Maintaining Free Camp sites

[4wdadventureoz]

Hi,

As an avid free camper, it disappoints us to turn up to a free camp and find rubbish everywhere. It is also sad to hear councils are being pressured by caravan parks and others to close free camp sites anywhere near a town that contains a caravan park. With free camping such a hot topic at the moment, and the possibility of the number of free camp sites being reduced around the country, I am interested to hear what others do to keep free campsites clean? What more can we do as free campers to help keep free camps open? What else as a caravaner you doing to help maintain free camp sites?

 

[Soaring]

For me its what you take in, you take out. Grey and black water are another matter. if you are on an extended free camp, this is often not possible, but though should be given to disposing of these in a responsible manner. ie away from water sources, and the campsite itself.
What I also like to do is ensure I leave a little firewood behind. It not always possible, but how fantastic is it to have turned up to a campsite towards the end of the day to find a neat little pile of firewood/kindling ready to go?

 

[Xpandafan]

I'm with Soaring. The firewood idea is one I used to try and do when winter free camping. Also used to encourage kids to collect tossed cans and bottles and bag them up at least, and if I had room I'd take to the next rubbish stop. Some towns are great with their cleaning/clearing rubbish, others don't seem to empty bins at designated camp spots from week to week especially at holiday times.

 

[borstalboy]

We will always leave a camp site as clean if not cleaner then when we found it. As for gray water we make sure this does not find its way into the water course by using a bucket which we empty well away from the camp site. With black water I prefer to use dump points but when none are around I will bury it further away from camp site and water at least 100m. Councils should realise that free camps near their area and then dump points in towns will bring more money into the area. Caravan parks are only shooting themselves in the foot if they try and ban free camping as I believe the concept of free camping is one thing that brings more people into the caravan lifestyle. The point I make here while I like to free camp I also like to use caravan parks too.
Prehaps the caravan parks should look at providing better service and customer service without over charging. As I travel with my family which can mean 2 kids, the mother in-law and the dog(bullmastiff) it can cost us upto $70 a night in some parks. Oh and dont judge a dog by its size either as my dog is a lot better behaved then most little cute white fluffy yapping breeds and is never off the leash when in a park.

Just because I have the two kids and mother in-law does that really mean we will use $40 more a night in showers and toilet use come on.

Well thats my rant.

 

[4wdadventureoz]

Thankyou Soaring, Xpandafan and borstalboy for your replies, they are much appreciated