How they did it!
We sat down with Robyn to find out just how much effort went into their big lap, and the response was ‘very little’. “We bit the bullet and spent good money on the right van for starters,” Robyn says “After that we followed our Camps Australia Wide book clockwise around the coastline. Our fist caravan park stop was in Canarvon in WA – about 5 months into our trip. 12 months of travel and only six nights in a caravan park – we save $10,000 we reckon!”s
Robyn told us she’ed try and stay a week at a time at free camps to make the most of the region. “Day trips radiating from the base is much cheaper.” Robyn says.
3 tips to help with free camping;
- Alternate the water sources, Robyn told us they fill up at Showgrounds, footy fields and info centres so they dont have to fill up at caravan parks.
- Cook outside, Robyn uses a $14 gas stove to cook on. Cooking inside smells up the van, and you’ll naturally use more water to clean your fancy van than your old table and stove outside.
- Hand washing your clothes. “we take a a washing machine with us and use when we can get access to a tap. if not, its hand washing for us – it works fine and means your water stocks will last longer”
From the team at caravan and motorhome mag
Best advice we ever received while camping is “listen to everybody”. A tip on an isolated camp site outside Renmark SA saved us $$ and heartache. Getting fuel at a small town servo lead us to an awesome o/night camp with fireplace and shelter. If it doesn’t have multiple uses, it isn’t needed. Practice the fine art of tent set up before you hit the road.
The best one yet,” Ask a local”. A lot of travelers forget you are in someone else’s backyard. Ask the fruit shop about bargain bags, the butcher about the traveler specials. Take a break in a local park and enjoy not moving for several hours. A walk along the long jetty at Ceduna SA fed three families a seafood banquet.
If you haven’t met a stranger with a fishing spot, camp site or scenic short cut you have to change your philosophy of travel in this great country of ours
Yes…. we can relate to the long walk at the jetty in Ceduna and coming up with a feed of local, fresh seafood. Whilst on our ’round the block’ trip in 2013, we took a walk out along the jetty, and met a lovely couple from WA, doing some crabbing. The lady said she had done a lot of crabbing in Mandurah (WA) when she was younger, and they enjoyed catching a daily feed in Ceduna. They very generously gave us half a dozen beautiful Blue Swimmer crabs, so we also ended up with a feed…. YUM!!
We noted that the Blue Swimmer crab in SA is called a Blue Manna crab in WA….. different name, same great taste!
What are the toilet arrangements on the free campsites?
Hi Jeryl,
Some free camps have access to a toilet , you need to check our Camps book or App to see which site have toilets.
If there is no toilet , options are your own portable unit, or if suitable dig a hole.
Happy camping, Philip
We love ‘bush’ camping. A better description than ‘free’. This is where you meet the real people. Not the plastic people who like to travel the east coast in their shiny ‘vans and sip champagne from long stem glasses. But only where they can be seen by everyone. Strange really. Thus the word ‘plastic’. They talk to no one and sit staring at those who actually know how to laugh and enjoy life. Sooooooo don;t spend too much time on the east coast. But inland….well it is beautiful. Plenty of free/bush camping, where the locals like to welcome visitors not only for company but also to help the local economy. So don’t forget to patronise the local shops. They may be a bit more expensive than the large ‘supermarket’ towns, but remember that you are not paying caravan park fees, so the little extra at the shops is worth it. And inland, in winter, the days are just as warm as the coast, but the nights are cooler. What a great excuse for a camp fire. Not permitted in most coastal areas. Then rug up for a good nights sleep. Inland: Happy people. No pressure. Pure bliss.