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Roadside camping



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 24th, 2005, 10:23 PM
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Default Roadside camping

Is roadside camping allowed in Australia? How many meters do I have to
be off the road?

  #2  
Old February 25th, 2005, 12:30 AM
Freda
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You may find the answer different in different states.
In Australia along the highways are "pullover" or so called "rest areas"
that are supposed to be for getting a rest from driving, having lunch and a
bit of a walk around.
These areas are also used by the transport trucks to get their compulsory
rest and nap.
If you are cheeky enough you can stop in these overnight.
It is not encouraged though.
Lots of people travelling in campervans (like Britz units) tend to go to
local seaside carparks and stay over night BUT some Councils will fine you
if you do.
Most people who do this get up early and away before the locals get going so
as to avoid detection.
None of the above have any facilities for the purpose you intend to use them
for But the seaside ones often have toilets and in some cases even cold
showers nearby.
Australia has a "mass" of caravan or tourist parks which are intended for
the purpose of staying overnight and they have full facilities for campers
and caravaners and campervans including hot showers etc. They naturally
cost.
look at sites for www.big4.com.au
or www.toptouristparks.com.au which may give you an idea of these parks.If
they don't have charges on their site then email and ask them.
Those two offer 10% discount for members
Membership costs around $30AUD ($24 USD) for 2 years and this can be
recouped very quickly with the discount.
It is certainly a lot safer than alongside the roads. Not sure if any state
has laws that actually ban you doing this though.
Sth Australia doesn't allow any parking along the side of Freeways.

Parking along the sides of highways is not encouraged generally and is
frowned heavily upon in some states and police may book you and move you
along.
On some highways it could be downright dangerous just pulling off the edge
of the road due to large amount of 24 hr interstate haulage truck traffic.
In Northern Territory pulling of alongside the road can get you bogged also,
depending upon the season. Once bogged, you could be there for quite a while
till assistance to pull you out gets there.
Others may have experiences of places you can go to that are free, but I
don't think there are enough around to make this the norm for overnight
staying.
Freda

wrote in message
oups.com...
Is roadside camping allowed in Australia? How many meters do I have to
be off the road?



  #3  
Old February 25th, 2005, 12:53 AM
Sam
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Default

A whole lot of people travelling around Oz in either campervans or with car
and caravan camp by the road in parking bays or rest areas. There are books
available inform you of free camps, low-cost caravan parks, national parks,
state forests, parks, reserves, roadhouses and service clubs.
Generally I dont think it is encouraged, but we do it and have never been
fined or asked to move on. We have found some real gems, including one in
central queensland that supplied toilets , BBQs and hot showers. There was a
donation box for the local service clubs who do the up keep.Others just have
toilets or nothing.


"Freda" wrote in message
...
You may find the answer different in different states.
In Australia along the highways are "pullover" or so called "rest areas"
that are supposed to be for getting a rest from driving, having lunch and
a
bit of a walk around.
These areas are also used by the transport trucks to get their compulsory
rest and nap.
If you are cheeky enough you can stop in these overnight.
It is not encouraged though.
Lots of people travelling in campervans (like Britz units) tend to go to
local seaside carparks and stay over night BUT some Councils will fine you
if you do.
Most people who do this get up early and away before the locals get going
so
as to avoid detection.
None of the above have any facilities for the purpose you intend to use
them
for But the seaside ones often have toilets and in some cases even cold
showers nearby.
Australia has a "mass" of caravan or tourist parks which are intended for
the purpose of staying overnight and they have full facilities for campers
and caravaners and campervans including hot showers etc. They naturally
cost.
look at sites for www.big4.com.au
or www.toptouristparks.com.au which may give you an idea of these parks.If
they don't have charges on their site then email and ask them.
Those two offer 10% discount for members
Membership costs around $30AUD ($24 USD) for 2 years and this can be
recouped very quickly with the discount.
It is certainly a lot safer than alongside the roads. Not sure if any
state
has laws that actually ban you doing this though.
Sth Australia doesn't allow any parking along the side of Freeways.

Parking along the sides of highways is not encouraged generally and is
frowned heavily upon in some states and police may book you and move you
along.
On some highways it could be downright dangerous just pulling off the edge
of the road due to large amount of 24 hr interstate haulage truck traffic.
In Northern Territory pulling of alongside the road can get you bogged
also,
depending upon the season. Once bogged, you could be there for quite a
while
till assistance to pull you out gets there.
Others may have experiences of places you can go to that are free, but I
don't think there are enough around to make this the norm for overnight
staying.
Freda

wrote in message
oups.com...
Is roadside camping allowed in Australia? How many meters do I have to
be off the road?





  #4  
Old February 25th, 2005, 01:27 AM
Jack
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Default

In many states you are not allowed to overnight within 30km of a town (ie in
WA where roadsiding is popular with caravanners - in fact it can be hard to
get room at some!

Elsewhere, go far enough off the road if you can so that no lights will be
visible from the road - that way no one will know you are there anyway.

Generally, however, most roads in most states are now fenced and its hard to
get far enough off.


  #5  
Old February 25th, 2005, 05:42 PM
Tom Johnstone
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Default

Jack wrote:
In many states you are not allowed to overnight within 30km of a town (ie in
WA where roadsiding is popular with caravanners - in fact it can be hard to
get room at some!


Is the law within 30km of a town, or 30km of a camping/caravan park?
Either way, it's not very difficult to satisfy that rule in WA :-)

Tom
  #6  
Old February 26th, 2005, 07:18 AM
Big Jim
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Default

Hello Freda

Over the last 25 years, I have slept in rest stops along the Hume highway
between Sydney and Melbourne and along the Sturt Highway between Wagga and
Mildura. Some of them provide excellent facilities.

I have a different but not necessarily correct opinion.

As the government wants us to "Rest, Revive and Survive", I am confident
that they will want and allow us to sleep in a rest stop for the night so
that we don't become a danger to ourself or someone else. I have however
seen rest stops which say camping is not allowed so I would not consider
stopping the night there.


Regards: Jim Sibbick




"Freda" wrote in message
...
You may find the answer different in different states.
In Australia along the highways are "pullover" or so called "rest areas"
that are supposed to be for getting a rest from driving, having lunch and
a
bit of a walk around.
These areas are also used by the transport trucks to get their compulsory
rest and nap.
If you are cheeky enough you can stop in these overnight.
It is not encouraged though.
Lots of people travelling in campervans (like Britz units) tend to go to
local seaside carparks and stay over night BUT some Councils will fine you
if you do.
Most people who do this get up early and away before the locals get going
so
as to avoid detection.
None of the above have any facilities for the purpose you intend to use
them
for But the seaside ones often have toilets and in some cases even cold
showers nearby.
Australia has a "mass" of caravan or tourist parks which are intended for
the purpose of staying overnight and they have full facilities for campers
and caravaners and campervans including hot showers etc. They naturally
cost.
look at sites for www.big4.com.au
or www.toptouristparks.com.au which may give you an idea of these parks.If
they don't have charges on their site then email and ask them.
Those two offer 10% discount for members
Membership costs around $30AUD ($24 USD) for 2 years and this can be
recouped very quickly with the discount.
It is certainly a lot safer than alongside the roads. Not sure if any
state
has laws that actually ban you doing this though.
Sth Australia doesn't allow any parking along the side of Freeways.

Parking along the sides of highways is not encouraged generally and is
frowned heavily upon in some states and police may book you and move you
along.
On some highways it could be downright dangerous just pulling off the edge
of the road due to large amount of 24 hr interstate haulage truck traffic.
In Northern Territory pulling of alongside the road can get you bogged
also,
depending upon the season. Once bogged, you could be there for quite a
while
till assistance to pull you out gets there.
Others may have experiences of places you can go to that are free, but I
don't think there are enough around to make this the norm for overnight
staying.
Freda

wrote in message
oups.com...
Is roadside camping allowed in Australia? How many meters do I have to
be off the road?





  #7  
Old February 27th, 2005, 05:56 AM
scander
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Default

You can camp away from the road in the many state forestsin NSW.
Look at http://www.forest.nsw.gov.au/recreation/
Bob

  #8  
Old February 27th, 2005, 06:44 AM
scander
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Posts: n/a
Default

Sorry! please take the Bob off the address or hit
http://www.forest.nsw.gov.au/recreation/

Bob

  #9  
Old February 28th, 2005, 05:49 AM
Jack
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Default

town I think, but somewhere like sandfire roadhouse may be called a town!


"Tom Johnstone" wrote in message
...
Jack wrote:
In many states you are not allowed to overnight within 30km of a town

(ie in
WA where roadsiding is popular with caravanners - in fact it can be hard

to
get room at some!


Is the law within 30km of a town, or 30km of a camping/caravan park?
Either way, it's not very difficult to satisfy that rule in WA :-)

Tom



  #10  
Old March 16th, 2005, 05:06 PM
Nataly
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Posts: n/a
Default

Hi Jack,

I'm sorry to post here, but i've tried to send you a mail about your post on
campervan in NZ, but it seems that it is not a correct one.
Do you have a email address where i could write you, please?

Than you :0)

Nataly

"Jack" a écrit dans le message de
...
town I think, but somewhere like sandfire roadhouse may be called a town!



 




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