Finding safe free campsites

4wdadventureoz

4wdadventureoz

Member
Jan 5, 2012
62
5
8
Sunbury
Hi fellow explorers,

I am just wondering how easy it is to find a safe free campsite when on the road?

What tools do you use to find them? Word of mouth? Websites? Information Centres? Smartphone apps? Police?

Are there any areas of Australia where you wouldn't free camp at all, but stay at a caravan park as you will feel safer?

I am asking as I am researching for an article.

Cheers

Glenn
 
gwadir

gwadir

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2013
626
353
63
61
Albion Park, NSW
At Port Augusta I wouldn't stay anywhere but a caravan park, mind you they're not real flash but better than nothing.

Alice Springs it was caravan parks also, gets a bit rough at night.

Rockhampton also was a bit rough, but that was years ago.

Hope this helps

Dave
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz
gwadir

gwadir

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2013
626
353
63
61
Albion Park, NSW
Hi 4wdadventuresoz, meant to add,

we used the Camps 7 book as our primary source of info during our trip, followed by word of mouth from other travellers we talked to at campsites we stayed at, we would usually end up comparing notes over drinks. In saying that we used this web site during the planning stage months before the trip to research were we wanted to go and magazine articles to gather more info on what to see once we got to certain destinations i.e. Litchfield N.P & Kakadu. Info centres were useful in towns but we found chatting to the locals at the pub and shops yielded better info on those hidden fishing & camping spots. We only used the police twice, when we were venturing right off the beaten track and that was for mainly road conditions and to let them know where we were going and for how long then we advised them once we got back. Never used any smart phone or other apps as we were very rarely in range and if we were it wasn't for long enough.

Hope that's what your looking for.

Dave
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz
Bushman

Bushman

Forum Moderator
Staff member
Nov 9, 2010
3,060
2,345
113
Wollondilly Shire NSW
Camps 6/7, word of mouth, reviews in mags/books , Apps if you have them etc, generally try and get in mid afternoon maybe later if daylight saving so you can sus it out, so if you dont like it or feel uneasy you still have time to move on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz
K

Kingy

Member
Apr 29, 2012
61
58
18
Cashmere, Brisbane
Word of mouth and internet research.
Most importantly tho, a risk assessment on arrival, look for graffiti, broken glass, torn up grass and burn out marks.
If you decide to set up............
Don't camp where no one else is, especially near towns. On arrival say gidday to fellow campers and reassure them you are ok (while you check them out).
Phone range ?
Park with van hooked up facing the exit, or as close to as possible
Don't over indulge in liquor, one or two will do, keep your wits about you
Leave a light on at night if possible
Don't park too close to scrub and points of cover, offenders hate being seen
Lock up and don't leave items of interest outside
Cheap motion activated lighting is priceless and this also goes for movement activated 12v CCTV.
The filth will always pick the weakest target, don't make that you.
Have a read of CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles. Helps to understand the way grubs think and act.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz, jvp and blacky
Gibson

Gibson

New Member
Feb 10, 2014
20
22
3
47
West australia
We camp out in the bush in the west a lot and have never had a bad experience. Most of it in the north we just drive down a track far enough that we can't see the road and that no one can see our camp fire if some one was to come down you would see the headlights or dust a mile away. Some places in the west it is much safer to stay out of town anyway. One way to work out if to stay in town or not is if the pub is shut and boarded up then is it not a good week to stay in town.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz, jvp and blacky
blacky

blacky

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2013
630
680
93
38
Townsville QLD
Ever heard of wilcannia? Don't camp there! White cliffs? Bourke? Brewarrina? Hahaha give them a miss too!

Just look for the grey nomads... "safety in numbers".... and have a good read of kingys post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz
Bushman

Bushman

Forum Moderator
Staff member
Nov 9, 2010
3,060
2,345
113
Wollondilly Shire NSW
Peter Black said:
Ever heard of wilcannia? Don't camp there! White cliffs? Bourke? Brewarrina? Hahaha give them a miss too!

Just look for the grey nomads... "safety in numbers".... and have a good read of kingys post.
Click to expand...

Nth Bourke is fine, though we did stay at Kidmans Camps but plenty camped at various place along the river like Mays Bend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4wdadventureoz
BUSH PALACE

BUSH PALACE

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2011
1,534
1,111
113
LOBETHAL S.A
Normally in the outback towns the locals wont venture out more than 15 / 20 k from town thats the rule we use and havnt had any hassles , also if you find somewhere and the site is clean , not covered in tinnies is another good sign . Its ok using your camps books but so does everybody else , we like a bit of space not hearing the bloke along side you droping his / her guts all night - shes a big place out there and plenty of room and some top spots that you may return too - we do !!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kingy, jvp, 4wdadventureoz and 2 others
4wdadventureoz

4wdadventureoz

Member
Jan 5, 2012
62
5
8
Sunbury
cruza driver said:
What do you usually do @4wdadventureoz ?
Click to expand...
cruza driver said:
@4wdadventureoz hasnt been back on since starting the thread :whistle:

Strange :noidea: maybe his aricle has been written or he is researching elsewhere...........................
Click to expand...

Hi Cruza Driver and everyone else,

Thanks for all the replies, the article I am writing is for Caravan and Motorhome on Tour magazine. In my spare time, not that I have much, I am a freelance travel writer and photographer with a few articles having now been published in the CandM magazine.

The article involves getting tips from experienced free campers on how to consistently find a place to stay. This site and others such as Exploroz are full of experienced free campers and anything offered helps the article get written, so thanks for everyone's replies and please keep them coming, I won't be writing the article until next weekend as I am interstate for my real job and trying to access this site on my iPad on a 3G which is very painful.

Cheers


Glenn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom