The increasing loss of free camps

[Sir Roofy]

i fear it will go down this road and more - as the baby boomers hit the road in record numbers not only will we find many previously free campsites closed or improved in exchange for fees, we will also find less and less off the beaten track stuff. I suspect i will live to see tarmac all the way down the oonadatta track and all the way up to cape york (heck, they have recently flagged building a bridge over the jardine). Only a matter of time as councils figure out that it is more profitable to 'open up' the outback and provide easier access to the boomers cash cow.

and the winner is ? Your right mate they are going to seal the road from cairns to the cape,why as you said they are cah strapped and need the dollars

[Sir Roofy]

cuppa,

i agree with you 100%, i would'nt be able to put into as well, well said mate. I reckon most if not all caravaners and rv'ers started out travelling in a car or station wagon, with a tent and not much else staying at free camps where ever they could, so it makes me wonder why it is that a lot of them now want to restrict the options of people (like them once apon a time) that dont have the luxury of a self contained caravan or motor home. It really winds me up when i here the excuse "we are travelling on a budget/pension" while sitting in the comfort of a 100k + caravan.

this has come about by these people who cant afford to travel over seas any more or have had there fill

[pearcey]

Great read Cuppa.
I have been camping for some 60 years of which most has been free. Started out with the old man when i was about 5 and have been doing it since.Alot of free camps have come and gone in those years,but I always seam to be able to find new ones,but alas in the last few years its getting a lot harder and when you do find some where in a popular area the word spreads and some one will stuff it up and soon it gets closed, due mainly to rubbish and noise or the old excuse Hoons.This problem is not going to get any better, as said it`s a lot easier to say yes than no and we all know how government and councils operate.The CAMH club have a large lobby group and some very egotistical people in power so this is not going to go way. To slow the process down we as free campers must be vigilant and not give these people any excuse to point the finger.It is sad, but as always a few make it hard for the majority. For myself i have been slowly building a network of private property's where I can camp and and not have to worry too much.

[mudnut]

There was a group of young families camped near us at Gunbower island last year on a long weekend. They had their motorbikes going till around ten at night, followed by their doof doof music until two am. 8am the motorbike started again and they roared through the forest for half an hour. The local cop had had enough because a local had been run over in town. He cracked it and told the mob to pull their heads in. After the cop took off, they made it quite clear that they blamed us for calling the bull. It wasn't us. But if the cop had looked down the river bank, he would have seen their bags of rubbish and nappies. We had a gutful any way, so we packed up and went fishing at Eppalock. Have since been told that the area had been fenced off, I don't know if it was temporary or not, or even if it is true.

[P4trol]

Warning: a few people are stereotyped here. May be classified as a rant.

A topic I find relevent Cuppa. It's no secret I'm in the NT. As such, this time of the year, (dry season) is 'tourist open season'. Weather conditions are such that every man and his dog comes up here. The 'March of the grey nomad'. The time for locals to go somewhere else. As such I have seen more than my fair share of them. A lot of people make a lot of money from them. A lot more don't. GNs save a lot of money in their old age by driving slow and claiming their jewish and scottish heritage. And freecamping. It fairly abounds in the NT. Often the caravan parks are so full (or people forget to book) that they are forced to camp on the side of the road, literally in town. Their motto 'Leave late, pull up early.' If you haven't claimed 'YOUR SPOT' by 2.30pm, you probably won't get it. People are waiting to pull up before the old occupants have left. Often 'their spot' is marked out by flags or rocks either side of the van, so you aren't able to camp within 10m or so. Toilet paper is stolen from toilets and wound onto sticks. Escapades are wound into campfire stories and boasted about to all other 'vanners. (I saved $3 on the trip here! Yeah? I got an extra night at xxxx because I left before the bloke came around to collect the fees!)



A lot of GNs are nice people. Unfortunately these days most belong to that notional age group 'the baby boomers'. Now I'm not one for putting people in boxes, but for a general way to identify people, it's OK. As a group I have grown to despise the 'baby boomers' Much has been written about the baby boomer generations. Some can be characterised by stickers on the back of their vehicles 'Spending the grandkids inheritance'. Speak to them and you will find out: This is 'their time'. 'their retirement'. They worked hard, paid their taxes, and now it's their turn. It's their tour. Their trip. No rules! Don't you dare get in their way, critisize them! They are cruising the 'uncivilised top end'. Even the living, working should not get in their way. No-one really is living or working there anyway. They are entitled to this of course.

Then they get into town. Hours of driving at stupidly slow speeds has caught up with them. Unfamiliar surroundings and streets. Other shortsighted people. Unusually large caravans and streets that aren't designed for them. Pensioner road rage (caravan Vs caravan!) ensues. Mildly entertaining, I assume that's why the indigenous locals sit outside on the footpath. Low speed car/caravan wheel lock ups. Fists shaken in anger. Honestly, it's amusing if it isn't you they have nearly t-boned with 4WD and caravan.

On the other side of the fence are the backpackers. Also having no money, not even for reliable vehicles. They need it for the bottleo. (I'm not even going to go the backpacker topic).

Anyway, I digress.

I camped recently at an event with caravaners, tents, and backpackers. Let me tell you that never should the three be camped within visual sight of the other. I am a patient person (hence putting up with Cuppa etc etc...), but I realised that very first night why I own a 4WD and tent. Camping within (OK, real distances here) 3m of a caravan really annoyed the hell out of me - and I'm the one with the young children. The hippy van pulled up, nearly collided with the patrol while reversing, and was withing 4m. I belong at least 100m (preferably 3000m) from other campers I didn't specifically go out there to camp with.

I believe there should be RV only camps. They should be separate from the freecamping area. Both camps should have someone to 'move on' people that aren't following the 'no trace' code or are overstaying their welcome. Even better the people should make the call themselves.

I've been to the big horse creek camp grounds, and little horse creek, and policemans bend etc. caravaner' erected signs abound. 'No generators for health reasons'. etc. Drive through, and you would be forgiven for thinking you had disturbed a group of zombies - all they do is stare at you as you drive past 'Don't you dare camp next to me'! Never mind you were not towing a caravan and did not have a tent in your posession.

I suppose the point I am trying to make is 1) the prevailing attitude of the age group 2) "They are entitled to whatever way they do things" 3)They ain't going to change it for no-one

It is the very attitude that is desirable to change. If you involve the guv'ment, they will only ask for more money, and impose more rules/closures.


sorry for the anti baby boomer rant. If you are a baby boomer reading this, it's not targeted at you personally. My lawyers name and address are available on request...

[Cuppa]

Some great contributions to the topic, thanks folks.

Cuppa

[threedogs]

I've lived in Darwin and Alice and agree 100% with P4trol. There was a rally down here claiming 5 bus loads of Greenies were coming to "stack" the vote
on closing the Otways down Keeping the Murray camp site free as well. Little did they think that over 5000 4x4s would converge on Daylesford.
Free camping yeah but you'll need to keep it to yourself I fear.