Magazine july 2017

July 2017

We take the road less travelled

PARONELLA PARK

CAMPING AMONGST THE RUINS

SIMPSON DESERT CAMPING CAMPING UNDER ENDLESS SKIES

T H E EOPLE W The RegP uiero Fa EmMEET mily fro

Uruguay

Contents July 2017

3

10 6

MATT'S EDITORIAL A word or two from Matt

3

SIMPSON DESERT CAMPING South Australia

4

PARONELA PARK CAMPING AREA Camp amongst the ruins

6

THE PLACES CAMPING TAKES YOU Coast to Lake to Bush

9

MUNGERANNIE HOTEL est. about 1886 This weeks outback pub

10

MYALL LAKES NP A campers dream!

13

A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE 4wd'ing and towing

14

THE PEOPLE WE MEET The Reguero Family

16

16 4

A WORD OR TWO FROM

MATT

We had some great news this month at Live2Camp. We welcomed on board a new sponsor, Camp Mountain Campers who are the owners of offroadcaravanhire.com.au. So if you’re looking for a camper to take to all the great campgrounds that we go to, then this is the website for you!

This is great news for Live2Camp because the more sponsors we get on board the more we can hit the road and film campsite for you. If you're looking for somewhere new and exciting to advertise your business then contact us and we can help you.

The Live2Camp Australia Magazine is also very excited to announce that we are looking to expand. That’s right, we are looking for new writers. Now we’re not looking for Pulitzer Prize

winning writers. We are looking for everyday people who are passionate about camping and want to share the experiences they have at their favourite campgrounds. If you think this is you, just send us an email.

You just never know, you might end up being published in our magazine!

One last thing before I let you go and read all the fantastic articles we have in this month magazine, don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube Channel.

That way, you will get notified every time we upload a new campground video and you won’t miss out on finding your next camping adventure.

Happy Camping!

Also remember to make sure you jump on our website and subscribe to our monthly magazine for FREE!

CAMPING SHOWS

August 2017

QLD OUTDOOR ADVENTURE & MOTORING EXPO Dates: 4th - 6th Aug 2017 Venue: Toowoomba Showgrounds, Glenvale Rd, Glenvale Website: www.adventureexpo.com.au MID NORTH COAST Caravan, Camping, 4wd, FIsh & Boat Show Dates: 11th - 13th Aug 2017 Venue: Wauchope Showground, Beechwood Rd, Wauchope Website: www.campertrailer.com.au WIDE BAY & FRASER COAST Caravan, Camping, 4x4 & Fishing Dates: 18th - 20th Aug 2017 Venue: Maryborough Showgrounds, Maryborough West Website: www.widebayhomeshow.com.au BORDER CARAVAN & CAMPING EXPO Dates: 25th - 27th Aug 2017 Venue: Wodonga Racecourse, Hamilton Smith Drive, Wodonga Website: www.borderexpo.com.au ROCKHAMPTON Homeshow - Caravan, Camping, 4x4 & FIshing Dates: 25th - 27th Aug 2017 Venue: Rockhampton Showgrounds, Exhibition Rd, Wandal Website: www.rockhamptonhomeshow.com.au

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Gordon & Barbara Campbell

SIMPSON DESERT CAMPING

A s it is that time of year when 4wder’s and campers alike make the quintessential trek out to the Simpson Desert, I thought it was time to talk about camping in the beautiful red desert. It’s many 4wders and campers dream to cross the red sand dunes. It’s a trip the wife and I had wanted to do for many years and last year we decided to make the journey. So the planning began and I found it very difficult to find any information in regards to camping in the desert.

Where can I camp? Are there designated campsites? These were just a few of the things that we were unsure of before we headed off.

Before we go any further though, lets talk about the elephant in the room.

And that is: do you, or don’t you, tow a trailer through the desert. There are many differing opinions in relation to this and I’m not going to get into a

Words by Matt Bloomfield debate about it but I will give you my opinion after completing the trip myself. You all know I love a camper trailer and we take our beloved camper everywhere we go.

But we decided not to tow our camper across the Simpson Desert and I have to say I’m really glad we didn’t. It’s hard enough getting over the tall dunes without a one tonne anchor behind us, and there is just something about camping in a tent in the desert that is really special. I’ll leave it up to you though to decide on whether you

tow or not but I will say this; writing, the Pass will set make sure your trailer and you back $160. This vehicle is very well covers your vehicle pass prepared if you do tow. So and camping for up to 21 with the swag on the roof days in the desert. It’s we headed across the valid for 12 months and it Simpson Desert and it was gets you into a number of some of the best camping other parks as well. we have ever done. I don’t Once in the Simpson, know if it was because we there are no designated were back in a swag or campsites and you can because there It's camping at camp anywhere is just nothing its most basic within 50 metres out there! It is of the main camping at its and that's just track. Try to most basic and how I love it! stay on the that’s just how I love it! tracks and not start any of Not to mention camping your own.You will notice under millions of stars that there are open every night and the spaces between the complete sound of silence! dunes where many So what are the rules in people have camped relation to camping in the before you.Try and use Simpson Desert? these spaces as it has Firstly, you will need to minimum impact on the grab yourself Desert Parks fragile desert.

Pass and at the time of

During our whole time in the desert we found that we had these areas all to ourselves and they were perfect for camping. There is plenty of room for everyone out there! Having fires are not a problem in the desert but just make sure you they are properly extinguished prior to leaving your campsite and keep wood collection to a minimum. The desert is full of wildlife and the dead wood on the ground is home to many small creatures. Also, make sure you

take your rubbish with you and when nature calls, please dig a hole and bury everything you leave behind. I always made sure I burnt my toilet paper; just make sure I didn’t leave any trace.

Click here for Simpson Desert camping area video

As an avid bush and beach camper, I usually stay way from tourist and caravan parks for an experience that is much quieter in both crowds and noise. However, there is always an exception. And that exception for me, is Paronella Park about 19 kilometers south west of Innisfail or 120km south of Cairns. Paronella Park is an amazing collection of Spanish styled architecture built in the 1930's by José Paronella nestled in a lush pocket of Rainforest on the banks of Mena Creek. There is also a 1930's Hydroelectric plant which has since been restored and powers the park with electricity generated by the water from Mena Creek Falls. The winding drive from the south meanders through Banana plantations before passing over Mena Creek Falls where

you are greeted with the park itself.The camping is limited but the cost is included with your ticket to the park and is available if you book early enough.There’s heaps of facilities including an undercover BBQ area which is great as it’s a very wet part of the world! Pack your boots as there is 13 acres of amazing buildings and walkways to explore and tours with guides who will delve deep into the history of the park and tell the story of Paronella’s dreams of grandeur.

If you ever get the chance, it is well worth the visit to Paronella Park and definitely worth staying the night, listening to the waterfalls close by and the sounds of the Rainforest humming in the background.

Words and images

by Josh Ford

WHERE WILL CAMPING TAKE YOU?

T

here are many things I love about camping. Being outdoors, campfires, sleeping under the stars just to name a few. I guess that’s why I go camping so much. There’s just so much to love about it. On our last trip down the eastern coast of New South Wales, there was something about camping that hit me like a lightning bolt.

Something that I had never

thought of before and yet it is one of the greatest things about camping. All the places that going camping takes you! What do I mean by this I hear you say. Well, when you go camping in Australia it generally involves a road trip, especially if you go to bush or beach camping areas. Quite often these road trips are quite lengthy. I love joking with my New Zealand inlaws that a drive ‘just down the road’ in Australia often means a 4-plus hour drive! So, when you are driving to the campground you have decided to spend your holidays at, that road trip often takes you past some of the most amazing places and sights. Quite often you don’t even plan to see these areas, they just creep up on you as you amble along the highway. continued next page

For example, as we made our way to numerous campsites in NSW we ‘stumbled’ across the Hunter Valley (yes, there was wine tasting), the Three Sisters, the Sea Cliff Bridge and the Wombeyan Caves just to name a few. Now these are some of the better known places we came across but there were many other areas that we came across that we had never heard of and were absolutely amazing. Places such as the historic town of Kangaroo Valley, the Capertee Valley (the second largest canyon in the world) and traditional

Aboriginal artwork in the Wollemi National Park.

Now before we left home, we didn’t plan to visit any of these places. We literally came across them. Usually by spotting signs on the highway whilst travelling to a campsite and taking the time to pull off the main road and have a look. I have to say, this didn’t happen the last time we took a very large jet to a holiday resort! So next time you are heading to your camping destination, I urge you to take the time to stop when you see a tourist sign.

Pull off the main road and have look at the sights. You just never know what you will get to see and let’s face it, who knows when you will get back there again!

Words by Matt Bloomfield Words by Matt Bloomfield

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If you are lucky enough to find yourself driving the Birsdville Track in South Australia then you must stop in at the outback Mungerannie Hotel.

Located roughly halfway between Birdsville and Maree on the Birsdville Track, a Hotel and depot was first opened in the area by Richard Forbes Sullivan in 1886. Although the original Hotel no longer stands the current one is very much an outback pub you must visit. Offering cold drinks and a basic bistro, the bar is full of memorabilia left by travellers who have visited over the years. Not to mention the camping area which is full of history from the surrounding area including one of Tom Kruse’s original trucks. The area is also

over the Great Artesian Basin and the Mungerannie Hotel boasts a great spring next to the campground. So next time you’re passing through make sure you stop in and have a chat and a beer with Phil the owner. You might just end up buying the place. It is up for sale!

Birdsville Track, Mungerannie SA 5733 Ph: (08) 8675 8317

Click here for the Mungerannie Hotel camping area video

Myall Lakes National Park A campers dream!

We’ve driven from Brisbane to

On this trip we discovered an area called the Myall Lakes National Park.

Melbourne many times and it usually What an absolutely beautiful part of means hitting the highway and not stopping till we make it all the way there. Australia and it's chock-a-block full of stunning campgrounds. The Park is I now can’t believe how much I have missed over the years by doing just this located just south of Forster in the kind of trip. This really hit home for me in North Coast region of New South Wales and consists of campgrounds May when we headed off on a trip that are either located next to a crystal through NSW filming campgrounds for clear lake or within a short walk of Live2Camp.com.au. the stunning beach coastline. There are not many places where you get this sort of choice.

There are a total of 19 campgrounds within the Park and on this last trip we stayed at two of the campgrounds and visited nearly all of the rest.

Not one of them disappointed.

We found that most of them were the same, located next to the absolutely stunning Myall Lake with either a small pontoon or easy access to the water to launch your kayak or small boat.

All the camping areas were a mix of sandy and grassed sites with basic but very clean toilet facilities and all of them could be reached by 2wd or large motorhome type vehicles.

If you love to take your boat camping or throwing in a line while you have a couple of cold ones, then this area is definitely the place for you. In all my travels I have never come across such a large lake where the water is so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom.

You are going to want to jump right on in.

We were lucky enough to meet a retired couple that were having a holiday on their small sailboat on the Lake and whilst we were talking to them they pulled in one of the biggest Brim I have ever seen. So the next time you are travelling along the Pacific Motorway past Bulahdelah in NSW, do yourself a favour and follow the signs to the Myall Lakes NP. I guarantee you’ll end up staying more than a couple of days!

For all the information and videos of the campgrounds in the Myall Lake National Park visit our website live2camp.com.au Words by Matt Bloomfield

A Woman's Perspective You don’t need a 4wd to get to all the good places around Australia, that’s for sure. But there are many places that if you don’t have a 4wd, there’s no way you’ll get there. Some that spring to mind not too far from where we live are Morton Island and Fraser Island and a little further away, the Simpson Desert.

Then of course, you also have those places which you could theoretically get to with a 2wd, but the journey would be pretty rough! On our journeys, Matt does most of the driving, which is just fine because I like to take care of the navigation, but I do drive every now and then just to keep my 4WD'ing skills up and it’s just SO important for me

to know how to do it in case of an emergency. Same goes with towing. Learning to tow wasn’t a skill that came easily to me, especially backing up that trailer into a camping spot, but I can do it if I have to. And you know, having these skills comes in really useful when you’re out there on your own, without any other vehicles to help you, and one of you needs to be the spotter in order to get over and around obstacles. It can really be a lot of fun.

So if you don’t already know how to 4 wheel drive and tow, make sure you take some time to learn.

Words by Lize Bloomfield

RYAN'S REVIEW I was recently

lucky enough to get my hands on a Darche Rooftop Tent. After years of trying out many different types of camping equipment I had never slept in a rooftop tent before and I was pretty keen to give it a run. After a few beers and a night in the shed mounting it to the roof of my truck, I was excited about hitting the tracks the next day and taking my sleeping arrangements to the next level. Once at camp it was as easy as finding some level ground and unzipping the cover. One good flip and it was up, too easy. I have to say I was more than impressed. It was the first time I have slept in the bush and woken up with fresh feeling like I have been in my own bed. Although it’s not exactly the same, I have to say as far as sleeping out under the stars, I was very impressed.

I love the feeling of having airflow underneath the tent so you don't have that damp feeling when you are directly on mother earth. The only issue I really have is if you need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night as it can be a pain after a few cold ones. I took the whole family on this trip so set up the awning which comes with it and this provided more than enough room for us all. The quality of the Darche is high with all zippers, ropes, and tie downs and pegs being of a good strong quality. All in and I am quite fussy but I would have to say I loved my night in a room with a view.

Words by Ryan Harvey

THE PEOPLE WE MEET

W e were really lucky on one of

ON OUR LIVE2CAMP JOURNEY

our last trips to meet a family while staying in a small place called Umina Beach. The Regueiro family from Uruguay arrived in a very large motorhome and parked near us. The familiy included Santiago who was backpacking around Australia, and his mum, dad and sister who had all travelled over 15 hours by plane from Uruguay to meet up with him in Sydney. The family was on a twoweek trip from Sydney to Cairns up along the coast and they were lovely people. Matt and I noticed that Santiago and his family were sharing a drink in a strange looking cup with a metal straw and that they carried it around everywhere.

We were intrigued.

Later, when we saw them on the beach, again with the same drink in hand, we stopped and had a chat to them and finally the curiosity got the better of us and we asked about it.

Turns out, it’s called Yerba Mate.

Pronounced something like: sherba mah-teh. Santiago and his family went on to tell us that the drinking of Mate in Uruguay is a cultural ritual which is often shared with friends and family.

Mate is like a pungent green tea that is a bit of an acquired taste but it’s a huge part of the culture in Uruguay and other parts of South America. It's a social ritual that has been around for 100’s of years and is still popular with young people. It’s very common to see people just walking around with a mate and a thermos of hot water under their arm.

Before we left, Santiago offered Matt and I a drink of Mate and it did taste a little like green tea. We left the next day having experienced something new and made new friends. I'm sure we'll see them again one day.

Words by Lize Bloomfield

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THE MAGAZINE TEAM Editorial Matt Bloomfield Lize Bloomfield

Design Jack McCappin Lize Bloomfield

Photography Lize Bloomfield

Editorial & Advertising Enquiries info@live2camp.com.au

Authors Matt Bloomfield Josh Ford James Guerin Lize Bloomfield Ryan Harvey