The Camping Thread

[prydey]

Apologies for the picture heavy post. Even then, it just can't do the Grampians justice. hopefully it won't be 2 years between visits next time.

My favourite sign at the park (which I didn't get a picture of) was on the exit, which said 'Travelling leaves you speechless and then makes you a story teller'. So so true.

Anyway, here's a picture story of our stay.
The facilities really were better than some apartments I've stayed in. Heated at all times. Music playing. Only thing they can't control is the feral element in society, so like any shared facility, it was often left in less than desirable condition for the next person (mainly the toilets).




view from our site. we were on the perimeter of the park, but there are no fences. simply awesome. That paddock is usually covered in 'roos as well.


Some more local wildlife. I didn't try to get too close to these guys.


Views from top of Mt William. Tallest peak in Grampians (and western vic I believe). Windy as hell up the top. 2km walk from the carpark to the summit up a bitumen service rd, but very steep in parts. I'd guess a gradient close to 20% in parts. Took us 45min mainly due to the 10yr old



view from the camp kitchen area. Everywhere you look is stunning views.


random rock formation on one of the walks.


Plenty of wildlife. We bought some sunflower seeds from the supermarket. The cockies got a bit aggressive though so had to be careful. They would literally bite your ankles trying to get your attention. we all have some nice reminders. Feeding the Rosella's was cool.





Mackenzie Falls


Balconies


If you have kids that are after a 'thrill a minute' type holiday, then Halls Gap probably won't offer you very much (although there is a Big4 park there) but for those wanting to enjoy the Flora and Fauna and scenery etc, this is a must visit place.

[sgt_doofey]

Awww, now you're getting me excited for my trip Rob!
Does look a bit soggy where you were stationed there in the park.
With the walk to the Mt Williams summit, was that 45mins each way or all up? Just wondering if it is something we might attempt this time with 7 & 4 year olds in tow.

Also, next time you go to MacKenzie Falls, at the bottom, walk along the creek/river. It's a great little walk and hardly anyone goes along there I reckon. We did that last year and didn't really encounter too many people along the way.
There is a number of bridges and so forth over the river along that walk. The kids really enjoyed it.

[prydey]

The walk to Mt William summit was 45min up. Coming down was about 30min, but we were stopping to admire the view and take pics. Our youngest is 10 and she needed a bit of encouragement but got there ok. We did see families with younger kids going up, but maybe not 4. It is quite steep in parts. Still worth driving to the car park and even walking part way up. Views are still good and there isn't really anything at the summit to look forward to apart from the view.

As for the walk at the base of Mackenzie through to zumsteins, we haven't done the whole walk but we did go partway along. Path got too muddy though and showers were constantly coming through so we pulled the pin.

[BENT_8]

Hey happy campers, whats been happening?

I was fortunate enough to have a day off either side of the weekend just gone and with the sun starting to poke its head out we decided to take advantage of it and get away.
Rocky Paddock is closed for the remainder of the year due to commercial operations so the neighbouring Chalks Rd campground was the destination.

Its a nice little spot with plenty of room for the kids to play and was very popular being full by Friday evening

Gave me the opportunity to test the new airbags on the Territory and im happy to say that it was a success, they levelled it up nicely.

Loving the new camper, level it out, flip the lid, pull out the kitchen and fridge slide and crack a tinny.

Our campsite, my new camper and the old one I sold to my Nephew
https://imgur.com/uVICF9J

Looking up towards the facilities and a hut you can hire to camp in.
https://imgur.com/7yLph1E

[Beastie]

We had a weekend away recently with our Viscount Caravan group...

Destination - Patonga NSW
Theme - The year of your caravan

This annual get together started 3 years ago with 13 vans attending. This year there were 46 vans...

Some random pics.











And the view from our van...

[Trevor 57]

that looks awesome Beastie, one of my big regrets was that we destroyed a fairly good 1957 Obailey bond-wood caravan, it was nearly full restored. We pulled it apart and turned it into a motorbike trailer. It would have looked fantastic behind the XP

We are off for a 2 week jaunt into the Flinders Rangers in a couple of weeks, last time we were there was 2002, our twins sons only had their drivers licence for 2 weeks and we found it very hard to relax with them at home, back then we were in the '89 Maverick in a tent, this time in the 2016 Ranger with a 2016 caravan and the boys are now 35 hahaha

[roKWiz]

Ah, Patonga, See any Waratah's up the hill ? Mountain bike heaven.

[prydey]

Be honest now Beastie, was there any difference between your 'dress up' clothes and your normal clothes

[sgt_doofey]

Rob, with your recent trip to Lakeside Halls Gap, had they finished the upgrade to the camp kitchen? Just seen on their web site that it was scheduled to finish mid August.
We've got a little over 3 weeks until we go now. Have extended the stay an extra night as it turns out we were meant to head over on AFL Grand Final day. Going a day early now so we'll be sitting around the camp site watching the match instead of driving over

[prydey]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Rob, with your recent trip to Lakeside Halls Gap, had they finished the upgrade to the camp kitchen? Just seen on their web site that it was scheduled to finish mid August.
We've got a little over 3 weeks until we go now. Have extended the stay an extra night as it turns out we were meant to head over on AFL Grand Final day. Going a day early now so we'll be sitting around the camp site watching the match instead of driving over

No, that upgrade was due to start after we left. They were also doing surveying work around the basketball area and I heard on another forum they are putting in more glam tents.

[sgt_doofey]

Yeah, they've got some photos up on Facebook of the Safari Tents they're building where the basketball ring was.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[prydey]

Hopefully they don't overdo it. It's good they reinvest in the park to keep it up to standard but hopefully it doesn't lose its open feel esp in the lower section. It's good having no physical boundary. Even the dam side where you camp there is no boundary and you can see out unrestricted to the dam wall.

The top ensuite bathrooms need renovating next. We didn't use them but did check them out.

Hopefully both pools are running while you are there.

The first thing we did when we got home is try to work out when we can get back there. Just difficult trying to get all our schedules lined up. Any peak times need to be booked so far in advance too which is hard as well.

[sgt_doofey]

We tried last year when we were there to book for this year. It turned out the week we wanted was easter and they were already booked out 12 months in advance.
We were lucky to get the sites we did for the September school holidays.

The sites we have are over on the dam side. We loved it there last year as it gave us room for the kids to run around and explore.

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[Sox]

Parts of a trip we did a couple year back...






On the Buchanan highway.








Not sure where we are now...







Doggy swimming.




The Tanami.




Ruff as guts.




Big hole.







WTF!

[pcman]

so jelouse. i was supposed to be traveling and camping this week, but a accident at work has left me with a torn hamstring stuck at home all week booo

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Ah, Patonga, See any Waratah's up the hill ? Mountain bike heaven.

It was the weekend when we had the strong winds, so I didn't venture too far away from the fire & esky...

[Beastie]

Originally Posted by prydey

Be honest now Beastie, was there any difference between your 'dress up' clothes and your normal clothes

Our van is an 80's model, so why not dress as a Rubik's Cube...

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by Sox

Parts of a trip we did a couple year back...


On the Buchanan highway.


Not sure where we are now...


Doggy swimming.


The Tanami.


Ruff as guts.


Big hole.


WTF!

(*sorry deleted the pictures so as to not annoy everyone)


The Northern part of W.A. is awesome, we did a 11 week trip over there in 2012, went up the guts in 5 days, chucked a leftie at Katherine, then cruised down the west coast to Perth then home. I wanted to go to Wolfe Creek but after spending 5 days on the Gibb River Road and going into the Bungle Bungles I was a bit over rough roads, out thoughts were "there is plenty of time AFTER retirement"

[Sox]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

(*sorry deleted the pictures so as to not annoy everyone)


The Northern part of W.A. is awesome, we did a 11 week trip over there in 2012, went up the guts in 5 days, chucked a leftie at Katherine, then cruised down the west coast to Perth then home. I wanted to go to Wolfe Creek but after spending 5 days on the Gibb River Road and going into the Bungle Bungles I was a bit over rough roads, out thoughts were "there is plenty of time AFTER retirement"

Yeh we did the Bungle Bungles, and you're dead right, the top end of WA has a shirt load of cool stuff.
We're heading back soon, going right around actually...

[Trevor 57]

Cheapest fuel on Gibb River Road


Near Wyndham


On GRR


Windjana Gorge (off GRR)



Other W.A. pics

[BENT_8]

Ahh, wish I could head out that way, looks spectacular but unfortunately my Missus believes too much of what she reads and thinks there's crazy gunmen hanging around the Alice waiting to shoot random tourists in the middle of the night or a Dingo ready to snatch one of the kids.
Even though those things have happened like once in forever.

I suggested we head up around Uluru next year and she had an anxiety attack just thinking about it.
I might be able to get her up to Wilpena if i play my cards right.

[Trevor 57]

My wife and I have free camped for all of our 44 years together and NEVER EVER had a problem like Mick Taylor annoy us, in fact we have never had a problem with anyone

You camp more than 20k's out of town and no-one will notice you there. Most trouble happens in towns

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Ahh, wish I could head out that way, looks spectacular but unfortunately my Missus believes too much of what she reads and thinks there's crazy gunmen hanging around the Alice waiting to shoot random tourists in the middle of the night or a Dingo ready to snatch one of the kids.
Even though those things have happened like once in forever.

I suggested we head up around Uluru next year and she had an anxiety attack just thinking about it.
I might be able to get her up to Wilpena if i play my cards right.

both those places have caravan parks - Mind you I reckon you are more likely to have trouble in those than on your own out in the bush

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

both those places have caravan parks - Mind you I reckon you are more likely to have trouble in those than on your own out in the bush

Totally agreed Trev, but logic doesn't always win out...and apart from that, who am i to argue with the minister for finances and special cuddles..

This past weekend was a perfect example, on the Thursday night the campground was virtually empty and it was peaceful but by mid afternoon Friday the mob was rolling in and with all the dogs and tattooed bogans it just felt like trouble could erupt at any moment, i actually made comment that if i went this close to the city again it would be mid week to avoid the masses.
In the end there was no trouble and the groups around us were well behaved, but you're constantly being watched from every angle and it makes it hard to fully relax.
The only real excitement was a group of young people who left their chairs next to their fire still raging and went to bed, made for quite a spectacle when the wind picked up out of nowhere and 4 chairs tipped into the fire all at once which made them panic to the point where they couldn't undo their tent zips so we raced over and contained it.
Who goes to bed with 3ft of 8" burning log hanging out of their fire pit anyway

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

My wife and I have free camped for all of our 44 years together and NEVER EVER had a problem like Mick Taylor annoy us, in fact we have never had a problem with anyone

You camp more than 20k's out of town and no-one will notice you there. Most trouble happens in towns

That's always got me, how some will camp right next to a country pub , then are surprised to be hassled by drunks at closing time.

[Trevor 57]

Spot on roKWiz

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

That's always got me, how some will camp right next to a country pub , then are surprised to be hassled by drunks at closing time.

Fair call.

I guess it comes down to the difference between camping and travelling, are you just on a short weekend camp or actually travelling.
God knows i'd love to be able to feel like a pioneer every month on an isolated outback adventure but the reality of mid life responsibility dictates that im a long way off hooking up the off road caravan and heading bush for months at a time so a local camp as often as time and schedule permits will leave you with limited options and many people are in the same boat which brings you to those more heavily populated campsites on the fringes of reality.

One of the main reasons we upgraded from a soft floor camper to a forward fold was so that when time permits I can hook up on a Friday evening after work and spend a couple nights away by myself or with the youngest Daughter and unless I want to spend half the Friday night travelling and setting up in the dark it leaves you with little option other than local caravan parks or forest area's that everyone else has the same idea about.

[Trevor 57]

I have been there Bent 8, I am in my early 60's, my youngest kids are 35, mortgage - what mortgage? So we are in a position to travel a little more. We married young, bought our first home young, worked hard, spent wisely and we are where we are today. I watch all of my 4 kids doing it tough, do I understand - mind your their discretionary spending surprises me at times.

We took 12 weeks long service leave in 2012 to do the W.A. trip, my wife is a low paid contractor so her LSL was totally unpaid. I had never taken LSL before.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

I have been there Bent 8, I am in my early 60's, my youngest kids are 35, mortgage - what mortgage? So we are in a position to travel a little more. We married young, bought our first home young, worked hard, spent wisely and we are where we are today. I watch all of my 4 kids doing it tough, do I understand - mind your their discretionary spending surprises me at times.

We took 12 weeks long service leave in 2012 to do the W.A. trip, my wife is a low paid contractor so her LSL was totally unpaid. I had never taken LSL before.

Please don't get me wrong Trev, I'm not complaining about my lot or envious of what you or anyone else has achieved, I'm happy for people who've worked hard and spent/saved/invested wisely to reap the rewards and hope to get there myself one day, but right now it's not my reality so you have to make do with what life presents even if that's camping in less desirable locations in the immediate future.

At the minute I'm sitting in the emergency dept. of my local hospital with a suspected perforated bowel from a severe bout of Diverticulitis, ive got the old man health issues down pat, just need the nest egg to compliment..

[Sox]

Our holidays are dirt cheap.
We bush camp 90% of the time, whether that's a council provided freebie on the side of the highway, or an isolated spot we find in some remote location hidden from everyone.

I don't like caravan parks, they cost too much, they cram you in like 5 Maoris in a Ford Fiesta, and the facilities are all too often sub standard.
However, sometimes we have to be in them for convenience, even we slum it sometimes...

I've been camping/traveling all my life, first with tent/sleeping bag and either car or motorbike.
In the last 10 years with the caravan in the the above pics, we inherited the van off a good friend who passed away, long story...

We mostly plonk ourselves ~20km outside of the towns, or much much further away.
Haven't had any problems with people or anything else, but we do travel in pairs (mostly) and with a couple of dogs.
We've had Dingos, lizards, and cane toads drink from the doggys water bowl though...

Wifey uses 90% of her holidays for going away, and I'm semi retired.
We usually go away for a minimum of 1 week, but normally between 3 and 6 weeks.
Wifey has 12 weeks LSL approved and we're going right around the block next.

Our van is only pint sized, but it's a burger with the lot.
I've renos on top of the renos over the years, it's a different van today.
In fact, over the last week I've just made a big hole in the side of it for the little Webber to pop in and out of.

We've done around 50,000km towing the caravan in the last 10 years and wouldn't have it any other way...