The Nomad … news, views, comment, opinion

May 31

Blind Faith
Okay, all of you who have got a healthy suspicion about placing to much faith in your GPS system give yourself a big pat on the back.
The story of the South Korean tourists who went walkabout a week or two ago is a cautionary tale about the dangers of an over-reliance … some might say an obsessive over-reliance … on electronic technology.
The accidental adventurers were attempting to drive from Brisbane to Rockhampton (which should have taken about nine hours) when they got the Mother of all bum steers from their GPS system.
Apparently, it guided the unsuspecting technology-fiends onto gravel roads, then dirt roads, and then through a couple of gates. The party of three men passed danger signs (which since they didn’t speak English they may not have understood), and even moved rocks that were blocking one road. 
See what I mean? These guys had serious faith in their GPS!
Eventually, the group’s Ford Falcon got stuck in a gully in an isolated part of Cordalba State Forest, near Childers. After an unsuccessful attempt to free their car, the men walked several kilometres through the forest trying to get mobile phone reception. 
Eventually they were able to make an emergency call to Bundaberg police and after a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack hunt, police located the stranded tourists more than six hours later.
“We had an approximate GPS location for them, but it was in an area that was extremely difficult to get into — practically inaccessible — and we couldn’t find them,” said Childers Police officer in charge, Sergeant Geoff Fay. “They’d gone onto a dirt road that had signs up saying ‘danger, no entry’, and they’d moved rocks off the road to get through.”
It seems incredible, doesn’t it?
“People need to know how to use their GPS and navigation systems,” said Sgt Fay. “They also need to use their self-preservation skills, and turn back if something looks wrong or if signs don’t match what appears on their GPS.”
And that is what they call commonsense advice!
Incredibly, Sgt Fay added that the South Korean tourists were not the first group in the area that had required rescue after following their GPS into an unlikely location. About a month earlier, some GPS-following backpackers from Bundaberg had got lost in the same forest. So, is the technology to blame or can we politely call this human error?
Have you followed your GPS down a blind alley? Do you use your GPS out on country roads? Email us here to share your views.

May 28

All at Sea?
Is it time to launch a floating division of the grey nomads website? Well yes, if Princess Cruises is to be believed. The company says there has been a surge in the number of over-55s booking its 28-night round-Australia cruises, and two-thirds of them are new to cruising … and it reckons it’s taking us off the roads!
Yikes! Is there division in the ranks? Certainly the stats are making a newspaper no less respected that the Sydney Morning Herald ask the terrifying question: “Are Australia's grey nomads abandoning their caravans and motor homes to explore their country by sea?”
Well, are we?
Princess Cruises will operate three round-Australia sailings from Sydney and Melbourne next summer, and it sees the voyages as an alternative to long-distance road travel.
"Instead of hooking up the caravan and taking months to drive around the country, these circumnavigations take you to some great coastal cities and even greater natural wonders in just a month," Ann Sherry, who heads Princess operations in Australia told the SMH.
She says Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that over-55s have become the fastest-growing segment of the domestic tourism market, and their new interest in cruising is one of the main reasons Princess Cruises has increased its range of longer voyages.
The 2000-passenger liners Sun Princess and Dawn Princess are scheduled to visit 13 ports, including all state capitals, the Whitsundays, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Exmouth, Bunbury, Albany and Burnie.
Next summer's around-Australia sailings will leave Sydney on October 26 and March 5, and Melbourne on November 20 … and fares start from $5436 a person twin share.
What the? $5436? How much diesel would that put in the tank? How many nights in a caravan park would that buy? How many happy hour bottles? How much fishing bait could you get hold of?
What do you think? Are you really ready to park up the van to hit the high seas? Is Australia really best seen from the ocean?
Email us here to see what you make of the apparent seaborne grey nomad phenomenon.

May 27

Camel Cull Commences
THE much-talked about camel cull in Outback Australia is underway in the Simpson Desert. The aerial shoot began last week in a section of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in far northwest South Australia.
Apparently, some 10,000 of the feral pests were counted during recent aerial surveys over the Simpson, southeast of Alice Springs, and in northwest South Australia. Now helicopter-borne marksmen have begun reducing herd numbers from above.
The federal government will spend $19 million over the next four years culling feral camels, which double in population every eight to 10 years.
Last year an emergency culling operation near Docker River, 500km southwest of Alice Springs, attracted widespread criticism when film of hundreds of camel carcasses rotting in the desert was shown overseas.
In the US, CNBC anchor Erin Burnett famously branded Kevin Rudd a "serial killer" for allowing the cull, which the government justifies on environmental grounds.
Of course there are plenty of people here who would also like to see the camels put to a better use than simply being left to rot in the desert. The cull is seen by some as squandering a resource which is currently valued at $1200 a head.
Camel trader Ian Conway of Kings Creek Station, 300km southwest of Alice Springs, said the Australian camel industry was potentially worth "at least $1 billion in meat alone".
So, do you agree that something has to be done about the soaring camel population, already estimated at more than one million? And is this the right way to go about it. Email your views here.

May 26

RV Park Concept a Winner
Could the fabled RV resort concept be the way of the future for the grey nomads? Certainly, there is growing evidence to suggest that the idea is beginning to catch on here, the way it has done in the USA.
The sprawling Village RV Resort at Casino in New South Wales has certainly proved a big hit with mature-aged travellers and it seems that Maryborough in Queensland could next in line to replicate the model.
The Casino ‘Village’ caters specifically for Over 50s who enjoy the RV Lifestyle. What was once an old airport site has been transformed into a vibrant neighbourhood where RV travellers from all over Australia meet with permanent residents, using the facilities there and attending activities and events provided within the village.
The housing sites are said to be spacious with dividing hedges, and have been designed with sufficient space to allow a motor home or caravan to be kept on the site.
Now, the Fraser Coast Chronicle reports that investors have jumped at the opportunity to have a stake in the first lifestyle village for the caravan and motorhome fraternity in Queensland..
Peter and Noelene Shadforth, who designed the $70 million plan, had already poured more than $1 million of their life savings into it. They offered investors 14 million shares in January of this year to further fund the project.
Eager investors oversubscribed to RV Homebase Fraser Coast, which will be based on 90 acres on the corner of Teddington and Iindah roads, by more than $2 million.
The capital raising for the RV resort, undertaken with corporate advisers Wellington Capital, closed with a total $10.215 million in investment funds being committed.
The resort will give residents the ability to park a full-size RV alongside their home in fully serviced, undercover RV ports.
Fraser Coast councillor Gerard O’Connell described the over-subscription as a vote of confidence in Maryborough.
“It’s really good that a unique development like this is oversubscribed,” he told the Fraser Coast Chronicle. “It’s not surprising if you look at the grey nomad statistics and see that these people are getting on the road earlier in life and in greater numbers. It’s the new boom home tourism market.”
Mr Shadforth, who is the chairman of RV Homebase, said the thorough planning of the project from the ground up contributed significantly to the solid investor support for the 210 home RV-focused residential village which will feature swimming pools, a tennis court and a bowls club.
“We’re aiming at grey nomads who want peace of mind when they’re on the road,” he said. “The success of the capital raising demonstrates the market interest in the vision and gives us even greater financial strength to take on the project.”
So, what do you think? Are these RV villages really the way of the future for grey nomads? Have you visited the one at Casino? What do you think. Email us here with your views?

May 25

Locusts on the March
Locust plagues of near biblical proportions are sending shockwaves through the agricultural community across Australia and have sent grey nomads scuttling to hardware stores in their droves.
The locusts have moved south through Queensland and New South Wales and now reports are coming in from farmers in Victoria of hatchings of locusts. This is particularly worrying as the usual time for the hatching of locust eggs is spring.
Unsurprisingly, travellers are taking precautions to protect their cars as they drive towards the locust plague. In South Australia, Lameroo hardware store owner Glen Kelly says he has sold huge amounts of fly wire to people travelling interstate, and he reports that, at the problem’s height, cars were lining up to make their purchases.
And the Manager at Bunnings Hardware Murray Bridge, Raylene Hagel, told the Murray Valley Standard that the store had been inundated with people heading interstate who wanted to buy fly screen mesh and bug cleaner.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Michael O’Brien says recent survey work revealed unusually high levels of adult locust densities and egg laying in the Riverland and the Southern Mallee.
It seems that the most substantial rainfall drought-stricken inland Australia has received in many years is to blame for what is expected to be a worse plague than 2004, when the first swarms alone caused over US $24 million in damage.
Last month, millions of locusts swarmed across 500,000 square kilometres of land in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of early-sown wheat and barley. The colder weather means that the problem will now reduce, but it will emerge again big time in spring when most eggs hatch.
Until about two weeks from the time they hatch, locusts are flightless and can be sprayed with insecticides on the ground. Once they are airborne, however, they must be sprayed from the air. While plans are afoot to tackle the looming plague through large-scale aerial, ground and spot spraying when conditions are suitable in the spring, it is still feared that there will be real problems from mid-September through October.
Gulp!
According to Australian Plague Locust Commission, swarms of migrating locusts can travel more than 500 kilometers per day.
And, according to National Geographic, swarms of up to 25 square kilometres can form, and a swarm of just one square kilometre can consist of up to 50 million locusts, and consume 10 metric tons of crops and other vegetation every 24 hours.
Double gulp!!
Have you come across a locust plague on your travels? How bad was it? Any advice to fellow travellers? Email us here to share.

May 24

Taking a Punt
If the floodwaters in outback South Australia keep moving as quickly as they are, there’s going to be a fair old squeeze in a week or two to get on the ancient punt that has been put on standby to help travellers across Cooper Creek.
The creek has already filled Lake Hope as it continues its journey south west and is set to cross the Birdsville Track in the next few weeks. Latest reports say it is approximately 20-30 kilometres off crossing the Track and is currently moving at around five kilometres a day.
The last time the creek crossed the Birdsville was some 20 years ago … and both then and now, the only way for grey nomads and others to continue their journeys will be via the old punt that carries one vehicle and up to six people at a time.
The punt, which has been sitting in the Cooper Creek since the 1960s, ready to be put into action when there's flooding, has worked successfully over the years. But, local pastoralists say this year it's different, and the punt isn't big enough to handle today's tourist numbers.
Despite the concerns, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon says a larger ferry is out of the question.
"We're talking about shipping up and laying concrete ramps across there and I'm not sure that three metres of water would take a larger ferry,” he said. "We've looked into it, and honestly, it is dishonest for people to suggest that there's some magic solution for what is an extremely rare weather event."
As well as the increased tourist traffic, l ocals say they need a larger ferry to ensure they can market their cattle down south.
Oh, and o rganisers of the Birdsville Races, which normally attracts around 7,000 people, also fear the implications of running such a small punt on the creek during their race weekend in September.
Event coordinator, Lisa Pearson, says the punt will certainly slow down travellers.
We can only imagine!
Have you used the punt in the past? Is the potential punt bottleneck putting you off your Birdsville Tarck adventure or is it all part of the experience? Email us here with your thoughts.

May 21

Short Sited Policy?
The phrase you “reap what you sow” springs to mind as the Victorian Government announces plans to change the way in which sites at popular coastal Crown land caravan parks are allocated.
If pressed through, the new regulations will mean thousands of people will lose their automatic year-to-year rights to occupy sites at 175 camping and caravan parks across the state.
Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said it was wrong for families to claim ''ownership'' of public land at popular holiday destinations and they were ''freezing out'' others equally entitled to use it.
Yes, in many ways it certainly does seem unfair. However, this clear case of demand outstripping supply has been exacerbated by the ongoing sale of of superb coastal camping areas and caravan parks to developers. Obviously, money talks louder than the many families who want to enjoy camping at the beach. The governments and the planners that have let prime beachfront land slip through their fingers and into the hands of developers, thus depriving the general public of the chance to enjoy it, had better take a long, hard look in the mirror.
Nonetheless, there are clearly two sides to this one. However this situation has been arrived at, it is awful that many families and would-be campers are now effectively barred from enjoying some top camping spots.
''Some people have had exclusive access to the same site for many years, freezing out others who are equally entitled to use that public site,'' said Mr Jennings.
But on the other side of the coin, there are the families who have been camping at the same spot forever and were doing so long before the land became so highly sought after.
Dennis O'Connor has been camping at Portarlington in Victoria every January for the past 50 years. Despite not having any planning training or political experience, Dennis has a simple and, I suspect, effective solution to the problem.
''If Mr Jennings is that concerned about people not having access to caravan parks, tell him to build some more parks,'' he told the Age newspaper. ''I'd say to him, 'Mate, if you had a site down here and had a family set-up like I've got, you wouldn't be making this decision'.''
Dennis kept paying the annual permit on his own site even when it soared from $1852 a year in 2000 to $5200 this year, presumably assuming that his family’s access would be guaranteed in perpetuity.
He and his six brothers and sister come from all over the state every January to Portarlington … as they have done for decades .. open their seven vans and annexes side-by-side near the boat ramp, go fishing and chat while the kids and grandkids run wild.
''We've created an affinity with the place and we've carried it on,'' Mr O'Connor said. ''I feel disappointed in the decision that affects people's way of life that have committed to the area for so long.”
The Victorian Government, of course, sees it very differently. Environment Minister Mr Jennings said that for decades the regulations for Crown land caravan parks had allowed people who had been granted a 12-month site lease ''to simply roll over the lease each year without it being offered to anyone else''.
He said many Victorians felt they had ''a private plot on the coast'' and that although some would feel ''disenfranchised'', this must cease.
Over the next two years, a regime will be introduced in which a minimum of 10 per cent of all types of permits within a caravan park must be made available to new site holders.
Committees of management of each park would determine how the 10 per cent turnover would be managed; for example, through a ballot.
The fact is that at 28 parks along the Victorian coast, there is an average 2.5-year waiting list for 12-month permits. Every year, many, many families are turned away. That is not acceptable. Our holiday traditions are under threat. Generations of Australians may miss out on the whole camping experience. This is a big and beautiful country. There really should be ‘affordable’, ‘attractive’ and ‘available’ camping options for us all. Perhaps governments and local authorities should begin by stopping the sale of the Aussie family’s camping silver to developers.
Email your views here.

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May 20

Heysen's Works on Display Of all the many artists who have been inspired by the amazing Aussie landscape none is more closely associated with one specific area as the peerless Hans Heysen.
The German-born painter’s love affair with South Australia’s magnificent Flinders Ranges is well documented, and those of you who have visited the area will no doubt have read the many information boards about his near obsession with the distinctive and rugged terrain. But it is one thing learning of the maestro’s grand approach in capturing the Flinders’ distinctive gum trees and stark mountains in the finest detail … and it is quite another appreciating it up close and personal.
But the chance to do so is now upon us. More than 80 of his works are currently on show in Canberra at the National Gallery of Australia.
The travelling exhibition from the Art Gallery of South Australia features many of Heysen's greatest oil and watercolour paintings, alongside rarely seen sketches and prints.
NGA director Ron Radford says Heysen's landscapes were groundbreaking in their time and influenced how Australians viewed their surroundings.
"He appealed to the Australians at the beginning of federation when they were really wanting and needing a symbol and the wonderful gnarled ancient gum tree became that symbol," he said. "He made the gum tree monumental for all Australians."
Head of Australian art Anna Gray says the works are more than landscape paintings.
"They are triumphant portraits with symbolic resonance," she said. "Heysen humanised his trees into dramatic self-conscious poses, imbuing them with qualities of endurance, resilience and grandeur.”
Some of Heysen's lesser-known works are also on show, including still-lifes of vegetables from his garden and portraits of his wife Sallie.
Hans Heysen is on show at the NGA until July 11.
Enjoy it if you can.

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May 19

Out of the Wild
While it can be tempting to complain about what seems to be the ongoing erosion of many free camping opportunities in this great southern land, particularly in our incredible coastal areas, it is sometimes worth remembering that things could certainly be worse.
A glance across the water at the situation in heavily populated Europe is always a good way of reminding us of just how spoilt we really are.
Stefan Thun, the managing editor of a leading German camping and caravanning magazine sums it up perfectly.
"Europe isn't as wildly romantic as it once was," he says glumly.
Indeed, it seems that wild camping is illegal in most countries. Only in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Ireland is it still permitted to erect tents in the countryside for several nights.
While the situation is slightly different in each European country the overall picture could be fairly described as uniformly bleak for those of adventurous spirit.
Sweden is the best of the bunch in terms of the Scandinavian nations. There, it is still permitted to camp for one night, including making a fire, without requiring the land owner's permission. This right of public access has its roots in the "Allemansrecht," an old common code of conduct.
However, there are a couple of rules to be followed. A tent can't be pitched in sight of a house and there can be no trace of an open fire left behind.
And the Allemannsrecht is only for backpackers and cycling tourists. Those travelling with a caravan or motorhome still have to use recognised camping sites or public car parks and lay-bys.
D’oh!
And anyone wanting to stay overnight in lay-bys in Germany, Austria or Switzerland can only do so for one night in order to rest, while Spain has specially signposted areas where caravans can halt overnight … everywhere else is forbidden.
It gets worse though. The Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic don’t even allow caravans to stay overnight in car parks or motorway rest areas.
Okay, so the situation isn’t perfect here … far from it … but hey, compared to most other places, we are still pretty lucky, aren’t we?
Do you have any overseas camping experience? How different is it to what we enjoy in Australia? Email us here to share.

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May 18

A Developing Story
A quick update on the growing opposition to plans for a resort style development at Seal Rocks, north of Newcastle in New South Wales.
A few days ago we reported in these columns that anger was mounting against a proposal by Great Lakes Council to build cabins, swimming pools, community rooms and barbecue areas at the camping reserve there.
Well, over the weekend, more than 200 people turned out to a public meeting to make their anti-development voices heard. And more than 10,000 people have now signed up to a Facebook site registering their disapproval.
‘Save Seal Rocks’ president Bernie King says people do not want to see the pristine area destroyed by development.
"The whole feature of it is to take it from a camping ground to a resort," he said. "It's just part of a traditional holiday for people to come from Bathurst to Burke or anywhere and they roll up here year after year for generations of their families. It's just a beautiful place and it's a shame they want to do this to it."
You tell ‘em, Bernie.
As ‘Save Seal Rocks’ committee secretary, Greg Thompson, so eloquently put it:
“You can't improve on perfect, and this is the thin end of the wedge. We’re losing these places in their droves. Where do we stop?"
People now have until May 21 to make a submission to Great Lakes Council to inform them what they think of the plans.
Check out the Save Seal Rocks Facebook page here.

May 17

A Kindred Spirit
Well, I think it would probably be pretty remiss if we didn’t join the rest of Australia in congratulating the remarkable Jessica Watson on her even more remarkable achievements.
For those of you who have been living on another planet (or have perhaps been bush camping for the past several months) Jessica is the 16-year-old solo-around-the-world-sailor who has just returned home to a hero’s welcome from tens of thousands or people crowding Sydney Harbour.
Despite her tender years, Jessica perhaps has more in common with grey nomads than you may first imagine.
Okay, barring a dramatic rise in the sea level, none of us are going to have to battle towering seas as we trundle down the road with our caravan or motorhome, and given the increasing popularity of the grey nomad lifestyle it is unlikely that too many of us will suffer from loneliness on our trips … but there are nonetheless strong similarities between our situations
We, like Jessica, are refusing to let age become a barrier to us achieving our dreams. We, like Jessica, still have a thirst for adventure and achievement, and we, like Jessica are prepared to some extent to rely on our own wits and abilities to explore new frontiers.
So, those of us who have taken our own comparatively minor adventures around this big, dry but amazingly varied and beautiful continent, should have a deeper than average appreciation of this young girl’s spirit, strength and motivations.
And those of us who are still contemplating taking that bold step into the grey nomad lifestyle could perhaps draw inspiration from Jessica and her incredible story.
As the teenager of the moment so eloquently put it as she spoke to the Prime Minister and assembled guests.
"You don't have to be someone special to achieve something amazing, you've just got to have a dream, believe in it and work hard. I'd like to think I've proved that anything really is possible if you set your mind to it."
So, a big, proud grey nomad ‘hats off to you, Jessica’. And for those ‘thinking-about-doing-the-Big-Lap wannabe grey nomads’ reading this … a simple message “See you out there!”

May 14

Aliens on the Move
Grey nomads across the Northern Territory have been scouring the skies recently hoping to catch a view of something even more extraordinary and spectacular than the Milky Way or the Southern Cross.
Yup, another spate of UFO sightings around the Darwin area has got extra-terrestrial hunters all excited and many travellers all curious.
So, what’s been happening? Well, first up, a woman spotted strange lights from her Humpty Doo home hovering over Howard Springs. The lights were said to be really low in the sky and really bright with flashing dots. Three of them formed a semi-circle and they hovered over the area for at least half an hour.
A couple of days later, there were three separate sightings on the same night including British backpacker Kylie Myers who said she had "never believed in anything like UFOs" before her strange encounter.
Then there were more sightings in quick succession at Coolalinga, Acacia Hills and again in Howard Springs.
High-profile UFO spotter Alan Ferguson knew what it all meant.
"They are back, son," he told a Northern Territory news reporter grimly.
Interestingly though, Mr Ferguson said he thought there was an unusual link between UFOs and another regular visitor to the Territory.
"It's always the way, right on cue,” he said. “The dry season starts and there they are. They are like the grey nomads. Once the dry season comes, you can't get rid of them."
Charming, Alan!
The rather unkind alien hunter said his latest sighting came in the form of a bright white light that flashed past his home. "It just looked like the International Space Station - a big white light," he said. "When it moves across it looks like a satellite, except it's huge. "It's exactly the same thing that I saw at this time last year."
So, what’s going on? Is this just the weather playing tricks on people’s eye or is there something more sinister going on? It’s true that most of these sighting take place after ‘happy hour, but if someone as eminent as the redoubtable Professor Stephen Hawking say aliens exist maybe we should take it seriously.
"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet," he said a couple of weeks ago. "I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise planets they reach."
Wow! This is getting seriously scary! Make sure you lock your van doors tonight! So, have you ever experienced any strange lights or unidentified flying objects in your travels. I reckon grey nomads have got a better chance than most of glancing up at the sky when unexpected visitors drop in. Email us here to share your stories.

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May 13

Bats out of Heaven
They are breathing sigh of relief in Charters Towers where it seems a large bat colony that had been causing problems has suddenly left the north Queensland city.
The exodus occurred before the State Government had had time to approve a local council plan to muster more than 40,000 bats out of the area due to health and safety complaints.
Unfortunately though for organisers of - and visitors to - the recent '10 Days in the Towers' festival the bats didn’t get out of ‘Dodge’ in time.
Some 10,000 tourists to flock to the festival, which boasts line dancing competitions, damper nights, bush poetry and country music concerts, and which is particularly popular with grey nomads. The festival ended a week or so ago.
Nonetheless, the departure of the bats will still come as a relief to tourists and residents alike.
Charters Towers Mayor Ben Callcott said the bats simply vanished overnight.
"They've always come to this park ever since I can remember and that's been 60 odd years," he said. "They're not in town, they've gone somewhere into the bush surrounding us."
It seems the colony has gone elsewhere, looking for food and only about a few hundred of the animals remain scattered throughout the city.
Last month, State Government vets found a number of the bats had been dying from malnutrition.
So, what should local authorities do about bat problems in cities, camping spots, or tourist attractions? Should they let nature run its course or move them on? Have you had any bad bat experiences? Certainly, a while back there was a significant bat ‘issue’ at the grey nomad hotspot (literally) at Mataranka. Are they still there? Share your stories here.

May 12

In at the Deep End
It’s on! Well, it could be on! Yup, as floodwaters continue to pour into Australia’s famously dry saltpan, the Lake Eyre Yacht Club is making plans for its first ever regatta.
Although the club was formed a decade ago, the long-lasting drought has put paid to any regatta plans … until now!
The club's commodore, Bob Backway, says yachties from across Australia are expected to take advantage of the rare opportunity to sail on a lake in the system.
While the saltpan - formed by the 8430km/sq Lake Eyre North and the 1260km/sq Lake Eyre South, will still not be deep enough to sail on - Mr Backway said the floods should allow 18ft catamarans to be floated nearby at Cooper Creek.
"The lake that we're planning the regatta on is bone dry at the moment," he said. "The lake is on Cooper Creek and hasn't flooded for 20 years. It's all a matter of timing.”
He says that as the flood pulse comes down Cooper Creek from Queensland, the club is getting pretty confident that the lake will fill in early June, giving it about a month to plan the regatta.
However, at such a remote location, half the adventure for the yachters will be getting to the clubhouse from their bases all over the country.
In addition to long dirt tracks, this year the members may have to contend with unexpected road closures due to the floods.
The water, though, is reportedly set to provide one other historic benefit as a ferry grounded at Lake Killamperunna prepares to run its first service in years.
"It’s quite a simple device — it can only take two cars at a time," Mr Backway said. "It will be one of those rare events that you have to do just to say you've done it."
So, are any of you planning to set sail near Lake Eyre? Will you make sure your travel plans include a trip to see a once-in-a-lifetime regatta? Email us here to share your thoughts and plans.

May 11

Fishing Tragedy
Fishing is one of the ultimate grey nomad pursuits … and it is enjoyed by countless thousands as they wend their way around this endlessly magnificent country.
But along with the friendships that are made, the dinners that are caught, and the tales that are shared of the ones that got away, comes an element of danger.
Casting a line in unfamiliar waters with unfamiliar currents, tidal patterns and even unfamiliar creatures carries it with it a demand for caution. The results of a moment’s poor judgment can, as we all know, be catastrophic.
And that is even when the waters are familiar. At time of writing a massive air, sea and land search has resumed in New South Wales for four people who went missing after going rock angling south of Newcastle.
A couple from North Rocks aged in their 50s, a couple in their 60s and a 25-year-old man from Carlingford failed to return home on Sunday night from a trip to Catherine Hill Bay.
The body of a woman was found at the southern end of Catherine Hill Bay yesterday afternoon, and the car the group was travelling in was found in a nearby street.
A family friend, Vincent Chan, said he had fished with the group in the area many times.
''We've been coming here for years and it's never been dangerous,'' he told the Sydney Morning Herald. ''Where we always fished it is safe and we always go to the same place.''
But the secretary of the NSW branch of the Australian National Sportfishing Association, Yanko Serifi, said it was an area only used by ‘'diehard’' rockfishermen.
''For the life of me I can't understand what they're doing out there,'' Mr Serifi told the SMH.
He described Flat Bed Rock, south of Catherine Hill Bay, as 'a narrow stretch of rock that probably stretches out about six or seven hundred metres out into the ocean'.
''It's a very dangerous platform because it's exposed to all the swells [from different directions],'' Mr Serifi said. ''I can't understand why they were there in such huge seas.''
The area is regarded as one of the region's deadliest fishing spots. Yesterday's accident was the ninth reported there in less than two years.
Let’s all of us remember to keep the chase for that elusive fish in proper perspective. Soemtimes, it just isn’t worth the risk!
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of the fishing group in Newcastle.

May 10

Up in the Air
Manufacturers of luxury motorhomes and caravans must be quaking in fear at the slated arrival of a brand new mode of transport that could take the bumps and dust out of a trip around Australia.
Indeed, the floating ‘hotel in the sky' is the next extreme travel trend which could take luxury tourism to a new high … literally.
The Aircruise concept is a billion-dollar huge, vertical airship resembling the old Zeppelins …except that it’s very much a five-star affair. Billed as 'slow is the new fast', Nick Talbot, from UK-based innovation company Seymour Powell which developed the concept, said passengers could stay in apartment-style luxury accommodation on board the airship which travels at about 120km/h.
It is a cross between a cruise ship and an aeroplane, giving passengers the luxury of space with bars and restaurants, while being flown to their destination -- albeit slower than on a jumbo jet.
This vertical air ship which is 265m tall - complete with penthouse, four duplex apartments, five smaller ones and glass viewing floors - will be lifted by hydrogen and propelled by solar power, leaving no carbon footprint. It will carry a maximum of 100 passengers and will take off with the aid of four envelopes on the outside, each containing modular self-sealing bags.
Mr Talbot, who will unveil the concept to Australia at July's Tourism Futures conference in Brisbane, said the idea flew in the face of the time-pressure travel habits of the world today.
While many are developing super-sonic aircraft, Mr Talbot said Aircruise would appeal to travellers looking for a unique, serene experience.
Sounds like us, doesn’t it?
"The Aircruise concept questions whether the future of luxury travel should be based around space-constrained, resource hungry, and often stressful airline travel," he said. "The whole demographic of the world is changing, people are living longer, there are a lot more older travellers who have already experienced the world and want something different."
That definitely sounds like us!
"Aircruise allows passengers to enjoy the journey,” said Mr Talbot. “If they want to have a look at a city as they fly over, there is no reason why it can't be dropped down to a few hundred feet."
One of the most awe-inspiring features of the Aircruise is its transparent floor. Wow! Cruising just over Uluru or Katherine Gorge or Karijini sounds very cool indeed. As does the prospect of enjoying happy hour drinks in a luxury bar. But would you enjoy the Big Lap as much without the dust, the reversing the van ‘discussions’, the endless road and the independence? Email us here to share your thoughts. Oh, and if you thought punctures were an inconvenience now, imagine how much of a nuisance they would be when you were floating around in a Zeppelin!
Korean company Samsung Construction and Trading has backed the Aircruise concept and although the airship would cost a few billion dollars to build, it could be a reality within 10 years. See you up there!

May 6

Paving Paradise?
There’s a full-scale revolt brewing in the New South Wales coastal community of Seal Rocks. Plans to turn the camping reserve there into something that protesters say would be nothing short of a fully-fledged resort have sparked an incredible and instant backlash.
A Facebook group protesting the concept swelled to nearly 7000 members in just six days … and the message is clear: “Leave the village alone!”
The draft plan for the village includes swimming pools, community rooms and barbecue areas and opponents say they are not wanted or needed.
“The camping reserve at Number One Beach is and always has been a low cost camping reserve for the public,” said a spokesperson for the ‘Save Seal Rocks’ group. “The committee and its members reject the draft plan as it is grandiose and is out of harmony with the ambience and atmosphere that this beautiful place of the Mid North Coast has, and offers to visitors and locals alike.”
The draft plan recommends improving the range of facilities offered so that the park can function as a holiday destination facility. These may include picnic tables, shelters and electric barbecues, swimming pools, community rooms, public toilets and beach showers and playgrounds.
And the public, it seems, just ain’t happy.
"We love it out there. You can't improve on perfect, and this is the thin end of the wedge," said ‘Save Seal Rocks’ committee secretary, Greg Thompson. "We're losing these places in their droves. Where do we stop?"
And on Facebook, the views are similar.
"Leave it alone," said Bailey Robins. "They have got a beach right next to it, we don't need a pool."
Emma Davis wrote: "This is one of the only untouched beaches in our area that hasn't been . . . turned into a concrete jungle".
The draft plan from Great Lakes Council says that any development should "complement the character of the coastal setting" and generate an income stream.
The council also has draft plans for Jimmys Beach and Hawks Nest Caravan Parks.
Great Lakes mayor Jan McWilliams said the plan has been prepared by consultants Integrated Site Design (ISD) in order to enable council to set the future strategic management, use and development of the park.
“The plans of management outline a direction for the next 10 years for the various caravan parks and associated day use areas,” Cr McWilliams told the Great Lakes Advocate. “They take into account the needs and expectations of the local and wider community, including travellers using the facilities.”
But the ‘Save Seal Rocks’ committee claims there has been a lack of public consultation and disclosure in the preparation of the document. Due to the large amount of public interest, the original May 7 deadline for submissions has been extended to May 21.
So, there’s still time for us all to make our views heard on this! Yesterday, we reported on plans for eco-tourism resorts to be created at seven stunning Queensland locations … and it all does make you wonder what we will be leaving behind for future generations to enjoy. When it comes to natural beauty spots, is less more? Email us here with your views.

Check out the Save Seal Rocks Facebook page here.

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May 5

Low Impact Enough?
More plans are afoot for developments at some of our most stunning natural beauty spots … but, before we all start jumping up and down, this may not be as bad as it first appears … or is it? The fact that the seven Queensland sites are actually under investigation for possible low impact, nature-based eco-accommodation means the authorities are at least aware of the importance of preserving the unique essence of these areas. But are they too beautiful to be messed with at all?
An expression of interest is already being called to attract private investors to develop and operate low-impact ecotourism accommodation at Ninney Rise in Mission Beach. The other possible sites are Eurong on Fraser Island; Wallaman Falls, west of Ingham; Jonah Bay, Whitsundays; Mount Mee, D'Aguilar National Park (Recovery); Green Mountains, Lamington National Park and Cowan South, Moreton Island National Park.
Queensland’s Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said any future accommodation must strike the right balance between tourism and conservation.
Fair enough, Kate but who decides what’s the right balance?
“Any tourism opportunity that gets more people outdoors to appreciate our natural assets has got to be good for conservation in Queensland,” she said. “And revenue raised will go straight back into our parks - a great outcome for our protected areas.”
Hmmm! I think we’ve heard that one before, Kate. And what about the people who like things just the way they are?
The Government says that accommodation will need to be designed and constructed with minimal environmental impact and be sensitive to the natural surrounds.
"Proponents will need to demonstrate that the concept they are proposing is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable and that the natural environment is at the forefront of their minds when they are submitting their expressions of interest,” Ms Jones said. "But I see this as a great opportunity for nature-based tourism ... more Queenslanders need to get out and see the great outdoors and this Bligh Government initiative is carefully crafted to do just that.”
All of the seven sites are adjacent to or located within Queensland national parks and all are said to have the potential to create significant opportunities to attract more tourists and increase their awareness and appreciation for the natural environment.
"Ecotourism is becoming more and more popular around the world and it is a market Queensland simply can't afford to miss out on,” said Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor. “New tourism markets will create more local jobs as well as new opportunities for local support industries."
Mr Lawlor said any future developments would be strictly controlled and monitored by the Queensland Government.
"Under the plan any eco-accommodation would be operated and built by private companies but it would remain under state ownership," he said. "For example, semi-permanent safari tents would be established with environmental controls to ensure minimal environmental impact."
Hmmmm! Views anyone? Email us here to share.

May 4

In the Swim
Travelling around a country as stunning as Australia and meeting as many fantastic people as we do means there’s always plenty for grey nomads to tell rellies and friends when phoning or emailing ‘home’ ... but finding a croc in the van park’s swimming pool!
Well, that one takes some beating ... but that’s exactly what visitors at the Howard Springs Holiday Park, about 30km southeast of Darwin, were able to say last week. The snappy 1.5-metre freshie gave early morning swimmers the shock of their lives when they turned up for a water aerobics class ... and it was in no hurry to move on.
"The crocodile gave one of the crocodile management rangers a bit of a run around, having to chase it around the pool," NT Parks and Wildlife senior ranger Tom Nichols said in a statement. “Eventually, the ranger managed to capture and remove it with a scoop net.”
Authorities said that as the crocodile did not have any markings it was believed to be a wild animal. The Parks and Wildlife Department said it wasn’t sure how the croc got there, but it probably came through the swamps that join up from the Howard River.
While this one was a freshie, it’s a reminder of just how mobile the creatures are ... and how prevalent they are up north.
The Northern Territory crocodile management team also removed two estuarine crocodiles measuring 3.5m and 3.3m from permanent traps in Darwin Harbour last week.

May 3

Hit Us with your Best Shot
Wow! What a fantastic start to our ground-breaking grey nomads photo competition. Just a few days in and already the entries are piling up. And the quality is just amazing.
Visit our forum page here to check out some of the entries, add a comment about them or post an entry of your own.
Click here to read about the terms and conditions.
The winner of the competition, which runs from now until the end of June, will receive a brand new set of CaraView caravanning mirrors worth more than $200 dollars. The runner-up will win a signed copy of the latest edition of the highly sought-after Grey Nomad’s Guidebooks. The incredible Grey Nomad’s Guidebook a second prize! This competition must be amazing!
The theme of this first photographic competition will be ‘water’ so we ask that the shot is taken on or around water … and given all the rain we have been having in the outback recently that could be just about anywhere in the country. Happy snapping.

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April 30

Win Great Prizes in a Snap
Flash! Bang! Wallop! What a picture … what a photograph! It gives me great pleasure in unveiling the first ever www.thegreynomads.com.au photograph competition. So, all of you budding photographers it’s time to throw off your lens cap and get snapping. There are no excuses for not entering. After all, we know you have all got a camera tucked away somewhere and there is hardly a shortage of possible shots, is there? You are all out and about travelling in the most beautiful, varied and exciting country in the world! And even if you don’t win, the competition represents a real opportunity for you to show off one of the great places you have visited and will enable other grey nomads to get a sneak peek.
We are proud to announce that the winner of the photograph completion which runs from now until the end of June will win a brand new set of CaraView caravanning mirrors worth several hundred dollars. The runner-up will win a signed copy of the latest edition of the highly sought-after Grey Nomad’s Guidebooks. The incredible Grey Nomad’s Guidebook a second prize! This competition must be amazing!
The theme of this first photographic competition will be ‘water’ so we ask that the shot is taken on or around water … and given all the rain we have been having in the outback recently that should be just about anywhere in the country.
Interested? Click here to find out more about this incredible opportunity. Happy snapping.

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April 29

The Big Itch
Bzzzzzzzzz! Forget about a nice chat under the awning this evening! Bzzzzzzzzzz! Forget about that nice stroll under the full moon! Bzzzzzzzzz! Yup, it’s mozzie time, people. And if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time this year you are going to get eaten alive.
Over in the west, they’re bracing themselves for a plague of what could easily be described as biblical proportions. In Port Hedland, a large spike in mosquito numbers has been attributed to recent king tides, and the shire's environmental health services have detected a high number of salt marsh mosquitoes, which have the potential to transmit the Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses.
The council is actually providing residents with free insecticide to spray the external walls of homes and outbuildings to help control mosquito numbers. Goodness knows how campers near standing water are going to fare. The community is also being urged to use insect repellent and empty containers that may breed mosquitoes.
Further south, in Mandurah south of Perth, recent heavy rain has put everyone on notice that the mozzies could be on their way.
The Peel Mosquito Management Group has just carried out an aerial larviciding treatment which it is hoped will minimise the impact of the latest mosquito breeding activity.
“The aerial treatment appears to have been very effective but over the next fortnight, adult mosquito numbers could rise and impact residents and visitors in Mandurah and throughout the Peel Region, so we urge people to take protective measures to ensure they are not bitten,” said Mandurah Chief Executive Oofficer Mark Newman. “Unfortunately the storm on April 14 and an associated strong low pressure system resulted in tidal inundation within the Peel-Harvey Estuary making ideal conditions for mosquito breeding and hatching.”
The tides in the estuary were more than 30cm higher than predicted, with water levels reaching over one metre (25cm above the trigger height for new breeding). Consequently vast areas of salt marsh vegetation that fringe the river banks and estuary foreshores have been flooded and this has resulted in millions of mosquito larva hatching.
Mr Newman said the area inundated was big and the level of breeding very high.
“Basically salt marsh areas with high egg loadings have become wet for the first time in many months so we are likely to see an increase in mosquito numbers from those we’ve been experiencing over the past few months,” he said. “Although Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus are less active at this time of year, the risk of contracting one of these viruses from an infected mosquito remains.”
Okay people. We have been warned. And a reminder of some of the protective measures you can take against mosquito bites. They include:
• Avoiding outdoor activities during early morning and late afternoon / evening,
• Wearing long loose fitting clothing – long sleeves and long pants when outdoors,
• Applying personal repellent containing DEET of Picariden,
• Ensuring insect screens are fitted and maintained.

So, have you noticed the mozzies are any worse than usual this year? Tell us where you are and we will issue a mozzie alert to your fellow grey nomads. Or, do you have any good tips for minimising the impact of these terrifying insects. Email us here to share your mozzie tips and tales.

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April 28

A Happy Ending
The near-tragic adventure of a couple of mature travellers in Tasmania should serve as a stark reminder to us all of how one little mistake can have potentially huge consequences ... especially when you are dealing with a country as wild and as expansive as Australia.
John and Verity Campbell, of Donnybrook in Western Australia's South-West, were holidaying in Tasmania when a planned half-hour stroll almost turned to disaster last Thursday.
When the pair – who are both in their 70s – failed to return to their campervan, about 40 police, State Emergency Service and fire service officers launched a search. Police on horseback and in a rescue helicopter were also called.
According to nearby campers, the couple had been dressed for touring, not bushwalking.
It was not until nearly 24 hours later, after battling freezing conditions overnight, that the couple waved down a passing car and were taken to safety.
Verity told Perth Now that she and her husband had thought the walk they were on was a circular track.
"So when we came to the end of it, we walked down a forestry track but we did not seem to be going in the right direction," she said. "We tried to find our way back, but it was very poorly marked."
Mrs Campbell said the couple walked until about 5.30pm.
"We had to make ourselves comfortable for the night and chose a tree fern to shelter under and picked a lot of fronds to soften the ground," she said.
Mr Campbell said the next morning they heard rushing water and headed towards it. After an anxious day the couple managed to wave down dairy farmer Terry Viney late in the afternoon ... and he took them home for a cup of tea.
The couple turned up a mere 1.5 kilometres south-west of where they had been camping.
Police said that apart from being cold and wet the Campbells were in good spirits and not hurt.
And the moral of the story… be careful. It’s easy to get disorientated in unfamiliar country and it’s certainly a lot easier to get lost than it is to get found. Have you ever got lost on a bushwalk? Email us here to share your bushwalk with experiences.

April 27

Rally Held to Protest Ban
Hooray for people power!  Last week we reported on the great ban-camping-in-showgrounds swindle being played out in various towns across Queensland and New South Wales.
Happily though it seems people aren’t prepared to just calmly accept their fate ... well, at least they’re not in the Queensland town of Barcaldine. About 60 people have attended a rally in the town calling on the Government to allow grey nomads and others to spend a night or two at the Showground.
Despite the fact that Barcaldine Regional Council has allowed caravans to use the complex for several years, it is now said to be in breach of state laws. It has been told by the State Government that it cannot operate a caravan park at its showgrounds until there is a management plan in place. It must hand the Government the plan and then hope it is allowed to let caravans stay at the showgrounds. The plan will have to show the different uses of the showground reserve.
Mayor Rob Chandler says he is hoping the Department of Environment and Resource Management responds quickly to the council's plan.
"That plan is to address the secondary use of the trust land at the Barcaldine Showgrounds to allow primitive camping," he said. "These are documents that anyone using trust land for a secondary use – that is not the use that the land is intended for – have to fill out."
A Queensland Government spokesman told the ABC that it is not stopping caravans setting up in showgrounds but local councils must have plans in place.
Regional manager of land services, Athol Backhouse, says the department has a secondary use of trust land policy which does allow caravans in showgrounds.
But Mr Backhouse says the council needs a plan before it makes its decision.
"We've just asked the Barcaldine Regional Council to develop a management plan that reflects our policy for the showgrounds and they're in the process of doing that," he said. "They called together a community group of stakeholders who were interested and they've had two meetings that I'm aware of to date so that process is still happening."
He says that the process has to take its due course and there is no intention of shutting down showgrounds across the state.
"That's why we've got the policy in place and I'm hoping the council and the caravan park owners in Barcaldine in particular - because they're the ones being impacted here - can come to an agreed position for the management plan," he said.
Watch this space ...

April 23

Coat of Charms
Superannuation funds heading south? Higher fuel prices bleeding your bank account dry? The cost of today’s luxury rigs making you break out in a cold sweat? Well, don’t give up on your grey nomad dream ... the ultimate budget-accommodation option could be just what you are looking for.
So, say farewell to your dream of motorhomes, caravans, campervans, camper trailers and even tents! Who needs the hassle and expense?
No, instead welcome to the era of the Inflatable Sleeping Coat. Oh yes, my travel-loving comrades, the longer the ‘economic downturn’ lasts the better these ingenious little beauties are going to start to look. After all, they are going to help get you out there into wild and wonderful Australia ... and that’s got to be better than settling into retirement in suburbia in front of the TV.
The design concept by Lin Tsui-Wei not only keeps you dry and warm during the day – it inflates to provide a comfortable sleeping bag for when it’s time for bed.
Apparently, apart from being waterproof, the coat is lightweight enough to wear during the day if required. There are also multiple pockets to store and protect all your personal items.
If the weather looks unpredictable, you can attach the bottom half of the jacket to protect your legs from wind and rain.
If you've camped in a particularly rocky spot, you can detach the lower part of the coat to make a mini-mattress - just the right size for sitting on during the evening meal. When it’s time for bed, the coat can be inflated to make a warm, snug and comfortable sleeping bag.
The coat has yet to go into production but we reckon the inventors could be onto a winner. Email us here if you think it could be tempted to give it a try.

April 22

Floods of Tourists?
Hooray! The wait is over and for the first time since January, the Birdsville Track in far south-west Queensland has been reopened to traffic.
The Diamantina Shire Council says about one-third of visitors to the outback region come from southern states via the Track, but flooding earlier this year prevented them travelling.
Council spokesman Brian Mooney told the ABC that four-wheel-drives can now access the road and it should be a boost for local tourism.
“The bottom end of the track got that late rain and that put it out,” he said. “But there's been a couple of detours been put in around the bad area allowing access through to Birdsville and this end of Queensland.”
At the moment it's high clearance only or 4-wheel-drive but that restriction is expected be lifted within the next week or so.
Certainly, there will be no shortage of grey nomads and others seeking to access the area to see first-hand the amazing transformation of the land that has been brought about by the heavy rains and floods.
Troy Minnett, who manages the Birdsville Caravan Park, said it was like ‘the calm before the storm’.
“Those who didn't get here last year to see the water running and central Australia blooming are determined to see it this time,” he said.
Like many other outposts in central Australia, Birdsville recorded one of the best tourist seasons on record last year.
It is still remains uncertain exactly how much water will get into Lake Eyre but, unlike last year, the Cooper Creek could add to the flow - coming in from the east.
Innamincka local Geoff Matthews, told The Weekend Australian that the normally harsh landscape now "looks like the Botanic Gardens." And of course, along with the green shoots and wildflowers has come the birdlife.
Many are hoping that Lake Eyre will fill to 70 per cent capacity, perhaps even more if the winter rains arrive on top of the flood surge from Queensland. As the Australian reports, “If that happens there will be a feast for the eye in the spring - a carpet of wildflowers stretching to the desert on the horizon.”
Wow! Doesn’t it sound amazing. Pics people please! Any of you adventurers lucky enough to get out to the area in the next little while please post some pics on the forum or email them through here and we’ll put them up for others to enjoy.
Incidentally, the image of hundreds of excited grey nomads preparing their ‘wagons’ ready to venture into wild country put me in mind of a song. It could be a great one for to sing along to as you pack your van for your big Birdsville/Lake Eyre adventure.
“Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them caravans rollin'
Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out,
Move 'em on, head 'em out Raw Grey Nomads!”
Drop me a line here if you found singing the song helpful. Or perhaps you have got a favourite ‘packing the rig’ song. Email here to share.

April 21

Roughing it in Style
So, what’s the news from all you bargain-hunting, idea-hunting visitors to this week’s NSW Caravan, Camping, RV and Holiday Supershow in Sydney?
Anything much caught your eye? It certainly seems as if the Jacana A-class motor home has become something of a head-turner at the event ... and at a whopping $560,000 with all the optional extras it probably should be!
It’s one of the newest and most expensive rigs on display and at 10-5 metres and offering all of the comforts of home it’s no wonder more and more of us are being tempted to ‘rough it’ around Australia full-time.
''People sell their home and buy a motor home and go on the road,'' Taree-based Jacana owner Barry Drury told the Sydney Morning Herald. ''That's what they do in America. They've been doing it for 20 years.''
He said it was still more common for people to buy a small apartment, as well as a motor home, so they had a residential base if they fell ill.
But, he said, more recently customers had begun living exclusively out of their home on wheels.
So, for all of you luxury-seeking dreamers ... a few stats?
A full tank of diesel in the A-class Jacana will set you back about $375 on current prices.
But, as you would expect, there’s a cocktail cabinet, airconditioning, a designer ceiling, and entertainment system. And what self-respecting luxury motor homes wouldn’t come with wheelchair accessibility, a built-in washing machine and wardrobes, external flat-screen televisions and space for quad bikes.
And are we loving what these manufacturers are offering? You bet your life we are!
Many exhibitors will make one-third of their annual sales - amounting to about $40 million for the whole show - over the nine-day period.
According to the Caravan and Camping Industry Association NSW, caravan registrations over the decade from 1996 increased 254 per cent to 18,840.And the Association said there were between 70,000 and 80,000 caravanners travelling Australia on prolonged road trips at any one time.
Blimey! That means that there’s about 20 odd million missing out. What silly people.

April 20

Grounds for Investigation
There are more than a few rumbling at the moment that the trend for council to allow campers to park up at show-grounds could be facing a bit of a backlash.
Indeed, in some areas – if not entire states – the writing could be on the wall. Last month a decision to ban tourist camping in the Murwillumbah Showground enraged the town’s business people, who said it discouraged tourists ... and the move also sparked fears that the ban could be applied state-wide.
The Tweed Daily News reports that the government-imposed ban follows pressure from operators of private caravan parks, as well as a government department which is involved in running profit-making tourist parks on other Crown land.
The paper tracked the ban to a new policy of the former NSW Department of Lands, now the Land and Property Management Authority, and currently the NSW Government has been accused of a conflict of interest and disregarding the needs of tourists with large vehicles.
The policy follows a ‘working group’ set up by the state Labor government which took advice from lobbyists including the Caravan and Camping Industry Association (CCIA) which argued showgrounds did not pay the same rents or meet the same standards as private caravan parks.
CCIA chief executive Barry Baillie defended the ban, saying a working group involving his organisation, the Departments of Planning and Tourism, the Local Government and Shires Association of NSW had looked at all the issues of what it called illegal camping.
“A showground must comply with the same regulations that a caravan park in the same area complies with,” he said. “They should not be undercutting commercial business in the same town ... there can only be one resolution and that is compliance with the law.”
Tweed mayor Warren Polglase, a former owner of caravan parks at Chinderah and former board member of the CCIA, said the arguments were nonsense.
“They are taking a Ned Kelly-approach to the showgrounds. Those funds go towards the maintenance of showgrounds,” said Cr Polglase. “To take this cavalier approach is totally inappropriate to regional New South Wales. The government has its own caravan parks on Crown land and I would say they have a severe conflict of interest ... this is just so wrong.”
Not surprisingly the issue has caused an almighty stink. National Party MP for the state seat of Lismore, Thomas George, rightly points out that some large camper vehicles do not even fit into some caravan parks.
“Some councils also don’t want them pulling up on the side of roads, you need the likes of showgrounds,” he told the Tweed Daily News. “Not only is this taking income from the showgrounds, but it is indirectly taking income away from the community.”
The uncertainty is casting doubt over other towns’ plans to allow tourist to use showgrounds for camping ... towns such as Grafton on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.
Grafton Show Society president Neville Hayward said the trust was in the process of submitting a development application to Clarence Valley Council so the showground could offer camping year-round, not just at events time.
A NSW Land and Property Management Authority spokeswoman however told the Grafton Daily Examiner that there was no ‘blanket ban’ on caravanners and other travellers stopping overnight at the State’s showgrounds.
“Overnight camping is allowed at showgrounds in connection with events such as the local show or horse meetings,” the spokeswoman said. “Showgrounds must have approval to operate as a caravan park or camping ground from their local government authority.”
And the situation doesn’t seem an awful lot better north of the border. In Queensland, the Barcaldine Regional Council has just been told by the State Government that it must stop operating the caravan park at its showgrounds until it has a management plan.
Barcaldine Mayor Rob Chandler says caravans have been able to stay at the complex for several decades but the council is in breach of state law until it adopts a plan.
"The State Government received a complaint that we were allowing caravans to stay at the showgrounds in breach of the secondary use of trust land," he said. "If there are other communities in Queensland that have camping or caravans in their showgrounds and it's a particular State Government lease, and they haven't got a management plan in place, then most definitely they will have to come on board."
This then seems like an issue that could run and run. Could this be a case of the irressistible force meeting the immovable object? Ultimately though, the travelling public can vote with their campervans, motorhomes and caravans ... and bypass towns like Murwillumbah altogether? Only yesterday we reported on moves by the Queensland Government to investigate ways to improve the way grey nomads are treated ... and at the same time this is going on. Ironic or what?
So, is there any merit in the moves to make camping at showgrounds more difficult? Is it unfair on local commercial caravan parks to have showgrounds offering cut-price camping? Or is it time for Grey Nomad Man to come out of retirement and join the fight against this alleged injustice? Email us here to let us know what you think.

April 19

Power to the Nomads
The grey nomad revolution continues apace and its impact is being felt in the caravan parks, on the roads ... and in the corridors of power!
The Queensland Government has now launched a parliamentary inquiry to investigate how to cater for the annual influx of caravan-towing older travellers.
The chair of the Queensland Parliamentary Economic Development committee, Evan Moorhead, said the committee would consider the role of these retirees and their impact on regional Queensland’s economy.
“This will involve issues relating to grey nomad infrastructure requirements, the commercial camping and caravan park industry and ways to market Queensland to this valued group of tourists,” he said. "This committee is seeking information on how we can make Queensland a more attractive and comfortable place for grey nomads to come, travel and relax.”
Wow! I like the sound of this committee and their important work. Power to the pollies, I reckon.
Clearly the penny is beginning to drop and the powers that be are beginning to appreciate the potential benefits of  grey nomads hitting the road in off-peak periods and in rural and regional areas not always popular with other tourists.
"Grey nomad tourism provides a great potential for job creation, particularly in areas off the beaten track," said Mr Moorhead.
In other words, if you look after us, we will look after you.
Areas like Bundaberg in Queensland are typical ... and many are already preparing for the onslaught of hundreds of retired travellers who will begin arriving in town to escape the southern winter as soon as next week.
Moore Park Golden Sands Tourist Park owner Ina Climas said grey nomads made up the majority of her guests.
“They come every year and they are like our family,” she told the Bundaberg News Mail. “We only have about 5% occupancy until they arrive and then we have about 90% for about four or five months until they go again.”
Bargara Beach Caravan Park manager Jody Keen said some of the travellers had been coming for years.
“They are a really important part of the park,” she said. “It is a really big social thing for them all and we leave a few sites free so they can have their happy hour every afternoon and they love it … they all know each other and it’s like one big family.”
Yeehaaiii! Party on people. It’s our time to shine!

April 16

Showing at Rosehill
Well, I guess it would be remiss of us not to remind everyone that the NSW Caravan, Camping, RV and Holiday Supershow is ready to roll again at the Rosehill Racecourse near Sydney.
The event runs for nine days from April 17 to April 25 April and promises something for everyone. Visitors can browse more than 300 exhibitors displaying all the latest models and makes of caravans, motorhomes, campervans, camper trailers, 5th wheelers, slide-ons, tents and camping equipment. Of course, there will also be heaps of caravan and 4WD accessories, as well as holiday park displays, tourism destinations and, we are told, much more besides. No wonder then that close to 80,000 visitors are expected to attend the annual mega show.
“The Caravan and Camping Supershow is truly a one-stop-shop with a range of holiday destinations and touring product to browse and buy,” said Barry Baillie, CEO of the Caravan and Camping Industry Association of NSW (CCIA). “This year, there’s sure to be something to suit every budget, with everything from a $300,000 motorhome through to a $200 tent on display.”
The show is open 10am – 5pm daily although it will close at 4pm on Sunday, April 25.
And the cost for all of this … well adult admission is $19 and pensioner and Senior Card Holders $14. Return day passes are also available.
These sorts of events really are fantastic places to check out exactly what is out there to make life on the road more and enjoyable and more comfortable … and you can pick up some great deals to boot.
Enjoy! And remember as you wander mournfully along the luxury motorhome displays, if the budget is a little tight at the moment, there’s always next year.
Email us here if you run across any interesting innovations or unmissable deals while you are at the show.

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April 15

A Shining Example
Could environmentally-friendly sustainable practices be the way of the future for caravan parks and camping areas seeking to keep costs down? The answer is a resounding yes if the experience of Sydney's Lane Cove River Tourist Park is anything to go by.
Visitor numbers have grown by an average of 15% over the past few years – from 108,000 per annum in 2006 to an estimated 160,000 this year – and yet the operating costs for the park have actually fallen. Energy bills for 2010 remained at 2006 levels, water bills have almost halved and waste costs have remained at 2007 levels! That all adds up to an ongoing gross profit growth rate of 12% annually since 2006.
So, what’s the secret? The campground has put advanced sustainability practices in place and is fitted with solar canvas shelters, grey-water systems and, for those who simply can't switch off, wireless broadband from campsites. 
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service-operated park, which is also renowned for its wildlife and free interpretive guest experiences, was the first campground in Australia to become certified for its sustainability practices. The EarthCheck Program is used by more than 1000 travel and tourism companies in over 60 countries.
“As a NSW Government Agency, we serve as custodians of the natural environment and have a duty to walk the walk, when it comes to setting sustainability benchmarks,” explains Park Manager Andrew Daff. “The EarthCheck Certification Program gives our organisation transparency in-market and helps set the standard for the caravan industry to follow."
Fingers crossed, Andrew. Here’s hoping that many other parks do indeed follow suit.
“Our financial risk modelling points to energy and water costs that are set to rise to unprecedented levels and so we are determined to become as self-sufficient as possible so that we can remain a low cost eco tourism destination,” Andrew says. “By investing now to reduce operating costs, we're ensuring we won't have to pass on escalating utility costs to customers."
Now you’re talking. Andrew!
Travelling long term is already getting to be a decidedly expensive business and with more and more grey nomads feeling the financial strain the whole way of life could soon be under threat.
"Those businesses looking at certification as merely a marketing tool are missing the point," says Andrew. “Making a meaningful commitment to sustainability has been thecatalyst for our business growth and that's not because we have a logo on our website.”
Ever since the park started measuring their outputs and using EarthCheck technology to help reduce their environmental impacts, energy consumption has dropped to the point that they could offset enough on-site to be certified as carbon neutral.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the sustainability practices incorporated into all habitat and biodiversity projects has resulted in the re-establishment of species that were thought would never be seen again at the park. Bandicoot populations have increased by about 70% on 2005 levels; sightings of yellow bellied gliders have increased and there have been confirmed sightings of nine different species of frogs.
"For the team at Lane Cove River Tourist Park, sustainability is not about the here and now," says Andrew. "At some stage, we all have to consider the legacy we leave behind and I for one am damned sure that it'll be a better one than what was inherited!"
Hmmmm! So it might actually be more profitable to encourage people to leave nothing but footsteps when they go bush. Wouldn’t it be nice if this caught on? Email us here to let us know what you think. Or, let us know your experiences if you have stayed at Lane Cove.

April 14

Getting Bogged Down
The experience of a Dutch couple who got into trouble at a remote Northern Territory river crossing yesterday should serve as a reminder to us all of the dangers of driving Outback in the wet.
Alice Springs police said the pair were travelling in a Toyota TroopCarrier when their vehicle became bogged at a crossing 10 kilometres south of Ross River station.
Police were alerted by an emergency beacon and arrived at the scene about 10am to find the man, 53, and the woman, 34, safe and well.
Duty superintendent Craig Ryan reminded the public to stay away from unknownroads and use caution at water crossings.
"Try to limit travel during severe weather such as the southern region has experienced over the last week," he said.
The couple and their car were taken back to Alice Springs by police.
While river crossings are seen by many as all part of the adventure of around Australia travel, it is important that we all drive to our experience and capabilities and are properly equipped at all times. The fact that the Dutch pair were carrying ... and able to use … an emergency beacon shows the worth of that piece of equipment. It’s something all of us who like to get off the beaten track should carry but hope that we never need to use.
Have you had any hairy experiences at river crossings or driving in the wet? Email us here to share.

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April 13

Keen on Camping
The caravan and holiday park industry has been pretty much booming through the uncertain economic times, according to newly released research data.
It’s probably no surprise to many of you out there on the pointy end of the around Australia travel scene but the figures suggest that, as a nation, we are happier than ever to holiday at home … and spend big as we do so.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) numbers show that revenue for the caravan and holiday park industry rose by 7.1% for the quarter ending December 31 2009 over the same period in 2008 - the third straight quarter with more than 7.0% growth for that year.
Industry experts say this trend appears to be following through into 2010.
Caravan, RV & Accommodation Industry of Australia (CRVA) chief executive officer Ben Yates attributes this success to the emergence of the ‘new face’ of caravan holiday parks that now provide everything from traditional caravanning sites through to luxury accommodation and resort style facilities that all the family can enjoy at an affordable price.
"The caravanning and camping industry is thriving in Australia with caravan and holiday park revenue rising to a record $1.11 billion over 2009," he said. "Despite the recent economic downturn our industry continues to grow quarter on quarter. Much of this is due to the industry moving with the times and giving the public facilities they want at a price they can afford."
Western Australia experienced the highest revenue growth at 12.3% over the December quarter with The Northern Territory, South Australia and Victorian markets also showing strong growth figures of 10.9%, 9.8% and 8.3% respectively.
Over 54% of the total revenue stemmed from the NSW and Queensland holiday park market with NSW being the largest contributor to revenue at $371,739,000 and Queensland earning $238,154,000.
"There has been a real resurgence in consumer confidence following an uncertain year in 2008," explained Mr Yates. "People are once again looking to enjoy the great Australian holiday."
Mr Yates said figures also showed that there is now an increasing trend towards more people looking to experience the long distance caravanning holiday.
"Long term caravanning and holidaying is becoming increasingly popular again," he said. "Which is why the Northern Territory and Western Australian results have been so incredibly strong."
Oh, and to put the great Aussie love affair with caravans into perspective. It seems a new caravan is built in this country every nine minutes and 86 % of the population have stayed in a caravan holiday park at least once in their lives.
 

April 9

Lucky Escape
Here’s a terrifying tale from the Northern Territory that should make us all sit up and take notice … and encourage us to take all sensible precautions and undertake all practical safety checks that we possibly can.
The Northern Territory News reports that a woman was lucky to survive when her motorhome caught alight and burnt to the ground on an isolated stretch of Territory road. Annalies St Claire lost all her possessions but escaped with her life in the incident which happened last month 47 kilometres north of Tennant Creek.
"I've lost everything, I've been on the road for four years travelling, doing the harvest trail and taking pics of my journey, all my paperwork, everything is gone," she told the NT News. "I'm still in shock, but I guess I'm lucky to be alive, I do feel like I'm lucky."
The paper reports that 59-year-old Annaliees was travelling north from Tennant Creek towards Katherine in a convoy behind travelling mate Sharon Walker when she smelt fire in the 2008 Winnebago Iveco Leisure Seeker.
"I was driving along, just cruising and then I smelt a burning smell," she said. "I got in the motorhome, checked everything out and it all smelt fine. Sharon jumped in and said she thought it was electrical, so we thought we'd pop the bonnet anyway and, as we looked to the side of the motorhome, there were already flames there.”
Annaliese tried to use her fire extinguisher but it ran out.
"Then Sharon ran for hers and when she tried to put it out, the fire pushed her to the ground, we just got in her van and ran,” she said. “"Half an hour and the whole thing was finished."
Scary or what?
Tennant Creek Fire Service officer in charge Leigh Swift said it would have been a disaster if the incident happened at night.
"These ladies are very lucky, very lucky indeed, it could have been while they were sleeping - we might have feared the worse," he said.  "We come out to investigate this Winnebago fire, we're still inconclusive at this stage, we are continuing our investigations and are specifically investigating the fridge area of this van."
Ms St Claire also thanked police and firefighters.
"They were brilliant, and even some of the passing motorists, as well," she said, "A few of them gave me cigarettes because I was desperate."
This clearly was a freak occurrence but we can none of us be too careful … and we should at least ensure our fire extinguishers are fully functional. Even a small cooking mishap can quickly become a trip-changing disaster … or worse!

April 8

Rocking Around Oz
As always there were no shortage of events and activities to attract the attention of travelling grey nomads over the Easter weekend.
Whether it was arts and crafts, classic cars or fishing comps, it seems that many of our number are more than willing to organise their Big Lap itinerary to take in a gathering of special interest. A case in point was the 43rd annual Warwick Easter Rock Swap at the Warwick Showgrounds in Queensland.
By all accounts, the crowds at the event were huge … showing not just the growinggrey nomad fascination with gems and rocks but that of the wider population as well.
Warwick Lapidary Club president and Rock Swap organiser Syd Woodrow told the Warwick Daily News that the event was now more of a sale than a swap.
He said more than 100 stall-holders travelled from as far as Western Australia, New Zealand and South Australia to sell their rocks – which ranged from the beautiful Lightning Ridge black opals to the stunning thunder eggs from central Queensland and agates from north Queensland.
For the past 41 years Syd has been fascinated with searching for and collecting precious rocks and gems.
He has been all over Queensland on his hunt for the perfect stone, but he told the Warwick Daily News that he did not have a favourite place.
“My favourite place to go fossicking would be wherever there are stones to pick up,” he said. “The best ones I have found are the thunder eggs at Mt Hay in central Queensland.”
Of course, Syd is not alone in the search for the perfect gem. Like many grey nomads, Michael and Julie O’Brien from Glen Innes in New South Wales travel across the countryside looking for their favourite stones.
While the O’Briens now prefer to do the touristy thing more than just going on fossicking trips, they said they will still look for stones at many of the places they stop in their grey-nomad travels.
“We’ve been coming up here to Warwick for 20 years,” Mr O’Brien said.
Mr O’Brien said his favourite types of stones were the agates and smoky quartz.
So, is fossicking for gems and gemstones on your agenda when you plan your itinerary?  What is your favourite stone or your favourite spot to look for them? Email us here to share.

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April 7

Watch out for Wombats
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about with crocs, snakes, spiders and sharks … it seems we’ve now got to add wild wombats to the lists of potential wildlife hazards.
A 60-year-old man is currently recovering in hospital after he was mauled by one of the cuddly-looking creatures at Flowerdale, north-east of Melbourne.
Paramedics say the man was attacked by the animal as he stepped out of his caravan early in the  morning. He was bitten on the arms and legs.
According to the Age newspaper,  Bruce Kringle, who is a Black Saturday bushfire survivor, lay on top of the animal in a desperate bid to stop the attack.
A neighbour heard his cries for help and, after telling Mr Kringle to move off the animal, killed it with a blow from the back of an axe.
Mr Kringle, who is apparently an animal lover, told family he feared for his life during the attack.
A Rural Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said Mr Kringle also told paramedics that another person had complained about a rogue wombat in the area two days ago.
Geoff McClure, compliance team leader for the Department of Sustainability and Environment, told the Age that a wombat attack was extremely unusual.
He said wombats could feel threatened and rush at a person, especially if the animal was suffering from the skin condition, mange, caused by parasitic mites.
“In the advanced stages wombats become very irritable and anyone who approaches them, they usually view as a threat and may run towards them,” he said. “They appear aggressive but we have never had reports of wombats actually attacking people.”
Gulp! What’s next, do you think? Killer koalas? This camping lark is getting scary!
Have you had any close encounters of an unpleasant kind with wombats – or koalas or other creatures for that matter? Email us here to share your scary wildlife stories.

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April 6

Mixed Messages
It’s been another big Easter weekend for caravan parks and camping areas across the country. Hopefully, you all managed to find a relatively quiet spot to spend one of the most crowded times on the Grey Nomad calendar … and have got the rest of the school holidays successfully planned out.
While it’s great to see so many young families and others out and about enjoying the great outdoors I know many of you also look forward to the time when they are back at school and work and you have the place nearly to yourselves again!
At times like this it certainly seems like there are more people out camping than ever before and some are questioning the mixed messages being sent out by successive Australian governments on tourism.
The Carbon Sense Coalition has accused them of wasting tax payers’ money in trying to expand tourism while reducing travel.
The Chairman of the group calling itself ‘Carbon Sense’, Mr Viv Forbes, said that governments need to make up their mind – either they want tourists to travel, or they want to reduce man’s production of carbon dioxide.
“They cannot have both,” he said. “Has anyone told them that a major source of man-made carbon dioxide is the internal combustion engine that powers cars, trucks, boats, motorbikes, trains and planes that are the lifeblood of the tourist industry?”
It is an interesting point. As Mr Forbes says, one moment we will hear the Minister for Boosting Tourism boasting about the great new ads enticing people to travel for the fun of it; and the next moment we hear the Minister for Reducing Tourism telling how we will burn in global warming hell if we do not cut our production of carbon dioxide.
“Government tourism policies are schizophrenic. Both of the dizzy departments sending mixed messages to the travel industry should be abolished,” he says. “Are we expecting Asian tourists to arrive by sailing clipper? Will the grey nomads take to the roads on tandem bikes? Will bikie gangs start riding Clydesdales with studded leather breast-plates? And are Europeans going to drift over in hot air balloons?”
Blimey … I can tell you for sure that I am going absolutely nowhere on a tandem bike! So, should we feel proud of ourselves that we are giving a much needed shot in the arm to often struggling rural economies or guilty that we are contributing to the global warming problem? Do you factor in your carbon footprint as you plan your journeys? Do you use solar panels because it will save you money in the long run or because it is better for our planet? Email us your views on the carbon footprint dilemma here. 

April 1

A Heart Rending Journey
The grey nomad label is one that many wear with pride but it is just that ‘a label’. Of course, in-a-hurry motorists stuck behind what they consider to be a caravan travelling too slowly are all too eager to instantly pigeon-hole the owners … to think they know all there is to know about the vehicle’s occupants. It’s an easy trap to fall into. Many of us are probably guilty of making the same assumptions about ‘speeding’ P-platers. But all of us are a lot more complicated than the labels we wear. Certainly, Sue and Bob Neville look like any other grey nomads as they sit beneath their caravan awning … but their purpose for travel is both different and desperate. The couple have been looking for their missing son Bobby for the past 18 months now, taking off in their van at a moment’s notice to follow up any reported sightings of their boy.
Last week, they were at the Beachfront Caravan Park in North Haven in New South Wales on an eight-week mission searching campsites and looking anywhere where people sometimes sleep rough.
There have been two reported sightings of their missing son near Camden Haven in the past year-and-a-half and that is what has drawn them back to the area once again.
Bobby went missing from their home in Coledale in the northern Illawarra in September, 2008. He suffers from depression and his life has fluctuated with his moods. At various times, he has found work, started university degrees and other courses and not been able to finish. Sue believes the pressure to do more, from others and from himself, may have played a part in his disappearance. He also struggled with finding the right treatment for his depression.
Since the day Bobby disappeared, Bob and Sue have followed any lead or sighting and distributed Missing Persons posters. It is a difficult, frustrating heart-rending quest. Any newspaper article of a body or human remains being found cause their hearts to skip a beat.
On this latest trip, the couple plans to travel to Brisbane, stopping at local police stations seeking and distributing information on Bobby as they go. If leads in the Camden Haven area are strong they will spend eight weeks there, if any other leads come up they will follow.
“Everyone has been so supportive and have such empathy for us,” Bob told the Camden Haven Courier. “There are a number of times (over the past 18 months) when we’ve been on a trip or just out shopping etc and think we see him, we do a u-turn and follow the car or the person to see if it is him. It’s something that’s got a hold of us.”
Sue told the newspaper that the family is hyper vigilant because there is no closure on Bobby’s situation.
“But we’ve got to stay on top of things or this will destroy us,” she said. “We just want him to get in touch and say he’s still on the planet. We love him.”
If anyone out there sees Bobby, they are urged to contact the police or the Missing Persons Unit.
Please keep an eye out for him … and try to keep all of your ‘problems’ in perspective.

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March 31

Australia’s beaches. In many cases, it is the only realistic option for anglers wanting to get to that perfect fishing spot eight kilometres down the empty and idyllic sands.
While the vast majority of beach drivers are courteous and respectful of the rights of others to enjoy the beach, there is always a minority that will drive too fast and sometimes too close to regular beach users. If nothing else, it can make people feel uncomfortable.
And, shouldn’t the beach be the one place where parents can allow their children to run around freely without worrying about the dangers posed by ‘traffic’? Not to mention all those sprightly grey nomads gearing up to chase frisbees across the golden sands!
Seriously, should the use of vehicles on our beaches be better regulated? Should there be more restrictions on their use? Or is it beach driving part of our culture and history and, because of our geography, pretty much a practical necessity for many beach pursuits? Email us here with your views.
Incidentally, to put the Daytona accident into perspective, the last car-related death on that area’s beaches happened in 1996 when a 57-year-old woman was hit by a drunk driver. It’s not a big problem then … unless you are one of the people who have had their lives shattered by its consequences!

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March 30

Hop to It
If you’ve always wanted to put the magnificent Kangaroo Island on your big Lap itinerary but have been a bit frightened off by the budget-busting ferry fares, then now could be your big chance.
Apparently, the island’s three caravan parks have been enjoying a massive surge in bookings thanks to a Sealink fare special.
The deal, which runs until the end of June, offers free transport for caravans and camper trailers and 50 per cent discounts for campervans.
Yeehaii! There really is no excuse now not to get over and experience this South Australian wonder. From memory, it features on just about every Australian “You must see before you die” list ever made ... so without wishing to tempt fate, maybe we should take this chance while we can!
Nepean Bay Tourist Park manager Helen Belios told the Islander Newspaper that the 15 per cent increase in bookings since the special started in late February had been a significant boost for the park.
“This is fantastic for the island, people are staying longer and therefore spending more money at island businesses,” Ms Belios said.
Nicola Purvis of KI Shores, at Penneshaw, said she had never seen so many vans coming off the ferry and she had five walk-ins on one day last week – people who had come over but not yet booked into a park.
Sealink’s Julie-Anne Briscoe told the Islander newspaper that the special was trialled for the first time last year but extended and promoted more this year through other caravan parks in SA and Victoria.
She said Tourism KI had promoted it at the recent Caravan and Camping Show in Adelaide, conscious that the island had been missing out on a significant demographic of ‘grey nomads’.
As tourism bodies are becoming increasingly aware, although many older travellers are budget conscious but do provide a significant boost to local economies in any case … but first you have to get them there. After all, let’s face it. Most of the cash we save on the ferry fare is going to end up being spent on the island anyway … but hey it’s going to be a whole lot of fun.
Have you taken advantage of this Sealink special? Is Kangaroo Island worth the effort and expense? Email us here to share your thoughts.

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March 29

daylight and kept submerging. A team of rangers caught the beast at the third barrage, just downstream from the Shady Camp boat ramp.
Mr Nichols said rangers harpooned the animal, but the crocodile died during the capture.
”In more than 20 years of experience capturing and removing crocodiles this is only the fourth crocodile that hasn't survived during its capture," he told the NT News.
Mr Nichols said capturing the saltie was another reminder to grey nomad visitors and fishermen fishing in the area to be aware of crocodiles.
Apparently, a few weeks ago, three tourists got the fright of their lives, when a three-metre saltie launched itself into their tinny at Shady Camp.
The men from New South Wales had been fishing and were reeling in a barra when the croc lurched out of the water.
Last month, a woman made headlines when she went for a swim in the crocodile-infested water, wearing little but her pink bikini.
Did the rangers do the right thing or should visitors to the area just learn to show more respect for the dangers posed by salties? Have you had croc experiences at Shady Camp or anywhere else? Email us here to share your views.

March 26

The Roads not Graded
It seems that the state of Outback tracks in many areas will continue to be an issue of some debate for a while yet ... even in states where elections have already been held!
Pastoralists in the far north of South Australia have now told the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper that tracks that have been left to fall into disrepair from funding cuts are threatening the lives of thousands of tourists, including of course grey nomads.
They say wear and tear from a lack of maintenance, caused by the halving of the number of roadworkers in the region in the 2002 State Budget, is showing more than ever after recent rains.
While the Government has disputed the claims of funding cuts, pastoralists say water pooled in the damaged tracks is creating dangerous conditions for travellers on the state's 10,000km outback track network.
Up to 25,000 cars a year, or 65 cars a day, use each outback road - many of them tourists, whose numbers increased by 25 per cent last year.
It is also argued that many of the outback roads have not been re-sheeted and most have not received maintenance in the past eight years since the State Government slashed its funding.
Two crews of roadworkers, down from four, were left to grade and resurface unsealed roads through 85 per cent of the state's land area, the Transport Department confirmed.
Pastoralist Wayne Williams, of Hamilton Station near Oodnadatta, said tracks were now so degraded that locals wanted Transport SA to either spend the money to maintain the road or close the access tracks across pastoral properties to the public, to ensure their safety.
"These roads are a result of taking away the re-sheeting gang and the Government has a duty of care because they took away a re-sheeting gang when they came into office," he said. "The Government is pushing tourism, which we don't have a problem with, but they must build the playing field first and then invite the players, not the other way around."
Traffic on the tracks has worn away the surface, making the roads up to 1m deep.
They became water drains after rainfall, Mr Williams told the Adelaide Advertiser.
However, the newly – but narrowly – re-elected South Australian Government says it is spending more on road infrastructure now than ever before, but there were always challenges with country roads, especially after rain.
The defeated South Australian Liberal Party had promised an extra road gang at a cost of $3 million each year to repair and maintain the outback tracks if it was elected in the recent election.
So, are any of you out and about on the South Aussie tracks? Are they worse than ever? Are they dangerous? Email us here with your views on the state of the dirt roads.

March 25

Caring for Communities
The pilot grey nomad volunteer program which has been running in the Queensland town of Barcaldine for a couple of years has, it seems, been something of a success.
The scheme, run by Barcaldine Regional Council, has already seen volunteers work on a number of jobs, including repairing grave stones, painting, computer work and landscape gardening.
Now, all grey nomads planning their travel to western Queensland are being urged to register to work as volunteers on community projects. Co-ordinator Doug Stewart says there are plans to expand the scheme so other towns can benefit.
"What we hopefully want to do in the long-term is that people will volunteer in Barcaldine," he told the ABC. "We'll be asking them where they'll be travelling to once they leave Barky and if they say, for example Longreach, we could say to them, 'well if you are going to Longreach there's a program over there you might be interested in getting involved in'."
More power to you, Doug. And to all of you community-spirited volunteers who are putting something back into this wonderful country that has given ua all so much.
Have you been involved in the Barcaldine ‘experiment”? Is the rolling out of the scheme a good idea? Will initiatives such as this help to make grey nomads more welcome in small towns (even when they are free camping)? Email us here with your thoughts.

March 24

A Hot Issue
Okay, okay … we’re not becoming America-obsessed here but following on from our story yesterday about guns being allowed in US national parks, it seems that there are plenty of other things happening in the home of the monster RV worthy of note.
This time it’s not good for camp-loving smokers. The California state Assembly is soon expected to pass a bill widely seen as the nation’s most aggressive curb on smoking outdoors.
It will mean that smokers are running run short of options for public parks and beaches where they can legally light up.
The San Diego Union Tribune reports that the measure is the outgrowth of a movement that first gained traction seven years ago in Solana Beach, which led California by forbidding smoking on its beaches. More than 100 city and county governments statewide have since imposed smoking bans at parks, on piers and in other public spaces.
However, no state Legislature has outlawed smoking across an entire parks system.
“If California passes a law that makes all of the state beaches and state parks smoke-free, it will set the tone for other states to follow,” said Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has not taken a position on the bill, which sets a fine of $100 for violators. The legislation lists some exempted areas, including parking lots and certain campsites.
Backers of the bill aim to limit cigarette-butt litter and reduce wildfire risks posed by smouldering cigarettes on roughly 1.5 million acres of park land statewide.
However, smokers are apparently bristling at what they view as another attack on their rights.
“You have somebody who is outdoors with their friends and family and enjoying our beautiful weather in California and they want to enjoy that experience with a cigar. It’s part of our personal freedom,” said Brian Berman, membership director for Cigar Rights of America. “Certainly anybody who smokes needs to be responsible with how they extinguish their cigar but, if that’s the concern, I think that education and tools for people to manage their cigarette or cigar is the answer rather than banning it altogether.”
Besides, said Berman, many parks allow campfires, barbecues and cook stoves with open flames. “Are you going to outlaw those as well?”
But, according to the San Diego Tribune, it’s not clear how much the proposed ban would help.
“To make this enforceable and to give public notice, we would have to put signs in virtually every park across the state and we have 278,” said Roy Stearns, a California State Parks spokesman. “Our budget is not in a position today to afford the signage.”
And apparently it’s already debatable whether city-issued smoking bans currently in place are effective. Social Advocates for Youth San Diego, a nonprofit group, recently displayed more than 50,000 butts collected at parks in San Diego city to make the point that enforcement of existing laws is lacking.
So, is the ban-smoking-in-parks movement currently gathering pace in the US likely to come our way some time soon? And, if it did, would that be good or a bad thing? Email us here with your views.

March 23

Taking Aim at New Law
You may remember that we reported last month on the introduction of a new law in the US allowing concealed weapons to be taken into national parks … it sounds scary but apparently there has been no sudden upsurge in shootings since the rules changed.
Effectively, it allows people to carry firearms, including semi-automatic weapons, in most national parks and wildlife refuges, so long as they follow the gun laws of the state. (That could get a little complicated, as more than 30 parks occupy land in multiple states.) As the Los Angeles Times points out that means people can now carry concealed weapons while camping in places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.
But despite the fact that carnage has yet to be unleashed on peaceful campsites … there are plenty of people who remain unhappy about the change.
Critics argue that the decision to overturn a 1983 law mandating that visitors had to unload and disassemble their guns and place them somewhere not-easily-accessible increases the prospect of violence.
An editorial in the Ventura County Star newspaper slammed the new rule is "a risky change that will endanger families, hikers, those who work in these places and the park rangers themselves".
And Paul Helmke, the President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, is even more adamant.
"When you are at a campfire and people are getting loud and boisterous next to you, you used to have to worry about them quieting down,” he told the Associated Press. “Now you have to worry about when they will start shooting."
Gulp! Suddenly a couple of overly-boisterous school groups at Uluru don’t sound quite as bad, do they?
Of course, given the fact that the new law is now … well… law, it is obvious that many people supported the change. They argue that an otherwise peaceable armed citizen who gets by just fine with his guns outside park boundaries won't suddenly undergo a personality transformation once he crosses a line on a map.
That’s certainly true. But does the presence of guns mean that an error of judgement or a rush of blood to the head can elevate a few cross words and an unpleasant evening to a life-changing nightmare? What do you think? Would you like to be able to carry a gun into an Australian national park to protect yourself against rampaging crazies, caravan-dwelling crocs and man-eating spiders? Email us here with your views on guns in national parks.
Oh, and just to put things into perspective, it is probably worth repeating the statistic that we quoted in our last US guns story. Back in 2008, there were a total of five murders and 24 rapes committed in US national parks. In the same year there were 275 million visitors to US national parks making them - statistically at least - among the safest places to be in America! I’m not sure whether that is reassuring or terrifying!

March 22

Trail of Destruction
North Queensland is dusting itself down and licking its wounds after Tropical Cyclone Ului swept through, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
The cyclone crossed the Queensland coast near Airlie Beach, north of Mackay, packing winds of more than 200-kilometres-an-hour. About 60,000 homes were blacked out across the region at the height of the cyclone, and falling trees were a major hazard. Ului has now been downgraded to a tropical low as it moves inland, but sugar cane crops have been flattened and many houses badly damaged.
Council work crews have now started the massive clean-up and extra SES crews are coming in from Townsville and Brisbane to help in the effort. Weather bureau spokesman Ben Annells says 300 to 450 millimetres of rain fell west of Mackay in a 24-hour period.
Rainfall averages of up to 200 millimetres have been recorded between Townsville and Mackay, with the heaviest falls at Clarke Range, which received more than 450 millimetres in 24 hours. Finch Hatton also received more than 300 millimetres.
At least six homes lost their roofs in the town of Proserpine and several streets were blocked by fallen trees.
A caller to ABC Local Radio said a caravan park in Proserpine where she is staying was hit hard.
"I've had a massive tree branch just missing the rear of my car and another one miss the side of my car," she said. "The neighbour directly next to me has totally lost his annex – it's disappeared. Another gentleman's lost the roof off his bus. There's trees down – it's just an absolute disaster area."
Premier Anna Bligh, who has inspected the damage in Proserpine told the ABC that many in the north had been doing it tough.
"We have had reports from the local disaster management people in Mackay who've heard from some of the islands where they do have accommodation – some of them have seen air-conditioners sucked out of the walls – that was the force of the winds that came through," she said. "So I think they've had a pretty scary night."
Hopefully, all of you travelling in the area heeded the warnings and hunkered down somewhere safe … or as safe as can be in the circumstances.
Certainly, it seems that many would-be travellers to the area decided that caution was the better part of valour.
The chief executive of Tourism Whitsundays, Peter O'Reilly, says the uncertainty about where the cyclone would cross the coast had led to a lot of cancellations.
"Predicting cyclones is anything but an exact science and they've given a range over half the Queensland coast almost for this one to impact," he said. "We just happen to be right in the middle of that impact zone. I can understand people having trepidation about travelling here.”
People certainly decided they wanted to be prepared for the worst and the Mackay Daily Mercury reported that supermarket shelves in Mackay and Airlie Beach were stripped bare by residents rushing to stock up on food, water and batteries.
Of course, many community events, including the Mackay Home Show and Caravan, Camping and Boating Expo, were also cancelled due to the threat of Tropical Cyclone Ului.
Australian Events director and event manager Bob Carroll said decision to the postpone the Expo was not a difficult one in the end.
“We have a couple of million dollars of infrastructure sitting there on the ground,” he said. “And we really couldn’t risk that or our staff.”
Well, to end on a brighter note on what was a tough day for many, the flooding that many had feared has not been as severe as was forecast in some quarters. Scant consolation, of course, for those who felt the full brunt of Ului’s fury.
Were you camping in north Queensland when the cyclone struck. How did you cope? How frightening was it? Have you been affected or scared by previous cyclones. Email us here to share.

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March 19

Mind the Trees
There was another near-tragic reminder of the dangers of falling trees this week when three separate vehicles crashed into a giant gum that was laying across the Pacific Highway at Glenugie, south of Grafton in New South Wales.
A B-double truck travelling north was the first to hit the tree, and then a second B-double heading south crashed into the same tree with the impact splitting the truck's fuel tank, resulting in a diesel spill. A car heading north also crashed into the tree.
Police say the driver of the north-bound truck suffered neck and back injuries and was taken to the Grafton Hospital. The other two drivers escaped injury.
Just a couple of weeks ago, a pregnant woman’s car was written off after a large branch fell off a blue gum at Roseville, also in New South Wales. Fortunately, Tamara Smith, was at lunch with colleagues and so not in the vehicle when the group heard a “terrible sound” and then saw the damage.
All scary stuff. Although of course from a grey nomad point of view, it is probably camping under or near a gum tree that poses the biggest danger. As we reported earlier this week, the New South Wales Government has announced it is establishing some new red gum national parks for the Riverina, in the state’s south … and so to some extent the trees can be an occupational hazard to the travelling public. Certainly, gum trees in Australia are hard to avoid, and they are of course magnificent anyway.
Nonetheless, stories like that of the falling gum tree that killed a teenage girl as she slept in her tent on a school camp a few years ago are hard to forget and should serve as an ongoing reminder of the need for care in camping site selection. In that awful incident, a 10-metre tree fell on the school group's remote bush campsite in the NSW Southern Highlands killing the 16-year-old student but leaving the girl next to her unharmed.
As we all know, big gum trees offer a nice shady spot to set up camp but they also have a tendency to shed branches without warning. Low trees and bushy shrubs are far safer because high trees are more susceptible to strong winds and swaying. Furthermore, some large trees look sturdy but may have been hollowed out by termites, others have shallow root systems which can weaken in heavy rain and wind.
In other words, be careful and – if in doubt– seek local knowledge from park rangers or campsite managers.
Have you had a close encounter with a falling gum tree or gum tree limb? Do you have any tips about identifying the safest place to set up camp? Email us here to share.

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March 18

Free for Three
Okay guys. Form an orderly queue here. Word has reached us of a competition that could leave your rig upgraded and your camping costs reduced to zero! Sound good? Then, read on!
Dometic is looking for three couples to go on what it calls a road trip of a lifetime.  Entrants to the ‘Follow the Sun’ promotion must be available and willing to travel between June 13 and September 17 this year … and I’m hoping that includes all of you!
The basic idea is that you get your van kitted out with the latest Dometic-WAECO product and then you act as a sort of roving ambassador, showing off the gear at any given opportunity.
Dometic will then foot the bill for accommodation, flights, food and more.
All entrants must have their own caravan, camper trailer or motorhome and a Dometic Group branded, or previously related brand of fridge/freezer or cooler. That is Dometic, WAECO, Electrolux, Mobicool or Chescold.
You must also be willing to report on the touring component of the campaign in form of blogs on the official on a minimum weekly basis. Oh, and you’ve also got to be willing to conduct ‘Happy Hours’ during the tour. Reckon you could manage that?
Entries must be in by April 5 at midnight (Australian Eastern Standard Time), so get your skates on!
Full details of the competition are available at www.dometicfollowthesun.com.au/competition 

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March 17

Among the Gum Trees
The New South Wales Government has announced the establishment of new red gum national parks for the Riverina, in the state’s south ... and is already encouraging grey nomads and others to visit the area.
Environment Minister Frank Sartor has given approval for 107,000 hectares of river red gum protected areas and says about 80 per cent of the area, or just over 70,000 hectares of forests, will be protected immediately as national parks, while logging will be allowed to continue in other parts for the next five years.
“The new protected areas will provide both locals and tourists with continued access to activities including free camping, fishing, bush walking, dog walking and fire wood collection,” Mr Sartor said. “For the first time promotion of these new protected areas and existing Southern NSW national parks will be undertaken at the Melbourne Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow in March to capture this important tourist market.”
The minister says that, following community feedback, the NSW Government had increased the proportion of the total protected area to be created under the Regional Park category to provide for a broader range of recreational activities.
Areas affected include most of the Millewa Group of State Forests, the Barooga Group of Forests and areas of River Red Gum State Forests on the Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Lower Murray Rivers.
“After visiting the Riverina region in January I could see why the river red gum forests are of national and international significance,” Mr Sartor said. “The combination of Millewa and Victoria’s Barmah region form the largest river red gum forest in the world.”
Mr Sartor said a lack of water has caused the health of much of the river red gum areas to decline, with between 65-90 per cent of trees either dead or dying in the lower parts of river catchments. He said water to support river red gums, wetlands and the new parks will be drawn from:

• The Living Murray program in NSW which has recovered approximately 220,000 megalitres
• Over 45,000 megalitres has been purchased for the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan areas by the Department of Environment and Climate Change and Water.

However, not everybody is happy about the government decision. In fact, many are incandescent with rage, including representatives of the Riverina timber industry.
The executive director of the New South Wales Forest Products Association, Russ Ainely, says it will mean more than 500 people will lose their jobs. And, he says, that very little of the $80 million support package that the government has offered to the timber industry will go to those who are directly affected.
“Everybody I've spoken to is appalled by this decision and this assistance that's to be provided to the mills and the industries that operates there is about half of what was offered to the Brigalow mills over five years ago," he said. "Most of that will disappear into all sorts of national parks funding and exercises there, as far as supporting the industries and the people that are affected, I suppose I could best describe it as miserable."
Surprisingly perhaps, there are those who are also questioning whether the creation of the new national parks will actually benefit tourism in the area.
Deniliquin Council’s General manager, Graeme Haley, says the evidence suggests the decision could severely damage local economies and therefore do more to hinder the local tourism industry than help it.
"The Government has mentioned a number of times how tourism will be the saviour in these national parks but I think it'll have an adverse effect on all of the southern Riverina," he said. "We are yet to see that in the national park they've just created about four five years ago in Balranald. If anything it'll reduce tourism."
It’s obviously a very sensitive subject, and the decision will clearly have a devastating effect on many families in the area who rely on the logging industry for their livelihood. But is this the right decision? Do these red gums need protecting? Will you use these new national parks? Email us here.

March 16

At your Disposal
It’s party time for all you “Give us more dump points” campaigners out there. The Queensland Government has just announced it is going to spend big to provide more of these crucial facilities to the travelling hordes of grey nomads and others.
The announcement comes as Queensland and elsewhere gears up for a bumper tourist season following the biggest, wettest Big Wet in many a year.
Queenslands’s Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said grey nomads were a welcome sight on the state's highways and the Bligh Government was keen to do its bit to encourage more of us to hit the road. Thanks, guys.
"I can now announce we're going to spend $50,000 a year over the next three years to roll out more 'dump points' for our road travellers," Mr Wallace said. “With dump points, grey nomads are able to visit more places off the beaten track, knowing they've got somewhere safe and secure to dispose of their waste."
Could the penny finally be dropping! Look after us and we’ll look after the environment ... and lots of struggling rural economies along the way.
Mr Wallace said that over the past two years, the State Government had installed 22 dump points across Queensland. He said they had been put in at Charleville, Coen, Duaringa, Rockhampton, Tambo and Yeppoon, and were about to be rolled out in Aramac, Atherton, Augathella, Betoota, Chillagoe, Einasleigh, Jundah, Morven and Muttaburra. Mr Wallace said that all up, the government was going to install an extra 34 dump points around Queensland.
Yeehaiii!
“More dump points mean more dollars for regional Queensland, with tourists spending money at take-away shops, corner stores, newsagents and petrol stations in small towns and communities,” her said. “Every cloud has a silver lining and, after the big wet, we can brace ourselves for another deluge - grey nomads and other travellers heading north, south, east and particularly out west to see the wildlife and wildflowers."
So, it looks like there will soon be even more destinations we can visit without having to worry about how to dispose of our waste ... and that’s got to be good. So, what do you make of the Queensland initiative? Are other states better or worse than the Sunshine State in terms of dump points? How important is identifying dump point locations to you as you planning your trips? Any suggestions for locations in desperate need of a dump point? Email us here with your thoughts.

March 15

Nomads Rush to River
We reported last week on how the torrential rain in Queensland and South Australia would see grey nomads flooding into the Outback to see the abundant wildflowers and birdlife that the deluge will bring.
But the water-borne benefits do not stop at those states’ borders, it seems. The floodwaters from southern Queensland are now making their way south through all rivers extending from the flooded area. Those bodies of water are heading into the Diamantina River and then on to Lake Eyre, or into the Darling River and then on to the Murray.
The rising waters in the Darling are also likely to be a big attraction for travellers. By the time a sheet of water covers the salt pan of Lake Eyre in May, the flow of travellers heading to the lake and south from there will be strong and constant.
Wentworth is a town just along the Murray River from Mildura. It's at the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers. The Melbourne Age newspaper spoke to grey nomads at the Willow Bend Caravan Park, just off the junction, about their delight at seeing the dirty milk colour of the Darling pouring into the clear water of the Murray.
Adelaide couple Ian and Olive Weinert were so excited by the rains that they drove to Wentworth to set up their caravan.
“'The old Darling is usually a stagnant bloody pond,'' Mr Weinert said. ''Now the water's really running. We're staying for three months.”
Mr Weinert goes fishing in the Darling, but he said his main enjoyment was just watching the water flow. ''It's like sitting in Melbourne and watching a tram go past,'' he said.
While the Darling is up, it's apparently not because of last weekend's rain.
Late last month, the water from the floods in southern Queensland over the new-year period arrived in Lake Menindee. A large allotment was allowed into the lower Darling, which explains the surging of the river into the Murray in recent weeks.
In coming weeks, the water from last weekend's rains in southern Queensland will make its way into Lake Menindee. An enormous body of water will be allowed to flow from the lake into the lower Darling, enabling the river to rise to levels to rival the great flood of 1976.
According to the Age, in coming weeks and months, the surge of traffic along the roads to Wentworth and beyond will be like a river gathering speed.
See you there!

March 12

Full Steam Ahead
As the economic impact of grey nomads finally begins to earn the recognition it deserves, so the number of grey nomad targeted attractions and events begins to grow.
The latest case in point is the four day Ultimate Steam Festival to be held in Gympie during April 2010.
“Test marketing has shown that the event will also attract large numbers of ‘Grey Nomads’ touring the country,” said Amanda LePeilbet, Gympie Cooloola Tourism’s General Manager.  “It is estimated that some 250,000 caravans and mobile homes will be touring around Australia in 2010 and this festival is a great opportunity for the Gympie region to capture some of this market as many of them head north for winter.”
So, what’s on offer for us, Amanda?
Well, apparently visitors will experience a full range of heritage steam working across a range of industries. The highlights of the festival will include rides on the unique ‘Mary Anne” full size replica of an 1873 timber line steam engine.  Watch the huge 1899 working steam winding engine, combined with a steam powered compressor, used to power jackhammers and rock drill in the mine and steam powered electric generator.  Woodworks Museum activities will include a mobile saw milling competition and traditional handtool demonstrations, while the Rattler will run two return trips each day to Amamoor, 23 km down the old Mary Valley branchline.
The event is the combined effort of three heritage attractions – the ‘Valley Rattler’ steam engine adventure trip, the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum and the Woodworks Forestry and Timber Museum. Although the concept has been discussed before, this is the first time visitors will be able to experience the three attractions focussing on a common theme. It is hoped that the event will put the spotlight on the Gympie region and attract lots of grey nomads.
Sounds great. So, for all of you steam buffs – and for those of you just into history – Gympie is the place to be this April.

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March 11

Aussies Shop, Others Drop
Crisis, what crisis? According to media reports this week, while most countries were hunkering down to survive the ravages of the global financial meltdown, Australians were merrily spending their way through the hard times ... and domestic travel was high on their priority list.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in the past 12 months, spending on boats, caravans and bikes went up nearly 40 per cent, spending on sporting and recreational services went up nearly 17 per cent and spending on housekeepers and gardeners went up more than 10 per cent.
For all of you out there on the open road, news that caravan purchases are on the up and up will come as no surprise ...but the experts were gobsmacked.
In all, last year Australians spent $5 billion in the boat, bike and caravan category, up from $3.5 billion the year before.
CommSec's chief economist Craig James, who broke down the figures, told the Daily Telegraph that Australians had been able to shine a light through all the global gloom because of several factors.
These were the government stimulus packages, the fact that interest rates were at their lowest in 49 years, retailers trimming their margins like never before because they feared shoppers would walk on by rather than through the door, and petrol being so much cheaper, down 15.8 per cent down over the year.
So, how did you react to the doomsayers’ predictions of economic disaster and tumbling super expectations? Did you turn to your trusty tent for Big Lap accommodation or did you cheer yourself up with a $500,000 super-dooper luxury motorhome … and to hell with the bank manager! Email us here to confess your spendthrift ways.

March 10

The Campaign gets Dirty
Well, the amazing amounts of rain falling in many Outback areas is likely to have a number of knock-on effects … and not just for the farmers.
Earlier this week, we reported that the deluge will almost certainly result in far greater numbers of grey nomads than usual venturing out there to enjoy the soon-to-be abundant wildflowers and birdlife. And that fact alone could also mean an upgrade for many dirt roads.
In South Australia, the Opposition is promising a road gang will be introduced to maintain and repair dirt roads in the far north of South Australia if it wins the March 20 poll. Liberal leader Isobel Redmond says she would immediately start addressing a backlog of road maintenance around the state.
"With the water coming into Lake Eyre we're anticipating quite a significant number of increased tourism numbers and we think it's important to get that under way,” she said. “It's not just a matter of comfort, it can be quite dangerous for people if they're out in areas they're not familiar with and they come to grief on roads out there."
Ain’t that’s the truth, Izzy!
And Ms Redmond says it’s definitely not just local pastoralists who have told her of the need for regular maintenance of remote dirt roads.
"Grey nomads and tourists from interstate and overseas get themselves into very great difficulty because of the failure of maintenance on those outback roads," she said. "We will commit $3 million to establish one road gang and the equipment to do proper upkeep on the roads.”
When it comes to good news, I guess it never rains but it pours.
Hopefully, the issue becomes a bit of a political football in the lead-up to the election and the South Australian Government also commits to more major dirt road upgrades.
Or do you feel that that is not necessarily a desirable outcome? Are there some of you adventurers out there who prefer your roads rocky and your trips challenging? Do you worry that better roads might mean more people and less adventure? Email us here with your thoughts.

March 9

Gone with the Wind
It is with great regret that I bring you news of treachery in the ranks, my fellow travellers. Whereas, once it was an established fact that every self-respecting, hard-working Aussie dreamed of retirement and the opportunity to hitch up the van to take off into the wild brown yonder …now it seems that an increasing number of our mature-aged comrades are spurning the opportunity to enjoy endless sunsets and happy hour drinks … in order to work longer!
And there are those among us who are encouraging others to do the same! Grave news indeed. What will become of the proud grey nomad tradition if we all decide that swimming, fishing, hiking and hanging out near the van is not as much fun as slaving away in the office or painting an ablution block? A civilisation gone with the wind, that’s what.
The latest evidence of this alarming new trend comes from the New South Wales town of Lismore where a new job agency has been set up specifically for seniors on the state’s north coast.
The man behind the scheme, Lismore-retiree, Art Beavis, said he established his agency, Silver Temp, in November and already 50 retirees have signed with him seeking work. That’s 50 less potential grey nomads, people! Things could soon get lonely out there on the road!
Mr Beavis told the Northern Star newspaper that too often when employers needed extra staff they opted to put on a junior because they could not afford an experienced person. Instead he wants them to consider hiring an older person on a part-time basis.
“These people are going to give you a better day’s work for a better day’s pay because they are really interested in being there,” he said. “Someone even told me that retirement was boring them to tears.”
He says that while the global financial downturn has seen many retirees’ super funds shrink, most of his clients want to work because it kept them busy and social.
What about driving around the country meeting countless new and interesting people every day. Isn’t that being busy and social?
So, what do you think? Does this new ‘work for as long as you can’ trend pose a threat to the grey nomad way of life? How can we combat it? Email us your thoughts here.

March 8

A Silver Lining
The huge amounts of rain that have been dumped on western Queensland over the past few weeks is expected to bring grey nomads flocking to the area in record numbers.
After the floodwaters have receded, the normally dry landscape of the state’s harsh interior will be transformed and yellow, pink and blue wildflowers will spring up everywhere. Along with the flowers will come the birds, and tourism chiefs are already getting excited.
Indeed, it seems that areas such as Diamantina Shire in far south-western Queensland are more than willing to deal with a bit of flood-induced isolation for the spectacular end result.
"For now the towns are coping very well ... and the silver lining goes two ways out here,” said shire council tourism and development manager Brian Mooney. “The cattle industry and all the stations are really happy about this rain and so is the tourism industry."
He says that although the rains will delay the tourism season opening by two or three weeks, visitors will start flowing through by Easter. Visitor numbers to Diamantina Shire, which incorporates the towns of Birdsville and Bedourie, reached 120,000 last year, and even more visitors are expected due to the mammoth downpour.
"It changes the landscape completely,” he told the ABC. “We also get all the other bird life which comes with it … they're nesting in all the trees - it's marvellous to see.
The shire also has one of the biggest pelican-breeding areas in the world once big rains come.
And, of course, the prospect of Lake Eyre once again filling up with water has those involved in the rourism industry licking their lips.
"Lake Eyre is really a big drawing card to the desert," Birdsville Hotel Manager Kate McDonald said. "We're hoping to see a lot more tourists come through. We're getting lots of inquires as what we think will happen with Lake Eyre now."
The regional coordinator for natural resource management group Desert Channels Queensland, Steve Wilson, is optimistic Lake Eyre will see water again.
"Lake Eyre is Australia's natural bathtub and the water gravitates there being an internal draining system." he said. "It's a special part of the world to be in the dry times, but now that it's green and lush and looking like the Scottish Highlands, it's looking pretty amazing."
Will you change your travel plans to ensure you are in the region to see Lake Eyre with water, or to check out the post-flood wildflowers? Or, if you have seen the phenomenon in the past, would you recommend others make the effort? Email us here.

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March 5

A Narrow Margin
There’s more than one way grey nomads can get into trouble on a bridge, it seems. Just a couple of days after reporting on a potentially hazardous low bridge in Melbourne which can catch out travellers en route to the Tasmania ferry, our attention has now been drawn to the dangers of narrow bridges.
These dangers were highlighted by caravanning couple Rob and Heather Shields earlier this week when they got into a scrape on the New England Highway in Queensland that could have been a lot worse.
The pair were towing their caravan south along the highway when they found themselves on a single-lane bridge at Bum Bum Creek, 25km north of Crows Nest, with four motorcycles coming towards them from the opposite direction. Despite there being a ‘Give Way’ sign on the southern end of the bridge, the four motorcycles and the Shields’ car and caravan were caught in a potentially deadly situation.
According to a report in the Toowoomba Chronicle, a female rider’s motorcycle clipped the caravan, causing her to fall from her bike. It is believed she sustained a serious leg injury and was taken to Toowoomba Hospital in a stable condition.
Mr and Mrs Shields were on their way from their home at Burrum Heads on the Sunshine Coast to a caravan rally at Lakes Entrance in Victoria.
But their plans have now changed.
“We’re alright, that’s the main thing,” said Mrs Shields, who was celebrating her 65 th birthday on the day of the accident. “But I think now we’ll find a caravan park in Toowoomba and have a lie down.”
Mrs Shields said she had been caravanning for 40 years with her husband and they had never been involved in a traffic crash.
“But I guess it’s just the law of averages really,” she said. “You go out on the roads and you take your life into your own hands.”
Sad but possibly true! Have you had any bad experiences on narrow bridges? Are there enough warning to prevent accidents like the one involving the Shields? Email your views here.

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March 3

A Bridge Too Low
Grey nomads are being urged to avoid a frighteningly low bridge as they navigate their way through Melbourne to the ‘Spirit of Tasmania’ ferry.
Warnings about the bridge at Montague Street, which has clearance of just under three metres, have already appeared on our forum pages and elsewhere … but still people are running into grief.
Only a pop-top campervan is capable of getting safely under this bridge, meaning other vans, motorhomes and fifth wheelers are going to find themselves stuck … or worse ... unless they take evasive action.
Sensors which activate flashing red strobe are now in place at the bridge but larger vehicles continue to run into trouble there … a situation not helped by the fact that many GPS systems reportedly still insist on trying to take all traffic this way to the ferry despite the hazard.
The advice being given out by organisations such as the CMCA  for grey nomads travelling in  large rigs is that, once they have come off the Westgate Freeway, they should take the Montague Street exit and travel along to the Normansby Road intersection, where they should turn right. Most travellers come unstuck when they carry on down Montague Street instead of turning down Normansby Road here.
Ferry hunters should then travel along Normansby Road, turn left into Ingles St and across the railway crossing, then right into Crockford Street, down Bay Street to Beach Street and onto the ferry. Simple, isn’t it? And you don’t get to give your rig a haircut! Good luck.
Are there any other low bridges that grey nomads in large rigs should be aware of? And how useful or otherwise are GPS systems on the Big Lap? Email us here to share.

March 2

Watered Down
While grey nomads on the east coast were bracing themselves for the tsunami that never quite materialised, their landlocked comrades in Central Australia were getting a right old soaking from a deluge that did.
More than 300 millimetres of rain has fallen in Alice Springs in a week … more than the entire annual average rainfall!
At last check, the Todd River was receding but many causeways connecting the town's east and west remained closed. Thankfully, there have been no other deaths since a 43-year-old man was swept away in the normally dry Todd River on Friday night.
All sealed roads remain open but other main roads, including the Tanami, Plenty and Sandover highways were partially under water. If you are in that part of the world, please make sure that you check road conditions before setting off on your journey. Authorities say several motorists have been caught out and stranded by floodwaters.
Superintendent Sean Parnell said that while drivers had become stuck at places like Santa Teresa Road and the magnificent Larapinta Drive, all those that they knew about had food and water and were just waiting until the roads became more passable to get out.
Even passengers on the Ghan train have been left stranded in Alice Springs because a section of its railway track has been washed away by flood waters.
Mark Kersemakers from the Bureau of Meteorology says the low pressure system responsible for the wet conditions has now moved into south western Queensland but had certainly dumped plenty of rain in Alice Springs.
As we all know, Mother Nature is an unpredictable beast. Whether it be floods, drought, bushfire or, heaven forbid, tsunamis, we are all vulnerable to her moods and thus we all share a responsibility to take as much care as we can. Adventure is part of the deal … being reckless isn’t.
Have you been caught out by the monsoonal conditions in Central Australia? Email us here to share your story.

March 1

Tsunami Threat Dissolves
The tsunami threat triggered by the massive earthquake in Chile on the weekend must have caused a few anxious moments for those of you camped in beach areas along the east coast.
In the end, of course, the massive waves that had been feared never materialised and there were no reports of damage or flooding in Australia.
Indeed, it seems that most people were never actually that panicked by reports of a tsunami racing across the Pacific Ocean at nearly 700km/h. Despite sirens being sounded, lifesavers warning people off beaches, and lifesaving activities being cancelled, many people flocked to the coast to see the action. Boats took to the water, crowds gathered at the foreshores and all to see waves a few centimetres higher than normal lap onto the beaches. And, from what we can gather, the grey nomads stayed put at the coastal camping areas throughout it all. 
Nonetheless, the warning was justified. Surges in sea levels were recorded in many areas. The Gold Coast saw a 20cm increase in sea levels. In Tasmania, Southport and Darlington there was a 17cm increase. Port Kembla, south of Sydney, recorded a 14cm increase, and Norfolk Island recorded a 50cm surge.
But the whole experience just goes to show just how little we understand about tsunami behaviour and that should make us more cautious ... not less.
The co-director of the Joint Australia Tsunami Watch Centre, Chris Ryan, said beachgoers would not have seen the ‘big wave’ associated with many tsunamis, but the effect would be felt at a ‘marine level’.
"Tsunami waves have a much longer range and have a large force of water behind them. They may look like normal-sized waves but their impact on sea currents can be quite significant," Mr Ryan said. "It could put people who are close to the water's edge at great risk, knocking them over and sending some waves pushing higher up the beach."
With all the publicity being given to the tsunami that never was, it is easy to forget that the real tragedy is in Chile where the earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale  caused widespread destruction, with the death toll climbing towards 1000.
And as for tsunamis in Australia. As NSW Premier Kristina Keneally rightly said people should have obeyed the warnings.
"Next time, they may not be so lucky," she said.
Were you affected by the tsumani warnings? Did you stay put in your coastal camping spot or retreat to higher ground? What warnings were you given about the potential threat? Did we take the threat seriously enough? Email us here.

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