Your take on best & worst State for Free Camping Poll

[Dot]

Yes Bob, what about the fishing?? hi Jackie woof x Oh and also hi Bev

[Jodebtre]

We have just travelled through one of the busiest grey nomad routes in outback Queensland and the towns have gone out of their way to cater for all aspects of caravanning/motorhoming/camping.

We have come across some of the best free camps that we have ever seen around Australia, even the small towns have catered for free camping even though there are caravan parks within a few kms of the free camp.

Admittedly, the east coast with the coastal sights of Queensland, the councils are richer and have no need for the nomad dollar, therefore free camps are less frequent, yet they are there.

Country Queensland, just over the Great Dividing Range also cater for the travelling public by providing low cost/free camping and the councils have to balance their decisions with private operators.

For us, Western Australia just doesn't cater for our motorhoming lifestyle. (We were in WA July 2011 to October 2012.)

If one state should win, it should probably be Queensland, however, South Australia and the Murray River campsites on either side of the borders would take a lot of beating.

I think generally over the last five years of our travels, freedom camping has improved in all states except WA.

[weezanickinoff]

Sad isn't it, WA is a magnificent state with beautiful people but sadly the powers that be are very backwood regarding Free Camping particularly over 24 hrs.
Thanks for that excellent feedback jodebtre.
Cheers

[Dot]

Wow, after reading the comments on WA it sure makes it difficult after our last trip to the west where we had no troubles at all finding a stop for the night. Mind you we did make use of the gravel pits and most of the time we were on our own. Hope it changes for the better for our trip over there next yr..

[weezanickinoff]

The thing is now Dotty is that you are moved on, sign or no sign, or if you stay longer than 24hrs in some areas where they do allow overnight , they move you on. Inland is better though.
24 hrs is not suitable that is for holidayers not us long term travellers.
Having said that the ones that are long term Free Camps whether that be 1 week or longer are hugely appreciated and I plan on writing to those councils showing our appreciation and where we spent our money in their Shire because of them. Like Cliff Head in the Irwin Shire and Ellendale Pool, and Quobba even though they are $5 and $5.50 a night which we are more than happy to pay.
Yeah its a real shame hay? about this fantastic State.

[Dot]

Wendy are the areas you are meaning the places that once were allowed & secluded beach places, or is it everywhere like the gravel pits on the main roads as well? Wish someone would be a test case if they refused to move due to "illness or extreme tiredness" shall wait for the responses to your letters.

[weezanickinoff]

Wendy are the areas you are meaning the places that once were allowed & secluded beach places, or is it everywhere like the gravel pits on the main roads as well? Wish someone would be a test case if they refused to move due to "illness or extreme tiredness" shall wait for the responses to your letters.

Hi Dotty,
There are signs in some shires (and some of these shires in WA are huge) that there is no camping anywhere & fines will be applied, Gravel pits included, no excuses, if you're crook you ring an ambulance for you and a tow truck to move your RV if no one can drive it or you use the excuse that you've broken down. Plus Rangers (as nice as they all have been) do police these crook shires..one Ranger told us that you say you are 'resting' not 'camping' and no one can move you along.

But if you want to see an area and spend your money in any shire 1 night is nowhere near enough, so 'resting' for longer than a night is what we need. That is just for moving through.
Cheers Dotty

[Swisslulu]

We are also finding WA coastal areas to be less than friendly. We are currently making our way from Margaret River eastwards. We planned to stay at a free camp near the turnoff to Valley of the Giants which CAW6 said was an overnight stop. On arrival, we found it is now a day stop only with signs indicating fines apply to anyone found camping overnight. So we backtracked to Walpole and a CP that was only $22 for a powered site and few vans. The bonus was being able to do a load of sheets, towels etc and get them dry for $5 and it has a dump point. Today we ventured east but have had to stay in another CP for lack of a viable cheap alternative. However, the Rivermouth CP in Denmark is rather good, with few vans and $25 per night, right on the inlet. We may stay a few days and take a day drive to Albany. We plan to head up to the Stirling Ranges camp but that will be $20 overnight so hardly a cheap stop. We have not found camping this difficult before. We don't like being herded into CPs but in this area there is little choice.

[mickd]

Gooday all Weve been over here in WA for 7 weeks free camped all the way most spots have new toilet blocks currentley camping at Quondong Beach been here just over 3 weeks will be here another 10 days. No facilites but 50ms from the sea . Will free camp all the way to Geraldton Regards Mick my vote is for WA

[Jodebtre]

Wow, after reading the comments on WA it sure makes it difficult after our last trip to the west where we had no troubles at all finding a stop for the night. Mind you we did make use of the gravel pits and most of the time we were on our own. Hope it changes for the better for our trip over there next yr..

Dotty

It's a long way between drinks in WA, yes you can camp in a gravel pit every 100 k's......what we're talking about is a Free camp that is organised by the authorities with water/dump point and a shady tree with a welcome mat

Things will change slowly, very slowly