UNIQUE CAMPING SPOT

[Derek Bullock]

Hello all

Here is your chance to have your say.

What for you is that unique camping spot. You know, the place that keeps drawing you back year after year, time after time.

Tell us all about it and why it is unique for you.

For me it is Peach Trees State Forest Park at Jimna. The natural beauty of the place, the peacefulness, the birdlife, the unique flora and the wildlife. Also, ever since I can remember, the possum in the roof of the old toilet block. This place has it all for me.

Cheers


Derek

[The_Walrus]

Hi Derek,

Sounds like a nice spot.

Mine's Boondooma Dam, heaps of space, camp right on the water edge and great facilities.

Fishing's not bad either and plenty of wood supplied. All you have to do is collect it from the wood pile.

Luc

[Lucky_Phill]

Well Derek, this is going to be an interesting subject.

I have done my fair share of camping over the years, and to be honest, the majority has been near the ocean.

I shall however, try to do a little more " inland " stuff in the coming years.

Of late I have been pitching tent in a Caravan / Camp Ground in Hervey Bay. Getting old, or just like the free bus rides to the RSL ?

OK, back to the subject.

Scrub Hen Beach has to be the all time favourite. When you book this place, it's all yours, no one else can camp there. 300 meters of private beach, rocks at one end, where you sit and eat oysters til you're full as a state school. Fishing from those same rocks produced some of the most memorable fishing moments and catch's. The absolute beauty of watching the sunset over water. All of this for $4.00 a night.

Where is Scrub Hen ? It's the northern most beach on the inside of Whitsunday Island in the 'Whitties'.

A five minute boat ride to Hook Island, but you are a world away.

We take a big boat and a tinnie from the mainland. Gents in the boats and women and children take the inter-island ferry. The guys pitch camp, then we pick up the others from Hook Island.

Hardest part of camping there, is to decide Coral Trout or Sweetlip for dinner !

If anyone out there ever wanted to ' do' the Whitties, camping is the go. All charter boats can drop you off at any beach, all is National Park. The wildlife is another amazing thing about this place. Birds, Natives and Lizards...... 8) 8) 8).

Having said all that, I been to Waddy Point at Fraser Island over the last couple of years, on Family trips as well as " Bloke " trips, and it is pretty spectacular.

Good subject Derek and looking forward to more posts. ;)

[caveman]

hey all my fav spot is on private property on the dumeresqe river (not sure on spelling) near tentifield the fishing is great & the hunting is just as good, the people are the nicest farmers i have ever met, realy down to earth and no one around to anoy you. and best of all there is no mobile phone cover, wot else can i say but HAPPY CAMPING
cheers
caveman :D :D :D

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Would have to say mine is private property down the New England. Plenty of clean air, a few cod and plenty of bunnies to bust.

[mackmauler]

Very hard choice, one of em is in the bottom of the boat ??? Yep I can camp almost anywhere with the boat and Im still camping in the boat ;D

[Lucky_Phill]

Brett tells me it gets a bit " damp " on the floor of your boat , Rob ?

What's he mean ?

I hear Sikaflex is on special at Bunnings this week........ ;)

[mackmauler]

Phill, Between the floor and the bottom sheet it has been getting very wet ;)

A couple of the beams have come partly unstuck, put several fractures where they joined the sheet.

There will be no reports from me for the next week, Ive been through 5 grinding disks allready, sealed decks are good untill you have to get under them.

[stevedemon]

Hi All
very good topic it lets everyone know some different place to go and relax our place is basically on our back door do not have to drive to far but still nice for the weekend South Currigee great little camping spot for the family swimming, fishing, the native wildlife, and the roo's when your not looking raid you food box or it's the poor old bandicoot left holding the bag because his mate roo has flown the coupe but it is a great place to laugh and have some fun in the sun or you can go walking the bush tracks over the the surf or just hang around the camp site put a chair in the water and fish or just read a good book

Cheers ;D ;D
Steve :P :P

[Derek Bullock]

Come on all you happy campers.

Surely there are more than just half a dozen of us who have a uniuque spot, even if it is in the bottom of a boat.

Let's hear from you all.

Derek

[mackmauler]

Its getting harder to find camps that are "rent free" , they are the best ;)I camped under cape clinton a few days this week, the most out of the way spot ive camped at before, had a nice little stream along the side of it, nice view and had it to ourselves, the boat got me there to ;D

[Brett_Hoskin]

1....The Ord River

2.. A little place up near Cooktown which is sheltered enough to survive a cyclone but there always seems to be a slight breeze running through the camp. And it's right on the beach and Muddies and barra are readily available. And it's a good place for naked fly fishing as there is just no-one about. and no Marsh flies either.

3.Whim Creek W.A

4 Fitzroy River > W.A

5. Ningaloo Station W.A

6.and everywhere in between!!!!!
If you are camping who gives a stuff where you do it!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

[escafeld]

:-/There is a really nice camping spot at Somerset just below the dam wall yet the council has been wanting to close it for years. The fishing is exellent in the waterway adjacent to the site as long as you fish early in the morning. Late night revellers can spoil it if you like to get any sleep but other than that it is very picturesque. Weekend waterskiers tend to take over the site and party hard so the best time to go is midweek when it's quieter.

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Escafeld

That is a great little place to camp just below the dam. Not only that you have a good chance of catching a bass or yellowbwelly off the bank there. I am surprised it is still going. I wrote an article on it that was published in Bush N Beach Fishing last year.

Next time you are camping have a look up in the trees because there are koalas living there.

Cheers.

Derek

[escafeld]

Hi Derek, let's keep this place quiet eh? :) 5 bass and one yellowbelly in twelve casts using a $2,99 super Amart lure.
Koalas? I thought thats what they were.
At around midnight i heard some pretty fierce grunting so I left my tent to investigate. Since we were quite a distance from any other campers I knew it wasn't any dirty weekenders. Torch in hand and ear cocked I strained toward the sound which I ascertained was from above my head in a rather large gum tree.
At the time I did mention to my wife that I didn't think that pigs could climb ;) Noisy little beggars aren't they

[Derek Bullock]

Bugger

Now you have done it. Next time I wont find an empty space on the bank to get my lures in the water.

Cheers

Derek

[zanna]

Well my favourite camping spot is definitely the Beaudesert racecourse! That's where we stay for Carpbusting at Easter, an event we look forward to all year & it's only 2 days away if you havent heard.

The sunsets from the car park over the hinterland are magnificent, the people are the friendliest you'll ever want to meet, the beers are cold and the sound of the horses training at 4am inspirational & there's free entertainment on Saturday night & lots of great prizes at the weigh in on Sunday.

For the cost of fishing registration & minimal camping fees it beats all those u beaut places you could pay big bucks for & you can do the right thing by ridding the dams & rivers of those nasty carp & replacing them with native species.

Do yourselves a favour and come along...........it's the best fun you'll have all year. :)

[MangroveJase]

The place was Cape Leveque north of Broome in W.A, 4 weeks of isolated fishing bliss.
Three lads, ‘Froggy, Lozza and myslef’, and a 4wd Ford Transit van, a tinnie and enough beer to stock a small pub.
We set of from Broome early, the corrugated hell heading north was single lane track/road and very remote. Around 6 hours and 300 k's into the trip, Froggy (Driver) was at the wheel and heading along ok, I jumped in the back to whip up a few sanga's for the boys. The last thing I remember seeing was the butter hit me in the face........... yes, we had rolled the 4WD . Or should I say we spun through the air, landed on the driver’s side, perfectly flat and parallel to the road and then continued to slide down the road for about 40 metres. When we stopped sliding, the first thing I heard was Froggy starting to laugh. I couldn’t believe it, he still to this day reckons it was part of the trip he wouldn’t change.
Everyone was ok, and the beer was not damaged, even the tinny on the roof was only slightly scratched and scared. We scampered out with minimal cuts and bruises.
We were all a little in shock I think, as we were all quite jovial about the whole thing, and seemed unfazed about for the first few hours.
We emptied the van and camped the night on the side of the road with the gas fridge in good running order and stocked of brew. The radio wouldn’t work, and we knew help could be little way off, but we also knew the track was at least travelled weekly. We had more than enough provisions.
The quietness in a remote place like this at night is amazing. We drank a few beers that night and after a few laughs and few 'What was that"!! jokes we fell off to sleep.
Around 3 am a slow rumbling through the ground soon changed into the sound of a vehicle approaching.
We jumped up quickly as our ride still lay in the middle of the so-called road so we wanted to warn them of it, and us.
I was amazed to see a big converted troopy come into view it was set up with a 'rage cage' on the back and full of about 30 local aboriginal men women and children from the Beagle Bay Mission, they were heading south to Broome.
I cant imagine what they thought as they pulled up and seen 3 blokes, a tiny gas fridge, and 16 cartons of grog next to them, all in the middle of nowhere.
They all jumped out and there were smiles and teeth everywhere.
The three head blokes offered to help and we hooked up the winch to the Transit Van and slowly pulled it upright. To our amazement it was in reasonable good nick except for the paintwork of course, and the engine turned over first go! Our saviours also gave us two 'still frozen' Spaniard fillets for breaky as well! We thanked our new found friends, and after picking their brains for fishing spots. We said goodbye and let them continue on their way.
We packed the van up and started heading towards a large bay the local lads had marked on a map for us. They told us that there was an old homestead site there, now long gone, but the fencing and the rain tanks were still there, and that the fishing was amazing. When we finally arrived at our new destination, it was as they said and just perfect.
This trip was nearly four weeks in length, and the fish and species that were caught would number in the hundreds (all released, except for a few nice fillets each day to go with the muddies). The inland areas we explored in the vehicle were as amazing as the coastal areas.
We wouldn’t have found this spot if the accident didn’t occur, and if we hadn’t asked the local crew when they helped us out.
I have been back many times now with both friends and family and each time is a new amazing experience.

This story is far too long already, and I will finish up now. But Cape Leveque is the place to camp and the place to fish, I have never been any where like it and I am sure you will find it the same as well.

Mangrove Jase

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Jase, where's the mud map and the photos mate.


Derek http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm32.gif

[desertfisher]

There is a lake on private property north of Broken Hill that produces yabbies by the bucketful when they are around, it's quiet and peaceful and beautiful, in a desert kind of way. It's a bugger getting around on it in a 12 foot punt when it's windy though,, mine's now named "Tinytanic",,,,nuff said. :P :-[

[TJH]

For something close to brissie it would be hard to go past Teewah beach out of holiday times. You can't beat the view for the "verandah" with a cold beer after a day of beach fishing

[zanna]

Just remembered my other fav camping spot is at Tripcony at Caloundra maybe cos we are making our annual trip there next week. ;)

It suits everyone in our group cos it is right on Pumistone Passage for us fishing types, close to bottle shop for us who like a tipple & keeps the teenagers happy with movies, coffee shops etc just round the corner.

It's incredibly well run, clean, inexpensive & so close to Brissy & our campsite got on Creek to Coast not so long ago. ;D
What could be better?

[Quinny69]

The Wreaks, at Tangalooma. Moreton Is. Been going scince I was a lil bloke.Not as good now they built the dunnys but still nice.MQ

[Lucky_Phill]

Found a unique spot last weekend.

The person in charge was the Ranger From Hell.

But, that's another story.

::) :'( Phill

[Derek Bullock]

Hey Phil, if I am reading between the lines properly maybe he needed to be. Hahahahahahaha.


Derek

[zanna]

Sounds like the Teewah "Hilton" Terry. A great spot to spend quality time at. Is it the duplex above the cliff? I recall the BBQ plate needed straightening once so we took it for a drag along the beach behind a Niva..........hahahaha
Watch out for snakes tho, they come inside for warmth & frighten the sh*t outta everyone.
The gutters fish very well there, good lizards lurk in the shallows..or dart further out if you have to!
Cheeeeeers
Zanna

[gruntahunter]

Hi Zanna, I thought u must have got done in by a awful rugby leaque ref, its been so long since I,ve heard from you. Speakin bout campin Ryan and I are off to mission pt this weekend for some R&R, which is well deserved I must admit. Seeya soon I hope
Pete

[PinHead]

Camping?? I love it..anywhere I camp has to have a name affixed to it..like Hilton, Novotel etc...To me roughing it is when room service ceases at 10pm.

[gruntahunter]

You are of the female persuasion I take it Pinhead ::) ;D

[zanna]

To Grunta :)
Zanna is still around! Camping at Caloundra got off to a slow start cos I got blardy sick again! They have no doctors there on weekends, just the blardy hospital, waste of time believe me. :o

Got into the bream later in the week, thanks to a wonderful tip from a local, he had a 1.3kg to show all & sundry.........you all got bait needles? They are the go especially with hardy heads.

I think it is a unique camping spot, so close to home & fish are in the passage for the taking. But if the Council has it's way the camping ground will be gone in 3 years :'( Very hard to find a high rise that takes tinnies :P

[Derek Bullock]

I am going to have to add the Borumba Deer Park as a pretty uniquie place.

It has all the modern facilities of a Caravan Park yet you can still camp in the bush and have a camp fire.

Nearby is Borumba Dam where you can catch Bass, Yellowbelly and Sarotoga till your hearts content.

Not only that the venison pies from the onsite canteen and made from the farmed deer are a treat for any pie lover.

Cheers.


Derek

[Nathan]

Wilderness camping on top of Mt Bogong, Victoria's highest. The scenery, wildlife, flowers is amazing. Drinking from pure streams is amazing.

Bloody windy though! And freezing cold. Very little land to camp on- wish the camera had wound the film as the photos were nothing short of breathtaking!

[TimNQ]

When i was a youngen we used to go to a place about an hour from emerald, we called it "the gem fields" i think it may have been called saphire. Anyway, you need a lease to camp and prospect there, but it is a great place to be if you want to be away from everything and if you try you may strike it lucky with a big saphire. There are fresh water streams and water holes out there also, not sure how the fishing would be out there.
Tim

[trevcob]

Begra caravan park is a top spot has got the lot.only 5 houres drive from Brisbane.

[Fruitbat]

Camping on uninhabited islands in the Torres Strait have been the best camping experiences for me so far. Coconuts, so much fish, reef to explore and shells everywhere.

There's no one around - the dogs and kids (and husband) have a ball. It's so beautiful at night watching the sun set over the ocean as the armoa of oven camp fish wafts thru the air.

Take me back! [smiley=angel.gif]

[Tezza985]

Flinders Ranges! Its got everything, scenary, great campsites, and well worth the trip.

If you rearly want solitude, get well organised, and take a trip across the Simpson Desert, and stop overnite at the Birdsville Camping Ground, and also take a look at the Working Museum.
Its got the most amazing collection of everything imaginable including old farm machinery.

We stopped overnite at Delhousie Springs on the other side of the Simpson, The Springs are body temperature, and once in, You never want to get out. Tezza.

[bruce4x4]

Hey Derek, Where is borumba sounds ok

[Derek Bullock]

Bruce

On your map head north from Brisbane till you find Gympie, look west and you will see Imbil. Borumba Dam is near Imbil and the Deer Park is on the road between Imbil and the dam.

The Deer Park run an ad in Bush N' Beach Fishing Magazine. You can check it out there or give them a ring on 07 5484 5196.

<<< This pic was taken there.

Cheers


Derek

[bruce4x4]

Thanks Derek.


Cheers Bruce. ;)

[MTpockets]

I love camping at Atkinsons dam at easter. It is the second caravan park not the first one that I am talking about.
We usually grab a powered site and up to 4 other families share our site and the one beside us. basically turns into a campfire drinking session at night and by day the freshwater fisho's go fishing while the rest of us either go ski-ing on the dam or just chill in the tent reading or playing cards. We take the woofer with us and take great pleasure walking her on a leash past the other thousand dogs morning and night.
Its pretty much R&R for me and the wife, but for the young ones its go go go.
The owners installed a pool recently which is good cos the dam is only 20% full. Lovely place all the same and woth a visit if ya need some quiet times.
cheers
Les

[Muzzy]

corrobree billabong, dunno why just seems like you are fishing/camping in a postcard scene every where ya go.

Dont know if any of you lot have been to shady camp (in the N.T) but the fella who named that joint had a good sence of humor. There only be one tree of any value at the place, shady my arse... great fishing the mozzies can some time be abit much.

Most places here are tops, one of the best things about living in Darwin...

Muz

[bruce4x4]

Ha Muz, Yea we were at shady camp a few years ago now , yep one tree full of green ants ouch!!! All so seen a few dick heads standing in the water huh was that a croc or two ;D ;D Fishing was great

[brush]

Derek , our fav. spot is inskip point on from rainbow beach, great fishing both ocean side and in the bay. need to pick up your water from free taps at rainbow but good eco-dunnys and 4wd on beach, one could spend hours just watching 4wds boarding the barges for fraser island , second spot is kolan river mouth a short drive up the beach at Moore Park Beach, via bundy no dunnys ,water etc excellent fishing..

[Derek Bullock]

It's great to see this post keep popping its head up. Keep it up people and soon we will be able to plan a trip around Oz just on these posts.

Like to see some stuff here from Victoria though, particularly the coast roads east and west of Melbourne.

Cheers.


Derek

[bj]

My three favourite camping spot are Cape Range National Park at Exmouth W.A beside Ningaloo Reef miles in front of anywhere I have been.Next is Middle Lagoon on the way to Cape Leveque W.A and Cape Arnhem N.T. out of Nhulunbuy on Gove Peninsular. The reason? great fishing and not many bloody people around to spoil it all.

[Maria]

Good topic Derek. Some of my fondest camping memories are with mates around a fire at various locations on Moreton and Stradbroke Islands, but what I really like, is to drive up to central Queensland somewhere, leave the car there, and head off hiking into somewhere really remote for a few days - 100% dependent on what your surroundings have to offer and what your initiative can make of it. Not only central Queensland, but the Islands too. I find a lot of peace and satisfaction in hiking/camping that way.

Ben

[Needmorerum]

Well, for anyone who has been there, they'll understand why, my favourite spot is Elliot Falls, half way up the telegraph track, Cape York. My second would be Vrylia Point, just south of the Jardine River on the West Coast.

Corry

[baldyhead]

Russell Heads at the mouth of the Mulgrave and Russell Rivers takes a bit of beating, especially if the BEERS cold.
cheers Baldy

[Dug]

The road between Docker River and Warburton West Australia.

Desert, just miles of nothing, huge dark skies at night, billions of stars.

No fishing, but you could probably catch a few Lizards on soft plastics ;D

[SCOTTYGC]

we like to go to bigriggen just near rathdowney nice and quite in the off season big fire few beers greats times

[Bish]

A favourite spot

North of Geraldton WA is Lucky Bay.

Find it on the WWW or as a local, or call if heading up that way.

Fishing swimming and 4WDriving only.

Bish

[mrobbo]

There is another Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand at the bottom of WA. It has the bluest (and coldest) water you'll ever see and the whitest and finest sand. All amenities incl. caravan sites. Is up there with Cape Leverque north of Broome as the best/prettiest spot around. Just had a 10mth trip around this great land of ours and these two spots stand out! ;D 8)

[Derek Bullock]

Hi mrobo (or is that Mr Obo) ;D ;D ;D ;D

Welcome to Ausfish and thanks for the post.

Somehow I get the feeling that you just might be one of the "Grey Nomad Brigade".

Did you tow a van and did you get right around Aussie?

What would be, in your opinion, the most unique spot in the country or is the southern Lucky Bay it?


Derek

[smiggspig]

g`day,my favourite spot would have to be mystrey bay,the surf cranks and i can catch enough fish to eat 4 breaky,lunch & tea.there are several beaches to choose from and you`ll be lucky to see other people there.bring ya woolys along as it gets a bit cool.

[cosmo]

My favourite spot is anywhere where I can laydown inside my tent and be kept awake by the sound of crashing waves. That is therapy.

[tshort]

'With grizzly and the cubs' you couldn't go past Bribie Island for a weekend trip. Beach, shallow lagoons, camps just behind the primary dunes. It can blow its nuts off from the SE and in camp you will hardly know its windy. So close to home yet so far away.
'With the mob' kauri creek log camp, doesn't matter what the weathers like you can always go fishing, very tinny friendly and only a short trip for me. Wathumba creek/Platapus bay Fraser Island what a spot but a bit of a mission. Camped at Ungowa with 18 plumbers a couple of years ago, was supposed to be a fishing trip but cant remember much about it.

[redspeckle]

My favourite camping spot for last three years has been the Dundubara camp ground on Fraser Island.
Its out of the wind, they have 50 cent hot showers (backpackers shower there too :D) the tailor,whiting fishing is not to far away ;D and going to the cape,clam side as well.
backpacker have their lunch there as well ;D.
plently of room to pitch a tent or two and a carvan or camp trailer, and now dingo fence proof as well,not far from Cathedral shop.
I would recommend it to people never camp on Fraser Island before

[whiteman]

You'll need a boat....

Pick a white, sandy, deserted beach in the Palm Islands facing away from the wind. Pitch tent or roll swag and set tarp. Put esky and chair next to each other. If you must fish, put a pilchard under a balloon and wait for a passing mackerel or coral trout. Get up early and motor the extra 30km to the reef.

All of this is heresay as it is illegal to camp on these most beautiful islands and I wouldn't do it! ;) If you must go legal, get a permit for Orpheus Island's Yanks Jetty (a brilliant spot).

[major-defect]

The islands of mission beach are pretty good.Coombe being my favourite one.Nearly always get it to ourselves.Coats about $3.85 a nite per person{was anyway}.

[FLATHEAD1]

I recently stayed a week at the Bushland Caravan Park at Tocumal on the Murray River. We camped in a powered site took the TV and microwave. Did it easy.

You can also camp on the river bank with wide sandy beach without power if you want to rough it.

The park has its own ramp. The fishing was reasonable as well caught yellow belly, carp and cod.

Cheers
FLATHEAD1

[sunny5jc]

a nice FREE camping spot in Vicotia is..ZINETTIES NUMBER 1 OR 2 CAMPING SITE. EAST OF YARRAWONDA, 8 OR MAYBE 12 KMS OUT , TURN DOWN BRUCES ROAD AND FOLLOW SINGS. NO TOILETS, TAKE YOUR OWN BUSH DUNNY. DOGS ALLOWED WHEN I USED TO GO THERE. HAPPY CAMPING DUDES. ::)