area.

Enjoy, glad to read your still at it after your wobbly start. Radar.

-- Edited by Radar on Thursday 29th of October 2015 09:29:27 PM

Desert Dweller · Guru

Jamjar wrote:
Ok, so it being crown land doesn't mean you have automatic free right to camp on it, as some of the areas mentioned have associated fees, yes?

J.

Some (most) National Parks have camping fees these days , the rest that I mentioned are pretty much free.

spida · Guru

National Stock Routes are supposed to be available for anyone to camp on - so I am told. Can get a map - or look online.

sandsmere · Guru

spida wrote:
National Stock Routes are supposed to be available for anyone to camp on - so I am told. Can get a map - or look online.

Yes. We have used stock routes several times.

you can usually get well off the road and often out of sight.

Desert Dweller · Guru

sandsmere wrote:
spida wrote:
National Stock Routes are supposed to be available for anyone to camp on - so I am told. Can get a map - or look online.
Yes. We have used stock routes several times.
you can usually get well off the road and often out of sight.

We use them often & we don't mind a herd of sheep or cattle being driven on to the TSR to keep us company. It's fun being completely surrounded by stock for a while except that you have to tip toe through the poo poo.

The Drovers really enjoy a yarn too. It sure beats being ''cooped up'' in a Caravan Park surrounded by lots of other caravans.

Just visited the NSW Lands Department website. There are over 6500 TSR's in NSW alone. No shortage of campsites there. LOL.

We particularly love the ones along the Murrumbidgee & Lachlan Rivers, so much ''room to move''.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 30th of October 2015 02:25:01 PM

JeffRae · Guru

Desert Dweller, do you have a direct link to the TSR's (Travelling Stock Routes) I have just spent forever NSW Government site and can't find a map or any reference to where thay are located

hako · Guru

Below is a link to the Queensland Stock Route map.
https://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/99624/stock-routes-map.pdf

KFT · Guru

This is a map of NSW TSR's

www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview/

hope that helps

frank

HiAce98 · Veteran Member

dzcook wrote:
very little of australia is not owned by someone farmers , miners , national parks , councils that own the verges of the highways , etc so do you just break the law and trespass when camping out or are there different rules for camping on property? ( that you dont own )
My home base is on a property and I wouldn't appreciate uninvited campers, so wouldn't enter someone else's property without asking

in free camping how do you tell where to go ? if its a rest area with a sign that says 24 hr stopping ok , get that , otherwise , do people just pull up off the road and set up shop ?
If there is space to get well off the road why not? Though personally I don't like to be the only camper in view of a bitumen road, I've often camped at the side of a minor dirt road with no problem.

how do you pick where to pull up ? how far off the road should you go ,when driving around up here in nth qld have seen vans inside fences on property's ( usually just past the cattle grids ) do the station owners let you/ mind ?
There's plenty of appropriate places even in coastal areas of FNQ. Private property is NOT appropriate.

are some of these areas really just rest areas that people use as camping site ?
If it's a rest area with no time limit posted, then I'd assume you can "rest" there as long as you like

can you go inside a fence line to camp ?
Not without asking!

or what is the legal description for camping ?
Years ago I would have said pitching a tent, but these days the signs often refer to "overnight parking" as well. And if you've ever seen a van-load of backpackers pull up and unload everything under and around the van so that they can fit inside to sleep you'd have to agree that it looks suspiciously like "camping"

03_Troopy · Guru

Public Lands Australia 2002

JeffRae · Guru

Thanks for the links hako, KFT & 03 Troopy

JeffRae

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.