We have set down for 3 weeks at a caravan park by the bay outside Brisbane , This park is full most of the year with many grey nomads at anytime , When talking to others in the park most only stay in caravan parks and have never free camp, So it looks like we all do have our own way of grey nomading and that good .
We're part of that mob. CPs only. Bush camped once in 16 years, a one nighter on a waterhole at Kynuna in 2000 & enjoyed it.
While the van has a battery pack, two 80L or thereabouts water tanks with 12v pump & gas HWS/fridge plus LED lights, bush camping is just not for us. SWMBO just doesn't enjoy camping in the bush.
When I feel the need for some bush camping I just load up the Patrol & head off solo for a few days. I sleep in the back of the truck with supplies in the 2 man tent outside. Very comfortable in all weather. A large tarp over the roof & forming a lean to on one side keeps it cool in summer. My kayak battery runs the engel for a few days too.
Works for us.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 23rd of November 2015 12:43:44 PM
We are all set up to be able to free camp - toilet, shower, solar blah blah, but love to hook up to 240v and have a LONG hot shower. But never stay at the expensive BIG4 type CPs. If I want a bouncy trampoline and swing and slide set along with a sand pit, I'll buy my own and then pay less.
We always target independent, cheaper CPs away from the major cities or where you are kept awake all night by the crashing of waves and the hum of mozzies.
If you shop around, its amazing what you can get. We stayed in metro Melbourne at a small CP for $135 a week (now gone up to $150). Other times we house sit and get to see new sites in an are new to us and still watch Foxtel on a 56" screen while sprawled out on the comfortable lounge suite with the temp at a pleasant 20c. Just got to remember to feed the pets, take them for a walk and make sure the retic turns on and the pool service man and lawn mowing service turns up each week - oh, life is so bloody hard !!!!!
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
We do a bit of both, some free camping, but some CP's , probably more CP's as my good lady likes her little luxuries.
But we try to avoid the big4 type set up like the plague ! peace and quiet is our way.
We broke our golden rule this weekend and stayed in a large T.Tourist park on the coast in SA, bloody nightmare on elm street, bouncy castles are nothing compared to 3 wheel carts with deranged kids tearing around for eight hours a day ! then some nice families behind us decided to get up early Sunday morning 6-30am and feed the seagulls at the side of our van, we left early to escape, never to return.
We also do a bit of house sitting to recharge our internal batteries.
We don't mind staying at the Big4 or Top parks et al, especially with our grandchildren, but always avoid CPs in School Holidays if traveling without them.
We have been exploring this beautiful country for many years staying in caravan parks but on one occasion I managed to convince my lady to free camp when we were travelling north on the Stewart highway and I was blown away by the beauty of the night sky.
We try to support small private caravan parks, we do use the club parks but like most others we only use Big 4 When we have the grandchildren with us, we usually tour for about four months each year and staying in smaller parks and Showgrounds can save us at least a months fees allowing for four months rather than three.
We have found these smaller parks seem to be heaps more friendly than the large ones and more grey nomads than young families which suits us.
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Life was meant to be enjoyed Australia was meant to be explored
Happily doing both to the Max.
Life is like a camera, focus on what's important & you will capture it every Time
Aussietraveller I know what you mean , Example we both have stay at Walkamin Central caravan park , Great park at a great price and all you would need in a park
G'day Brickies
Walkerman caravan park is one of our favourites they have great happy hours and the owner often brings great goodies to the happy hour there has always been very large sites and excellent prices for a site it's almost worth another trip to the Atherton tablelands just to stay at Walkerman caravan park.
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Life was meant to be enjoyed Australia was meant to be explored
Happily doing both to the Max.
Life is like a camera, focus on what's important & you will capture it every Time
Yes when we first went to the tablelands we went to the rodeo ground they were pack in like sardine , called into walkamin about $ 4 a night more but what a dream.
we've found show grounds and similar to vary hugely in quality and price. Some are $10-$15 a night with level sites, good water, clean and well maintained toilets/showers. Others, especially in high tourist areas (I guess they get the customers without spending any money on maintenance) are $20-25 and the absolute pits - few power points or water, dirty, stinking old toilets only fit for a bulldozer.........
Have never struck a small independent CP that is bad - and cheap to boot! We stayed at one in the southern wheat belt near Katanning in WA. There for a week, had a great little café with full, hot meals which were great and cheap, a free top grade flat white for me each day and a tray of eggs from their hens when we left.
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I'm always interested in putting another good budget van park on our list for when we do get to that area, and so far WA is a bit light on in that department.
Cheers, Tom
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I had a thought but it got run over as it crossed my mind.
