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Post Info TOPIC: Roadside Camping on the Big One...
Big Al


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Roadside Camping on the Big One...
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Hello all... I'm new to this forum stuff but not to the grey nomadding side of life.

However, in a couple of weeks (June 2010) we head out from near Sydney on the big Round-Oz adventure (again) - this time my brother-in-law and his wife are following (and trying to keep up with) us.

We have always stayed in caravan parks - big, small, excellent and some just so-so.  This time we would like to add a lot of roadside stops.  I have the Camps book and the Camps Snap book but what I'm getting around to is this...

Does anyone have some first-hand experience at any roadside stops on the road from Rockhampton to Longreach, up to Cloncurry and to the QLD-NT border?

Phew!  I think that's a big enough stretch to cover in this particular message!  Any tips, thoughts etc on good stops (or bad ones to avoid) will be appreciated very much.  Thanks.

Big Al - towing the world's biggest 12 ft van - and being chased by the world's smallest 23 footer.

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ozjohn


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Hiya Big Al.
You'll find plenty of camp spots along the way. The better ones will have other vans and motorhomes staying overnight or longer. Camps 4 or 5 have a pretty fair slection, but even the poorer ones will be what you make of them. Travelling with others means you won't be camping out alone.  You'll enjoy sitting around a fire on the cold nights with a bottle (Or 2) of Red. The upside is that you will be able to bot a hot shower occasionally from the little 23 footer. LOL.
Travel safe and enjoy your trip.
ozjohn.

-- Edited by ozjohn on Thursday 27th of May 2010 04:53:26 PM

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Pejay


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Hi Al,

Welcome to the Forum - we are fairly new to this stuff too - so join the club.

Perhaps there is a chance that we may just cross paths/meet up, whatever when we 'hit the road' for a quick whip around Qld. We leave to head north to Townsville around 17 July, heading west to Mt Isa around 1 Aug for a few days, then south down to Charleville etc 11/8 - or there abouts. We have a 17'6 Mayfair by Regent that somehow keeps following our Patrol everywhere! We also have the 'Grey Nomads' sticker on the back of van and 4wd.

As of next Tues (?) still have 200 days to go before we really get into this 'nomadic' state - but who's counting? Can't wait!!

Pete & June

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Big Al


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Thanks John...
He's got the shower and the air-con and the generator. I've got the extra Engels fridge. Need I say more??

Big Al

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Big Al


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Thanks Pejay...
Maybe we will cross paths.  We set out from Sydney on June 11 - to Rockhampton via the New England Highway via Glen Innes (the place where fire freezes) then inland to Longreach - and on - and on.  But who knows?  Watch out for the world's biggest 12 foot caravan with a sign on the back stating "Wife In Van".

Big Al

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jimricho


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Hi Al, and welcome to the forum,

You probably have reasons to choose this route to Longreach, eg visiting the places and/or people along the way. Unless you have special reason to travel via the New England the best way from Sydney to Rocky is via Narrabri, Goondiwindi, Miles, Banana (yes that's right, Banana)....Free camping available at Theodore with showers and sewered toilet (they ask for a donation for Lions and Rotary).  Roads are ok, a little uneven between Goondi and Condamine but no problem. There's an unusual caravan park 20km north of Miles called "Possum Park" http://www.possumpark.com.au/ . Not a freebie but not too bad for a "full service" CP.

The most direct road from Sydney to LR is via Moree, Mungindi, St George, and Mitchell. Roads are fine. The direct road from St George to Mitchell is ok, no need to "dog-leg" via Roma.  I've heard there's good camping at Nindigully south of St George.  You can buy genuine Aussie made sheepskin teddy bears for the grandkids at Tambo.

Allow a few days at least in Longreach, it's well worthwhile.  Museum in "Barky" is also worth a visit.  Allow time for a beer at the "Blue Heeler" at Kynuna on your way through to Isa.  It's a very historic pub.

Well worth a visit north of Cloncurry is Lawn Hill.  It's 10 years since I was there so other "forumsters" should be more up to date with road conditions etc to get there. check http://www.adelsgrove.com.au/ for more info.

Jim


-- Edited by jimricho on Thursday 27th of May 2010 08:23:59 PM

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marter


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Funny way to get to Longreach from Sydney there must be a reason ?

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jimricho


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I was editing my post while you were doing yours marter but as you can see I was pondering the same thing.

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petengail


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"wife in van".... damm good place for her too. can mine travel in there with her to keep her company? lol

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Helena


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Sounds like a hell of us are hitting the road at this time of the year hopefully we will meet up with some of you we will be going through Goodwindi and up to Banana have an A Van camper being toed by a Toyota Corrolla. Hope to see some of you on the road sticker on van and car. We will be leaving S.A on the 6th of June. Safe travelling everyone. Helena. Only 9 more sleeps to go can't wait.

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Firefly


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We stayed at the pub in Nindigully in '06 and this time we will be free camping. There were heaps of free campers last time too but we had no idea what they were doing, had never heard of free camping back then. smile

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Big Al


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Thanks everyone for the feedback on the Roadside Stops.  Some mentioned that I had chosen a weird way (not in so many words) to travel from Sydney to Longreach.  I should have pointed out that on the way we intend to pick up a few thousand $$$ fossicking for gems at Inverell - Glen Innes (Glen Innes is, of course, aboriginal for "place where fire freezes") then to visit rellies in Toowoomba, Maroochydore and Rockhampton before heading to Longreach etc.

Over the years we have visited all the places mentioned in replies - but never with roadside stops, which was the main thrust of the question.

But thanks for all the suggestions! They are appreciated.

Big Al - in the big 12 footer.

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Big Al


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Rear of Caravan sign - "Wife in Van"
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Replying to Petengail:
There's a story behind the "Wife In Van" sign.  There's always a story!  A friend told us that he had a list of "Things To Do" when packing up to move on - jockey wheel up, check windows etc.

To save time, he used to start off with his wife in the van (shhh - don't tell the police) where she finalised inside the van while he drove along for ten minutes or so.  One time he started off and stopped ten minutes down the road to transfer the wife from the van to the car.  Oops - she wasn't in the van, she was in the amenities block! confuse.gif

So the next thing he did was to add the following to his "Things To Do" list - "Wife in car"!  -  true story.

See you on the Big One....
Big Al

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Firefly


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laughing.gif    laughing.gif

Thats gold Al.

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jimricho


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Big Al wrote:

Thanks everyone for the feedback on the Roadside Stops.  Some mentioned that I had chosen a weird way (not in so many words) to travel from Sydney to Longreach.  I should have pointed out that on the way we intend to pick up a few thousand $$$ fossicking for gems at Inverell - Glen Innes (Glen Innes is, of course, aboriginal for "place where fire freezes") then to visit rellies in Toowoomba, Maroochydore and Rockhampton before heading to Longreach etc.

Over the years we have visited all the places mentioned in replies - but never with roadside stops, which was the main thrust of the question.

But thanks for all the suggestions! They are appreciated.

Big Al - in the big 12 footer.


Best wishes for a great trip....

If staying in a caravan park at Inverell I can recommend "The Inverell Caravan Park".  It's an excellent park run by a nice young couple who keep it neat and spotless. It's the closest one to the downtown and within walking distance.  Call into the tourist office (cnr Campbell and Byron) and see Anne if need any info on fossicking.

Jim

 



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ozjohn


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Glen Rest Tourist Park on the south side of Glen Innes (New England Hwy) has a section in the park for gem fossiking.
ozjohn.

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