The Camping Thread #2

**wysiwyg** · January 26th, 2015, 08:19 PM

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.

**Lenny** · January 27th, 2015, 07:02 AM

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.

**Tinks** · January 27th, 2015, 07:13 AM

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.

**wysiwyg** · January 27th, 2015, 07:17 AM

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.

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)

**Lenny** · January 27th, 2015, 07:18 AM

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.

**Astrid** · January 27th, 2015, 01:56 PM

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.

**~clover~** · January 27th, 2015, 03:49 PM

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.

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.

**wysiwyg** · January 27th, 2015, 04:40 PM

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).

**~clover~** · January 28th, 2015, 02:57 PM

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.

**turtledove** · February 5th, 2015, 08:33 AM

So your Coleman instant up - do you think has good ventilation??

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.

**wysiwyg** · February 16th, 2015, 07:11 PM

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?

**Tinks** · February 17th, 2015, 05:15 AM

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.

**wysiwyg** · March 12th, 2015, 07:23 PM

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.