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We had our first camping trip 28-31s Dec at a Caravan park in Bendigo, was an amazing caravan park so clean and well maintained, staff all friendly! We went with another family and had side by side camp sites, we had 1 day of severe wind which actually broke a pole in front of our tent :-( we all made decision to take down the eating shelter that friends had as it was at risk of blowing away!
Had a fun time, thank goodness not away now with feral hot weather!
We use Thursday plantation insect repellent, love the smell too!
We came home today from camping due to fire risk
No plugging in with our camper trailer. Have a battery bank that charges as we drives, plus solar panels for when we stop. Have an Evekool fridge that runs off the batteries. Can be plugged into a power point if need be. We have also started to take an extra esky (like Livinthedream) for drinks and snacks we want quick access to when we are set-up.
Our camping was called short, thought we would change our plans for the last two nights before heading home. Found zero accommodation, so ended up at home after a very long drive. Would have loved to have stayed where we were camping near Dargo, but had to drop a friend back home. If we thought about it, DH would have dropped her home and come back.
Mm will have to try the Thursday plantation - I am not convinced they were mozzies they might have been sandflies. We got a device you plug in for the camper trailer and didn't have many more problems but we also avoided the top of the river at the beach as I suspect that might have been where we were getting bitten also.
What a pain Astrid you couldn't find anywhere. We were at Wye River foreshore till the Sat after Christmas (excellent spot) but that day was the day it was getting really busy all along the Great Ocean Road (driving home there were 4km queues into Lorne and busy around Aireys Inlet etc too). I would definitely go again but would go for before and including Christmas again before it gets really busy (a benefit of having no family here is we get to do what we please at Christmas). I must put in the calendar the dates it is open for bookings for next year. I loved being right next to the beach, and we didn't do alot apart from stuff on the beach and hang out at the camp site, the kids made a few friends. I would buy myself a wetsuit for next time though, the kids had them which meant their staying power in the water was far better than mine.
Do you never plug in your camper trailer Astrid - even during periods of no use? Mum and Dad's can go ok with no power providing enough sun and/or is towed for a while every few weeks (as it recharges from the car) - but they were recommended to plug it in where possible when not in use to maintain the battery. Due to the pain in the neck of living in a body corporate unit - it currently isn't plugged in but for a few months there will definately be enough sun (mum and dad are back in the UK so I have to check it every week that is still at 100% or thereabouts) - apparently the problem is if it goes below 50% it sulphates and won't fully recover. It all depends on the type of battery apparently. When they didn't use for 8 weeks before it was mid winter so Dad very concerned that the solar panels wouldn't be enough, so that is when we got the Ampfibian device so could charge at a friends. I have to say I am not convinced it wouldn't be ok on solar only as I tried to find storage at a few places and most don't have power availability and said solar should be fine.
Mum and Dad might be selling theirs, mum says she is over travelling - dad definitely isn't - will see how she feels after six months back in the UK. I am ok if they sell it - we don't want to do our trip for a good few years yet and I don't think they will be able to keep it for all that time. DH can't go anywhere till end of April due to work, so at the moment I am not planning on taking it anywhere as for 1 or 2 day trips is not worth it (only if you want to be constantly on the move but short trips out of Melbourne I think a tent better).
Going camping at Indented Head for a couple of days with a friend and her two in a couple of weeks, which will be fun - the DH's aren't coming (doesn't bother me as DH is not really a 'useful' camper anyway - but she is more of a worrier than me) - not sure what I will do about tent yet - mum and dad left one that they used as a shade tent which can use - or will borrow one.
Can't plug it in, just they way they are built, it is an off road model which could be why. (Ours is the Johnno's Off Road tourer if you want to look it up. We swapped the kitchen for the one on the Evolution.)
The fridge itself can be plugged in. The batteries just run the fridge and LED lights. We can also charge phones, tablets etc. I power needs are quite low. All the cooking is on gas. We also have a secondary battery in the 4wd if need be. This is isolated so we don't drain the main battery.
I did see you can now get sleepout/tent attachments for shade tents. Looked really interesting. If we did not have the camper trailer, it is something we would consider for camping.
Wind & tents aren't much fun. Least it's not rain I suppose.
Hi Guys
It's been ages since i posted in here. Since then we sold our jayco swan & purchased a 2nd hand offroad windsor rapid poptop in preparation for a 6 week trip to the Kimberleys in May.
We are getting to the final preparations & Im getting excited but also nervous this being our longest road trip & most remote. We have hooked up rooftop solar, new battery system so can go totally off grid & self sufficient.
Has anyone done this trip before? We are going via Tanami Road to Broome & then via Gibb River Rd to Kununurra before heading back home to Adelaide
Awesome! We met a couple in Katherine who had just finished that trip sort of. They loved it. They said it was much less hard than they imagined. However, as we noticed when we were doing the OTT and when we did parts of the NT, that the track mostly just depended on whether it had been graded and what the weather had been doing.
They also said it was much busier than they expected. Not crazy busy but more than they thought. They were rooftop tenting.
Have you tested out the solar? We have found that we used a lot less than we thought and we just use the rooftop panels are rarely get the portable solar out anymore.
I am very jealous. You will have a fantastic time!
We have once & it ran our waeco fridge, lights & charged phones no problems. We aren't taking portable panels on the big trip, my hubby did something he swore he would never ever do - bought a generator but that does mean I can take thermomix lol
Hey guys! So, I'm new to camping. DH and I have been looking at tents and camper trailers and trying to work it all out. We'd love a camper trailer for the apparent ease (apparent???) of rolling it out and away you go but we prob can't afford it right now. So we are looking at tents - so much to choose from!
What should we look for? Where do we start??
ETA: wysiwyg if you are down Wye way again let me know - we've just come back from Apollo Bay :D
Will definitely be there again - when I don't know (DH is mostly away from FEB to APR) and then will be job hunting and I don't know what I will be doing either so near term trips down there are off the cards - but when the campsite is open next season will try to do a few trips.:
I don't have a tent - (we beg and borrow when need one currently) but given how often we seem to change our mind about what we need I would go for something that have flexibility of different configurations - the black wolf turbos I like the look of, for several reasons - 1, I bought a black wolf rucksack in 2002 when was over here and it is still going strong and has been used and used and gone all over the world and subjected to rough treatment - it is the best bag I have ever bought, 2 - you can buy all sorts of attachments and I like that idea yes they are expensive but I don't like the idea of having a cheaper tent and then needing to ditch it to upgrade or if want a different configuration. 3 - I have borrowed a few of friends cheaper tents and they have been quite badly designed, good in theory but then when you come to use them, don't have enough ventilation or quite enough space in the rooms. 4 - The black wolf tents seem to hold their value pretty well (from what I have seen of second hand market) meaning people aren't getting rid of them quickly.
As for camper trailers - mum is sometimes envious of caravans (they have spent 12 of last 15 months living in a camper trailer round Australia) - she thinks they look a lot quicker to set up - I think their camper trailer is reasonably quick to set up (especially if only need to set it up for the two of them), but for a two/three night trip to one location from Melbourne I would probably choose a tent - as I think some tents can be quicker to set up, and all the features of the camper trailer are not necessarily required. Longer trips and road style trips they are great for I think.
Hey Ocean Princess!
My advice go for the quicker set-up and if that means spending a bit more, then do so. See if you can get demo's on tent set up and camper trailer set-up. Watch You-tube clips of ones you are interested in. Go to the Expos, lots to see in the one place, sometimes there are deals, but make sure you know pricing before you go. Also you can hire. So it may be worth hiring a camper trailer to see how you go.
Also work out what camping do you want to do? Lots of driving and one night stops? If so, then a quick compact set-up is better. Do you just want to stop once and set-up for 2+ nights? If so, then you can go for the ones that take a bit more to set-up, but have a bit more comfort.
We found our old tent a pain to set up, so it was turning us of camping. We originally looked at getting a quick set-up tent and refining our kit, but ended up splurging on a camper trailer that is well built and quick set up.
I find there is always the "envy" that goes on now with camping, we check out other peoples set-ups ;) Sometimes it reaffirms our choice, we can be set up in 15 minutes and sit back and watch those still going after an hour. Other times we jealous of the ones who pull up, pull out the awning, the chairs and are done in no time. Every set-up has its pros and cons.
We need to refine a bit more. So this weekend, I will resort the tubs. We are debating an Oz Pig. They look awesome and think it means we can have a fire more often as it is enclosed (will need to check that out though)
Oooh expo, now we are talking!!!!
we have the Coleman Instant Up 4 tent... Love love love it! We used it for six weeks straight while camping around Australia. Held up well in all sorts of weather.
That was a year ago though. No camping for a while now, with a newborn that I wasn't able to exclusively breastfeed :(
Maybe in another year, in a caravan park, not bush camping.
Happy to talk camping gear tho!
Hi ocean princess. We just bought a black wolf turbo 300 extra lite and love it. The first time we put it uq, it took 15 minutes, which included resetting tent pegs and repositioning the tent. It took me 10 minutes to pack it up. Not tge cheapest around but it is great for a quick one person setup, especially while the other person looks after the kids.
My stuff is pretty much all cheap & dodgy. I don't have the money to spend at the moment, but what I have is usable til I can afford bigger & better.
I had 2 tents all along. We did the nullarbor - WA-NSW-WA 2 years ago, so had a simple dome tent, air bed & butane stove in the back of the car. Quick & easy for the one night stops. I also bought a 2 room, 8 man tent from big w for longer stays. I then bought a huge tarp & extra ties & pegs when I realised during a storm that it wasn't water proof at the ends :/ The tarp has taken care of that for now though.
For christmas DS got an Oztrail pop-up tent, so he & DD1 sleep in that, the other 2 in the big tent with me. Then I've got the room inside for kitchen set up. (Large black tub - holds airbeds/pumps/extra pegs/ropes etc, then doubles as a table, 2 butane stoves, fold out table & stove top kettle for non power)
I'm dreaming of the day I can buy a 4wd & camper trailer. I recently used mum & dad's 16ft caravan & it was great having space in the car because the van has so much room, but uses so much in fuel. To be able to actually go shopping at the end of the trip & have somewhere to put it is great! (No coles/woolies etc here, so make the most of them when travelling). The tent & accessories take up space, but don't cost around 30% more in fuel. Tent does take time to set up though, with beds etc.
I just got back from Margaret River & have decided I need to ditch my tent. Its basically a screened room with a fly. The wind picked up on day 3 & was horrible for the last 3 days. We got home last night & I'm now feeling fluey, and I suspect it's because I'm run down from lack of sleep worrying about the tent ripping apart in the wind, or the tarp letting go & flying off across the park :/ I took the trailer this time & will probably do that more often now. Towing a trailer is nothing on the van & I can put DS in the 3rd row seats to break up the fights in the car.
I'm thinking a good tent that's big enough just for us all to sleep in, then DS's tent, & a walled gazebo/shelter for kitchen/living area. The few I've seen handled the winds better than I expected. That way there's enough room in one tent for the over nighters, but space for longer stays as well. Then of course I'll have my camper some day...
My parents live in their big van & have done for over 2 years. My brother bought a van, but now is trying to sell it for a camper. It's a bit each to their own I think...
Ha ha, & I'm always trying to get a look at other's set ups & getting jealous of their space/set up time/quality/accessories etc. But although my stuff is cheaper, it's taken us to quite a few places & we would never have seen half the sights we've seen without it. Especially the well hidden places when we've hitched a ride in a 4wd ;) The WA south coast is amazing & mostly untouched. I hope it never changes.
I think we previously had the same as clover - mesh with fly. Great for hot weather, terrible in wind. We copped some storms at 1770, and we think it weakened the seams, and now it leaks. It definitely wasn't up to Snowy Mountains!!
We just bought a BlackWolf Turbo 240 plus. It's better as a two person set up, but not impossible to do alone. We got the canvas model, so it's big and heavy, but we have been doing a lot of camping and need a good all rounder.
We find the camper trailer does not add much to the fuel cost thankfully.
When we used tents, we had no room in the 4wd, the kids would have stuff at their feet, stuffed all around them (bedding, so at least soft). We were always stressed about what to fit in, especially if we were taking the dog and/or wood with us. We would always forget something, like plates or pillows.
Just love having most of the storage handled by the camper trailer. It holds just about everything we need. All we have to do is pack food and clothing, top up the water tanks and we can go. We check things when we get back, and reload with fresh things as we unpack.
I also have a roof rack basket on my car, so load that up too a lot of the time. Especially with our big dog. Our jack russell fit easily in with the rest of us, but he found a tiger snake christmas day :( Silly bugger.
Chairs, tent etc all go up there usually. But the trailer was so much easier. Everything fit & no climbing around the car trying to secure the roof, lol.
I have wondered about set up with a camper on my own. The kids help with the tent & DD1 is almost my height, so handy ;) But she's not very strong. And I'll likely have a very basic, soft floor, lower priced second hand one that might be harder to set up. I'm actually looking to just buy the tent & having it fit to my trailer, then doing the kitchen set up later on.
There were a few people with roof top tents when we were there, all hired vehicles completely set up, but they looked like a PITA. Having to pack the tent up to go do anything. Good for over nighters I guess.
Clover, my sister has a soft floor camper trailer setup and she does it herself no worries.
We have a jayco pop top with the beds that slide out the end, and I can do that myself no worries.
Sorry to hear about your dog :(
We are back in Qld, it's hot and humid and not super nice, but good to be home.
We are thinking of going to the beach for a couple of days over Australia Day weekend.
Maybe Bribie Island.
Clover - whenever we see those rooftop campers having to pack up just to go on a day trip we always think 'no way'!
Op - Nai has a Black Wolf. I believe they really like it. FB her about it.
We had one too, it was very sturdy and robust and a good big space. Good for camping where you go somewhere for 4 days or so. Not so much when you move on every day.
Astrid - DH chopped the top 1/3 off an old LPG bottle and that's how we have a portable fire if we need to. It fits a wire grill in the top, and even our really big camping frypan. He saw it on YouTube. We even use it outside at home in winter sometimes.
Off camping tomorrow for a couple of days - just to Indented Head on the Bellarine - 4 mums, 7 kids. I have just about finished packing - man I hate packing even though we have mum and dads Prado so far more space than normal. Hope weather is kind - the tent is untested for sleeping in!
Well the tent (is really just a shade tent) was fine for the three of us - but wouldn't be much good if colder or windy. We did have a great time though - the site was right on the beach and weather fantastic - everyone got on great (I knew everyone but not all the others had met before) and kids all want to know when we are going next.
A question - my grandma lives in Darwin, my idea is that in Melbourne Winter we can head up there stay with her a couple of days and then also camp in Litchfield or Kakadu - so for a tent - would you buy a tent that is suitable for use down here and up there? (June, July time up there) - and then take the hit on the luggage on the flight flying it up there? Have a tent for up there and leave it up there? When we were in Litchfield before we were in the annex on the camper trailer which is canvas and was comfortable for sleeping - would polyester be likely to end up too hot? I have slept up there in just a swag before but some nights were fairly chilly and the kids seem incapable of staying in bags. (Some of the other camping related stuff we would borrow or buy up and leave in Darwin)
Are there people who fly and camp alot and what sort of tents would they use?
The way jobs are for DH and I, driving to some of the places we want to go to and visit people etc just takes too long (and neither of us are that fond of long car journeys) - but I really like camping, and am sure must work out cheaper long-term.
Wysiwyg - glad you had a good time away. Would love to go camping again ourselves, but too busy enjoying newborn snuggles and smiles to be worried at this stage.
Can't answer your question about flying and camping, we have always drove. Drove Vic - Darwin (via Dubbo/ Sydney/. Brisbane/ Townsville/ Uluru, after 4 weeks road tripping in NZ. Then on to Broome, and down the west coast. Ultimate pre-kids holiday, can't believe we did it now!) in Nov/Dec last year. Yes, Darwin in December. Not recommended!
Litchfield is awesome. So is kakadu, but Litchfield should get more recognition.
We had our Coleman instant up tent, which is vinyl. When it's hot, it's just hot. You really don't think of the tent material. Going mid-year should be much more pleasant. Having a vinyl tent, as long as it has ventilation, shouldn't be a problem.
Yes I have been to Darwin in November with a 5 month old, it wasn't pleasant - I remember thinking how do people have babies up here - you must have to stay inside all the time. I really like Darwin in June July though and I agree that Litchfield should get more recognition - far easier on a day trip from Darwin (which we have done a few times as well as camping). We have family in Berry Springs which is between Litchfield and Darwin so Litchfield is always likely to work well for us.:
So your Coleman instant up - do you think has good ventilation??
What is WA like North of Perth does anyone know? How isolated. I have crossed the nullarbor 3 times alone with the kids, but that was after a lot of BB reassurance from people who'd already done it. So anyone who's done Perth - Broome? I've always wanted to see Broome. I'd drive right to Darwin, but I can't see myself going that far with my tribe :lol: I think that'll possibly be my first trip away when they're older...
I really enjoy just driving to where ever I get & stopping where ever I feel like stopping. I have loads of plans for when the ferals become more dependent ;)
I haven't done Perth to Broome but did Perth up along coast to Exmouth then across to Tom Price and Karinjini National Park then back down inland route to Perth that was back in 2005. Mum and Dad have just done Darwin to Melbourne via Broome and Perth. I didn't think any of our trip (pre kids) felt particularly isolated to be honest - a long way between petrol stops at times though. I suppose depends what you mean by isolated.
Wysiwyg - I usually put way too much thought into stuff so I'd buy something to use and take it up with me to make sure it was the exact one that I wanted! I like to over think things too much!
Those Colman instant up tents are not canvas they see that rips stop stuff and have little vents at the bottom.
Not that your LOs don't need day naps you don't need to worry about it being hot in the day time inside the tent I guess so anything should be fine.
Jealous you get to go up there this year. I want to do Adels grove, Lorella springs, litchfield again. DH wants to drive the nullabor and get all the way to monkey Mia.
We went camping on the weekend and a friend of ours had one of those Coleman easy up tents. It was the first time they'd used it, the floor was so thin that they had to put a tarp down underneath it. They were quite disappointed because they were under the impression it had a heavy duty floor, which it wasn't. It might be ok if you're only camping once a year or so but you'd need something more durable if you were using it more often or on surfaces other than grass. If you want something quick and easy to put up, you can't go past the Oztent. They are very expensive though, there may be cheaper brands out there.
I tend to be the opposite and under think things a little mostly - I am trying to find more of a happy medium - although not an Aussie I seem to adopt the "She'll be right" mantra a little too much with some things :-):
I think looking at weights a canvas tent is out of the question if flying it to and from Darwin anyway - I need to go and check out a shop and see which I think offer best ventilation.
I think I have been to Adels Grove - it was lovely - we did a trip on the Desert Venturer from Darwin to Cairns in 2006 and I am sure we stayed there (just for one night unfortunately - but in their posh camping tents) and there was a really interesting talk that happened to be on about the Thylacine. We did a canoeing trip, and some swimming. (I remember the tour driver looked a bit like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and lots of the girls on the trip were doing a lot of ogling and he just went swimming in his Levi's)
We have one which we LOVE because I can actually stand in it! Great for 4wding. Oztent would be no good for a family traveling in litchfield though.
Back from 4 nights away. Were going to stay 3, but decided on the extra night as we needed more time to relax.
Happened to be camping near someone that we knew and another family who's DD is in the same class as DD2. So the girls got to play with other kids, sadly though we did not get to socialize much.
Our next trip away will be with owners of the same brand of camper trailer we have. Should be interesting to see how others set theirs up and what mods they have made.
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How far between stations? The longest across the nullarbor was about 200kms. By isolated I kinda mean nullarbor/eyre highway. Only road houses for about 1200 kms. No where close by if your car were to break down for eg.
Up the top was often more like 300km's between roadhouses - (I remember the Nanuturra Roadhouse because the fuel was extortionately priced and our van looked like had plenty was 300km to Tom Price and then about 70km past the needle just dropped - so we had to turn round and go back - not only a waste of time but we burnt 140km worth of fuel achieving nothing as had to buy at high price anyway - it was a good lesson to learn though):
I think up the top of WA meets your description of isolated, between Exmouth and Tom Price there was nothing really - but you do get other traffic that would stop and help you out. Mum and Dad said they didn't think the Nullabor was really that different to other parts of WA they had traveled through in terms of isolation - really just the road was straighter (so the Nullabor was at the end of their trip - and they said they couldn't really understand why people have a desire to do it unless is just to get from A to B).
Thanks. 300kms isn't too bad. Least I know I could do that without a long range fuel tank.
Prices are high across the nullarbor too. Average of $1.86. Nullarbor road house itself was the highest. $2.09 I think it was. That was 2 years ago now.
Also, plenty of traffic out there if help was needed.
The nullarbor is just a huge, open space of nothing, but I think it's worth seeing for that reason. I did only drive it for going here to home, but my parents & friends have worked sheep stations out there as well.
The nullarbor plain itself is only a few hundred kms. Treeless plain is longer. I'm still wondering why 'nullarbor' became the name commonly used? The whole stretch is actually the eyre highway.
I should google that at some point.
Hard to say, I don't have anything to compare it to. It doesn't have those little vents down low at sleeping height, but it does have big windows. Darwin in summer has big rain. Not a good combination!:
We did some pretty rough camping, and never had a problem with the floor.
To get from A-B last time, Melb to Perth, we went via Dubbo, Sydney, Townsville, Alice Springs, Uluru, Darwin, Broome, Exmouth, etc. Highly recommended!
The west coast is amazing. Sparse, yes, places are much further apart than they look on the map. Rugged and beautiful.
Have booked myself on a towing course to give me the courage to tow (and reverse) the camper trailer - and we are planning to go away at Easter in it - Mt Gambier way to visit some friends - I think places will be busy won't they Easter weekend - I had better get my skates on and see if can book something. Any tips on anything round that area or on way?
Mt Gambier is beautiful. There's so much to see and do in the area. The sunken gardens and blue lake in town are spectacular. You can go there after dark to feed the possums too. There are caves and sinkholes scattered around the area too. Theres a visitors centre in the town which has heaps info on what to do and see.
We went last Easter and didn't have any issues booking a site. There are a few caravan parks there. I've stayed in the big 4 one, it's great but booked in a different one last time. I was in hospital so didn't go but everyone else said it was nice, not as good as the big 4 though.
So my towing course is on Saturday!! I have practiced hitching the trailer up and that was better than I thought so perhaps the reversing will be better too. I have watched the DVD a few times and that has helped - I have been driving mum and dads car alot too as have let my friend borrow mine and that has helped as I had forgotten how easy it is to make small movements with an automatic (I normally drive a manual and there is always a little bit of a lurch).
Now I just have to hope the neighbors get my message and park their cars right at back of parking spot so there is room for me to hitch the trailer up.
We ended up booking Robe for Easter, at a Big4 site, places had minimum stay requirements so just decided to stay there and visit Mt Gambier for the day, as we have friends staying at Robe too.
Also camping at Hanging Rock on the 21st (they are doing a camp out there) and on the 28th the camp out at a Kids Adventure weekend at Mt Baw Baw. DH isn't doing either of those due to work though.