Main Beach for Four Nights

chartrock

Forum Patriarch
Staff member
Sep 26, 2010
6,149
7,430
113
Gold Coast Hinterland
I have just done something I have always said I would not do and have booked 4 nights at a caravan park during school holidays. But there is a reason. Our daughter (single mum, 2 boys, one at school) has just bought a new camper trailer and wants to do a trial run. She is very independant and wants to see if she can set it up on her own but wants us around just in case. I was surprised to find we could still get a couple of sites when school holidays have already started.

I have been fitting a tow pro elite to her Xtrail (among other things, including replacing brake pads) and have yet to set up a battery charge cable and anderson plug plus a number of mods to her CT as well so our Journey will have to wait a while for its prep for our trip to the cape.


If anyone is around, we will be at Main Beach CP from Sunday 9th to Thursday 13th.
 

Dobbie

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2014
3,061
5,872
113
Sounds like a win win all around .....

I can ...just...remember when we got our first camper trailer after tenting it for years and we didn't have a clue how things were to be set up, if one person could handle it, and how the basic power system worked.

I'd have really appreciated a kind helping hand then to both encourage and explain....not to do.

We've come a long way since then so I hope your daughter enjoys.
 

Dobbie

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2014
3,061
5,872
113
There is ...sometimes....those multiple poles just won't fit where you think they should go!

I now remember the multiple different tent poles that we've had over the years....they soon had different dobs of paint on them so they matched up easily......and the different pieces of canvas for awning and side walls all seemed to be in the same size bags so had to be labelled. I got sick of pulling out the wrong bits.

and the plastic crates that challenged the patience. We made the mistake of getting them the same and the one I wanted first was always at the back. I now carry a marking pen for when I make the same mistake.

I'm a slow learner.

8-)
 

chartrock

Forum Patriarch
Staff member
Sep 26, 2010
6,149
7,430
113
Gold Coast Hinterland
Well check the damn wheel nuts before you leave............should be great in a Van Park during school holidays, want to come to my place for a recovery ????
Nuts checked on new CT, my van and truck. Brakes replaced and wheel nuts checked on daughter's tug. :p Might stop in on the way to the cape in June. :D
Thanks @Dobbie, we will just be on standby 8-) and I intend to put my feet up and read a couple of books. As to the poles, I have a number of different coloured insulation tape which will be used to mark poles for particular use.
@bigcol, as I am no expert, I can only hope to foster the same interest in camping as Mrs CR and I have. We were late starters although both had some limited camping in earlier lives. As you say, no right or wrong way, and she will sort herself out to suit herself. :amen:
@Drover if I was to chastise you for "off topic" would it make any difference? :censored: :bolt:
 

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
I was surprised to find we could still get a couple of sites when school holidays have already started.
We were up at Main Beach for a fortnight over the xmas/new year period a few years back, and it max'ed out at out 20% occupancy over the entire 2 weeks. Other yearss its been bursting at the seams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chartrock

bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
6,814
10,164
113
Swan Valley Perth
hhmmmm
Xmas / new year period
usually "bursting at the seams"
20% occupancy for 2 weeks

you were there

see any parallels................................................?

We were up at Main Beach for a fortnight over the xmas/new year period a few years back, and it max'ed out at out 20% occupancy over the entire 2 weeks. Other yearss its been bursting at the seams.
 

chartrock

Forum Patriarch
Staff member
Sep 26, 2010
6,149
7,430
113
Gold Coast Hinterland
Well, the four nights are done and dusted. It has done nothing to make me change my mind about school holiday time in caravan parks. Don't get me wrong, with two of our grand sons with us all the kids were having a ball. The fun thing was scooter and bike races doing laps of the one way streets with a speed hump right outside our van being used as a jump.

The weather was perfect, just clouding up a bit on our last full day but no rain at all. Even managed a swim in the surf. Lots of Jaycos with a good proportion of them Expandas and I managed to sell the forum to a couple of them so we may have a new member or two.

The elder of our two came down with tonsilitus so spent the last two days miserable, so his younger brother could not get him to play so he was going ape as well. We managed to take him for a walk and a trip to the beach which kept him away from his brother and gave his mum a break.

The new camper trailer went well, our daughter handled it well driving to the park, managed to get it up on to the site but setting it up on her own will be a problem as will taking it down and packing it up.

A few pics (to prove it did happen :p), our van, the camper and surrounded by high rises.
DSC_2796.JPG DSC_2798.JPG DSC_2801.JPG DSC_2800.JPG
 

bigcol

Well-Known Member
Nov 22, 2012
6,814
10,164
113
Swan Valley Perth
when we had a camper similar (many many eons ago) I used to lay all the canvas out - to one side
so I cold work out which was which

ended up marking, like the old tab
AA = AA
BB = BB

ect
 
  • Like
Reactions: DRW and chartrock