Well after sweltering during the heat of summer, it has now started to get cooler. During the days are ok so far, around 23' in the mid north today. It's the nights I am not looking forward to.
But then nothing compares to Les, our two girls and me driving to NSW to pick up a lovely 20ft caravan. We got there in the afternoon, and it was dark before we left after hitching it up. along the way Les was tired so we thought we would stop at a parking bay the sign said next turn, so that what Les did, we ended up on a dirt road in the rain, we came to a dead end...there was nothing but a fence. So while Les is trying to back up the van, I am outside with a torch guiding him on the road so he doesn't go off into the soft muddy edges. How he did it I don't know but he did, we got back on the main highway.
Traveling some more down the road, with the heaters on as its so cold, we find a camping spot, so we drive in. It was very nice...well what we could see with a torch, as there were no lights. We all decided to go to the toilet and get in the van to sleep for the night. The toilet was a hole in the ground with a seat above it... our youngest daughter refused to go as she was afraid of falling in... the rest of us went, I went over to wash my hands in the sink and the dripping tap has frozen with ice coming out of it and frozen to the sink. I said it was cold.
My youngest daughter thought going behind a tree was better than using the toilet. Then we went back into the van, we had no electricity, as we didn't want to drain the car battery, so three of us slept in the queen bed, our eldest daughter slept on the lounge. We were so cold our breath was freezing, none of us could sleep as we were so cold it kept us awake, we tried until about 3am, when we decided to get back in the car and just keep driving until we got to a CP to sleep. Les was no longer tired, I wonder why? When we got onto the highway, Les asked a truckie what the temp. was he said its -4' we get -3' here, but at least I can stay inside in front of the heater.
This was the main reason for alternative power sources, as a must have in our van.
So has anyone else had some good winter stories?
buffy61 said
08:03 AM Apr 17, 2013
Good and winter in the same sentence??? Oxymoron much??? :)
Gerty Dancer said
03:02 PM Apr 17, 2013
My best winter story has a happy ending. ... We moved out of Canberra!
jules47 said
04:03 PM Apr 17, 2013
Karajini NP in WA - so cold and dark at night, we had to have our showers at 3pm and eat almost straight away, in bed by 7pm - we were in a camper trailer - had every blanket, even spare towels on the bed, flanny pj's, hot water bottles and even beanies. Up in the morning, water was frozen in the billy, left out on the stove! I lived in Victoria, but had never been as cold as at Karajini!!!!!!!! Even had ice on the canvas.
petengail said
04:50 PM Apr 17, 2013
The best thing about winter is seeing Rokhampton QLD dissapearing in the rear view mirror as you head north.
aussietraveller said
10:20 PM Apr 17, 2013
winter time is the ideal time for home comforts or being north of Townsville, free camping in winter you have to be nuts
pauline said
10:39 PM Apr 17, 2013
Please no more horrible winter stories as I am about to spend my first winter in Victoria in the van and I am afraid...........very afraid.
Onedodger said
11:17 PM Apr 17, 2013
We had a bush camp in the New England Nat. Park near Ebor and when we woke in the morning we were snowed in with very cold conditions. Glad we had a gas heater which was working and by the time the billy was boiled the van had some warmth in it. We had brecky then started out of the Nat Park but was stopped due to ice on the road. Ended up staying until afternoon before we were able to negotiate the road out. The thermometer registered -7 when we woke. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
pauline said
04:38 AM Apr 18, 2013
is it really that bad, (just asking)...........were in Mackay last year for the winter and got down to 5 quite a few times in the morning, though it does warm up quite quickly.
Well after sweltering during the heat of summer, it has now started to get cooler. During the days are ok so far, around 23' in the mid north today. It's the nights I am not looking forward to.
But then nothing compares to Les, our two girls and me driving to NSW to pick up a lovely 20ft caravan. We got there in the afternoon, and it was dark before we left after hitching it up. along the way Les was tired so we thought we would stop at a parking bay the sign said next turn, so that what Les did, we ended up on a dirt road in the rain, we came to a dead end...there was nothing but a fence. So while Les is trying to back up the van, I am outside with a torch guiding him on the road so he doesn't go off into the soft muddy edges. How he did it I don't know but he did, we got back on the main highway.
Traveling some more down the road, with the heaters on as its so cold, we find a camping spot, so we drive in. It was very nice...well what we could see with a torch, as there were no lights. We all decided to go to the toilet and get in the van to sleep for the night. The toilet was a hole in the ground with a seat above it...
our youngest daughter refused to go as she was afraid of falling in... 
the rest of us went, I went over to wash my hands in the sink and the dripping tap has frozen with ice coming out of it and frozen to the sink. I said it was cold.
My youngest daughter thought going behind a tree was better than using the toilet. Then we went back into the van, we had no electricity, as we didn't want to drain the car battery, so three of us slept in the queen bed, our eldest daughter slept on the lounge. We were so cold our breath was freezing, none of us could sleep as we were so cold it kept us awake, we tried until about 3am, when we decided to get back in the car and just keep driving until we got to a CP to sleep. Les was no longer tired, I wonder why? When we got onto the highway, Les asked a truckie what the temp. was he said its -4' we get -3' here, but at least I can stay inside in front of the heater.
This was the main reason for alternative power sources, as a must have in our van.
So has anyone else had some good winter stories?
Glad we had a gas heater which was working and by the time the billy was boiled the van had some warmth in it.
We had brecky then started out of the Nat Park but was stopped due to ice on the road. Ended up staying until afternoon before we were able to negotiate the road out. The thermometer registered -7 when we woke. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.