Where to stay???

[crustt]

parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park/things-to-do/aire-river-west2

This link is to all the national park sights around the area, they have just started charging $36.00 for up to 6 people, I recommend Aire River east side, just a heads up you cannot drive a van across the bridge.
Johanna's changed a bit Bluey, not free anymore and no fires. It's a pity it was a great free camp but at Christmas and Easter there were so many people they were wrecking the place, in the long run it will be a better place. Don't get me started on the Rip Curl Pro environmental nightmare.

www.bimbipark.com.au/index.html I forgot Bimbi out on Cape Otway 25km west of Apollo Bay, great place, good for kids tons of Koalas heaps to do, Probably minimum 7 night but ring them I can't imagine Frank not taking a booking, very nice people.

 

[Smirke]

Thanks for that. Thank goodness the van has that little safe. Will need to put some cash in there for the parks n things. ( I very rarely have any. Little fingers like it too much!)
Thanks for the tip on that bridge too. Would not want to be on it with van only to get stuck or even worse, have it break on me.
Once the tribes been fed it's research time. Love the idea of koalas. Kids loved staying at a place called Mandalay C/P as we had possums in the trees and one landed on the swans bed.

 

[Bluey]

We will be in dubbo on the 1st n 2nd, out the 3rd. 3 people in my dept told me we had to see the dubbo zoo, so thought 'why not'. We are staying at the big 4 there.

sounds like we mite just miss u in dubbo u could park van in my drive way crash here if u need we wont be here can connect to frount tap lady that comes to feed dogs would let u in back for power im 15mins from city west side 45 mins to geelong 1 hr to coast Anglesea yes Gibson steps are at the apostles small car park there mmmmmm at that time prices are all going to be a bit higher should try to plan and ring now I know this mite be hard but if there booked out could be trouble can park in some big car parks but carnt say if u wont get in trouble with the law or stupid people I already fear things maybe booked took us days of ringing nsw coast parks to find one with 2 spots left that was 2 and half months ago the whispering wall is a huge dam wall for Adelaide's water but the bend in the wall carries voices noises across the bend in it to people on the other side its unreal its so big but u talk so softly and it travels all the way across there are steps to the wall to do this its scary just walking across it check out maps how to get there u can take a road from murry bridge or just look u will work it out good luck with ur planning need anything just ask if I can help are u getting new van from geelong ??????

 

[Bluey]

parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/great-otway-national-park/things-to-do/aire-river-west2

This link is to all the national park sights around the area, they have just started charging $36.00 for up to 6 people, I recommend Aire River east side, just a heads up you cannot drive a van across the bridge.
Johanna's changed a bit Bluey, not free anymore and no fires. It's a pity it was a great free camp but at Christmas and Easter there were so many people they were wrecking the place, in the long run it will be a better place. Don't get me started on the Rip Curl Pro environmental nightmare.

www.bimbipark.com.au/index.html I forgot Bimbi out on Cape Otway 25km west of Apollo Bay, great place, good for kids tons of Koalas heaps to do, Probably minimum 7 night but ring them I can't imagine Frank not taking a booking, very nice people.

shame that joey has changed and got busy I haven't surfed for about 20 years things where great back then sorry about the pro but it is what it is

 

[Bluey]

we are staying at the dubbo city van park top tourist park for a discount and has a big gate to keep undesirables out lol theres a few in dubbo believe me

 

[Smirke]

Thanks for the offer.we picked anglesea to stay because hubby wanted to check out bells and torquay. Have already prepaid the accommodation so as it's not too big a bill around Chrissy time. If we were more organised, we would have planned last year and booked, but as it was we decided to sell the swan late June, and shockingly it sold less than 12 hours of me posting the ad on gumtree. I was so not organised for that!
We are actually picking the van up from the Jayco factory on the 17th dec. we arrive in Melbourne on the 16th and have booked a cabin for that night, then transfer onto a site for the next 2 nights to get organised with food and then we are off to sydney and QLD. Should be good. My boys are use to me going driving and spending 3 days getting to where ever we are going. Lots of fun!
Downloaded heaps of maps that I am starting to mark with all of the places we should try to see. ( Didn't want to do that to the actual book maps) it's going to be one full trip.

 

[crustt]

shame that joey has changed and got busy I haven't surfed for about 20 years things where great back then sorry about the pro but it is what it is

Joey will be better for it, I've seen people back there vans over bushes to squeeze into a spot over Christmas I've seen som really bad behavior, the free camping attracted people in the peak times that were not there so much cause they liked the place, more that they did not have to pay and being so busy it was a free for all and they could do as they pleased.

The Rip Curl Pro is not a good thing for the environment as it attracts a thousand or more people and to get a view of the surfers they climb the fences and do more damage to the environment(Also, where do a thousand people go to the toilet when there are only 2 toilets in walking distance) than everybody else who stays there in a whole year and Rip Curl could not care less, they still owe the fees from the last 2 times they used the beach . Damn Bluey, told you not to get me started.

 

[crustt]

Is Hubby Surfer? Smirke

 

[Smirke]

Is Hubby Surfer? Smirke

Was, in his younger, youthful days. ( don't tell him I said that though). Still has his boards and will go in with the boys. Our 2nd son got the fin in his thigh back in January, so they haven't been since. Just boogie boarding and body surfing.

 

[Bluey]

Joey will be better for it, I've seen people back there vans over bushes to squeeze into a spot over Christmas I've seen som really bad behavior, the free camping attracted people in the peak times that were not there so much cause they liked the place, more that they did not have to pay and being so busy it was a free for all and they could do as they pleased.

The Rip Curl Pro is not a good thing for the environment as it attracts a thousand or more people and to get a view of the surfers they climb the fences and do more damage to the environment(Also, where do a thousand people go to the toilet when there are only 2 toilets in walking distance) than everybody else who stays there in a whole year and Rip Curl could not care less, they still owe the fees from the last 2 times they used the beach . Damn Bluey, told you not to get me started.

sorry bro love to catch a wave with u at possos but could get to the water for the people if we used there heads as steping stones maybe we could make it out the back for a chance a one then come home

 

[crustt]

Yeah Bluey Impossibles gets crowded I hear, I haven't been there since I was a kid.

 

[Smirke]

Debating over streaky bay or penong for 1 or 2 nights. Anyone got ideas???

 

[crustt]

With or without the van.

 

[Smirke]

With or without the van.

Definitely with

 

[Smirke]

Our trip so far looks like
31 days till we leave.....scarey!

 

[crustt]

Penong has a good clean cp, but the beach camp at Cactus is only 16km on graded road, that would be my choice but I'm a biased.

Streaky is nice, has every thing, if you want a good free camp on the beach, point brown near smokey bay is great but no water or toilets, between Streaky and Ceduna.

 

[Smirke]

Penong has a good clean cp, but the beach camp at Cactus is only 16km on graded road, that would be my choice but I'm a biased.

Streaky is nice, has every thing, if you want a good free camp on the beach, point brown near smokey bay is great but no water or toilets, between Streaky and Ceduna.

Would we make it to cactus with "the beast" (ie the 21-64)?

 

[crustt]

Very smooth, might be about 1/2 a k of corrugation just near the end but nothing to worry about, it's a well traveled road.No Worries

 

[dagree]

Our trip so far looks likeView attachment 28063
31 days till we leave.....scarey!

Need a passenger/co-driver?

 

[Smirke]

Need a passenger/co-driver?

The more the merrier! Don't forget I have 4 boys in the car (5 if you include hubby)