The Camping Thread #2

[Tinks]

The Upper Yarra Dam, which is about 20 mins past Warburton is good in Winter. There's a big hall with 2 Coonaras that you can sit around in the evening instead of being outside.

Warrnambool is also beautiful in Winter, I think it's whale watching season then too.

[wysiwyg]

Thanks for the replies - it will need to be in VIC so those ideas are great. I think mostly will be a test run to get the feel of trailer tents. Dad thinks might take my kids with them for a week - not sure mum will agree she has been here for 6 weeks with the reality of grandchildren rather than just the idea :-). DH and I could join them on weekend perhaps too. It's very exciting they have been on about it for years but Dad kept putting off his retirement and suddenly just texted mum saying is going to retire in May (he is 67). Not quite sure where we will keep their vehicle and trailer tent when they are not about but am sure that can be solved.

[wysiwyg]

Mum likes the sound of some of these - any thoughts on what vehicles are good for camping - pulling a trailer tent - or good forums etc to use - Dad wants my input and I know nothing about cars and really have no interest in them but we will have use of it over winter which is nice - so if Dad wants my ideas I think I should do my best to offer some.

[Lenny]

I happily know nothing about cars. Perhaps if you spoke with Johnno's trailers or somewhere like that they might be able to advise on minimum towing requirements etc for a camper trailer. Are they likely to go off-road, even just a little bit? Or encounter snow? Perhaps then you'll know if you need 4wd/Awd or not.

[Tinks]

It would depend on what kind of trailer you're towing and where you'd like to camp.

[black_rose]

We use my Santa Fe for going to regular places eg caravan parks but use a Toyota landcruiser to go off road with our camper trailer.

[wysiwyg]

He is thinking 4wd as will do NT at some point (there intention is at least 6 months of nomadding a year). He has sent me a list of what he is looking at, all will be fine with trailers apparently - pre-owned but not too old. Think will start a new thread with the list - I think he just wants me to give any additional input on practicalities and local knowledge as he is in UK.

[Tinks]

We have a Nissan Patrol and tow a 4x4 camper trailer with it.

[~clover~]

I'm dreaming of a 4.2 diesel patrol or landcruiser one day. They're the Falcon & Commodore of the 4x4 world. Everyone is one or the other.

My VZ commy towed a trailer from NSW-WA, then a caraven back to NSW. Didn't skip a beat. Love her to bits

[Lenny]

Wysiwyg - if they are planning on nomadding for a long time, perhaps they/ you should invest in a Camps7 book. I believe they are awesome and have been recommended them many times.

[wysiwyg]

Wysiwyg - if they are planning on nomadding for a long time, perhaps they/ you should invest in a Camps7 book. I believe they are awesome and have been recommended them many times.

Cheers will check it out.

[~Phoenix~]

Hello fellow campers - after a pretty disastrous Easter camping trip (weather & illness) we have decided to ditch the tent for a 2nd hand campervan - jayco type.

Does anyone have one? What type? What do you love/hate about it?

[Lenny]

That is the reason we bought a caravan too Phoenix. We took a week off last March and got caught in the floods around Bega and we eventually packed up in pouring rain and limped home.

Vans make for a different camping experience, but for us it has meant we go a lot more often, which is good. We are selling the boat though, cos you can't tow both.

We bough an outback expanda. You have to decide what you need for your family. For us we wanted the kids to have their own spot. So they have a bunk each which is permanent. Doesn't fold up. Our bed folds away.

[Beach Mama]

We had a Jayco Eagle Outback and it was fantastic but the set up did take quite a long time (up to an hour with flys etc.) We sold it to help us seachange but will probably get a second hand one down the track. They hold their value super well - we bought ours brand new, added a few things like a tv (rofl) antenna, bbq, tube storageetc. and sold it for the same as we bought it for, so were out of pocket about $1000 for the stuff we added to to over the 18mths that we had it for.

If we did it again we would probably look at the expanda as well or else a fixed size caravan, they don't have as much set up - you can get in and out much more easily to put stuff in or to stop on the side of the road for a cuppa etc. and also leave stuff like bedding in there. Good luck choosing!!!! How exciting!!!! We camped in the middle of winter with ours and yes I suppose it's "glamping" when you have an oil heater when camping but I don't care - it was the coldest night of winter last year at Philip Island and we were toasty as can be!!!!

[black_rose]

We are about yo sell our camper too to get the Jayco expanda, again because we hate not going out in winter. With three kids we need the bunk beds. Dh has noticed they don't come up for sale very often and when they are as Tan already said they hold their value.

[~Phoenix~]

Thanks everyone - we had a look yesterday at an outback hawk with aircon/heating but it was a bit small & no real storage space.

Ideally would love an outback swan or flamingo. Would love an expanda but don't have room to store it & it's slightly out of our budget

The weather was so windy at Easter we couldn't set up the tent the first day we had to hire a cabin for the night & set up next day.

[wysiwyg]

Are there places you can store trailer tents, campervans etc? Anyone any experiences with them. When mum and dad are in UK will need to do something with it - we only have a garage which is half full of stuff and one car spot so not sure can keep here.

[Beach Mama]

Some parks have storage hun, for eg. There is Wantirna Caravan park (eastern Melb suburb) lots of vans parked there, I'm sure no one actually stays there for holidays!!!!