WoodyKnot
31st May 2007, 08:08 PM
Hey Folks I hope ya's are ready for a mini series here....when it comes to camping, well, i've lived in a tent here n there on occasions and had a ball of a time even when the weather turns ugly.
If your a storm watcher, there's nothin better than layin in ya tent watchin it through the built in skylight especially when a sheila is scared n cuddles up to ya during the event....mmmm those were the days.:D
To me "Camping" is a general term for fishing/hunting, drinkin, bushwalkin and exploring new places in that order or thereabouts.
One doesn't realize until they venture out exploring how large our area of Australia is, like on a recent attempt (and i say attempt because i got so far then had to return due to family health), to travel this big wide land of ours, it took a mate and I 6 months to travel to our last destination of the Watagan Mountains, near Newcastle from Armidale NSW.
A mate and I travelled by 4x4 and explored everything between here and the Watagans and camped by a river or creek sometimes for a week on end. The main problem we found was carrying drinking water and of the many of the places we were there was no "outside" contact. Don't get me wrong though as there were other people transversing the countryside in their 4x4's but we found most of them don't stop to say g'day. They could have thought we were ferals i suppose.
We learnt about carrying water very quickly for drinking although we did consider taking a filter thing with us, or some of those things that camping places have for treating drinking water as one never knows how clean the water is from a river or creek so was decided to buy 3 20 ltr drums and fill them up when we passed through a town. Some of the State/National parks we camped in had access to rainwater tanks and toilets too.
It's amazing how much water one drinks when there ain't no beer.
Another problem we found was space in the 4x4 for various items like food and the water. Out goes the camp beds, the back seat, the portable toilet and shower,the fridge, the surf rods and general odds and ends that weren't needed. Fuel wasn't a problem as the patrol had long range tanks although it was a bit pricey at the time to fill her up and highway driving was the worst for fuel consumption.
The gas stove we bought was the best thing because if a fireban is current, one can use the stove instead of lightin a fire. Although some people like myself enjoy the natural flavours of cooking ur food on a wood fire/bbq especially Kangaroo, fish or other natives. Rabbit was great in the camp oven too!!
We missed the fridge terribly as if you didn't drink quick enough the cans would end up in the back of the 4x4 to either be used as fire extingishers or we'd give 'em away to visitors. Not many people like consuming beer that has been in a hot vehicle or have been in the sun for a bit. We all know that taste it gets.
I did lose a fair bit of weight during the course of this trip probably because of not consuming margarine/butter, ice cream, and all other junk food.
About twice a month we would stay in a caravan park for around a week depending on availability, cost and how friendly people were.
The first park was in Bellingen and be warned if you don't like bat droppings on ur car or tent, don't pitch near the creek. Thousands of fruit bats fly up the creek bed late afternoon and early morning towards the Dorrigo mountains for food. Bat droppings are very difficult to remove once dry and they stain clothes let alone vehicle paint.
The larger Caravan parks obviously had more people especially caravaners and backpackers. We met many interesting different people from all walks of life. People from Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, America, Canada, Mexico and even our own aussie folk.
Getting back out "bush" was a godsend where it was peaceful and not much of anything going on. In fact when looking for bait under logs n stuff for fishing, i found their wasn't much to be found so I improvised with a peice of mandarin skin on a hook. I caught 3 eels that day on one peice of skin. The area was near salt water although it was a lagoon of type and fresh water to boot. Kind of a swampy area and heaps of mozzies and neva thought i'd catch anything but a few mozzie bites.
Near Bowerville ( Nambucca area), the country out that way is gorgeous too with deep clear streams where one can sit and watch the various sizes of fish swimmin in the water. I was very tempted to throw a line in but thought how serene the area was with the fish. One doesn't see that very often, with the fish swimming in such clear water so we decided to go swimming instead. The water was very refreshing (brrrrr), and on the way out of the water, someone had been dumping their rubbish on the riverbank. Obviously they had taken kids there and have left their rubbish behind. We found alot of this going on throughout our travels.
'Tis a shame people do such things and we did alert certain agencies of what rubbish was about so it could be cleaned up.
The Barrington Tops were very exciting as we explored alot of this area. We came upon many aborginal paintings and areas that were in pretty good nic although some of them had perished from the elements. One particular area seemed as though it had perished but on viewing it at night and with a torch, one could see quite well the aboriginal artwork on this rock. An eerie silence and feeling comes upon you while in this area and even though my mate is indigenous it was decided to leave the area and go back to camp.
Newcastle is a bloody huge place as i had never been there b4 and learnt quickly one cannot walk to the otherside in a day. So on to the Watagan Mountains State Park..
This is a popular place with Sydney folk and many campers, motorbike riders and the Police.
We pitched our tents at one of the camp sites and were there for about two weeks when suddenly, the Police turn up and pitch their base next to our campsite. No rest now for us and no sleeping in. They had a blitz on the Motorbike riders in the park and lasted for 2 days.
It was then decided to move on deeper into the Park to the Basin camping area. Here we met 3 people and one in particular was a backpacker who was travelling by foot from Sydney to Darwin. He had in his kit a tent, a saucepan and a few cans of baked beans and i thought we were doing it rough.
We each had bought a portable (Solar) camp shower early in our travels for $30 and what a waste of money it was. It was efficient in heating the water but eventually the Handle broke and one could not hang it up to get the flow going to have a shower. I think we both got 8 uses out of it each b4 it broke. When we were in town of reasonable size and not staying at a caravan park, we searched for a tourist info centre. Many of these have hot showers and they're free to use, otherwise we would pay $5 for a shower each at a pub.
One particular Tourist info centre is Tamworth's. It has free hot showers and i think that there on a timer too. I'm not sure on their hours for when they close the showers for cleaning but i think it is around 2 hours in any 24 hour period.
Was long after the watagans that i had to come home.
The adventure will continue one day but not with the same mate as then.
Until i purchase my own 4X4 i'll stick with local camping adventures.
Next time....
Woodyknot.
If your a storm watcher, there's nothin better than layin in ya tent watchin it through the built in skylight especially when a sheila is scared n cuddles up to ya during the event....mmmm those were the days.:D
To me "Camping" is a general term for fishing/hunting, drinkin, bushwalkin and exploring new places in that order or thereabouts.
One doesn't realize until they venture out exploring how large our area of Australia is, like on a recent attempt (and i say attempt because i got so far then had to return due to family health), to travel this big wide land of ours, it took a mate and I 6 months to travel to our last destination of the Watagan Mountains, near Newcastle from Armidale NSW.
A mate and I travelled by 4x4 and explored everything between here and the Watagans and camped by a river or creek sometimes for a week on end. The main problem we found was carrying drinking water and of the many of the places we were there was no "outside" contact. Don't get me wrong though as there were other people transversing the countryside in their 4x4's but we found most of them don't stop to say g'day. They could have thought we were ferals i suppose.
We learnt about carrying water very quickly for drinking although we did consider taking a filter thing with us, or some of those things that camping places have for treating drinking water as one never knows how clean the water is from a river or creek so was decided to buy 3 20 ltr drums and fill them up when we passed through a town. Some of the State/National parks we camped in had access to rainwater tanks and toilets too.
It's amazing how much water one drinks when there ain't no beer.
Another problem we found was space in the 4x4 for various items like food and the water. Out goes the camp beds, the back seat, the portable toilet and shower,the fridge, the surf rods and general odds and ends that weren't needed. Fuel wasn't a problem as the patrol had long range tanks although it was a bit pricey at the time to fill her up and highway driving was the worst for fuel consumption.
The gas stove we bought was the best thing because if a fireban is current, one can use the stove instead of lightin a fire. Although some people like myself enjoy the natural flavours of cooking ur food on a wood fire/bbq especially Kangaroo, fish or other natives. Rabbit was great in the camp oven too!!
We missed the fridge terribly as if you didn't drink quick enough the cans would end up in the back of the 4x4 to either be used as fire extingishers or we'd give 'em away to visitors. Not many people like consuming beer that has been in a hot vehicle or have been in the sun for a bit. We all know that taste it gets.
I did lose a fair bit of weight during the course of this trip probably because of not consuming margarine/butter, ice cream, and all other junk food.
About twice a month we would stay in a caravan park for around a week depending on availability, cost and how friendly people were.
The first park was in Bellingen and be warned if you don't like bat droppings on ur car or tent, don't pitch near the creek. Thousands of fruit bats fly up the creek bed late afternoon and early morning towards the Dorrigo mountains for food. Bat droppings are very difficult to remove once dry and they stain clothes let alone vehicle paint.
The larger Caravan parks obviously had more people especially caravaners and backpackers. We met many interesting different people from all walks of life. People from Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, America, Canada, Mexico and even our own aussie folk.
Getting back out "bush" was a godsend where it was peaceful and not much of anything going on. In fact when looking for bait under logs n stuff for fishing, i found their wasn't much to be found so I improvised with a peice of mandarin skin on a hook. I caught 3 eels that day on one peice of skin. The area was near salt water although it was a lagoon of type and fresh water to boot. Kind of a swampy area and heaps of mozzies and neva thought i'd catch anything but a few mozzie bites.
Near Bowerville ( Nambucca area), the country out that way is gorgeous too with deep clear streams where one can sit and watch the various sizes of fish swimmin in the water. I was very tempted to throw a line in but thought how serene the area was with the fish. One doesn't see that very often, with the fish swimming in such clear water so we decided to go swimming instead. The water was very refreshing (brrrrr), and on the way out of the water, someone had been dumping their rubbish on the riverbank. Obviously they had taken kids there and have left their rubbish behind. We found alot of this going on throughout our travels.
'Tis a shame people do such things and we did alert certain agencies of what rubbish was about so it could be cleaned up.
The Barrington Tops were very exciting as we explored alot of this area. We came upon many aborginal paintings and areas that were in pretty good nic although some of them had perished from the elements. One particular area seemed as though it had perished but on viewing it at night and with a torch, one could see quite well the aboriginal artwork on this rock. An eerie silence and feeling comes upon you while in this area and even though my mate is indigenous it was decided to leave the area and go back to camp.
Newcastle is a bloody huge place as i had never been there b4 and learnt quickly one cannot walk to the otherside in a day. So on to the Watagan Mountains State Park..
This is a popular place with Sydney folk and many campers, motorbike riders and the Police.
We pitched our tents at one of the camp sites and were there for about two weeks when suddenly, the Police turn up and pitch their base next to our campsite. No rest now for us and no sleeping in. They had a blitz on the Motorbike riders in the park and lasted for 2 days.
It was then decided to move on deeper into the Park to the Basin camping area. Here we met 3 people and one in particular was a backpacker who was travelling by foot from Sydney to Darwin. He had in his kit a tent, a saucepan and a few cans of baked beans and i thought we were doing it rough.
We each had bought a portable (Solar) camp shower early in our travels for $30 and what a waste of money it was. It was efficient in heating the water but eventually the Handle broke and one could not hang it up to get the flow going to have a shower. I think we both got 8 uses out of it each b4 it broke. When we were in town of reasonable size and not staying at a caravan park, we searched for a tourist info centre. Many of these have hot showers and they're free to use, otherwise we would pay $5 for a shower each at a pub.
One particular Tourist info centre is Tamworth's. It has free hot showers and i think that there on a timer too. I'm not sure on their hours for when they close the showers for cleaning but i think it is around 2 hours in any 24 hour period.
Was long after the watagans that i had to come home.
The adventure will continue one day but not with the same mate as then.
Until i purchase my own 4X4 i'll stick with local camping adventures.
Next time....
Woodyknot.