Grey nomads have been given another frightening reminder about the potential perils of camping beneath large trees.
A group of campers are lucky to be alive after a huge gum tree branch fell across their campsite at Twin Knobs Beach at Cobram in Victoria. The Shepparton News reports that the weight of the massive limb crushed a ute and a caravan, which luckily had no one inside at the time.
The ute’s owner, Cobram’s Gerard Warrin, was standing at the base of the tree when he heard what he thought were fire crackers.
‘‘I was standing within metres of the tree when the branch came down and initially I actually thought it was coming from down the river,’’ he told the Shepparton News. ‘‘Then, when it came down, I really thought there might be someone underneath … if any one of us were in it, I have no doubt that we would be dead.”
The caravan’s owner, Chris Clegg from Melbourne, was still reeling from the shock of what could have happened if the branch had fallen while his family was asleep in the caravan.
‘‘It’s quite simply very scary … thousands of people camp every day and it really is just the luck of the draw,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t care about the caravan, I’m shaken about what could have happened, what we could have lost.’’
River red gums are notoriously unstable at this time of year in the hot weather.
Cobram Panel Works manager Mark Haberfield, who helped clear the wreckage, told the Shepparton News that it was common for tree limbs to drop on campsites in summer.
‘‘We attend between six and 10 of these of events every summer,” he told the paper. “Campers put themselves in a very scary and risky situation by camping under these trees.’’
My wife & I camp at town beach Tocumwal & last week a branch fell & wrote a caravan off. Luckily due to the hot weather the owners stayed at a hotel for the night. We always camp well away from the trees.
We experienced a huge gum tree branch falling away from the van into the Campaspe River at the Loins Park camp ground at Echuca Vic. Lucky for us it broke off away from our van which was parked under the said gum tree. A lesson to be learntby us.
Marking campsites with signs is a deterrent. .
Out of town from Hillston campsite on the Lachlan river has this..
such a great safety message to their campers. .
If it’s a regular thing that tree branches break and do damage to people or there property whilst staying in the caravan park, then the owner, manager should be held responsible.
Oh Ross how about people just use a bit of common sense otherwise your gonna see caravan parks with no trees. Next we will blame the BOM for lighting strikes.
People should learn to take responsibility for THEIR decisions
Morning. . Sorry for the family ❤ just read the comment that the gentleman was park in a town and the branch fell on his van.
We dont think about that in town.
I will be thinking carefully next time l park near a tree in a town.
Safe travels
To all
Gypsy Jayne
People !!! Why do you think old cow cockies those trees WIDOW MAKERS
I was ccamping on the Murrumbidgee River just downstream from the Uroley Bridge, when a giant tree on the opposite bank just dropped a large branch from near the top and it broke the majority of branches that were lower down the tree. It was a frightening noise and it took about 60 seconds before it all fell. Never again, will l even drive along a river bank , on a hot still day.
Look up and live. People can only be advised so many times not to speed, not to drink and drive, not to camp under river gums, only swim between the flags etc. The authorities can only do so much. It’s the , “Wont happen to me syndrome.” Personal responsibility. Otherwise just throw the dice.
Exactly why we NEVER park under trees.
Exact reason I ask for a site if possible with no gums
Its when you least expect it, we were kayaking and camping along the Murrumbidgee a few years ago. We camped well clear of trees but one of our crew was capsized by a falling branch the following morning as we paddled.
You don’t have to be camping for a tree or limb to fall. We were driving (not towing) along a tree lined road when we heard an almighty BANG. I thought a bomb had exploded, on inspection a huge limb had fallen onto the roof of our SUV and then rolled off onto the shoulder of the road. Fortunately, both my husband and myself live to tell the tale, the car on the other hand was written off. We never position ourselves (with or without the van) under or close to Gum trees. We don’t have to become a ‘treeless’
barren landscape, plenty of other varieties can provide shade especially in Caravan Parks.