The Camping Thread #2

Thanks for reminding me of the Bayswater Anaconda - mum and dad went there said was far superior to the Springvale one and got some stuff they wanted. They have been gone a week now having a great time and are somewhere near Errinundra National Park so their GPS thing Dad has tells me.

I need to get myself sorted for what we need for a week or so camping at Barwon Heads with them - what are peoples thoughts on kids sleeping bags? Are bags best or do kids find restrictive better off with blankets/doona? Anything else kid specific I need to organize to take?

Wysiwyg- DD1 has sheets and a doona on her bunk in the caravan but prefers the novelty of the sleeping bag. She loves it. Has no problems wriggling in and out of it either. Glad your parents are having fun!

We all preferred our own bedding in the van even mid winter and summer so always take our doonas.

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The Yorke has some beautiful beaches nai!

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I'm looking forward to it, I've never been there. We're staying at Balgowan

We have sleeping bags - black wolf Eskimo. Got them online much cheaper

Our kids also have Black Wolf sleeping bags. They've always liked sleeping in them and have never been cold. I always take my doona.

Our girls sleep on self inflating 4wd mattresses because they're warmer and more comfortable than the air bed type ones.

We used the black wolf sleeping bags too, the girls loved them ds wasn't ever happy in his and would undo it. Now we have the van we use bedding. I. The camper the kids were on stretchers with inflatable mats.

We have sleeping bags, which we use in the tent and the van.

I also made sleeping bag sheets up for them to go inside. Just a sheet sewn up like a sleeping bag. It works for summer and also keeps the sleeping bags clean. ( yes, I'm odd). When we go 4wding there are no showers and the kids sometimes resemble wild animals.

We're off again tomorrow :) IF I'm not too hung over :p It'll be Thursday if I can't deal with it tomorrow.

We're going to Stockton Lake (WA) for 2 nights, then onto Dunsborough to a caravan park for 4 nights. Then we might go back to Stockton Lake for a few nights... Might even cut the caravan park back to 2 nights & go back to Stockton Lake for longer. Free with good facilities by the look of it :)

Got back from our Christmas camping on Monday. Barwon Heads on a campsite for a week (campsite was quite quiet I thought, although not many empty sites - seemed like people were just not there for Christmas??) - and then on to a free bush camp site north of Lorne (Big Hill) for 4 days.

We had mum and dad's camper trailer - and at Barwon a tent which I borrowed, but at Big Hill just the camper trailer (DH had gone home to go to cricket) and we all were ok in that (although some nights were chilly).

The kids were on an airbed which I wouldn't do again, as was too awkward as no space round it, and if I had to lay down with DS it then was so bouncy trying to get out - so would think about something different for them - what do others put kids on? I will just have to work out how to settle DS better without lying down.

I love mum and dad's trailer though - I just love everything about camping anyway - but then all the neat ways for storing things is cool, and is fun setting up the solar panels etc. Compared to when DH and I had a little camper van years ago it was luxury. Their bed seemed very comfortable and warm - so maybe I could persuade DH to go camping in autumn/winter if they leave the trailer and car with us when they go back to UK for a bit - that is if I could sum up the courage to be comfortable reversing the trailer (anyone else reverse a trailer much on here and how did you learn? - DH is not much of a driver - I do all driving so would be up to me to do the reversing too).

Mum and Dad's car (Prado) fitted us all in ok - but getting in the back was a bit of a challenge - as with our car seats couldn't move the front set of seats forward enough, had to get in through the back into the second row, so mum had to get in and then I had to get in and virtually sit on her lap, while we put the second seat up so I could sit down. I assume I could maybe get new car seats and get them to fit on one side of the front row, so could move the single one far enough forward?

Lenny - I don't think is odd about lining the sleeping bags - when we were backpacking/doing tours etc. it was the norm to do that (often you were provided with bags and had to provide the inners) - so much easier than washing the sleeping bags. DD - liked that arrangement (I just used full doona covers as the bag as didn't have time to sort anything else) and enjoyed the sleeping bag. DS wouldn't have a bar of being in a sleeping bag so he ended up with doona and DH had his sleeping bag - I should have guessed as he is bad with keeping doona on at home, he likes his legs out - but it was down to about 8 a couple of nights at Big Hill so he did keep it on sometimes.

Hopefully going to do a weekend with mum and dad again sometime before mid-Feb - depending on where they are - they are currently at Lake Colac.

Sounds like bliss.
We have stretchers for the kids too, but more recently we just put them both on a 4wd mat. But DS1 likes his stretcher too. I agree that the air bed is a bit bouncy and awkward.

wysiwyg: What Camper trailer is it? Curious as DH is researching brands and models.

We have never had much luck with air beds. We now have one those roll up self inflating mattress and a stretcher (both extra large single). We have just have to decide if we get another stretcher for the girls.

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wysiwyg: What Camper trailer is it? Curious as DH is researching brands and models.

We have never had much luck with air beds. We now have one those roll up self inflating mattress and a stretcher (both extra large single). We have just have to decide if we get another stretcher for the girls.

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It is a Kimberley Kamper Platinum - not sure if is 2013 or 2014 model. It is pretty high spec and was pretty pricey I believe - but mum and dad are living it for 6 months at a time, and I think was a compromise between Dad wanting off-road back to basics and mum wanting some luxury. I thought was really good - I like all the cooking, sink, prep area being outside / under an awning rather than internal like in a van - makes it more like camping to me. We didn't try out the shower (there is a zip on bit on the side apparently) because we were only on a bush camp site for four days and the kids and I like not having to wash! Dad also did a lot of research I believe and they seem to hold their price quite well - so the cost per day works out quite low apparently. With two adults and two kids if you weren't staying anywhere long you could get the two kids inside the normal camper bit quite easily (I slept there on a full length stretcher camp bed no problem) - but we used the extra bedroom awning on the back.

If anyone wants to see some pictures of it in use and are on facebook - PM me and can add you - or if not on FB - I have some pictures on Google+ and can PM you the link.

I think we have one of those self-inflating roll up things - they are the pretty thin yes? - maybe should just get another of those.

Wow that is a high spec one! Bit more than what we want, but makes sense with the amount of travelling they will be doing.

I like the outside cooking space as well. I remember the cramped set-up in my step fathers pop up camper.

Can anyone personally recommend a family tent? Would like 3 rooms, they all look the same on the net

Can you take a trip to a Rays? They have many types set-up. I love a wander through tent show rooms.
We got our 2 room one 10+ years ago from there. Very happy with it, has stood up to some awesome storms.

Anaconda have a big sale on everything at the moment & when I was in the one near home had a heap set up.

We bought a 2nd hand jackeroo 12 man/3 room, it survived a wet & windy Easter at Portland.

Two weeks until we head across the border & go camping in Vic. I'm hoping where we are going isn't too packed out but I'm so excited, it's our first free camp in the camper van. DH ordered a solar panel kit which should keep us with 12v power no problems :) I have been lusting after a baby q for ages & managed to find the model with thermometer on sale, it's sitting in its box teasing me lol

Olive - We have a black wolf turbo and I believe Nai does as well. It is canvas so it is big and heavy. But very good quality. Friends have lighter nylon tents which have those kind of hoop bendy poles.
You can get almost any kind of tent at any price. I would go to rays or anaconda and see the tents set up to decide what you need. We wouldn't get a three room next time. We'd get a two room as we spend our time outside the tent anyway. If your girls sleep in bunks then you need even less space.
Second hand tents are a good option if you find the right model. I think people buy them then don't use them, and sell them on.

Phoenix - I hope you get some decent sunshine!

We have a Coleman one that is 3 rooms hun, it was fromAnaconda in Baysy. It's great because you can easily fit kids in one end, us in the other both with suitcases and bags and then have a food/play area in the middle. We made it through a huge storm at Lakes Entrance and it was fine. Only thing I don't like about ours is that it doesn't have a annex fly section - definitely handy rather than going straight in and out of the main area.