I posted this on another forum but thought some of our fellow GN's might get a laugh out of some of my experiences too.  These experiences happened in my very early days of tenting and campervanning and were many years ago.  The best sleep I ever had was in the driveway entrance to a cemetery, the neighbours were very quiet...my stories......

Bush Camping.......Once had a homemade Mitsibushi Express campervan with a sliding sun roof.  One night I drove down a track not far from Barkley Homstead and found a place well off the road to spend the night.  I had the roof open so I could see the stars.  While sleeping, I heard a scraping and scuffling sound outside the van and on standing up with a torch saw a couple of dingos licking and chewing on my vehicle tyres.    They took off when I yelled at them. 

A little while later a car came down the track and a woman and her young  son parked close to me (I thought that was a bit risky, I could have been Jack the Ripper or Vic the Stripper or something) and started to set up their tent.  When I told them my story they immediately packed up and took off in a hurry.

....................................................................................

With the same van, after a visit to Uluru, I decided to drive through to Warburton on the Tjukaruru Rd (track).  As it was getting dark, I decided to drive well off the road into the bush (no track) where I couldnt be seen and spend the night.  After making something to eat, I cleaned up and as it was now dark decided to settle down for the night.  It was pitch black and eerie and dead quiet.  I started to feel spooked and wondered if something happened to me how long it would be before someone found my body.  Not being able to sleep I eventually ended up driving out and back towards Uluru and spent the night by the side of the road until day break.

.............................................................................................

On another occasion with the same van, I was driving between Mt Magnet and Mullewa and pulled into a bush track to spend the night.  I was awoken by the headlights and noisy engine of a vehicle right behind my campervan and loud voices and clanging and banging. 

Not wanting to get out of the vehicle for obvious reasons and my vehicle being lit up by the vehicle lights behind me I decided to lay dogo and see what happened next.   After a little while that seemed like an eternity, there was lots of door slamming  and they drove off.  I can only assume they were refuelling their vehicle. 

Now well spooked, I ended up driving into the next town and parked on the roadway outside the Council Chambers until dawn.  If the local police saw me they didnt wake me and I slept ok for the rest of the night.

...................................................................................................         

In my tenting days, I drove just off the Highway up north of WA, and set up my tent in the middle of nowhere and being dark settled down for the night.  Hearing heavy footfalls outside my tent, I nearly freaked out, but on sticking my head outside the tent found I was in the middle of a group of cattle that had apparently decided to come in nearer the highway for the grass.  Not wanting to be stomped on in the middle of the night I packed up and left.  A bit risky (roos etc) driving at that time of night but better than the alternative.  Ended up pulling into an isolated servo and sleeping in the vehicle opposite that. 

............................................

For anyone who likes horror films and hasn't seen it already, it is worth getting this out from the Video store, the 2005 movie Wolf Creek, John Jarrat is scary.....too scary......;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Creek_(film)  

A sequel (Wolf Creek 2) is being filmed in Feb 2012.

Wolf Creek 2 Jules, starting to film in SA in Feb 2012  http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/wolf_creek_2_starts_shooting_in_february_2012_greg_mclean_directs_john/

......don't worry, scared the pants off me too, the Mrs wouldn't watch it, don't blame her.

Marg, my experiences were when I was solo and young and a bit more adventurous, also a long time ago, I wouldn't do that these days.

One other little experience was driving on dirt tracks in a remote area in the middle of Oz I stopped for fuel at an old disused siding that sold fuel from an old hand pumped bowser.....I just had this uneasy feeling and the bloke living there on his own gave me the creeps, I had been going to ask if I could camp nearby, but because something didn't feel right decided not to (I wanted to wake up in morning, lol !) Still not sorry I made that decision.

Anyone else got a scary story to tell that happened to them/their friends etc?

If Wolf Creek scares you, what about the real murders that happen to travellers on our roads ?   There have been a number over the years.

Won't stop me going when I can though.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Sheba wrote:

---

If Wolf Creek scares you, what about the real murders that happen to travellers on our roads ?   There have been a number over the years.

Won't stop me going when I can though.

Cheers,

Sheba.

---

 Your right Sheba, can be just as unsafe in your own home with all the loonies around.

On an early visit to Coober Pedy, I went for a haircut during the week but this barber shop with a newly painted shopfront and barber pole was closed, no signs up to say why. I was approached by a local with a very long beard, grubby stubby shorts and holey singlet who told me that a new barber had come to town, but he had vanished, nobody knew where he was.   As there was another hairdresser (male and female cuts) I wondered if perhaps he had been seen as too much competition by someone and he had ended up down a hole somewhere.  

Helena, that would freak me out too, had a similar incident with someone who thought crocodiles were climbing up their wall, turned out there doctor had prescribed the wrong medication and dosage for them.......