Perception or reality and decisions, decisions

[HuskyInAuz]

I hear and read a lot about the amount of folks, young and old, that are out on the road pulling CT, vans and motor homes. Mate is up in Noosa at a PACKED CP and went to Fraser on Wednesday, said the tracks were all torn up with the tour buses making ruts we could not traverse, a couple folks were stuck, one with a CT and then his tour bus (12 bodies) got stuck on the way back to base.

Due to a number of reasons we haven't had the chance to move to 'land cruising' but I'm hesitant to try given my perception of the seemingly dwindling free camps (we would anchor as far away a possible from other boats) and numbers of rigs going up and down by us here in Jervis Bay on the Princess Hwy. Made a few trips to VIC on the Hume and there are a lot of rigs on there too.

I want to free camp or at least camp where I don't have a MH with it's generator going next to me, reminds me of the the powerboat yachts in quite harbors.

Given the well paid for lesson of the two happiest days of a toy's owners life, day bought, day sold, I'm tying to make a reasonable choice to test the waters of seeing more places than we have and experience this possible mass migration ourselves. So is it 30 second tenting with a support trailer (we have two dogs and not all the 'crap' will fit in the 'trol), a campertrailer (a mate of mine who is a marine fabricator has quite a well made one he did)
or small 14-17' trailer that is semi-off road capable? (Gazal, Coromal, Goldstream)

SWMBO has put me on a budget :( (but she's right, until we know what's best) so I'm not looking at spending $100K for a Kedron more like $10-15K for something used.

46259

[Cuppa]

It’s a horses for courses thing. Some people love CT’s but I wouldn’t have one if you paid me. But then it depends hugely on the style of traveling you want to do. If you are a move on every day sort of person, or a long term traveller you will very quickly tire of anything that takes more than a few minutes to set up. If you prefer to get somewhere & stay put for a while, set up times are not so important. If you mainly intend taking short breaks you can put up with more discomfort & inconvenience than if travelling long term. The off road pop tops are a popular compromise. No different to tow than a camper trailer, but quick & easy to set up & you would get one easily in your price range. No poles & ropes etc. Pull up at camp, pop up the roof, pull out the beds & you’re done. e.g something like this (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-53470-19255-0/1?campid=5336709507&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fitm%2FJayco-Finch-Off-road-camper%2F231264424735%3F_trksid%3Dp2047675.c100011 .m1850%26amp%3B_trkparms%3Daid%253D222006%2526algo %253DSIC.FITP%2526ao%253D1%2526asc%253D20140107090 050%2526meid%253D7916619235408586323%2526pid%253D1 00011%2526prg%253D20140107090050%2526rk%253D1%2526 rkt%253D10%2526sd%253D190973162331) add a fridge & an awning & you have a cheap way to a little comfort & convenience, & if you decide to upgrade later, you could likely sell for what you paid & have a better idea of what you want based upon your own experience.
Your perception of free camping seems based largely on the busiest & most crowded part of Oz, the east coast. Once away from the east coast you will find plenty of great bush camps, much less traffic, space & small friendly towns. Personally I hate caravan parks, & very rarely stay overnight in towns. I prefer bush camps, national park campgrounds, or just overnighting in a spot found down that ‘lets have a look what’s down there’ track. Travel during the busy season, & places will be busier, but the more inland you go the less this is an issue.If you want to follow the main migratory routes travelling early or late in the season has the benefits of having fantastic places to yourself often, but at the price of hotter or cooler weather. An example - you hear stories of the campground at Lawn Hill Gorge being packed out & a dustbowl. We had the whole gorge & campground to ourselves for a week in late October, but with 47 degree temperatures - perfectly manageable with plenty of shade & the water just feet away.
Just as an aside, yes some motorhomes have gennies, but with the popularity of solar & the greater rooftop real estate to mount them on on a motorhome compared to cars, those with the noisy smelly gennies are far more likely to be fellow 4wd’ers & weekend cowboys.

[HuskyInAuz]

Thanks for that! Couldn't agree more on a lot of what you've said. I won't like CP's.

After more searching, reading, lifted/setup a CT Sunday avo and talking I think we'll go for a smaller 'van and skip the CT, possibly a pop-top caravan that has a bed, settee, and stove is permanently set up in and then get a 30 second tent as overflow/annex/dog house setup to test the waters in. Can take the tent with us if we really want to go away from base for a overnighter. For example; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gazal-Infinity-Pop-Top-Caravan/281368510929?_trksid=p2050601.c100103.m2451&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1% 26asc%3D20140211150826%26meid%3D792342324503416192 6%26pid%3D100103%26prg%3D20140211150826%26rkt%3D4% 26clkid%3D7923424530419699330&_qi=RTM1714089

I've talked with Vehicle Components about suspension upgrades and have talked with and reviewed PMC's upgrade, just need to find the right van, other than Jayco's, Bushtracker and Kedron I don't have great background on the other vans that would be semi-offroad/offroad compatible. (?Evernew, Regent, Gazal?)

We've been west a bit, Alice, Uluru (disappointment) but the Olga's were great!, Birdsville races, but want to see a lot more of that area and the north, south. .. heck just see more ! We were able while I was gainfully employed here to get to a lot of places out of the way and that were expensive to fly to on commercial air. I was fortunate enough to have a very capable plane that the company paid fuel for if I took folks to meetings or when it was cheaper for me to fly to Melbourne than commercial. A lot of Fridays we ended up in Melbourne so we had to find some different route home and we'd slept in the plane on the floor with mats other times we threw for a B&B.

[threedogs]

Most camper trailers are just a 6x4 with a tent IMO and I cant for the life in me justify prices of $25k plus.Oh and a sink lol
A pop top for two may suit your needs better, if raining you can sit inside at least, and would be a bit easier on fuel consumption
as well. If you plan on towing off road consider doing the chassis strengthening up grade in either weld on or bolt on form
from Superior Engineering

[HuskyInAuz]

Well this rig/trailer is interesting ..
http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/buy/details.aspx?R=23967333&keywords=concept&__Ntk=StockAll&__Nne=15&PriceFromCaravan=1579&__Qpb=1&Dx=&__D=concept&Ntx=&silo=1701&seot=1&__sid=142D3F4AFC05&__N=1549%201552%201715%201600%201601%201602%204294 965530%204294965477%201579%201559&__Ns=p_StockRankSort_Int32|1||p_Make_String|0||p_M odel_String|0||p_Year_Int32|1||p_StockPrice_Decima l|1&PriceToCaravan=1559&Cr=0&__Ntt=concept&trecs=1

[threedogs]

Well built trailer indeed, but still only a 6x4 and a tent, but $13k isn't too bad for what you get.
You could hire before you buy, I think Johnno's make a robust trailer as well.
You don't want to be laying down getting dressed, maybe an off road trailer and a Safari style tent for sleeping

[HuskyInAuz]

TD,
Yes, I was thinking of this kind of support trailer with a '30 second' tent (if they really are, going to try one out later in the week) as the annex. I'd want to enclose this trailer with aluminum to make it lockable and dust resistant if I were to go this route.

[threedogs]

A mate of mine had a small off road trailer made very small just for carrying extra gear
It had a canvas canopy and was dustproof to a point, but this was back in the early 90's.
Just himself and his wife he travelled all over the tropics with this simple set up and isn't that what its all about
simplicity.. A box for everything packed neatly in either the trailer or the back of the patrol , that's probably the way I would go
but I have a hilux single cab tub that I take camping, its up for sale but you are too far away, sleeps two

[Avo]

we have a CT,love it..so much so that when we bought it we thought it would last us 3 yrs...6 yrs on we still have it..Kids have grown up..Now they have a rooftop tent when we go out...Our ct we love,only takes about 15min to set up,sometimes while on the road(especially up north)when we stop for the night..throw a tent up that we can all crawl in and just pull the kitchen out of the Ct..Bought it for a bargin price of 1900 bucks ..

[threedogs]

we have a CT,love it..so much so that when we bought it we thought it would last us 3 yrs...6 yrs on we still have it..Kids have grown up..Now they have a rooftop tent when we go out...Our ct we love,only takes about 15min to set up,sometimes while on the road(especially up north)when we stop for the night..throw a tent up that we can all crawl in and just pull the kitchen out of the Ct..Bought it for a bargin price of 1900 bucks ..

For that money yes not $25k plus

[Avo]

fits behind the car out of the wind nicely.. the rooftop and awning tent is how we travel when the trailer cannot follow

[threedogs]

great value,,, like the kitchen room as well. paid for itself 10 over then some
great looking set up how many sleeping all up

[Avo]

7x4 trailer 3d,so me and the wife on the bed and the 2 kids had bunks till they grew out of them..clunk has inherited them now. for his kids..

[HuskyInAuz]

Spent the evening trying to find a 8x6 or 10x6 tandem aluminum trailer .. not a lot of luck unless I want a galv frame with AL top setup.
I like the suggestion of WA489, earlier I was thinking that the '30 second' tent would be for the dogs but, sure why not through it up for an overnight-er, use the CT for the kitchen and set it up only if we stay somewhere for more than 2 days .. Mates CT is under $10K, SS kitchen, tent is very heavy material and in new condition.
But then again, maybe a single axle trailer to toss all the crap in and give it one season or so..

I like the idea of not pulling a land yacht around and keeping it simple.. as my son pointed out you go camping to get away from the house, not take the house with you. Lived in hotels for so many night I really only need internet or my kindle. Wife used to only need books but has went to the dark side with her iPod.

[Clunk]

What you say...!!!

A bit big and heavy is what I'd say