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Ahh that sucks, Tan. Could you put your name down on a waiting list at Pambula? In case someone cancels? Or could you go just prior to Christmas? We don't go anywhere at that time of year, we try to get away in March for our beach time. Loving the pics of the camper by the way :D
It's so hard to get in anywhere over Christmas! I managed to book us in for Boxing Day to New Years day about a month or so before Christmas last year down at the Island. I just kept ringing around in case there were any cancellations and I had about 3 of them offer us a place :). The one we love in Cowes is booked out for this coming Christmas holidays, but they told us to call in October when people who have pre-booked have to pay in full. They said a lot of people cancel then so it's worth ringing then. Maybe ask your preferred places if there is a waiting list or if they can recommend a good time to ring back and try again?
We'll be at Inverloch just after Christmas day! DH's aunty lives there and has offered to let us stay there while she goes overseas. We love staying there and Inverloch is so beautiful and very kid-friendly :D
Oh thats a good idea guys -will keep searching! PRM - DH is a builder and subbie so we don't really have much choice, they shut down for 3 weeks over Christmas and although he could take time off whenever he wants we don't get paid!! The Eagle is one fine beast :rofl: I keep opening the door and peaking out to perve at it!!!
Trish - we may end up there - DH's parents are in Leongatha so it means they can pop down as well and see us and the kids - we are going there for Cup Day long weekend as well so I feel like we should go somewhere else!!
whats about lakes entrance tanstar? :D have u tried here?
Tanstar - How was your weekend?! DH is self employed so I get what you mean about no work, no pay. We've been out on our own for 12 months and are trying to find the pattern for our quiet time to be able to fit in a decent holiday at the same time each year.
Well we have two new feet on the camper, two to go. Three out of four feet were cracked, so we were lucky.
Yay PRM - looks great! Weekend was AWESOME! Friday night was the coldest night in I don't know how many years but we got a little fin oil heater that we left on all night and it was plety to keep the chill off the air - especially with J having a bad cough etc.
Kids loved the koalas, Churchill Island and the penguins so we just had a great time - love the van, although DH is already going mmmm an Expanda would be good, or a full van would be good :rolleyes: Honestly spoiled. I love that with a pop up you feel like you are in a tent almost and you get all the light in the windows! Anyway not sure when we will go again - we were super lucky that the day was so nice so we could do stuff so I think we might just keep an eye on the weather and if there is a nice weekend coming up we will head down to Anglesea I think!!!
Alish - Lakes is a great idea - will look there as well!! Having said that now I am thinking that Inverloch is closer - has lots to do, we have family there so might just leave our booking as is!
That's awesome, Tan. I saw your pics of Churchill Island, I just want to go again!
Uggghhh having a dilemma.
We're booked to go to Mildura in August, and when we went for a weekend a couple of months back, we found the park and checked it out. Both DH and I were both a little unsure about it as we drove away. But they accept dogs, so that's why we chose it. I've just found out that one of the Big4's there now accepts dogs, so I've sent them an enquiry asking. After I emailed them, I saw that they take dogs to 10kg - putting both of ours over the range. So I kept looking and have found the Big4 at Swan Hill accepts any sized dog, and the park is right on the river with river frontage sites. It looks beautiful. Ahhh what to do?! Ditch Mildura altogether? That way we can just chill out at our site, go fishing from the camper instead of loading all fishing gear and dogs into the car and finding a spot. Swan Hill is more expensive, but it's really nice. Grrrrr.....note to self.....don't look at more sites once the site is booked!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The swan hill one looks nice, we comment every time we drive past for Easter :)
Sorry no help though :)
Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!
ZF you're right, that's no help because I think I want to go there now!!!!!! :ROFL: Can't you say it isn't nice?!!!!
I can't help you either! Maybe Swan Hill if it looks really nice? We stayed a night in Mildura on the way home from our 6 week trip and found the town a bit boring TBH, but we're not into fishing so that might be why :dunno:. I hope I don't offend anyone, it just wasn't our cup of tea! We are coast lovers so not really the best people to ask LOL!
If you like it better than the other place hun then i say go for it, it's not far out of town (right on the edge), you can take M to see the giant cod, there is plenty of fishing, a few shops, theres the paddle steamers (i want to take the girls on them) theres an old settlement you can pay to go and see.
I personally LOVE the murray, would recommend swan hill region to anyone - there are some nice wineries further up too but you might want to drive out there...
Swan Hill is booked :)
Lost our deposit in Mildura, but we figure we're saving on fuel by going to Swan Hill so that's okay. It was only $20.
Trish - We love the coast too, but thought we'd try the Murray as DH hasn't had much luck fishing in the ocean :ROFL: We went to Mildura just for a weekend a couple of months back - but that was to meet up with a lovely BB member!
ZF - The town looks lovely! I was looking at the pioneer settlement, looks great and the paddle steamers would be fun. But we'll have our dogs with us, so we plan to sit and fish instead, and hopefully watch the paddle steamers drift by :)
Well we're back from Swan Hill. Had a great time. We snuck off a night early - DH got home super early, so we just took off, although we only made it to the park with 15 minutes to spare before they shut the gates!
We stayed right on the river, so my nerves were a bit frayed by the end with us shouting at DD every 3 1/2 seconds to "come away from the edge" :lol: All she wanted was to chase the birds and the birds knew that safety was over the river, so constantly took her in that direction. Our dogs were great too, slept in their crate and we've welded two rings to the base of the camper at the back, so we have somewhere they can be tied up securely.
Fishing was a dud, there was a black water release earlier this year, and we only found out about it on day 3. It killed all the fish. We caught a carp, so one is better than nothing! The only thing that bugged us was in a caravan park only about 1/3 full, the staff liked to put all the caravans and campers on top of each other. So on one side of us, there were about three or four vans, and on the other was nothing for a few sites. In another area, an entire row was full, and the opposite side of the road was empty. I guess they had a method, but it seemed a bit odd.
Anyone got any trips coming? Our next one is to the Tarra Valley in November, unless we can pull a sneaky one before that :)
I was just thinking about this thread PRMG and say you posted! Will post quickly before my ban hits! Your photos of SH looked awesome~! Maybe they were regorwing grass like they are in PI??? Not sure - seems dumb to put everyone right on top of each other like that! I will definitely be looking at that park in the future!
Our next trip will be int eh next few weeks - we will probably end up at the Big Bellarine - down on the coast - looks like a great indoor pool which will be great if the weather is still icky!! Other than that just looking forward to the weather picking up because then we will be going nearly fortnightly AND I am so excited! just realised that I am eligible for long service leave next year! I might take it at half pay and then we can do our long up to Cairns and back again trip! :clap: TOOO excited!
Ooo, fun!
We are going to see Lake Eildon with water in it soon. Apparently that is a rare sight. We will be hauling the boat up and then putting everything in it and going over to a camp site. I think it's the 17th/18th of Sept. Did i tell you that i bought some snow boots to replace my gumboots. They'll get a workout up there, and hopefully they are comfy - they WILL be warm at least. Fingers crossed the weather is good.
Tan - That's awesome! I'd love to do the drive to Cairns, hope you can do it :) Bellarine looks like an awesome park, it's one on my list. Not sure if they were regrowing the grass at Swan Hill, but I guess that could make sense! Oh meant to say that we got DD a "Big4 Passport" - each park has it's own unique stamp and the kids can collect them in their own passport to show where they've been. They have them at the reception desks.
Lenny - I think there's always water at Eildon, but the rarety is that it's full. Hasn't been full since I was a kid. We're heading there soon, just for a fishing day trip. Our neighbours have a caravan on site there. Have fun, it's a nice spot. Have lots of fun memories there of days in our family speedboat :) I want your boots!!!!! :lol:
Off to Inverloch in the Eagle this long weekend! Whooo! Weather is looking cool and wet but there is an indoor pool and have packed loads of Lego and games if we get stuck inside!!
Anyone else off this weekend!!???
ETA: MG you posted AGES ago about Buchan Caves - we camped there quite a few years ago for Easter - it was cold but brilliant! Loved the campsite all set in the valley and as claustrophobic as I am the caves were pretty amazing too!
Enjoy Hun, sounds like fun.
Sent from my iPhone, more than likely while I should be doing something else!
Have fun Tan!! We're off to the Island tomorrow with some good friends. Can't wait :D
Staying put this weekend but we went to Eildon last weekend. Caravan park was gorgeous and it was so good to see the lake at full capacity. Hope you have a great time, Tan. You too, Trish!
We've been busy having little weekend trips. We went to a camp site that you can only get to by boat on Eildon. That was great when DS2 fell onto the fire and got a 3rd degree burn on his chin. Thanks to the awesome doctor and nurse at Alexandra hospital and the Royal Childrens burns people! Thankfully he'll be fine, and scars are cool on boys!
We went to Sheepyard flat too last weekend. That was really awesome and there were an amazing number of people there, and a lot of horses too which the boys liked. The river was a bit cold, but fun to play in. We went in by 4wd, but there were caravans there (apparently there is another road in!).
ETA - still haven't used my boots yet!
We have just got a camper and driven from Melbourne to the Goldcoast camping along the way then staying at a caravan park for a week then a resort. The kids have had a ball and we are back in the camper heading home.
We are planning to go out bush with it too. Growing up we had a holiday house but loving the camper we have seen so much already on our first trip.
Lenny that sounds like an awesome spot - (tricky to get to with a camper though ;) ) but I hope DS is ok hun! Poor thing, that would have been so scary!
BR that sounds like what we want to do! How long did it take you to get up there??? Sounds fabulous babe!
AFter our weekend in Inverloch for the long weekend, which was ok, facilities are ace but weather was foul, we went to Torquay last weekend with our friends just for one night - DH is getting used to the set up now, so it doesn't take quite as long for him and it was a nice little break away! 7 loads of washing on the Monday though after 2 weekends away and work in between :rofl:
I want to go to Mildura next, plus we have a week booked at Invy again! So great for the kids - all they talk about is the van and beach!
Lenny - I want to go to the campsite by boat!!! Only problem is we don't have a boat.....LOL. Gonna have to fix that in the next few years! Hope DS2 is okay!
BR - The amount of times we've talked about doing that drive! We'd love to do it, but we're restricted to only having a week of each year atm. We did it twice when we were kids, two years in a row and loved it, the second year stopping on the Gold Coast for two weeks and then going up to Noosa for an additional week. Never done it towing anything though.
Tan - I saw the pic of your set-up, looks awesome! I was thinking of you with the rubbish weather.
Our camper is coming out this week, but sadly just for work. DH is going to central Vic to work on a house, so the camper is going too for him to stay on site. Wish it was something exciting! We're off to Yarram in a couple of weeks though. Have got our Weber Q on layby too, so pretty excited about that.
Tan we took four days to drive up through the middle of NSW and driving down the coast for a bit taking maybe five days to get home.
Lenny a boat only site sounds awesome apart from your ds but glad he was well looked after.
We found some great 4wding only sites in Toolangi state forest they have only opened up again after the wet season but with Christmas looming it will be a whole before we can head out again.
BR - what a trip! We have visions (delusions) of doing a big road trip one day. Hard with tent though!
Tan - the washing is never ending, especially when you do the camp fire thing - everything stinks!
We are surviving fairly well, the camper is surprisingly big, it's just getting the kids to sleep which has been challenging. Ear plugs and a blindfold have been a blessing as sunrise is early (5.30am).
Tan I know what you mean about the campfire smell, we went away at Easter and it was going all night and day to keep us warm and dry stuff. This trip the parks have had laundries which has been great.
Question for those of you with the pop out campers (the ends that pop out and you sleep in them). What do you do for mattresses?
Ours came with super thick foam mattresses that were too big to stay on the wooden pull out when it was packed up, and when they were slept on, our bodies made indentations in them. We've gotten rid of those and are currently using blow up mattresses, but it's not ideal. DH split one with his elbow the other day and I'm experiencing a fair amount of hip pain during the night as the air filters out gradually. Any tips or suggestions as to what you're using?
Hun we use the ones that came with it, and then we have put those flat camping mats underneath to block the cold (although soon we will be wanting it cool!) I would be getting thick density foam mattresses cut at Clarks in the right thickness that you need. Otherwise, we also have some Dune 4x4 mattresses that we use in the tent for people, they are super awesome comfy, they are self inflating with a section that is foam, they would probably be the same thickness as what our van mattresses are? They sell them at Anaconda, might be worth checking out..
We got a sneak peek into a lot of campers and vans on our trip, a lot of people had foam mattresses and then put the eggshell mats on top.
Thank you! We're going to see if we can get the foam cut to size correctly - didn't know it could be done. We'll then use the blow up mattresses over the foam, hopefully will be a bit more comfortable (provided DH doesn't put his elbow through any other mattresses :lol: )
I have heard that about the egg shell over the top! Jayco make an innerspring mattress that is quite flat hun(obviously to fit the vans!), they are excy but they are out there if you wanted a super comfy one.
ETA: We have now booked our March long weekend as well! Going to Warburton with some friends who will be camping!! They have a few other friends going as well and its right by the river! Can't wait, now to book something for Easter :rofl: Feel like all I do is book holidays!
We have one of those egg shell thingys over our caravan mattress and it makes a big difference!
You sound like us Tan, always planning the next trip, but it's so nice to have something to look forward to!!
We have our next trip planned in Jan, off to Mulwala with a friend and his family then some offroad camping.
Thanks for all the suggestions on the beds!
We're supposed to be off this Friday, back to Yarram to a park we adore. There's something wrong with the camper roof - when we wind it down, it doesn't run smoothly, so we think the winder is about to go again. And today the jockey wheel clamp winder thingy snapped, rendering the jockey wheel useless. :doh:
Think our camper is protesting at the constant usage....!
We've decided not to repair the winder, we did that in Feb, so to shell out more money on the same thing is pointless. After this weekend, we're staying put until March, so we're going to see if we can get a new winder system installed. Fingers crossed for a successful weekend! We went there this time last year and got 50mm of rain!
Oh bugger PRMG that sucks hun, fingers crossed for the weather for you hun, surely can't be bad 2 years in a row!! ;) I love this thread, gives me so many ideas of places we could go!!
BR - that sounds ace hun - I can't wait to do some offraod remote camping in our van - at the moment we are sticking to powered sites! :rofl: But we do eventually want to get solar panels etc for it!!
LOL, Tan we're hoping the rubbish Melbourne weather this weekend will mean next weekend it will be nice. Hoping being the key word there!
Bummer about your camper playing up on you PRM! I hope you still get to go away!!
Tan - We bought a converter for our caravan so that we can still use our caravan lights, etc. when we can't get a powered site. It's great for our Prom trips!
29 on Saturday so far!! Looking good!!!