Edition 16 (16th March 2012)

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Grey Nomad Times
In this issue:
•What’s top of the list?
•Raising the bullbar
•The captivating Tasman Peninsula
‘These parks ain’t big
enough for both of us’
Is the mining boom
driving site-seeking
nomads out of town?
The enormous pressure the
mining boom is putting on
accommodation in regional
towns means many grey
nomads are being told: “Sorry,
there is no room at the inn.”
With mega projects drawing
thousands of mineworkers to
the bush, there simply aren’t
enough places to sleep. Caravan parks in north-western
WA and central Queensland in
particular are feeling the brunt
of the boom.
“Cabins are booked solid and
the caravan sites are in heavy
demand, too,” Caravanning
Queensland CEO, Ron Chapman told the GNT. “There are
still sites around the place for
grey nomads but they may
have to stay on the fringes and
‘commute’ to where they want
to go.”
While the national van park
occupancy rate is still less than
50%, in some Queensland
towns there is 99% occupancy.
The Emerald Visitor Information Centre says travellers must
book well ahead.
“I know people like to keep
their plans flexible but it’s better to cancel a booking than
have nowhere to stay,” said
Sign of the times ... queueing for a precious site
the centre’s supervisor, Natalie
Lane. “It has been packed like
this for while and the coming
year will be as bad.”
The fact that mineworkers
work long hours means most
parks’ character has not really changed. And, despite the
steep demand for sites, average
fees in Central Highlands van
parks remain around $30.
The accommodation squeeze
is at least as bad in WA where
multiple major projects are
underway.
The Geraldton Visitor Centre says one van park has no
vacancies for the next six
months.
It says it has had to send visitors to Kalbarri, Mullewa and
Dongara. Nonetheless, another
park contacted by the GNT
says it does currently have sites
available.
In the Esperance region, about
half a billion dollars worth
of infrastructure projects are
planned. Tourism Esperance is
warning that, as construction
workers take up most of the
accommodation, tourists could
soon have nowhere to stay.
New caravan parks would obviously ease the problem but,
at least in Queensland, it could
be a long wait.
“We have people who want to
develop parks but bureaucracy
means it would take at least
two years,” said Caravanning
Queensland’s Ron Chapman.
“There’s no denying it’s a difficult situation and there is no
telling when it will end.”
Click to comment
‘Our rigs have
personalities’–
GNT readers
The machines are taking
over! It seems our caravans
and motorhomes have a
mind of their own and we
are but powerless passengers.
In the last GNT, we asked
readers if their rigs had personality. A staggering 73% of
respondents said ‘yes’ while
just 27% considered their
homes on wheels inanimate
lumps of metal.
Naturally enough, names
had to match personalities.
Ginger and Jill love Edna,
their Jayco Expanda, towed
by Dorothy the D Max.
Wayne’s Aussiewide Urunga
is Ozzie and his Isuzu tug
Izzie. Marg’s PawsaroundOz
isn’t so much named for the
vehicle as for Clancy and
Connor, the canine kings of
the road who occupy it.
Chris’s van is Roma and her
‘girl truck’ LandCruiser is
Rosy. P&G hit the road in
their Daydream named Not
Just a Daydream, and Terry’s
Varekai translates from the
ancient Gypsy language to
mean “wherever”. While
Emmybak travels in busturned-motorhome Mercedes Gold.
But not all names suit. Trevor’s rig is called Odanata
(Dragonfly). “My rig is more
a rhinoceros beetle though,”
he writes. “Big bulky and solid.”
Click to Comment
Issue 16: March 16, 2012
the
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Grey Nomad Times
Characters of the Road
Bent Axle Bob dreams of more
balmy evenings in the tropics
Bob, 68, (aka Bent Axle
Bob) has just returned to
WA after a six-month trip
What is your rig?
A 2001, ex-Telstra Nissan Navara with a box body. Petrol/Lpg
5 speed manual. Towing a 7x5
camper trailer, side tipper with
hard floor. New high quality
canvas, large custom equipent
box on “A” frame for generator,
hot shower system, etc. Tug
fitted with 2 x 120 watt solar
panels, roof mounted, supplying 2 x105 amp/hour AGM.
Ample! The rig was great,
common tug, super light compact camper trailer. One man
operation. Apart from buying
a quality 18’ x 12’ tarp for a
storm cover, I can’t think of
anything that did not perform
to expectations.
Where do you like to camp?
First preference is a quiet bush
camp near a river or beach.
Next would be free camps,
national parks and places like
Cleaverville, WA, and Workmans Beach Camp, Agnes Waters, Qld to name just a couple.
Being a complete pensioner I
try to find the cheapest sites
when ever practical so I can
enjoy that extra glass of vino.
Likes and dislikes?
I enjoy the ‘self ’ time, time to
contemplate and gaze inward.
I left home at 16, have always
been a gypsy and I guess I still
Bob enjoys the quiet moments of his journey
am. I can’t say that really found
anything that I disliked on the
whole trip.
Has your outlook changed?
Yes! Have realised I will do it
all again in a much different
format. Next trip will be in sections of three or four months
returning to base (Perth or
Yeppoon) for a few weeks
before resuming the adventure.
Rig will be parked up for those
times in secure areas.
On road hobbies?
The usual. Music, luv Slim
Dusty, Eva Cassidy, Tania
Kernaghan, Sara Storer, Beccy
Cole. Wine tasting, writing
poetry.
Favourite places
Anywhere in Far North
Queensland … fishing,
crabbing. Enjoying those
balmy tropical evenings.
Scariest experience?
On the down side of the Snowy
Highway heading to Bega and
meeting a gaggle of bikers,
throttles open and cutting
corners. I just hope they were
as shaken as I was.
Advice to wannabe nomads?
RESEARCH. Research your
route, time of year, rig and
equipment. Keep planning
simple and realistic. Never
hesitate to deviate from “THE
PLAN”. Who knows what is
around that next corner?
Any more trips planned?
Would love to do a ‘bus’ trip.
Don’t think the body will stand
an extended trip, so contemplating buying a Coaster or
T3500 set up in similar fashion
to the Navara. Will spend a lot
more time along the Murray
and in and around Snowy
country.
Nomads in Brief
Raining cats ...
There are growing calls for
action to control northwest Queensland’s growing
feral cat population. The cat
plague is threatening native
animals, including the rare
mouse-like Julia Creek dunnart. One station owner near
Julia Creek shot 460 cats in
two days.
... and dogs
Floodwater has washed away
large sections of the Dog
Fence in South Australia’s
north. The fence stretches
thousands of kilometres
across the country and acts
as a barrier to dingoes. The
fence might not be fixed for
weeks. Sheep producers are
already battling high dingo
numbers.
Innocent crocs
A contractor has been
mauled by a lioness at a
Darwin wildlife park famed
for its crocodiles. The man
has been taken to hospital
after being attacked at the
Crocodylus Wildlife Park at
Berrimah. WorkSafe is investigating the incident.
Travel age
New research reveals that
older people are enjoying
travelling the world well into
their 80s. According to the
Age UK charity, almost a
third of Age UK travel insurance policies sold last year
were bought by customers
aged 80 and over. Travellers
aged 65-69 and 70-74 each
accounted for a fifth of sales.
GRAB A CUPPA AND TEST YOUR GREY MATTA
You may need this after an extended bush stay
Do You Know
1. An NT town that never married.
2. Road distance between Broome and Adelaide.
A) 2560 km B) 3870 km C) 4260 km
3. In which Victorian town did Ned Kelly make his last stand?
4. Stop here if you’re dead tired after a Nullarbor crossing.
5. What is the lowest point in Australia? (Answers on page 4)
Issue 16: March 16, 2012
the
Letters to the editor? Email us at [email protected]
Grey Nomad Times
Dear Editor,
Re: Licence overhaul plan
(GNT: Issue 15). Once again
the pollies are playing their
game - “keep the people waiting”. A national licence scheme
would be a major benefit,
not only to grey nomads but
anyone who may be away from
their home state at the time
their licence falls due.
Jim
Dear Editor,
Why is it ‘politically painful’? I
have an International Licence
recognised in many countries,
that even speak different languages let alone have different
computer systems, and it is
good for much longer than
three months.
Peter & Elaine (Travelbugs)
Dear Editor,
Our residency in Victoria is a
real bonus. Compare our caravan rego at about $38 a year
with NSW at $500 plus. Then
look at unnecessary annual
checks and excessive transfer
costs. If I want to remove the
rear seats from my Pajero and
use the extra space and convenient shape of a temporary
floor I can just do it. In some
states I would need an engineer’s certificate and some sort
of revised compliance plate.
Lindsay
Dear Editor,
My daughter changed her
licence from Qld to SA in early
January and had to pay for a
new licence … and no refund
on Qld.
Michelle
Dear Editor,
I cannot understand why in
a country as small as ours
why they can’t just say this is
what’s happening - one set of
road rules, licenses, rego etc.
To make the transition easier,
maybe they can keep their state
rego plates to keep track of
who lives where, but allow other
states’ residents to move around
without having to change.
Andy & Rae
Dear Editor,
Another ongoing problem is
the ever increasing bureaucracy. We now have different
prices and booking systems to
camp in parks and forests, we
need different permits to camp
or drive on beaches or through
Aboriginal Lands depending
on what state or territory we
are travelling in, and the list
goes on and on! The quicker
we work towards one set of
rules and regulations for all,
the better off we will all be!
Brian
Dear Editor,
I have been working interstate
when my driver’s licence has
been due for renewal … it’s
possibly easier to renew from
some overseas third world
country. A National Licensing
Program and vehicle registration system would be a great
step forward for all. After all,
as the song suggests (We Are
Australians).
Dave
Dear Editor,
Same old ... same old. More
waffle and less action. This
is just an attempt by the
government to appear to be
something when they have no
intention of doing anything.
John
Dear Editor,
ADF members, both serving
and retired, have always struggled with the issues of having
to change not only licences and
regos, but also electoral rolls
and school curriculums for
their children as they are posted from one state to another.
Alan
Dear Editor,
Re: Free Camping Debate
(GNT: Issue 15). The fact is
caravan parks are not catering
to a demographic of self-contained campers. There is a gap
in the market there for some
intelligent landowners to open
no-frills camps. They only
need to provide a flat site to
park, maybe a toilet block and,
if they want to go upmarket,
a basic shower. None of those
cramped suburban parks with
playgrounds, pools, kitchen
and TV rooms.
Jane
Dear Editor,
I would be happy to pay $5 just
to park my vehicle overnight,
maybe $10 if I wanted power,
and to pay for the use of the
shower and washing facilities.
Local councils which provide
these facilities can be sure that
the campers will support the
local small businesses. I respect
the fact that park owners are in
the business to make money,
but they are not doing anyone
any favours by trying to force
travellers to use their parks we will simply use other roads!
Pat & Wayne
Dear Editor,
Re: Gadgets of the Road (GNT:
Issue 15). Your article on having a second fridge was very
good. For those that already
have one and are still looking for extra cooling, there is
a new product on the market
called ‘Twozone’ that enables
you to increase the capacity of
an Engel or Waeco.
Ray & Maurs
Dear Editor,
A few very important ‘must do
every time’ points for additional fridges.
1. Make sure your fridge
(probably up to 50kg with contents) is well restrained it so it
does not become a projectile.
2. Do not leave your fridge
operating in a locked-up car
while having a look around
town. Your fridge will over-
Issue 16: March 16, 2012
the
heat and ‘die’ in a very short
time. There are solar-powered
window vents available that
allow you to leave windows
and doors secured whilst still
providing ventilation.
3. Ensure good ventilation
around the fridge’s vented
sections to allow the air to be
drawn through the fridge. You
may have to set up a 12v fan
($20) to ensure a good air flow.
Making sure your fridge is
secure, happy, cool and can
breathe well is a lot cheaper
than the alternatives.
Bruce
Dear Editor,
My partner and I both in
our late 50s are planning our
dream. We have agreed on our
perfect van and tow car and are
now looking at rooftop boats.
We welcome any input. Our
plan is to leave at the end of
August after another grandchild
arrives and then head towards
Townsville at our leisure. From
there, who knows?
Dave & Dommy
Dear Editor,
Re: nude sunbathing (GNT:
Issue 15). Seeing you got such
a high response, 93%, to your
survey, I would like to see a
section in this newsletter devoted to us folk who like to get
rid of our kit, so to speak!
Arthur
(Any thoughts, people? – Ed)
Dear Editor,
Re: Letters (GNT: Issue 15).
Oh me! Oh my! The comment by the reader suggesting
groundwater contamination
would occur because of GN’s
who “dare” to do their business
and bury it in the ground really cracked me up. Next, he will
be going around every inch of
the country telling every wild
animal: “Use the Public Toilets
... How dare you contaminate
the ground water!”
Anthony
Comments or suggestions? Email us at [email protected]
Grey Nomad Times
Bullbars provide Outback
nomads peace of mind
Although there has been some
debate in recent times about
the wisdom of urban-based
vehicles being fitted with bullbars, most Outback-bound
grey nomads wouldn’t leave
their driveway without one.
Although a bullbar might
not do much to help in an
argument with a road train,
it definitely offers significant
protection in the event of a
collision with wandering cattle,
a kangaroo, or even a camel.
The bar is designed to protect the front of the vehicle
(especially the cooling system),
and reduces the chances of
travellers being injured, or
left stranded with a damaged
vehicle in a remote location.
Today’s bullbar often incorporates a sleek, rounded design
intended to throw animals and
other obstacles over the roof of
a moving vehicle, rather than
just smashing into them.
They can now be made from a
variety of materials including
Many feel bull bars are a necessity for Outback journeys
steel, plastic, and aluminum.
The best option depends on
the trip you have planned.
Steel is stronger and is a more
solid anchor to mount accessories such as winches, but it
brings with it extra weight and
possible effect on handling and
suspension. There is also the
chance of rusting, and corrosion will obviously weaken the
bull bar over time.
For all but the most heavy duty
4WDer, an alloy or aluminum
bar should suffice in terms of
handling winches and the like,
and they also have a better
strength to weight ratio.
Plastic is obviously lighter
still, and is preferred by some
because it is perceived to be
less dangerous to pedestrians.
However, there are also those
who say it is simply not strong
enough and does not adequately protect the radiator in
the event of a heavy collision.
When buying a bullbar it is
crucially important to determine that it will not potentially
affect the deployment of your
vehicle’s airbag. The RAA
says that fitting a bullbar can
change the front stiffness of a
vehicle. This may cause a different signal to go to the airbag
control computer and make
the airbag deploy later than
needed. Most bullbar manufacturers claim to have adapted
their designs to address this
potential problem but it pays
to be absolutely sure.
Click to comment
Website highlights
What fills up your ‘bucket list’?
Recently, our website
www.thegreynomads.com.au
reported on a new survey
which revealed adventurous
over-50s were putting travel
high on their post-retirement
itinerary. According to Apia’s
study, nearly 80% of over 50s
say travel is important to them
and 70% have a ‘bucket list’ of
places they would like to visit.
While the big overseas adventure is still the most popular
dream for mature-aged people,
driving holidays and trips to
the Outback aren’t far behind.
When asked which domestic
destination they would like
to visit, the five most popular
chocies were: 1. Tasmania;
2. Broome; 3. Kakadu; 4.Far
North Queensland; 5. Uluru.
Other website must-reads:
Read more here
Kakadu mystery
SURVEY
What is the top destination
on your Bucket list?
Click here to let
us know by email
Crocodile rock
NT fishermen survive boat attack
Road to somewhere
Outback towns back on track
Search over for missing camper
Wagga’s webs
Spiders spin a tourist attraction
The right rig
What’s the best choice for your trip?
www.thegreynomads.com.au
has new stories daily
Issue 16: March 16, 2012
the
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Grey Nomad Times
Cliffs, convicts and amazing coastline
There’s no escaping the
sheer magnificence of
the Tasman Peninsula
If you’re looking for arguably
the most spectacular coastal
scenery in Australia, then
Tasmania’s Tasman Peninsula
might just be the place for
you.
Sorell, 26 kilometres east of
Hobart, is one of the state’s
oldest towns and is the turning-off point to the fabled
Port Arthur. Rather than
simply following the A9 south,
adventurous travellers can turn
off and follow coastline-hugging backroads, taking in such
scenic spots as Dodges Ferry
and Carlton Beach.
The road eventually runs
through Connellys Marsh and
along the foreshore to join the
main A9 Arthur Highway at
Dunalley. The views are spectacular, the road winding, and
the exhilaration immense.
And, as you cross the Dunalley Canal Bridge onto the
Murdunna Peninsula and
head further south to Eaglehawk Neck, it only gets better!
Once upon a time, fierce,
half-starved dogs were lined
across the peninsula’s narrow
neck to prevent convicts from
Port Arthur escaping. Today’s
visitors are greeted by nothing
more unpleasant than some
truly spectacular views across
Pirates Bay.
Once on the Tasman Peninsula, it is worth detouring east
off the main road to view the
amazing coastal formations at
Too close for comfort?
Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
What is the etiquette for how
close to park to other rigs when
free camping? My husband gets
very nervous in the wilds and
likes the security of company.
He is also pretty chatty. Even
if we pull up at a really spacious camping area with only
one other van, he will park
right next to them. He always
bombards our new neighbours
with cheerful chatter and no
one has ever said anything to
him … but I suspect many are
annoyed. Most tend to leave the
morning after we arrive. When
I talk to Jack about it, he laughs
and says that making new
friends is what life on the road
is all about. He has never been
very tuned in to other people’s
feelings.
Alice
Hi, Alice. You sound like a
lovely, thoughtful person. It
is important as we travel to
respect each other’s privacy
and needs. However, you may
be worrying about nothing.
Many other free campers enjoy
company, too. Jack sounds like
a friendly, happy sort of man
and he would certainly make a
better neighbour than a group
of partying teenage hoons!
Having said that, it might
be worth trying to persuade
your husband to at least give
other campers a few metres of
space. Or you might be able
to discreetly chat to your new
neighbours and explain the
reason for your husband’s site
selection. Some may still not
like it, but most would understand. Don’t let worrying about
it spoil your trip though, Alice.
Jaclyn
Fabulous Forescue Bay is a
great spot to camp
the Blowhole, Tasman’s Arch,
the Devil’s Kitchen and Waterfall Bay. Spectacular!
Back on the A9 heading down
to Port Arthur, the highway
follows the shores of Norfolk
Bay offering magnificent views
across this vast expanse of water. It is even possible to see Mt
Wellington on the horizon.
Before passing through the
relaxed settlement of Taranna,
it is well worth stopping at the
Tasmanian Devil Conservation
Park … and then it’s on to Port
Arthur.
Not tuned in to other people’s
feelings! You got that right,
Alice. His parking close to fellow campers is the least of your
worries. I’d be giving ‘thoughtless Jack’ the heave-ho if I was
unlucky enough to be hooked
up with him! That’s another
story though. Bottom line. He
has to stop destroying the free
camping experience of others.
They may only stay in some
idyllic locations once and their
most vivid memory should not
be of the bore who camped
next to them. And their photos
of a paradise camp shouldn’t
include images of your washing line and Jack’s smalls. Go
to a van park or go home,
Alice! And tell Jack if he parks
anywhere near my ‘Winny’
he’ll be wearing a frying pan.
Heidi
Click to comment
The old convict penal colony
which – for nearly half a
century, from 1830 onwards,
housed more than 10,000
convicts – is the major drawcard for visitors here … and
rightly so. It is beautifully
done.
However, the natural beauty
of the surrounding area
should not be underestimated
and should most definitely
be explored.
The Tasman Peninsula boasts
sheer dolerite cliffs, spectacular beaches, vast forests and
abundant farmland. And then
there’s the Tasman National
Park itself and the wonderful
camping at Fortescue Bay.
Your stay on the Tasman
Peninsula – and the journey
to it – will most definitely live
long in the memory.
Click to comment
Issue 16: March 16, 2012
ot