Maiden trip-booked!

Chriso100

Member
Apr 26, 2020
33
38
18
Rosebud Victoria
Hey all,
38 minutes after Lietenant Dan let the chains off, we booked a 2 night stay away. We may be a little pumped and getting into the whole thing way too excited, but our new purchase has been sitting waiting to be used....as we all have. We have booked in the Eureka Stockade Caravan Park in Ballarat. Could I please if anyone knows of a checklist that may be suitable? As this is our first ever trip, I need to make sure I have what we need. Also, has anyone out there stayed at this park?
Chriso
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
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How long is a piece of string @Chriso100 , for a 2 nighter just pack what you would use at home, clean undies and a can opener is a start.......

A couple of 40mm boards for under the wheels if you need to get things level, some boards for the legs and jockey wheel, power lead for van, I carry 2 one big long bugga maybe 25 mts and one short job, bulk pack of insulation tape always a must in a van, always some thongs for caravan park showers so you don't pick up hitchhikers with your toes. Beer, tucker, beer...........Coins plenty of coins for washing machines and stuff, garbage bags.... spare stubby holders.

Have a pair of pliers handy so when the shackle bolt fails to move its handy to get at and saves little children learning new words (though nowadays a rarity).
When you get on site, level van, unhitch, plug in power (always have HWS turned OFF) if fridge is manual changeover, turn to 240v, plug in water run taps at furthest tap from inlet to remove air in lines, hot and cold when hot line stops blowing air then you can turn on HWS, when packing up do it in reverse and get into a set routine so it becomes natural, when packed up I always do a walk around, all cupboards, fridge doors catched, water pump off, HWS off, windows locked, and especially with pop tops the damn roof down, TV aerial is another often forgotten outside the same everything is poked and prodded, gas off and last the door is locked, get into a routine and you shouldn't drive off dragging the tap with you or pulling down phonelines with your aerial..

Most important when setting or packing up, one job at a time unpack/set up or pack all away then start on then start on the next one, be nice to the bloke who comes up to yack while your doing it, nicely tell him to bugga off, as thats when you will stuff up.

I'm very envious, mind you will not want to go home I imagine.
 

Chriso100

Member
Apr 26, 2020
33
38
18
Rosebud Victoria
How long is a piece of string @Chriso100 , for a 2 nighter just pack what you would use at home, clean undies and a can opener is a start.......

A couple of 40mm boards for under the wheels if you need to get things level, some boards for the legs and jockey wheel, power lead for van, I carry 2 one big long bugga maybe 25 mts and one short job, bulk pack of insulation tape always a must in a van, always some thongs for caravan park showers so you don't pick up hitchhikers with your toes. Beer, tucker, beer...........Coins plenty of coins for washing machines and stuff, garbage bags.... spare stubby holders.

Have a pair of pliers handy so when the shackle bolt fails to move its handy to get at and saves little children learning new words (though nowadays a rarity).
When you get on site, level van, unhitch, plug in power (always have HWS turned OFF) if fridge is manual changeover, turn to 240v, plug in water run taps at furthest tap from inlet to remove air in lines, hot and cold when hot line stops blowing air then you can turn on HWS, when packing up do it in reverse and get into a set routine so it becomes natural, when packed up I always do a walk around, all cupboards, fridge doors catched, water pump off, HWS off, windows locked, and especially with pop tops the damn roof down, TV aerial is another often forgotten outside the same everything is poked and prodded, gas off and last the door is locked, get into a routine and you shouldn't drive off dragging the tap with you or pulling down phonelines with your aerial..

Most important when setting or packing up, one job at a time unpack/set up or pack all away then start on then start on the next one, be nice to the bloke who comes up to yack while your doing it, nicely tell him to bugga off, as thats when you will stuff up.

I'm very envious, mind you will not want to go home I imagine.
Cheers Drover. Ill print that now and tick em off the list!
 

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Hey all,
38 minutes after Lietenant Dan let the chains off, we booked a 2 night stay away. We may be a little pumped and getting into the whole thing way too excited, but our new purchase has been sitting waiting to be used....as we all have. We have booked in the Eureka Stockade Caravan Park in Ballarat. Could I please if anyone knows of a checklist that may be suitable? As this is our first ever trip, I need to make sure I have what we need. Also, has anyone out there stayed at this park?
Chriso
Very exciting for you guys. Ballarat was the shake down tour for our first (and current) van and is a truly great place to caravan. Ballarat gets freaken cold and caravan reverse cycle aircons (everyones, so don't feel special) have a low temp where once that temp is reached they simply cease to heat at all. Our aircon for eg $hits itself around the 3 deg mark, and we found out that the hard way on a long weekend away with this forum crowd in zero deg .... not fun. Canvas has about as much thermal resistance as a pair of wet underpants. TAKE A GOOD CERAMIC BLOW HEATER, maybe two. If you leave the awning out, just keep an eye on the wind forecast, roll out awnings don't like strong wind. Ive watched quiet a few get ripped off over the years, we often roll ours in when we go out for the day. Most of all enjoy the experience, take plenty of pics and update us.
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
How could I forget the ceramic heater, certainly a must, ours is still used even though we have a diesel job as well as AC............. The anti flappers that clamp on the larger version are a must I reckon...................I wonder when they will have that steam train running again down there..........
 
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Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
How could I forget the ceramic heater, certainly a must, ours is still used even though we have a diesel job as well as AC............. The anti flappers that clamp on the larger version are a must I reckon...................I wonder when they will have that steam train running again down there..........
The Vic members had a rally at Nagambie in the winter of '15. The night time mercury didnt get past zero. Our van was new then, and i thought it might be a bit lux to have a blow heater for our new bathroom to supplement the aircon heater ... lucky we had that blow heater when the aircon stopped working each night at around 6pm, restarting at 8am. It was a miserable few nights with the blow heater stuggling to barely reach 15deg. One of the other guys had a diesel heater, so impressed i ordered one as soon as we got home
 

Chriso100

Member
Apr 26, 2020
33
38
18
Rosebud Victoria
The Vic members had a rally at Nagambie in the winter of '15. The night time mercury didnt get past zero. Our van was new then, and i thought it might be a bit lux to have a blow heater for our new bathroom to supplement the aircon heater ... lucky we had that blow heater when the aircon stopped working each night at around 6pm, restarting at 8am. It was a miserable few nights with the blow heater stuggling to barely reach 15deg. One of the other guys had a diesel heater, so impressed i ordered one as soon as we got home
That’s it....thermals are coming with us!
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
I missed our Stanthorpe gathering a couple of years back they too tested out their heaters, I think I found out how good the old AC was in our 14.44, a Heron 2.2 when at St George, the toaster did a better job.