caravan parks vs free camping

[Jim and Tab]

hi all
we have been camping for around 15 years from 4 man tent to new expanda
we usually free/cheap camp for a cpl of reasons
first being im a scott so cheap/free makes me happy
plenty of places to camp with out crowds(if you get the right place)
nothing like a few drinks around a camp fire.
theres plenty of expandas around 1000s of them but ive only ever come across a handfull out free camping
heaps of eagles/hawks etc but not many expandas
we have had our expanda around 4 months and have spent around 30 night away (longest stay in 1 place 5 nights)
so what do people do with theres
cheers jim/tab and diamond

 

[bully66672]

I use my camps 6 book for most of our stops.
Occasionally I will stop at a van park to let the kids play on play equipment, swim in a pool.
Best times we ever have is while free camping

 

[MolongMick]

We plan to spend most of our time free camping, withy the occassional stop over in a park to top up water and refresh a bit more, (longer showers).

 

[Wado]

Bush camping is our first choice. Even in the good old days of touring and camping out with a tent, we only stayed in a van park every now and then to do the washing and have a freshen up. We did the same when we moved up to the SwanOB, taking advantage of power to charge up batteries and town water to top up tanks etc. With the Expanda being so simple to set up, we have now taken to leaving at night after work, and sleeping on the side of the road en-route to our destination. Gives us a big head start on the few days off we have. When the Free Camps book came out, it was our bible but we now find that everyone uses it and the "free" camps come at a cost - crowds, rubbish, dogs, and generators. Not to mention the grey nomads leave at sparrows fart each day so they can get to the next "free" camp by lunch time and jag the prime spots. We recently had plans to stop at a listed free camp near Dubbo (Terramungamine) only to find that it jam packed at lunch time. A bit of lateral thinking and research led us to another unlisted camp on the same river and not so far away, with no people, no rubbish, no animals, no generators. It was so good we stayed for several days instead of the night we had planned at Terramungamine.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

I think were the same as many others as we are set up for camping away from all amenities we always go for bush camping and use the c/p for water top up / washing and yes longer showers

 

[Brad]

We have camped mainly at caravan parks that take dogs.

 

[andrea]

We've had our van since the end of November. Since then we've stay 2 nights at Tallebuggera Tourist Park, 2 Nights at Murphys Creek, 3 nights (xmas) in my parents back yard and 6 nights at Kennilworth Homestead. Our favourite so far is Kennilworth Homestead! We plan on mostly low cost camping (national parks, state forests and private rural camping grounds. If we go to the Gold Coast it will be mostly Tallebuggera as it's great for the kids.

 

[jdonly1]

Free camps for us

 

[chartrock]

Not to mention the grey nomads leave at sparrows fart each day so they can get to the next "free" camp by lunch time and jag the prime spots. We recently had plans to stop at a listed free camp near Dubbo (Terramungamine) only to find that it jam packed at lunch time.

Bush camps for us as much as possible but we are "part time grey nomads" and know the drill for camp spots. I love my sleep in on holidays (and other times) so we don't get up with the sparrows :wink: so we just do short runs so can arrive early although lunch time is a bit early. But you are right, if you aren't on site by about 3:00PM not only the best but nearly all spots are gone in popular freebies. But you can always squeeze in another.

I enjoy talking to most of the nomads as they have been to a lot of places and carry a wealth of info about places and conditions. Notice the "most" in the sentence as some of them can be a PITA but you can usually sort them out quickly and find an excuse to break away. :laugh:

 

[Nuts]

Bush/free camps for us too. We prefer the the bit extra freedom and quietness. Can't usually have fires in caravan parks anymore and I've noticed some parks won't even allow the kids to ride their bikes inside the park, which seems ridiculous to me.

 

[jdonly1]

The only camp we have been to is the bush camp at Cape Conran,go in the quite time of year and it is pretty relaxed

 

[cruza driver]

For us its bush camping and a bit also a bit of caravan park holidays too. nothing like a bit of variety :thumb:

When we stay at caravan parks its usually with a group of families (5) as not everyone is self sufficent and aren't lucky enough to have an Expanda :lol:

On our annual holiday we do both as a cp is good to catch up on some washing and shopping etc.