After oohing and aahing we finally hit the road to free camp along the Murray. Little did we know that we would hit a high (phew!) in the weather but also the start of the fishing season! We headed for Cobram last Sunday from Mornington, Vic and eventually found River Road at the Cobram/Barooga Bridge. We were looking for Scotts Beach, which is in the Camps 6 book that showed some facilities. Well you can forget that, very confusing! After travelling down some really dusty tracks (they had recently been regraded) we arrived at what was Quicks No 2 beach. At this point we approached a young couple who gave us their Murray River Access Map (available at the info centre in town for $8), which we found invaluable. There wasn't any space for Fliv (our MH) and Suzi (flat-tower) but armed with our map we travelled back and found Horseshoe Beach, but again, no facilities although they were shown on the map. Not a lot of beach but a swim in the river was very refreshing. We stayed for 2 nights but decided to find a quieter spot as having a boat ramp it was quite busy. We went out in Suzi for a rekkie on the Tues morning and found Seppelts Beach which turned out to be ideallic. The hum from the pumps across the river (the winery) didn't bother us and it was a little piece of heaven with not a soul to bother us. However, on Thursday the temperature gradually rose and became quite unbearable, which found us spending more time in the river than out of it. It was no joke at midnight when it was still 40 degrees in the van. We eventually set up the generator and managed to get a couple of hours sleep before a wind storm came up the river and found us at 3.40am madly packing and moving the vehicles from under the trees. We had already decided to stay the weekend in the Willows CP (highly recommended) as we guessed it would get quite busy and on the Monday, return to Seppelts beach. As we were packing up on the Friday morning a couple came in towing a caravan and said "Are you leaving, as you are in our spot and we have camped here for the last 30 years?" We said "Yes we are, and when are you leaving?" The reply was "Next March!!" Before we had finished packing, they left and fetched another caravan, and on our way out another one drove in, of the same party to install their van for the summer season. Whilst in the CP we tried several other beaches only to find 'residents' vans hogging all the good spots. Now we know we hit the fishing season, which started Saturday, but it was obvious that many of these vans are parked permanently. So unfortunately our anticipated 2 week trip is now only 1 week as we cannot find a free camping spot on any of the beaches. Next time we come, as we surely will, we will make certain it is in the closed fishing season, but we know there will still be the 'permanent residents' to contend with. Should this be allowed? Oh, and by the way the 'facilites' mentioned in the books, according to a local, haven't been there for 35 years!
gordon_adl said
02:20 AM Dec 3, 2012
I wouldn't of cared if someone was there for 40 years. You were there 1st this season. Seems to me some of those people are trying to claim free land. Rude buggers. Sorry to hear about the bad weather though.
jimricho said
02:55 AM Dec 3, 2012
Lilliputians wrote:
Next time we come, as we surely will, we will make certain it is in the closed fishing season, but we know there will still be the 'permanent residents' to contend with. Should this be allowed?
This is an example of what can happen when time limits at free camps either don't apply or aren't enforced.
golivers travels said
04:09 AM Dec 3, 2012
Sorry Lilliputians to hear about your less than ideal camping experiences. There are many camps along the Murray perhaps somewhere else would not be as busy. Very cheeky of the people saying it was their area. Apparently the same thing happens upm in the Northern Territory where fishermen park for up to 6 months, planting vegetable gardens and even raising chickens and wild pigs for food. Do not let this experience stop you from heading out there. Cheers Glenda
spice said
04:55 AM Dec 3, 2012
I would have stayed just to p..s them of, Rod
sandsmere said
02:21 PM Dec 3, 2012
Unfortunately , some places along the Murray can get a bit crowded once the cod season opens .
Don't think you can reserve campsites though . 1st in 1st served I reckon .
The camps books are sometimes very unreliable as far as facilities , dump points etc. go .
deadlyprincess said
08:30 PM Dec 4, 2012
Thanks for the heads up, we are going to come home from melbourne that way stopping at some of the suggested free camp spots. Seem we might have to search a little both verbally to those we meet on the road and around the towns on the murry.
Lilliputians said
12:38 AM Dec 5, 2012
One we can recommend is a beautiful free camping spot at Nyah. It is behind the harness racing track, still beside the river but has water and a dump point. You can't get down to the river as there is no beach but then a local told us that there are no beaches worth visiting west of Tocumwal outside that surrounding area.
This is an example of what can happen when time limits at free camps either don't apply or aren't enforced.
Unfortunately , some places along the Murray can get a bit crowded once the cod season opens .
Don't think you can reserve campsites though . 1st in 1st served I reckon .
The camps books are sometimes very unreliable as far as facilities , dump points etc. go .
Thanks for the heads up, we are going to come home from melbourne that way stopping at some of the suggested free camp spots. Seem we might have to search a little both verbally to those we meet on the road and around the towns on the murry.
One we can recommend is a beautiful free camping spot at Nyah. It is behind the harness racing track, still beside the river but has water and a dump point. You can't get down to the river as there is no beach but then a local told us that there are no beaches worth visiting west of Tocumwal outside that surrounding area.