March 2017
We take the road less travelled
Plus
Log Dump Campground
Reviewed
CAMPING SHOWS AROUND AUSTRALIA IN MARCH Locations and links to get you there!
Matt has something to say
TES A M R U O Y H T I W G N I P es CAM t a m r u o y h t i e r e h t t u o g n Getti
BURROWS WATERHOLE
w
A challenge and an adventure
A word or two from
MATT
ell, once again it’s been a W bumper month at Live2Camp. Not
Over our time travelling around we have developed one little habit that only have I grown a beard but also we just can’t shake. As we get to the our supporters have continued to end of the travelling day, we always grow. We have reached nearly 16,000 make sure we find the local pub of followers on Facebook and average whichever country town we may be about 20,000 visitors to our website near too. We walk in, pull up a stool every month. Lize and I would just and order a cold schooner of one of like to take this opportunity to thank their finest beers. It doesn’t matter every one of your for your continued which town we are in, we are support and please stay with us as we always made welcome and meet continue to grow. ‘Cause trust me, we some amazing people. It often have some huge plans over the next doesn’t take long for people to ask twelve months! what brings us their way and when As Lize and I continue to grow we tell them about Live2Camp, the Live2Camp, we spend a lot of time support and encouragement we travelling this great country. We receive is always enormous. I can know how lucky we are to get to do tell you, it certainly helps us to keep this and are amazed on every trip we travelling those long deserted do, just some of the places filming Australian country roads. So, thank campsites take us! It’s not a job, it is a you! privilege and we love every minute of it. Happy Camping
Contents
02
MATT'S EDITORIAL A word or two from Matt
04
CAMPING WITH YOUR MATES We head down to the Sundown National Park
06
BURROWS WATERHOLE CAMPING AREA Camping on the Severne River
08
CAMPING NEWS The camping exhibitions and shows for March 2017
09
LOG DUMP CAMPING AREA REVIEWED A tropical feel on the mainland
06
February 2017
09
04
s e t a M r u o Y h t i w Camping Why you should go
L
et me just preface this article with the fact that I love my family. I love my wife and I love my kids very much. I love going camping with them whenever I can and it is always a fantastic family holiday. But every once and a while I need to break away from the family. I need to go on a different kind of adventure. You all know what I mean! This is where my mates come into play. I am fortunate enough to have a group of like-minded male friends. I know that sounds a bit weird, but I have a group of mates who all love the sound of a diesel engine in a 4WD and absolutely love throwing a swag in the back of the 'fourbie' before heading out into the great Australian bush. It doesn’t matter where we go or how long we go for, but we always have an adventure. It could be camping on the beach or a day of hard 4wd'ing through some mountainous National Park.
There is never any fighting or arguing no matter what we get ourselves into throughout the course of the day. There can be quite often what we refer to as the ‘snake pit’, which is really nothing more than a good bunch of mates giving each other a hard time. It’s all fun. We recently headed out to the Sundown National Park and spent two days 4wd'ing through some pretty tough terrain. At the end of the first day we sat around the fire at the Burrows Waterhole campground sipping on a couple of cold brews whilst discussing the days events. Laughs came thick and fast and friendship’s where made that can last a lifetime.
These kind of friendships are not easily made in the hustle and bustle of modern day cities. Now of course I can only talk about this from a male perspective as of course I am a male, but I can see no reason why this can’t apply to the girls as well. My wife loves camping and so do a large majority of her female friends. There is nothing stopping them for heading off for an adventure in the great outdoors. So I guess what I’m trying to say, whether you're a male or female, instead of meeting your friends at the pub or going to see a movie, go camping with them. You just don’t know the sort of friendships that might come out of it. Happy Camping. Click here for camping areas in the Sundown National Park
Burrows Waterhole camping area BY JOSH FORD
I solated: Check. Remote: Check.
Rugged: Check. Spectacular: Check. If you are looking for a camping spot with any of these attributes then look no further than Sundown National Park and the absolutely stunning campsite named Burrows Waterhole. Sundown National Park is south of Stanthorpe about 3 hours south west of Brisbane. Burrows Waterhole is only about 20km via some extra tough terrain from the entrance to the park, however you will need to allow about 4 hours to get there. Make sure you take the time to see the old Tin, Copper and Arsenic mines that were used from the late 1870’s, catch a glimpse of one of the 150 bird species or just take in the magic views as you climb to the tops of the many plateaux that seem to overlook divine countryside that you never knew existed.
Burrows Waterhole campground follows the Severn River along a tree lined bank with expansive grassy areas, adorned with fire pits and a couple of drop toilets for good measure.
here is plenty of wildlife such as the T aforementioned bird life, Wallabies
There are many great things about camping in this great land and Goannas and a few pests such as of ours, and Burrows Waterhole Deer and Foxes, so make sure all your in Sundown National Park ticks a rubbish is put away at all times. lot of those boxes. Just make sure It’s a great spot for a long weekend out you pack some warm clothes if of Brisbane as there are a lot of spots you are planning on visiting in the to explore, and 4wd tracks to take winter!. advantage of. Rats Castle and Reedys Waterhole are worth the effort to see and Red Rock Gorge is a sight to behold during the afternoon when the sun lights up the cliffs in an amazing display of colour. Just ensure that your 4wd is well serviced and capable of handling the rocky trails that snake along through this amazing mountain range.
Click here for Burrows Waterhole camping area video
TUAN STATE FOREST'S
LOG DUMP camping area
Fishing galore
Beer-a'clock
Click here for Log Dump Camping area video
I
t had been a long day! We had filmed five campsites and driving so many k’s I had lost count. Don’t worry, I’m not whinging. Most the campsites we had visited during the day were good but nothing that really stood out to me. Nothing that made me go, ‘Wow’. We had decided to camp that night at a campground could Log Dump. ‘That’s a funny name for a campground’ I said to my wife. ‘I wonder why they called it that?’ As we drove down the dirt road towards the campground and the trees started to part exposing the entrance to the campground, I thought ‘Wow!’ In front of me was a view across clear water that looked like a pane of glass. It was stunning. I could not believe we had found this hidden little gem of a campground. Log Dump is located in the Tuan State Forrest, a short drive from Tin Can Bay in Queensland. It’s recommended that you have a 4wd to get there as you need to traverse dirt roads to get there but it’s not at all difficult.
It’s only a small campground but wow it packs a punch. Grass campsites positioned next to clear swimmable waters with views to die for. We didn’t even wait to set up camp, we grabbed a couple of beers and set up our chairs in the perfect position to take it all in. I’m not into fishing but I have to say there is something relaxing in watching other people trying to pull that one big fish in and we had plenty to watch that afternoon. Even the rain that came through late in the afternoon didn’t dampen our night at Log Dump. If I had any complaints, the midges are horrendous. But that’s nothing that a good can of Bushman’s can’t fix, so don’t let this put you off. We could have easily settled into Log Dump for the week but other campsites were calling so the next day we slowly packed up and left the views behind us. I never did find out why they called it Log Dump. Maybe we’ll have to go back one day to find out!
Words by Matt Bloomfield
CAMPING NEWS Camping events and exhibitions around Australia for the month of March 2017
SOUTH QUEENSLAND CARAVAN, CAMPING, BOATING & FISHING EXPO
Dates: 21 – 23 April 2017 Venue: Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue Nambour. Website: www.australianevents.com.au CARAVAN, CAMPING & HOLIDAY SUPER SHOW
Dates: 25 - 30 April 2017 Venue: Rosehill Racecourse, Cnr James Ruse Rd and Grand Ave, Rosehill. Website: www.caravan-camping.com.au BRISBANE 4X4 OUTDOORS SHOW, FISHING & BOATING EXPO
Dates: March 31 - April 2, 2017 Venue: Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills. Website: www.4x4show.com.au
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