Camping in Australia – are we crazy?

[Swissmiss6253]

My husband and sons go campaign a fair bit. I stopped some time ago as I don't find it enjoyable. As I don't go, my husband does the organising. Which means it happens about a month before they go! He has found that the Big 4 camps are usually booked out then in school holiday times but more basic camp grounds and bush type grounds pretty much always have availability. This is within 8 hours drive of Sydney. Let us know where and when and we might have some advice.

 

Oh, and I agree entirely with David about Wicked Campers. Misogynist trash.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Swissmiss6253

[GUT2407]

Some of them are not offensive ...they are disgusting.

The owner operates world wide and even with approaches from Govt Depts he tells them all to stick it. In NZ , some Councils will be taking action under the signwriting by laws, and they have threatened to seize offending vans and leave travellers stranded.

 

Yep some are gross, and when a 7-8 year old says "what does that mean" is when you realize.

[MicCanberra]

Some of the slogans and graffiti they paint on them could get you arrested.:eek:

 

Some are funny, some are rude, some are offensive and should be banned. It takes all sorts but it is not a great look.

[MicCanberra]

Some of them are not offensive ...they are disgusting.

The owner operates world wide and even with approaches from Govt Depts he tells them all to stick it. In NZ , some Councils will be taking action under the signwriting by laws, and they have threatened to seize offending vans and leave travellers stranded.

 

I am all for freedom of speech but I think the governments should crack down on these slogans that are offensive.

[Layn33]

The green and purple campers are from Jucy. Wicked are still about but their slogans can definitely be offensive.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[cassamanda]

I tried to do some searching on CC re the topic of camping in Australia but I couldn’t find very much information. My husband and I have booked a cruise for 2018 and we are thinking of renting a car or campervan and touring in Australia before the cruise. I’m hoping some experts here can help us out!

Our cruise begins in Perth and ends in Sydney.

 

 

 

Here are my questions:

1) - How common is it to rent campervans? (ie. bright green/purple vans I’ve seen advertised)

2) - Do you need to book campsites ahead of time?

3) - What is the approx. cost of a campsite?

4) - Camping on the western side vs eastern side (Perth or Sydney) – how do they compare?

 

 

Any other information would be very helpful!

 

 

 

** We would like to avoid having to bring our own camping equipment – that’s why we are considering a campervan. Otherwise, we would bring a small tent, etc and ‘donate’ it (or rent equipment). We are experienced campers and don’t require a luxury camping experience. We have also driven across Canada and the US numerous times, so we understand distances!

 

 

Just bringing this back to the top. Note that the OP is sailing out of Fremantle but has not stated which city they are flying into from Edmonton.

Lets assume they arrive in Sydney, then the logical trip would be a campervan one way from Sydney to Perth. The big decision is do you go via the south coast or inland via the Riverina etc.

Other options are camping north or south of Sydney then flying Sydney to Perth.

 

More info needed. Such as when do you cruise, cruise itinerary, time available and arrival airport.

[2016USAHoliday]

We are actually heading to your direction in late August - having 11 days in Banff/Jasper/Vancouver before doing a cruist to Alaska then flying to Hawaii for a few days and then cruising back to Sydney. Not looking forward to the long flight to get there but really excited about everything else.

 

That sounds like us! We are travelling around the US in an campervan, then up to Seattle to cruise Alaska, ending in Vancouver. Heading over to Hawaii and then cruising home!

[gogo65]

I'm taking a guess here, assume the OP is booked on the same cruise as myself. Celebrity solstice 5/3/2018. Leaves from Perth via Adelaide, Melbourne, NZ then ends in Sydney.

Not many other cruises have been released for 2018 yet!

[GurlzCruisinRTW]

I would give Wick.. Campers a miss - they have been on various Current affair shows as a dodgy bunch and are really aimed at young backpackers

 

As mentioned, Jucy are a good basic set up

 

Vroom is a search engine for all car rentals and will give you perhaps 6 rental car agencies and their prices to compare - like Webjet on 4 wheels lol

 

We drove around south island of New Zealand, without a map - just headed north out of Christchurch and came back in south 2 weeks later - we had a standard large 4 cylinder and a tent/gas cooker and had the best time ever, the best...... (it was January and no campers were available).... we swam in freezing pebbled rivers, experienced snow falling and had an amazing time

 

As for here in Australia - omg... just go and do it - this is the most fabulous country and you don't need an expensive set up often waiting deters people from doing what they wish to do in life thinking they need this and that and lots of $$$$ - just go and do it while you can, well that's how I think - always its a consideration of the Wet Season in the North which will halt travels and at that time generally hot conditions all over Australia but there are always ways around that - but please come on over any time :cool:

[The_Big_M]

Some of them are not offensive ...they are disgusting.

The owner operates world wide and even with approaches from Govt Depts he tells them all to stick it. In NZ , some Councils will be taking action under the signwriting by laws, and they have threatened to seize offending vans and leave travellers stranded.

 

Agreed. He gave into a bit of pressure (see below) but returns to the same theme time after time... pre-juvenile humour.

 

Here's a bit of background on one incident.

 

http://www.traveller.com.au/wicked-campers-removes-offensive-slogans-after-sydney-mothers-petition-ztup0

[edmonton2]

I'm taking a guess here, assume the OP is booked on the same cruise as myself. Celebrity solstice 5/3/2018. Leaves from Perth via Adelaide, Melbourne, NZ then ends in Sydney.

Not many other cruises have been released for 2018 yet!

 

Wow - thank you everyone so much for all of your helpful advice - this really makes me want to start planning! And I am really excited by the idea of camping now that I see that it is a realistic option.

Yes - the above cruise is the one we have booked. We have to decide whether to fly to Brisbane and then do our camping in the Great Barrier reef area, or fly to Perth and camp on that side - I'm not sure if we have the time to do both. While we first thought that we would just bring the minimal camping gear (tent, sleeping bags) it would add a lot to the weight of our bags. That's where the idea of renting a campervan came in. I've looked up Wicked and will stay away from them - no desire to drive around in a vehicle covered with controversial slogans!

You have all given me a lot to think about - I will definitely copy everyone's information and look into all of the suggestions! :)

[Bizziecruzer]

When you do decide which way to go - I would suggest that you download an app called "wiki Camps" we are currently travelling around Australia in our caravan and this is our most used resource. It shows all types of camping spots e.g caravan parks, free camps, "dump points"' places of interest, day stops etc. has pictures, costs and photos and is updated by people who use / stop at the various places. It's an amazing resource.

Happy travels!

[linanles]

I use the WikiCamps app on my tablet. You'll find details here;

http://www.wikicamps.com.au/

 

Also recommend the following websites for camping information;

http://caravanersforum.com

http://www.exploroz.com

All sites have a forum similar to this.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Head to the Aus trip advisor forums

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowForum-g255055-i120-Australia.html

 

Start with doing a key word search on "campervanning" and also do searches on the names of the various rental companies as there are a lot (like a real lot!) of reviews.

Many posters have already done good comparisons and cost breakdowns between renting a car and staying in motels or on site cabins vs renting campervan and paying for site fees.

 

Note that "free camping" is only permitted in designated zones. Parking elsewhere will have you greeted by local shire rangers who will issue move on notices and on the spot fines.

 

The time of year would also have a bearing on the advice given. If the previous poster is correct and its March - most West Aussies would consider you insane to want to try and sleep in a metal tube during the hottest month of the year when temps are anything from mid 30s to mid 40s ©. :eek:

[kjets]

What a great idea!

We live just south of Fremantle and are caravanners. As said above it is really hot right now, but not too bad if you head south. We always use the WikiCamps AU app and find it awesome, but to get rural mobile coverage Telstra is the better carrier.

How much time have you got for the camping? If you go north of Perth it is a long way to go with not a lot in between (except our exceptional red land) and hot, to have to come back again.

If you head South West you can do a bit of a round trip and see some very different country along the way, and more. But again how far you go depends on how much time you have.

If you want to get in contact we'd be really happy to find out what kind of things you guys like and the type of trip you would like.

sandthockey at gmail dot com

[edmonton2]

These are all such great suggestions - it has really got me thinking (and googling!) and what we need to do now is decide on the area we want to visit first, and then start planning our route. It will be tough to narrow it down - each area looks amazing!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Some of them are not offensive ...they are disgusting.

The owner operates world wide and even with approaches from Govt Depts he tells them all to stick it. In NZ , some Councils will be taking action under the signwriting by laws, and they have threatened to seize offending vans and leave travellers stranded.

 

An update on the Wicked Campervans...

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11630357

 

Finally a Govt Minister has thrown PC to the wind and has got these rascals under the Censorship Act. 3 vans have been impounded and 5 more are under review. They face fines of up to $200,000......this also applies to anyone driving a van as well......so be wary if you are thinking of hiring one.

 

Some Camping grounds are refusing entry and a chain of service stations is considering not serving them with petrol .

[Aus Traveller]

I recommend hiring a motorhome that has more facilities than one of the Wicked Campers. They are aimed at the backpacker age group. A few brands are Apollo, Britz and Maui. Consider whether you want on-board toilet and shower. I recommend having this because it gives you more flexibility where you can stay. It also means that if you have to 'get up in the middle of the night' you don't have to go wandering outside to the facilities in the caravan park.

 

We used to do a lot of travelling in Australia by motorhome and didn't pre-book even one night. You are more likely to find trouble getting a campsite if you are travelling in the Australian summer holidays (mid Dec to end January) and you will probably not be doing that.

 

Travelling by motorhome I strongly recommend that you do not go to WA. As much as I like the state, the distances are too vast. If there is anything you want to see there you would be better to fly from the eastern states.

 

A relative of ours from Europe flew to Cairns and hired a motorhome to tour the far north, then flew to Darwin and hired another motorhome to travel down the centre, stopping off at Uluru and Kata Tjuta, ending up in Adelaide.

[GUT2407]

An update on the Wicked Campervans...

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11630357

 

Finally a Govt Minister has thrown PC to the wind and has got these rascals under the Censorship Act. 3 vans have been impounded and 5 more are under review. They face fines of up to $200,000......this also applies to anyone driving a van as well......so be wary if you are thinking of hiring one.

 

Some Camping grounds are refusing entry and a chain of service stations is considering not serving them with petrol .

 

Been a few of them turned away lately, we were visiting friends in a park recently when the manager came out and made the young girls cover the comments. The girls were actually grateful as they hadn't realised what was going to be all over their camper.

[GUT2407]

These are all such great suggestions - it has really got me thinking (and googling!) and what we need to do now is decide on the area we want to visit first, and then start planning our route. It will be tough to narrow it down - each area looks amazing!

 

That's because it truly is an amazing country, and NZ is almost as good.

[mrs and mrs]

Edmonton, please do not hire those green vans, they are dirty, probably dangerous, and are mainly hired to backpackers. Go with a reputable company say hertz or budget and there are a few others,relise that to get to beautiful spots in oz,there is a lot of nothingness in between, but that can be beautiful as well, it is raw and pretty much untamed esp top-end of qland,north territory and the wst coast.Nz is beautiful and a lot shorter distances, you will enjoy both and you will enjoy aus and kiwi hospitality. You might consider a language book for NZ,but one can usually get by with sign language. When you are on the road, just ask the questions and you should be blown away by the help you will receive, thats in both countries. I would be very surprised if this was not the case. Just be prepared for,(a) straight down the line approach with no b/s (b) always with a bit of humour thrown in.Now do it and ENJOY.:):):)

[Cabansail]

We tried a Relocation last Xmas when I was forced to take leave.

 

Picked up a Motorhome in Brisbane and took it to Sydney over 4 days. It was last minute and we had not booked campsites. We did travel inland as we have had enough of the Pathetic Highway and had no problems. Sites were between $20 and $55 a night.

 

Apollo were really good and we had $100 toward fuel for the trip. We have Travel insurance which covers the excess, which I would recommend, as the fee to cover the excess is quite high.

 

We did see a relocation of some Wicked campers but after looking into them decided it was not for us. They actually advertise that they have lots of nooks and crannies to hide your drugs. I do not fancy sleeping in a bed last occupied by stoned hippie backpackers.

[Grey Nomad]

We have done a lot of motorhome touring in NZ and Tasmania. I think it is best to get a proper motorhome rather than a Wicked Camper or the little green ones (Jucy). To consider a tent would mean you would have to purchase your crockery, cutlery and pots and pans etc. I agree with Aus Traveller in regard to WA as it is a great state but vast distances and you would spend too much time driving and not enjoying the experience. In New South Wales alone you have the choice of the North Coast, South Coast, Hunter Valley, Riverina and Western Districts and it is all beautiful. We have a caravan and go Camping a lot. Cost of car plus a cabin would probably end up too expensive and then you have to unpack and repack every night whereas in a small motorhome everything is there easily accessible to be able to stop for lunch or whatever on the way. We had full facilities on board but mainly used the campground facilities and used the shower recess for storage of our suitcases. They all come with reverse cycle airconditioners these days so that is not a problem. Cost of camp sites in proper campgrounds is around $25 to $45/$50 depending where it is and also time of year. We used Cruisin Tasmania in Tassie and Tui Campers in NZ and could not have been happier. You would not have to book in to caravan parks unless it was peak times. Even now in our caravan we just roll up and get a spot. Admittedly it might not be the top spot right on the river or beach but one back a row or two but we are still happy. There is so much to see in this beautiful country of ours and I am sure you will enjoy every bit of it. Another point worth considering is that in our last two times of motorhoming we got two single beds rather than a double which converts to the table. This way we did not have to make up the beds every night. We also hired a camp table and 2 chairs to go with the motorhome so we could eat outside. Best of Luck!!!!

[Aus Traveller]

Another reason I would advise against Wicked Campers (and to a lesser extent Jucy) is the reaction you will get from other travellers. It will not be positive. :( Those of us who have travelled in Australia a lot have seen too many of those small campervans with young people who stop in overnight rest areas and they have neither shower nor toilet in their small campervan. You can imagine how they leave some of these rest areas.:(

 

I agree with Grey Nomad's comments above. :)

[lucymorgan]

I am a novice but I am currently setting up a new horse float for camping (at horse events) so I've been drawing on the expertise of camping friends.

They also highly recommend the wiki camps australia app.

 

You could go South from Sydney down to (or towards) Melbourne. I haven't done it yet but many people do. There are some lovely things to see. One of my fav places is only an hour or so out of Sydney:

 

You could go along the Grand Pacific Drive to

Wollongong (Mt Kiera Lookout, Northbeach, Nan Tien Buddhist Temple - the biggest buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere, the Kiama blowhole)

 

and a couple of hours drive on detour (perhaps stopping off at Fitzroy Falls) and the Southern Highlands (Bowral, Mossvale, Bundanoon) would get you to Canberra (my home town) which is Australia's capital and has many institutions, Museums, galleries, etc (and is camping friendly). There is so much more to see, including the Great Ocean Road.

 

Going north towards Brisbane would be just as interesting with Wineries, Port Macquarie, etc.

 

Have Fun!

Edited April 29, 2016 by lucymorgan