Filthy Free-camps

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Filthy Free-camps

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Must say have come across some pretty filthy roadside stops - I don't know why people are like this - makes you wonder how they are in their own homes doesn't it?
The toilet habits of some are disgusting - ok we know we all need to go, but why let toilet paper just fly around - bin it!!! And leaving food scraps and general rubbish, sometimes just feet from a bin, is sheer laziness and rudeness!!

Happywanderer · The Master

I always have a supermarket bag hanging from my sliding door by the handle. Any rubbish I make gets popped in there and binned when I find the next one. It's easy enough to do. Those who don't are just filthy pigs.

blaze · Guru

I reckon the nulla is the diriest bit of road verge I have seen in my travels, it isnt the truckies either because they know how to time their stops, its people like us and its discusting. Even if they dug a bloody hole and buried there waste.
cheers
blaze

Vic · Guru

Agree with the comments on the nulla re pigs. Gerty, for your info when you get to the Nullabor roadhouse even if you don't stay there, you have a mobile booster tower and should get good mobile/wireless pc cover, as you know not too many spots along the nulla to get it etc.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

The Nullabor roadhouse was a scarey place for me to stay back in 2001. It was just me and 2 dogs and I couldn't travel any further. The bar was full of really drunk people and it was only 5pm. It did not feel safe to stay in my camper so I booked a room which was really expensive. I did not get any sleep because of the noisy carousing that went on all night complete with lots of shouting, people smashing glass, banging on walls, fairly freaky all in all. It was my first crossing and I have always bypassed it on my subsequent 4 trips across. Hopefully it is better these days.

NeilandRaine · Guru

I was thinking similar things over the last few days coming across the Barkley Tablelands. The amount of toilet paper blowing around in free camps is bloody discusting.
Now I know there are a few irresponsible "Mechanised Swaggies" around but I have found those that stop at free camps without loos are usually self contained.
Now I know its an old argument but from my experience it is young people and backpackers who are usually to blame (Not always)
Another thing that made me sad about the state of the nation was at Renner Springs I couldnt help but see into a sharps container. It was almost full of used syringes. Its pleasing to think they are responsible enough to put them in the container provided but oh so sad to think so many Junkies are on our roads (there were to many to have been put there by diabetics)

Dunco · Senior Member

I recently camped across the Eyre Highway, there and back, and found them pretty clean.

You must've been there between cleans

Smokeydk · Guru

on forums lately theres been lot of discussion of CPs wanting to close free camp areas..........their main thing was free campers mess it up for all.........my arguement is not all of us are pigs......but I'ld like to catch them who are on camera.. Grrrrrrrr.

lot have said....its not the campers that do it...its day trippers........even Saturday night locals party'n.

and as mentioned......those that do......what are their homes like.......Hell you even see what they do in Caravan Parks admenties blocks...makes you sick........

sucastja · Senior Member

There's nothing more off putting than seeing other people's disgusting rubbish and toilet paper left around. When we camp we take home any rubbish we have if there's no bins provided - we figure we bring it in, we can take it out. As for toilet paper - yuck!!! If we have to go, we bury it!!! It's not that hard.

Delta18 · Guru

I have been living in WA for over 30 years now I still have family in Adelaide, Victoria & NSW so have made at least 20 return trips across the Nullarbor, initially by car & motelling and more recently caravanning & free-camping.

I have seen the best and worst of the mess at roadside stops and have seen the culprits many times. It is the crows that forage in the bins tossing aside whatever doesn't interest them looking for food.

Indirectly of course it is the travellers fault by putting food scraps in the bins. I hate to see this and the bulk rubbish dumped in & around the bins. This is a remote area and the logistics of regular bin emptying is daunting.

Please...carry your rubbish to the next town with rubbish facilitys, either Norseman or Ceduna.

Toilet paper is another, disgusting problem which need not be an issue. If you must 'go' behind a bush simply clear a small area, dig a hole, "go" then burn the paper in the hole then bury the residue. Paper never to be seen again. All care with the small fire of course.

Cheers Neil

tiger5 · Senior Member

I beleive some of the problem which i found on our last trip was the bins that were there had no lids & only mesh on the base which ment that the wild life could get at it.Also think some people are grubs bleh .

Beth54 · Guru

Friends and I struck a filthy one in June on the Gregory Developement Road, on our way to Charters Towers. It was just a big rig parking bay. The bin was overflowing, and I don't like to even think about what was there, but it was gross! I was just too tired to go any further so we parked as far away as we possible.

I don't see what's so hard about taking your rubbish with you til you find a bin. Even the toilet paper!

AlbyofCraigmore · Member

Sadly it is a sign of the times with so many grey nomads and travelers on the road that the rest areas are just not being maintained often enough. The authorities cannot keep up with the cleaning or do not have the funding. As reported above, overflowing rubbish bins, overflowing drop toilets that aren't working properly because someone has poured chemicals into them that kills the bacterial decomposition , and over-use of the facilities because they were never designed for the numbers now using them.

cheers,

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Elle on Wheels wrote:
The Nullabor roadhouse was a scarey place for me to stay back in 2001. It was just me and 2 dogs and I couldn't travel any further. The bar was full of really drunk people and it was only 5pm. It did not feel safe to stay in my camper so I booked a room which was really expensive. I did not get any sleep because of the noisy carousing that went on all night complete with lots of shouting, people smashing glass, banging on walls, fairly freaky all in all. It was my first crossing and I have always bypassed it on my subsequent 4 trips across. Hopefully it is better these days.

Elle that must have been really terrifying!

We are heading that way, and intended stopping there, so will check it out first, and be ready to move on if not impressed. thank you for the warning.

Vic · Guru

Gerty, we stayed there last year on the way over east and it was fine. We stayed in the caravan park and kept away from the tavern etc, although I did go in there for a look but it looked pretty quiet then. The only thing was for anyone with dogs the dingo's were hanging around looking for hand outs from tourists, for anyone with a dog bear that in mind, otherwise they might end up on the menu.

We have stayed there a couple of times previously without any dramas, not to say it can't happen. It is also one of holes on the Nulla Golf Course.

chris & terry · Senior Member

Keep it up Gert, you are a god forward scout for us in your wake. I did not think I would see anything to rival the Barkley. Oh well, do I have this to look forward to again? Also it seems odd that anyone traveling now days is referred to as Grey Nomads. A generic name or is it geriatric? I have found those considerably younger seem to be disproportionate contributors.

Regards Terry

Cruising Granny · Guru

When I've crossed the Nullarbor I've camped at powered sites at the roadhouses. It's not expensive, and knowing the type of travellers that get out that way, I reckon it's the safest. I didn't unhitch, but I did sleep well.
If you're west of Yalata and Oak Valley turnoff it's probably not so bad. The communities are dry but the trip to there is not.
As we all know they don't use bins because, "It's white man's rubbish."
Some of the campervans campers can be absolutely filthy with their rubbish and their toilet. Surely they can use a roadhouse or bury their stuff.
Many roadside parking bays around the country, no longer supply rubbish bins. There's usually a sign explaining the need to take your rubbish with you.
The Nullarbor on the SA side used to be serviced by the Highways Dept staff out of Ceduna. I don't know what happens now.
They did the bins and the roadside rubbish, putting cans and bottles in bags hanging off the truck. This salvage paid for the staff Christmas party. One of my neighbours did the patrol on regular schedules. SA pays 10c per recyclable deposit item.
The truckies usually aren't the cause of the crap. They're too busy driving to stop and make a mess. They have their faithful roadhouses where they stop for meals and breaks.
It's a sad reflection for travellers to have to put up with this eyesore. The sharps container at a roadhouse should be recovered frequently. Maybe a polite word to the staff would prompt some attention. I know of diabetics who use fit packs and have to dispose of their needles somewhere too.
I believe it's the younger nomads to be more responsible for the roadside rubbish than the "grey" generation. I don't know about you, but "tidy" was drummed into us everywhere we went when we were kids. It's stayed with me forever, and I love our country, and when it's covered in rubbish it looks awful.
I think the no-bin policy is very successful from what I've seen in my travels.

valnrob · Guru

We had a bloke and his partner parked next to us at Burren Junction, toilets aren't too far away but during the night used a night bucket. In the morning he came out and emptied the bucket and toilet paper over the fence into the small trees planted there. We pulled him up on it and he just said "oh I will clean it up" course he didn't. Its people like this that ruin it for all the other caring campers. If I am caught short, I will have a wee behind a tree but bring the toilet paper back and put it into a plastic bag till we get to a bin.

Technomad · Senior Member

It is a trend we hear. Just when most travellers are adapting to a little free camping, towns accepting the concept and parks struggling at peak times to cope, along comes an element of human nature that spoils for the rest an oportunity to save a little. But some of the pigs can be those with the most modern rigs showing off with no concern for others. They will stop it and hurt others. They were never meant to be stop overs for a long period and some dominate and are just plain miserable people and will do anything to save a buck.

SHAME.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Absolutely agree Technomad - few years ago, pulled into a free camp above Townsville (quite well known one) - it was supposed to be a 72 hour stop - but some of these people had such huge setups - fires, hot water on the boil constantly in big drums, washing lines set up - really settled in - had their own little enclave organised - taking up lots more than just a van site - which, of course, restricted others from getting in there - and yes they had the biggest and best rigs.
Guy in nearby servo said some of them stay for weeks - and use the showers at the servos sometimes, which are supposed to be for genuine travellers and truckies - had kids, who nearly always leave a mess in a bathroom, in my opinion, and have no idea about saving water with short showers.

jimbo · Guru

Did any of you see that program on TV the other night Backpackers in Cains and what they got up too......I have seen them at their worst at Yaambah Qld andmany other spots.....I even dobbed acouple of them into the Cops at Yappon Qld.......I believe it is the younger element.......Grey Nomads know quite well that this is just cutting ones nose off despite yheir face

Dave83 · Senior Member

Just remember guys, that before you start making gross generalisations about us young folk and the values with which we were raised - it was your generation who raised us!

I say this in jest of course. I just hope that as a "young" man (I don't feel too young most days!) I can be the exception to the rule and maybe use whatever common ground I might have with some of the less responsible backpackers to change some minds along my travels.

Beth54 · Guru

Dave83 wrote:
Just remember guys, that before you start making gross generalisations about us young folk and the values with which we were raised - it was your generation who raised us!

I say this in jest of course. I just hope that as a "young" man (I don't feel too young most days!) I can be the exception to the rule and maybe use whatever common ground I might have with some of the less responsible backpackers to change some minds along my travels.

Spot on Dave. I don't think you can say 'it's the young people'. It's people from all walks of life, who haven't been educated by their parents. You obviously have been Dave. As I was and my three were.

In my opinion, we could all help to educate the un-educated on what they're doing to this Earth, whether in Australia or anywhere else in the World.

ken thomas · Guru

I think it is toooo late for some of the generation to be educated, if not when kids to late later
To many do gooders who dont believe in the smack
Ken

animalcarer · Senior Member

I could not believe that anyone would be so damm lazy to empty a night bucket

in front of you even, too lazy to use the toilet, thats what torches are for.

we carry 2 portapotties, dump points are fairly frequent. Perhaps the great unwashed need to do a course on travel ettquite on the road.

tonyd · Guru

Quite right, Dun Wurkin. These kids have probably never heard the word "no". Apparently the whole concept of failure has been eliminated from schools. My only satisfaction comes from thinking what a hell of a shock these spoilt brats must get when they emerge into the real world of a workplace! Unfortunately, we will increasingly suffer from the growth of the selfish, self-centred "me" generation. Cheers, Tony

JRH · Guru

animalcarer wrote:
I could not believe that anyone would be so damm lazy to empty a night bucket
in front of you even, too lazy to use the toilet, thats what torches are for.
we carry 2 portapotties, dump points are fairly frequent. Perhaps the great unwashed need to do a course on travel ettquite on the road.

Slightly off topic but I witnessed a bloke empty his night bucket in the wash basin in the Wintersun CP in Alice Springs a few years back, bugger was too lazy to walk a few extra paces to the toilet.

Edited for a typo

-- Edited by JRH on Tuesday 13th of September 2011 03:49:54 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

Thats not off topic at all JRH, it is disgusting.

JRH · Guru

I quite agree Marj, it it disgusting, I have never put a plug in the basin in any caravan park since.