Firstly this report is not about blowing my own trumpet
They have probably not made one big enough for me yet
This is a, credit where credit is due, type of post.
To all the people who were picking up rubbish, while travelling in front of me, in July/August/September 2017, on the route from the south of Perth area, to Darwin, to Adelaide, and return to Perth area, I would like to say, a very big
"Thank you"
I very was surprised at the lack of rubbish, and most of the rubbish I picked up was from just outside of the boundary of the camps. Also a mention in the dispatches, to all those who encouraged me Also a special thanks to the gentleman known as Chis from Hobart, who gave me a stubby of beer, on 1/8/2017 at the Ellendale free camp WA 531 (Camp book 9)
For those who do not have the time to read a report, and only want the summery
On a 11,001 kilometre trip I stayed in 4 Caravan Parks, 1 low cost camp, and 1 donation camp, which between them did not have enough rubbish to write home about I also stayed in 24 free camps, and 3 roadside stops and picked up 28¼ buckets of rubbish, one $10 note, and a 11 mm combination spanner
Err... The report is very lengthy (4 pages), so I will not put it up
Plus I was fortunate to come across Cruising Granny, and very briefly said hello, at a fuel stop on the Stuart Highway, between Alice Springs and Port Augusta
I certainly did open the stubby myself Doug, it was a twist cap
I initially thought What the (insert a four letter word, from an Anglo Saxon dictionary here)! When a man placed a stubby just in front of my pick up stick
He said that it was a hot day, and that I deserved it
It was a warm one, so I had it the next evening, after cooling it in the fridge
If anyone knows of Chris from Hobart, who was travelling in that area, around that time Please let him know that I have said, thank you, a second time
Hi Tony, May I ask a question please. After you pick up the rubbish what do you do with it? I know some places have bins, on site, that the rubbish can be put into but other places don't. I don't like the idea of picking up roadside rubbish and putting it into the motorhome until a bin can be found, that's why my question. Thanks and cheers.
Good topic.
Should never be considered as blowing ones own trumpet.
We carry a good old fashioned spike and hook on the end of an old brolly stem (very light weight) and can clean up the paper (and grotty nappy yuck stuff) from a rest area with half an hours walking around. Gives me exercise as well. Where does the rubbish go? In the bins there OR a bin bag on the "A" frame until the next bin is seen.
Will be good to read this report.
Cheers
__________________
Cheers - Ian
I slowly realise as I get older that I am definitely NOT the fastest rat in the race.
Also the older I get the more I realise I do not know.
So sad all the rubbish along the side of roads. It becomes really obvious when a fire goes thru and all the cans and bottles are just lying there. Cannot understand the mentality of people who just throw rubbish out of the window. Its even more of an issue when you are on a motorbike and the car in front empties all their stubbies out (climbing down off my soap box now).
We found this year, coming across the Nullarbor, that the sides of the roads were very tidy and rubbish free - whereas some of the free camps were scattered with all sorts of rubbish - and most have rubbish bins there.
Trouble is, of course, when some people leave, they shove it in the bin, and leave the lid open because bin is too full - then the birds come along and spread it all over the camp - well that is one answer anyway.
Thanks to the WA Government for the refurbished camps on the Nullarbor - toilets, dump point and wi fi! What more does a traveler want - well may be water, but we all cope with that.
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
What stops did you stop at Jules, we must have missed all of what you saw.......
We have just recently come across the Nullarbor, west to east, checking out the roadside overnight stops. Some did not look all that inviting, being right on the roads edge, and a few we did not look at as it was a bit too early. Stopped at 10 mile rocks - rubbish bins were all full and rubbish had been puled at by birds. Toilet looked like it had not been serviced for some time. But further back from the road it was clean, tidy and a great little spot. Also tried to stop at Moodini Bluff - the bins were overloaded, again, birds pulling at the rubbish, which then blew around. I doubt if the toilets had been serviced for some time as they both housed lots of bees..... but from the outside looked ok. Also bees in the surrounding trees, some thinking our van was a nice cool spot to be, so we packed up in record time (10min) and moved on. Stopped at Jallah Rockhole, another nice spot, but again the bins were full, and the toilet, well even my other half said he wouldn't use it - now that's saying something. By far the best stop on this expanse of road, for us, was the free camp at the old farm house 25k east of Kyancutta. Private property, part of a working farm, by donation - dump point and flushing toilet, shed to gather in and also the old farm house available to view - a glimpse into the history of the farm and the Mathews family life. Well worth stopping at if anybody needs a an overnight stop of just a break. We always try to leave a site a bit cleaner/neater that what we found it, but when stops are not serviced regularly enough, I think it's a bit too much to expect of travelers.
When we come down the west coast we did find that the majority of the o/n stops were very well maintained and a credit to the shires. And there seemed to be a lot of them and well spaced. But wherever you go there is always some grotty creature that likes to "leave it for someone else" I say hats off to any traveler that tries to "do that bit more"
I think councils/shires should be able to work with the tourism groups and arrange for a service vehicle to start from one spot, servicing stops on one side of the road, do 2,3 or 400km then turn around and service the stops on the other side of the road. If groups worked together this would keep areas cleaner for all travelers, as well as employ more people in country areas.
And SA - we need toilets at stops. If other councils/shires can put in long drops/eco toilets, or similar, then SA should be able to as well. That would be one issue sorted, and would help reduce all human mess, also the toot paper that is blowing around the country side.... But that in itself is a whole other discussion.
-- Edited by Relax-n on Friday 20th of October 2017 03:47:00 PM
Hi Tony, May I ask a question please. After you pick up the rubbish what do you do with it? I know some places have bins, on site, that the rubbish can be put into but other places don't. I don't like the idea of picking up roadside rubbish and putting it into the motorhome until a bin can be found, that's why my question. Thanks and cheers.
Sorry about the late reply Gaylehere, I have been off line for a while
I do not carry other peoples rubbish in the motorhome, and never will This also means that I do not pick up rubbish, if there are no bins available
I only pick up rubbish at the sites we/I stay at overnight I will pick up rubbish in the cool of the afternoon I do not pick up rubbish in the mornings, if we/I are just travelling through, as it is sad to see, that sometimes rubbish was left , where I had cleaned up the previous afternoon If we/I are staying at a site for a few days, I will try my best to clean up, or until the bins are full
What stops did you stop at Jules, we must have missed all of what you saw.......
We have just recently come across the Nullarbor, west to east, checking out the roadside overnight stops. Some did not look all that inviting, being right on the roads edge, and a few we did not look at as it was a bit too early. Stopped at 10 mile rocks - rubbish bins were all full and rubbish had been puled at by birds. Toilet looked like it had not been serviced for some time. But further back from the road it was clean, tidy and a great little spot. Also tried to stop at Moodini Bluff - the bins were overloaded, again, birds pulling at the rubbish, which then blew around. I doubt if the toilets had been serviced for some time as they both housed lots of bees..... but from the outside looked ok. Also bees in the surrounding trees, some thinking our van was a nice cool spot to be, so we packed up in record time (10min) and moved on. Stopped at Jallah Rockhole, another nice spot, but again the bins were full, and the toilet, well even my other half said he wouldn't use it - now that's saying something. By far the best stop on this expanse of road, for us, was the free camp at the old farm house 25k east of Kyancutta. Private property, part of a working farm, by donation - dump point and flushing toilet, shed to gather in and also the old farm house available to view - a glimpse into the history of the farm and the Mathews family life. Well worth stopping at if anybody needs a an overnight stop of just a break. We always try to leave a site a bit cleaner/neater that what we found it, but when stops are not serviced regularly enough, I think it's a bit too much to expect of travelers.
When we come down the west coast we did find that the majority of the o/n stops were very well maintained and a credit to the shires. And there seemed to be a lot of them and well spaced. But wherever you go there is always some grotty creature that likes to "leave it for someone else" I say hats off to any traveler that tries to "do that bit more"
I think councils/shires should be able to work with the tourism groups and arrange for a service vehicle to start from one spot, servicing stops on one side of the road, do 2,3 or 400km then turn around and service the stops on the other side of the road. If groups worked together this would keep areas cleaner for all travelers, as well as employ more people in country areas.
And SA - we need toilets at stops. If other councils/shires can put in long drops/eco toilets, or similar, then SA should be able to as well. That would be one issue sorted, and would help reduce all human mess, also the toot paper that is blowing around the country side.... But that in itself is a whole other discussion.
-- Edited by Relax-n on Friday 20th of October 2017 03:47:00 PM
Agree that the Nullarbor is one of the worst areas for rubbish, Relax-n In recent times I have crossed six times in four years
I wonder if it is those from other states causing the problem
Or perhaps they just do not have enough bins/toilets for the amount of traffic
The Nullarbor (from memory), was the only place I did not fully clean the area
It was another quick trip over the Nullarbor for me, as once again my 3 way fridge was playing up
Below is a copy of the notes I made, in the two overnight stops, on the Nullarbor The camp numbers are from Camps Australia book 9
4/9/2017 Nallanippi Parking Area (not sure if a free camp), SA 567 2 buckets of rubbish, but still some left, got there late, and rain stopped play
5/4/2017 Moonela Tank rest area, free camp WA 12 4 buckets of rubbish, but still plenty left, only had 1 hour of daylight
They have probably not made one big enough for me yet 
