The Camping Thread

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Before i go any further, if you can walk from your tent to your car you are glamping, not camping...
Glamping is campings softer cousin.

1 male and 3 females. my options are limited

Originally Posted by BENT_8

First thing i would do is whip down to bunnings and buy some plastic sheeting to put down as a drop sheet, i just bought a couple of meters of the orange stuff on a roll, stops any foreign objects from piercing your floor.
Especially if you plan on using those camp stretchers, they are shocking for damaging the floor.
We use self inflating mats, they have insulation to protect from ground cold whilst stowing away compact for travelling, the stretchers never leave the shed these days.

i have ground covers for under the tent. my wife and i and my eldest (15) will be on self inflating mattresses and my youngest (7) will be on a stretcher. we have one of those roll out ground sheet mats for the stretcher and bought those square tile foam things to put under the matresses. bought enough to cover a 2.5 x 1.9 so basically 2/3's of the floor in the sleeping room. hopefully that insulates from the cold a bit.

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I notice your talking National Parks, can i suggest Mt Remarkable National Park.
Its half way between Pt Pirie and Pt Augusta, just past Pt Germein.
Mambray Creek camp ground is about as good as it gets unless you go all the way to Wilpena Pound.

The sites vary in size, many have good fire pits with swing away cook plates and all are within a few minutes walk of free hot showers and toilets.
They have running water at most sites or close by and free bbq's at the trail head.
Talking about trail heads, if bush walking is your thing, not much compares to Mt Remarkable and the numerous walks cater for beginners through to experienced overnighters.
The scenery is spectacular, there is an old shepheards hut about 4k up the creek where i have sat and cooked lunch of snags and pasta for 3 adults and 2 kids in nothing more than a trangia cooker.
If you prefer the beach, Pt Germein is 10 minutes away, we usually take our kayaks and do a bit of both.
You can view and pre pay for sites through the National Parks site, check it out.

A couple of our current set up gear..

In the kayak is me old mate, Bob, ****s mad as a cut snake but he's an early riser and happy to get the bacon sizzling and the pot on so he is this campers best friend.

yes, for this first time we are planning to camp in the naracoorte caves national park. the campsite doesn't have much in the way of reviews, but the ones i've come across aren't that great, but we figured it would be a start and we want to see the caves which is why we are camping around that area.
In the future, there are some great campsites around not far from my doorstep (by that i mean not interstate) so in future its nice to know the options are plentiful. i don't mind bushwalking and hiking, but as mentioned at the top, i'm the only male, and my daughters are 7 and 15, so that limits what we can do (as a family anyway).

most sites i notice now you can pay online. makes it easy to just turn up and set up.

as for the overthinking bit, if i was on my own or just with a mate or 2, then sure, just wing it, but i sure don't want to be camped out with a miserable family because we didn't bother to plan.

so far most of the feedback hasn't really turned up anything that i wasn't already thinking of, so thats a good start.

i would like to hear more about power sources though. yes, i know some will say just go without for a few nights, but to each their own.

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by prydey

as for the overthinking bit, if i was on my own or just with a mate or 2, then sure, just wing it, but i sure don't want to be camped out with a miserable family because we didn't bother to plan.

so far most of the feedback hasn't really turned up anything that i wasn't already thinking of, so thats a good start.

sorry mate, didnt mean to sound that way, just thought you were testing the waters for camping, but sounds like you actually are well experienced on the subject, and dont need crap advice from a novice like me. Love my camping though, let us know how you go!!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

sorry mate, didnt mean to sound that way, just thought you were testing the waters for camping, but sounds like you actually are well experienced on the subject, and dont need crap advice from a novice like me. Love my camping though, let us know how you go!!

no its all good. i wasn't having a go, i was just clarifying my situation. everyone's situation is different.

the more talk about it, and read others experiences the keener i get. hopefully it doesn't turn out to be a big anticlimax.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by prydey

i would like to hear more about power sources though. yes, i know some will say just go without for a few nights, but to each their own.

Arkpak 730, a 130ah deep cycle battery and 160w solar folding panels.

Will run your fridge, lights, chargers, etc.

Will set you back the best part of $1k but well worth the $$ for a pick up and go setup.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by prydey

1 male and 3 females. my options are limited

3 of each here but the tents still went in favour of the camper trailer, it all went downhill from there.

Originally Posted by prydey

i have ground covers for under the tent. my wife and i and my eldest (15) will be on self inflating mattresses and my youngest (7) will be on a stretcher. we have one of those roll out ground sheet mats for the stretcher and bought those square tile foam things to put under the matresses. bought enough to cover a 2.5 x 1.9 so basically 2/3's of the floor in the sleeping room. hopefully that insulates from the cold a bit.

Yep, thats how weve gone, i put the trailer tent down over a drop sheet, foam squares for the floor and SI mats with sleeping bags, keeps the kids happy, we got the QS innerspring...

Originally Posted by prydey

yes, for this first time we are planning to camp in the naracoorte caves national park. the campsite doesn't have much in the way of reviews, but the ones i've come across aren't that great, but we figured it would be a start and we want to see the caves which is why we are camping around that area.
In the future, there are some great campsites around not far from my doorstep (by that i mean not interstate) so in future its nice to know the options are plentiful. i don't mind bushwalking and hiking, but as mentioned at the top, i'm the only male, and my daughters are 7 and 15, so that limits what we can do (as a family anyway).

Sounds good, we spent most of our time in the mid north/Flinders/riverland regions but im keen to get down the South East to the coorong etc. so let us know how you get on.

Originally Posted by prydey

as for the overthinking bit, if i was on my own or just with a mate or 2, then sure, just wing it, but i sure don't want to be camped out with a miserable family because we didn't bother to plan.

You can never over think it when females are involved, one forgotten luxury and the tent will be on gumtree, nothing surer...lol