Live2Camp Magazine Issue #22

STYX RIVERÂ NATIONAL PARK

WATTLE FLAT CAMPING

QLD / NSW / SA

CAMERON CORNER CAMPING MOUNT REMARKABLE NATIONAL PARK

MAMBRAY CREEK CAMPING

Issue #22

We take the road less travelled

A WORD OR TWO FROM

THE EDITOR Matt Bloomfield I need to start this edition of Live2Camp Magazine by apologising. Yep, that’s right, I’m sorry you haven’t heard from us for a little while. That is, we haven’t put out an edition of this magazine for a little while.

We have a very good reason though. We have been off travelling around this great country of ours filming some of the best campgrounds you will find anywhere for you campers at home. That’s right we have been travelling through the most spectacular parts of South Australia you will ever see and filmed some of the best campgrounds you will ever see. So I hope you will forgive us and enjoy the videos you will find on our website over the next few months. And get out there and see them for yourself! I also want to take this time to introduce you to our latest contributor to this magazine. I had the good fortune to receive a message a couple of weeks ago from a lady called Katie Hart.

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What a piece of luck this was. Katie and her family have been on the road travelling our beautiful country for the past 9 months and have camped in places I have only dreamt of. Katie runs a blog and Facebook page called ‘Harts on Tour’, which is full of amazing stories and photographs from their amazing travels. If you haven’t seen Katie’s blog or Facebook page I strongly suggest you visit them and join the family on their adventures. Katie has been kind enough to share some of their stories with us and you will be able to enjoy them each month in this very magazine. Welcome on board Katie, we are very excited to have you on board!

Until next time campers, enjoy this edition of the Live2Camp Magazine.

contents 02 A word or two from The Editor

12 The Yorke Peninsula - a camping paradise

18 Woman's Perspective Meeting the locals

04 A country pub Noccundra Hotel

15 Camping Tip of the Month - portable toilets

19 Letters to the editor Facebook, emails and messages

06 Mambray Creek 16 Upcoming camping Campground - Mount shows Remarkable National Park 10 Harts on Tour - Wattle Flat Campground

17 Cameron Corner Campground - QLD / NSW / SA

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NOCCUNDRA HOTEL A pub in the middle of nowhere! How can that possibly survive? In a town that has a listed population of 4, all of which I believe work in the pub. Well, the Noccundra Hotel does more than just survive, it thrives! It is a pub I have wanted to visit for a very long time but due to its remoteness I had to wait until I happen to be passing by. However, on the day I happen to drop in there were enough patrons in the bar to make any country pub envious.  4

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The Noccundra Hotel is the only original surviving building in the historic township of Noccundra and was first issued a licence in 1886. The Hotel was an important link in Outback communications, and became a service point for travellers and as a focus for community events. The pub is currently owned by Nockatunga Station and is still an important meeting place for locals and travellers alike. The hotel offers Dongas, Powered and Unpowered Camp Sites, Shower and Toilet Blocks, Laundry Facilities, Fully Licensed Bar, Dining Room and good old fashion outback hospitality. If you happen to be passing out that way I highly recommend you stop in for coldie or two!

Words & Images by James Guerin LIVE2CAMP 5

MAMBRAY CREEK CAMPGROUND MT REMARKABLE NATIONAL PARK We had just driven out of Port Augusta in South Australia and I was just picking the playlist on Spotify when my wife Lize said to me, ‘We’re here’. That’s right, we had arrived at our camping destination for the night and we had only been driving for 30 minutes!

How good is that. Especially if you live in Port Augusta. We had arrived at the Mambray Creek Camping area in the Mount Remarkable National Park, where we had planned to stay for the night in what we had heard was a beautiful National Park.

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As we turned into the Campground, the first thing that struck me was the amazing bush setting of the campground. It was a quintessential Australian bush setting with large gum trees, squawking Cockatoos everywhere, winding dirt roads and a dry stony creek bed snaking through the trees beside the campground. It was a beautiful sight to see and so close to a large town. I instantly felt at home.

Before we arrived at the campground we had to go online and book our campsite on the National Parks website.

Words by Matt Bloomfield

I’m not a big fan of this system for a number of reasons and one of those reasons is that you blindly pick your campsite from on online map and hope that the one you have booked is okay. By the way, this is one of the reasons we started Live2Camp.com.au, so that you can see what it's like before you go. So we had pre-booked site number 23, which looked pretty good on the map. Sadly when we arrived, it was probably one of the worst sites in the campground. Anyway, I wasn’t going to let this ruin my camping experience because the amazing bush setting of the campground had got me excited and I also found what looked like a very new and very nice looking shower block.

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We quickly set up the TVan, which only takes a couple of minutes, grabbed our towels and headed for the showers. It had been quite a few days since we had last had a chance to use a bar of soup so the very hot and clean showers were absolutely fantastic. A short time later, we walked out with that clean glowing feeling that you can only get after the first hot shower for a while in the bush . Once clean it was time to explore the campground. We grabbed a beer and went for a walk. Although it’s a large campground, the sites a very large and are separated by large gum trees giving you a feeling of privacy. There is plenty of grass around, there are firepits at most of the sites and there is a fantastic little walk that runs along the dry creek bed that runs parallel with the campground. The best thing was the wildlife which was abundant. Kangaroos, with joeys and emus everywhere and they were very obviously used to sharing the campground with people. In the morning we were greeted by a very inquisitive emu who decided to have a good look around our campsite. All of this made for a very pleasant night of camping in the bush. I slept very well that night and it was hard to believe that we were only a short drive from a major highway and a large town.

I would highly recommend at least a weekend camping at the Mambray Creek Campground, even longer if you can. I know we will definitely camp there again the next time we are passing through.

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Click here for the Mambray Creek camping video

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A WILDLIFE EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE STYX RIVER! One of our very first bush camps on our planned lap of the country was the stunning Wattle Flat campground on the Styx River, in the New England National Park. Located 70kms east of Armidale, the fairly easy 4wdrecommended track took us through forestry land which, if raining, may have been a little more challenging.

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Words and Images by Katie Hart - hartsontour.com.au Wattle Flat campground is right on the river, in amongst the tree ferns and towering eucalypts.

The crystal-clear waters of the river are ideal for cooling off on a hot summer’s day. However, we arrived to a storm building, and the heavens opened just as we were setting up.

We retreated to the camper trailer to play a few hands of Uno, while the storm passed and the rains subsided. The afternoon sun appeared and as we stoked our fire for dinner we were joined by some inquisitive kangaroos. The wildlife show continued the next morning as our eldest son got up to do a quick wee at sunrise He came charging back exclaiming that something was moving in the river.

We all wandered down quickly to have a look and were stunned to see one of nature’s most elusive creatures - the platypus. What an absolute delight it was to watch this incredible little creature going about its business first thing in the morning! You need to be really quiet, otherwise you’ll have no chance of seeing them.

Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to snag a trout, not for lack of trying, but they are out there for those who are keen. Don’t be afraid to explore the river banks as there are some great fishing/swimming holes upstream. Just keep an eye out, we did see a friendly red belly black snake having a dip!

If you’re lucky you can have this campground all to yourselves. If you’re first in, turn right at the river and snag the last site. By far the most private!

Click here for the Wattle Flat camping area video LIVE2CAMP 11

EXPLORE THE

YORKE PENINSULA Normally each month I use this article to talk about something topical in regard to camping or sometimes I just have a rant! This month however, I want to do something a little different. I want to talk about an area we visited on our recent trip through South Australia. The reason I want to talk about it is because I think the whole world needs to know about it. It is one of the most stunningly beautiful places I have been to in Australia and it is absolutely full of campgrounds!

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Where is it you ask? It’s the York Peninsula in South Australia. Shaped like a boot, the York Peninsula is located in south-west South Australia, between Port Augusta and Adelaide.

Being a peninsula, it small and it is easy to travel from one side to the other in a short time period. Not only is it small but the local council has done an amazing job in keeping many of the dirt roads within the region well graded, so you can drive to pretty much any point on the peninsula in any vehicle to enjoy all it’s beautiful vistas. We were fortunate enough to base ourselves at Point Turton for four days whilst we took our time exploring all the sights and campgrounds the area has to offer. Now before you jump all over me, yes, we stayed in a caravan park, but in our defence, we had been on the road for several weeks and were in desperately need of doing washing and having showers, so this was the perfect time to stop and re-group before hitting the proper campgrounds again.

WORDS BY MATT BLOOMFIELD

'ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IS THE STUNNING LITTLE INNES NATIONAL PARK' Not to mention, the Point Turton is a beautiful little caravan park located right on the coast with some very friendly owners. We had pretty much the whole place to ourselves and our site had uninterrupted views of the ocean. There is so much to do and see in this area I'm not sure where to start! There are of course all the small coastal towns like Point Turton, Corny Point and Foul Bay but for us one of the highlights is the stunning little Innes National Park. The Park is located at the southernmost tip of the peninsula and is a combination of stunning beaches where surfers adorn the waves and historic towns where you can stay in the original stone cottages. It also has some of the best campgrounds I have seen anywhere in Australia. And then there’s the wildlife; Emu’s, Kangaroos and birds are all a plenty.

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I would highly recommend spending a whole day in this National Park, ending the day by visiting the historic mine and pier at Stenhouse Bay, and then on to the Marion Bay Tavern, which is located a short distance from the entrance of the park, for a cold beverage and a woodfired pizza.

This is what we did, and it was a day we won’t easily forget. If you’re looking to camp on the Peninsula, other than the caravan park we stayed in, then all you need to do is drive the dirt roads that circumnavigate the coastline and you will come across many fantastic campgrounds located right on the beaches, some of them on cliffs, right next to the water. The local Yorke Peninsula Council has done a fantastic job setting up 19 campgrounds through the area and all you need to do is buy a camping permit for $10 and you can camp at any of the campsites for the night.

That's $10 a car, not per person! Amazing!

There’s so much to do on the Yorke Peninsula that I haven’t even had time to mention the lovely historic towns of Warooka, Yorketown and Edithburgh, but be sure you check them out if you are travelling through the area. And if you’re into walking and cycling, there’s the 500 kilometres of the Walk the Yorke trails which take you all over the Peninsula.

So, when planning the next camping trip in Australia, I highly recommend the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. You won’t be disappointed by the beaches, historic towns and of course the camping!

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LIVE2CAMP.COM.AU LIVE2CAMP.COM.AU BUSH AND BEACH CAMPING DIRECTORY click on the links:

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TIP OF THE MONTH Take a chemical toilet with you on your next camping trip

Words by Lize Bloomfield

Toileting while camping. Not a great subject, but it has to be said that toileting while camping is one of the contentious issues when it comes to camping in the bush. While a great number of camping areas have at the very least a drop toilet, there are also many that have no facilities whatsoever. Either that or the drop toilets leave you wanting to never enter a drop toilet again!

Reasonably easy as it is for men to do their business in the middle of the night, for women, it's not great to have to go either for a long walk to the drop toilet, if there is one, or to find a suitable spot not too far from the set up. Hopefully away from any creepy crawlies on the ground at that time of night.

So, the reason I am on this subject is that just recently Matt and I decided to try out a chemical toilet while on our last filming trip.

The toilet was placed in the corner of the canvas part of our set up during the night, and stowed away underneath our bed during travel. We ended up not putting water and chemicals in the flush part but used a bottle of water to flush as the top part of the toilet tended to leak with the movement of travel. The business bottom of the toilet was sealed shut though and we got a good 5 days of use before having to empty the unit. This was a great help especially for me but funnily enough, Matt ended up using it more than once or twice as well.

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UPCOMING EVENTS OCTOBER 2018

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Sunshine Coast Home Show & Caravan, Camping & Boating Expo Dates: 12 - 14 October 2018 Venue: Sunshine Coast Stadium, Bokarina, Sunshine Coast Website: www.sunshinecoastexpo.com.au Toowoomba Expo Dates: 19 - 21 October 2018 Venue: Toowoomba Showgrounds, Toowoomba Website: www.toowoombaexpo.com.au Sydney 4WD and Adventure Show Dates: 12 - 14 October 2018 Venue: Western Sydney International Dragway, Eastern Creek Website: www.sydney.4wdshow.com.au Melbourne Leisurefest Dates: 4 - 7 October 2018 Venue: Sandown Racecourse, 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale Website: www.melbourneleisurefest.com.au South Australia 4WD & Adventure Show Dates: 26 - 28 October 2018 Venue: Adelaide Showground, Goodwood Rd, Wayville Website: www.adelaide.4wdshow.com.au Canberra Home and Leisure Show Dates: 26 - 28 October 2018 Venue: Exhibition Park, Canberra Website: www.canberrahomeshow.com.au

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CAMERON CORNER CAMPING Words by Matt Bloomfield

I’ve always wanted to go to Cameron Corner. It’s been on my bucket list for years but I just haven’t had the time to get there. So when I finally had the chance to go, I was really excited and talked for days about it with some colleagues. I was surprised to find out though, that not one of my colleagues knew where Cameron Corner was, they hadn’t even heard of it. So, after a quick history lesson, not only were my colleagues a little wiser, I was even more excited. Little did I realise though I was about to get a little lesson myself.

After two very long days of driving we made our way over the last sand dune and were greeted by a building!

This was a complete surprise to us. We were expecting to see a little white column with a brass plaque on top.

We were not expecting to see a structure. We also knew there was camping at Cameron Corner but once again, what the heck was this building? Turns out there is a pub at Cameron Corner! Who would have thought? Not me that's for sure. So we parked up, headed into the pub which is also the reception for the campground that surrounds the pub, and paid for our camping whilst drinking a nice Coopers Pale Ale. I could not believe my luck. We didn’t hang around too long though because we wanted to explore, and after a quick chat with some locals, we headed to the camping area behind the pub.

There are two areas to camp around the pub. One costs $25 a car and gives you access to the hot showers and the other is $10 a car and you can pay $5 for a shower if you would like one. As we had not showered for a few days due to camping in the bush, we chose to spend $25.

And the best thing of all is that the owners donate $5 from each camping fee to the Royal Flyer Doctors. How good is that.

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Both camping areas are exactly the same with red dirt for a base, which of course I pretty common when in the outback. There is plenty of room to spread out your camper trailer or tent and the sites are separated with tyres but are not designated so you just drive around until you find a site that suits you. Each site also has a firepit. The facilities are pretty basic with a unisex toilet block but the showers are hot and clean and that is all you ask for in a remote place like Cameron Corner.

It didn’t take us long to find the right site for us and as the sun was going down, we grabbed a beer and headed to the nearest sand dune to watch the sunset. This is when Cameron Corner threw another surprise at us. Not only was the sun setting in the west but the moon was rising in the east. So, from where we were standing we could clearly see the moon rising and the sun setting in the one very clear sky. This was an incredibly beautiful sight to see and apparently only happens every once in a while. In the morning we rose to a beautiful sunrise and made the short 100 metres walk over to the small white column with the brass plaque on top that told us that we were standing at the point in Australia where the states of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia meet. It was great fun taking photos of each other in each of the states and making all the jokes about travelling back in time and so on. What a very pleasant surprise Cameron Corner was. If you have never heard of Cameron Corner or have been dreaming of going there for years, I highly recommend you do it. Get in the 4wd and make the trek, it is well worth it.

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THE PEOPLE WE MEET ON OUR TRAVELS

A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE

By Lize Bloomfield

I met Dennis Cash at Murphy's Haystacks in South Australia about 30 mins north west of Venus Bay. Sitting in the car after visiting the glorious and mysterious stones, Dennis, who appeared to me to be a typical Australian farmer walked up and started talking to us. With folded arms leaning on Matt's window, wearing a checkered shirt and a hat that could tell a thousand stories, Dennis told of having just finished rounding up the sheep in the paddock, putting on a clean shirt and a comb through his hair so that he could come and meet the tour bus coming to visit the 'hay-stacks'. Dennis, a sheep, wheat and barley farmer is still working on the farm at the ripe old age of 77 years. He is the grandson of the 'Murphy', the stones were named

after and we were sitting on his land. He had large rough hands and a gruff but kind demeanour and he had plenty to tell us about the haystacks, his land and the area we were in. Such as the Talia Caves which we visited later that day. He had told us of visiting them many times with his children (of which he had 10!), and the caves didn't dissapoint. Matt and I sat and listened intently to this interesting man for a long time and when finally saying goodbye, felt we could have listened to his stories all day.

Dennis also has a small camping area next to the 'Haystacks' which is perfect for an overnight stop and if you visit this place and happen across Dennis, have a chat, you won't regret it.

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Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R S QUESTION: Me and my partner are coming to Fraser island and will be camping. Just an inquiry to see if anyone can use the $2 showers or only the campers that are camping at Waddy Point Top campground?

ANSWER: Thanks for contacting us. Anyone is able to use the $2 showers at Waddy Point upper campground, you don't have to be camping there to use them. You just have to walk up to the campground and through the gate.

MESSAGE: Hi Mate - just wanted to thank you for videos - these have been really great whilst I have been planning a QLD later this year. Really good stuff - thanks..

MESSAGE: Thanks so much Matt and Lize for taking the time to respond with all that great information. That is Exactly the detail I have been looking for and haven't been able to find anywhere. I really appreciate it. Many thanks. You guys are awesome.

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and messages QUESTION: We're interested in camping out at Cangai, but on the signs it shows as not suitable for caravans, although on your site it does show caravans. Is the road suitable for a caravan to travel to get to this site. Our van is not an off road van.

ANSWER: Thanks for contacting us. The road into the campground is dirt/gravel which we found to be in really good condition. It may however deteriorate in bad weather which is perhaps why they have the sign up. In our video you can see there are lots of caravans and 2wd vehicles. The road carries on past the campground so it may be the case that the road gets worse pass there. If the weather has been good for some time, I would say you shouldn't have any trouble getting your caravan in.

If you have any questions or want to send us a message, please send them to info@live2camp.com.au

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THE MAGAZINE TEAM Editorial: Matt Bloomfield Lize Bloomfield Authors: Matt Bloomfield James Guerin

Photography: Lize Bloomfield Katie Hart

Lize Bloomfield Katie Hart

Design: Lize Bloomfield

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