We stayed here over the Christmas and New Year period, and it turned out to be a great choice for that time of year. The park is nicely sheltered from the wind and is close to both the beach and the town, which has most of the basics you’d need.
We didn’t really know what to expect when we booked this campsite. We’d never even been to Western Australia before, so everything was new to us.
The campground itself sits behind the sand dunes and is surrounded by plenty of trees. That turned out to be a big plus because it was windy most days while we were there. The park is well sheltered, which often caught us out. We’d step outside the van, feel barely a breeze, and think, “Let’s go to the beach.” Once we got there, it was a different story. More often than not, it was blowing a gale.
The beach itself is quite nice. It’s sandy, with some seaweed washed up along the shore. The water was clean, clear, and generally fairly calm, although definitely on the fresh side.
The beach near the campsite sits on a point, which means you can usually find a more sheltered spot depending on which direction the wind is coming from.
The facilities are adequate. They’re not the flashest we’ve seen, but considering how busy the park was, they were kept clean enough and did the job.
One of the best things about this park is how close everything is. The beach, the shops, and everything you need in town are all within a five-minute walk. We stayed for a month, and there were times when the car didn’t get started for a week.
Another pleasant surprise was the lack of midges, mozzies, and flies. There were some flies around, but nothing even close to plague proportions. Coming from Queensland, that was a definite bonus.
The weather was great for most of our stay. We didn’t use the air conditioning at all, even though Perth and much of WA experienced a few heatwaves at the time. Looking at the weather maps, Hopetoun seemed to sit just south of the worst of it.
If you’re looking for a quiet place to stay over the busy Christmas and New Year period in the south-west of WA, at a reasonable cost for the area, this should be high on your list. The campground itself was busy, but despite that, we still found it to be surprisingly quiet.
Thanks for reading Hopetoun Beachside Caravan Park. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you enjoy this kind of content, you can sign up for the newsletter. You’ll get an email when a new post goes live (usually around 4–6 a month), plus a monthly wrap-up.
Starlink has updated its limited Roam plan in late 2025, replacing the old 50 GB option with a new 100 GB plan. While the headline change is the larger data allowance, there are a few important functional differences travellers should understand:
What’s changed:
High-speed data doubled: 50 GB → 100 GB per month
No more paid top-ups: The old per-GB high-speed data add on are no longer available
Automatic fallback: After using the 100 GB high-speed allowance, the service continues on unlimited low-speed data (around ~1 Mbps) instead of cutting off
In practical terms: You now get more usable high-speed data each month, and when it runs out, you’re not disconnected, the connection simply slows. Everyday tasks like email, web browsing, calls, text, and podcasts should still work, while video streaming is limited to very low quality unless you upgrade to the unlimited plan.
With the old 50GB plan you could get more high speed internet by buying extra data, and so long as you kept your data usage low enough for the month, then it could work out cheaper than the full unlimited plan. This is not the case anymore.
The fact still remains, if you like watching videos, Netflix, YouTube etc, then 100GB will not last long.
Summary
For a couple travelling full-time, the 100 GB plan can work well if video streaming is not part of daily use. For general internet tasks like browsing, email, social media, podcasts, admin, and trip planning, it’s practical and usable.
For families that treat the internet like home broadband — with streaming, video calls, and background data use — 100 GB is unlikely to last a week, let alone a full month. In that case, the unlimited plan is the more realistic option.
Thanks for reading Starlink Roaming Plans Update in 2026. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you enjoy this kind of content, you can sign up for the newsletter. You’ll get an email when a new post goes live (usually around 4–6 a month), plus a monthly wrap-up.
Exploring Whalers Way, Lincoln National Park, and Coffin Bay National Park
Port Lincoln works beautifully as a base if you like day trips without constantly packing up camp or the caravan. Everything feels remote once you’re out there, but you’re never too far from town if you need fuel, supplies, or a decent coffee.
During our stay, we picked three day trips. Each one was doable in a day, even at a relaxed pace, and suits both grey nomads and families. No long hikes required, plenty of places to stop, and scenery that does most of the work for you.
Whalers Way is one of those places where the landscape is the main attraction. Towering cliffs, endless ocean, and lookout after lookout. It’s ideal if walking long distances isn’t your thing, as most highlights are reached by short, flat paths from the car parks.
On a hot day those rock pools would be inviting, unfortunately trying to get to most of them would be dangerous, they are not very accessible.
One of the roads was closed so we parked up and walked the 20 mins to Wiles Bay. While there and looking real hard, we eventually found a couple of fur seals.
Tips:
$40 entry, payable at Information Port Lincoln, they will give you a key for the gate.
Take a packed lunch, drinks etc, there are no shops there
Allow half a day, minimum
The road is unsealed, but nothing to challenging, any vehicle can do it.
Lincoln National Park feels big and untamed, but you don’t have to tackle it all at once. A slow drive through the park with a couple of short stops is more than enough for a satisfying day.
The coastal views are stunning, especially where sand dunes meet the sea. It’s not a park that demands you rush. We found it best to choose one or two spots and spend time there rather than trying to see everything.
Tips:
For Memory Cove, you need a key from Port Lincoln Information, $50 deposit, which you get back when key is returned.
Bring packed lunch, drinks, there are no shops here
Plenty of beaches to swim at
Allow a whole day
The caravan parks are easy to get to, except for Engine Point, which is along an unsealed road, but in our opinion one of the better ones.
The campground at Memory Cove is one of those picture perfect places, a sheltered beach, perfect sand, the campsites are small so tents only or small hybrid campers.
Coffin Bay National Park is probably the easiest and most relaxed of the three, especially for families. The water is calmer, the beaches feel safer, and the whole area has a gentler pace.
Even if you don’t have a 4WD, there are still beautiful spots to explore. The red road line on the map is all nicely sealed.
This is an easy park to enjoy without overthinking it. It’s well suited to a picnic lunch, paddling in shallow water, or just sitting and watching the world go by.
Almonta Beach is the place to go for swimming,snorkelling
Pack lunch, drinks, no shops here
The 4WD track to Point Sir Isaac is rough and hard going. Rocky with big potholes, slow going.
Seven Mile Beach is excellent to drive along and sand a bit soft in places. Stay high up the beach is best.
Big Yangie campground is easy to get to.
No Dogs
If you enjoy a challenge, and have the patience, then a trip to Point Sir Isaac is a bit of an adventure. But allow all day, take note of the tides and warnings, a decent 4WD is definitely needed. Recommendation is that you should be on the beach approx 2 hours either side of low tide. We came back with 1 hour before high tide and were ok.
We would have loved to stop and have a picnic along Seven Mile Beach, but we did not allow enough time.
Thanks for reading Excellent Day Trips from Port Lincoln. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you like this type of content, please consider signing up for our newsletter.
A grey nomad’s guide to crossing Australia’s most famous stretch of road
For many grey nomads, crossing the Nullarbor Plain isn’t just another drive, it’s a rite of passage. It’s one of those trips people talk about for years before they do it, and for good reason. The Nullarbor strips travel back to basics. What you get is space, silence, and a sense of scale that’s hard to find anywhere else in Australia.
This stretch of country suits caravaners who are comfortable driving reasonable distances and doing a little bit of forward planning. If you want powered sites overnight, station stays are available along the way. If you’re set up to stay off-grid, it’s easier and cheaper.
We stayed for 1 night at Cocklebiddy for $45, and that was for only power, there was a heat wave at the time 46 degrees, we needed the A/C.
The Nullarbor also carries a strong sense of history and achievement. Towing a van across one of the world’s great treeless plains feels like a milestone. It’s not difficult in the modern sense, but it still demands respect. You’re crossing a remote part of the country where preparation matters, and that adds meaning to the journey.
Planning
For most travellers, the Nullarbor crossing is generally marked like this:
Start (east to west):Ceduna, South Australia
End (east to west):Norseman, Western Australia
If you’re travelling the other way, then Norseman is considered the start and Ceduna the finish.
According to Google maps, this is about 1,200Km.
While the Nullarbor Plain itself doesn’t neatly line up with town boundaries, these two towns are widely accepted by caravaners and grey nomads as the practical bookends of the journey. Both sit on the Eyre Highway
Road Conditions
In a word, perfect, better in fact than many places closer to bigger cities. Trucks will be no problem, if you are slower than them, they will just go around, the road is plenty straight enough for them to get around easy.
Fuel Stops
As you can see in the map, no problems, all the roadhouses we stopped at had fuel, food, toilets etc.
Lookouts
There are now 4, which we came across, the first one being Whalers lookout, which costs money $10 , if it was Whaling season, we would have paid, but since it wasn’t we passed, the other 3 lookouts are free.
We also noticed a few potential spots along the way that appeared to be closed, with signs and chains across the road.
Distance between stops
This part is really up to you. We aimed for around 300–400 km per day. That included stops for fuel, food, and the lookouts along the way.
It’s also worth being mindful of how monotonous the road can feel at times. Getting out, stretching your legs, and taking breaks makes a big difference.
Where to stay overnight
WikiCamps is your friend here. There are plenty of free camps along the way, and most are much the same. Nothing fancy, just a patch of ground set back from the road. No facilities.
Beware of the wind, when we went over the Nullarbor it was very windy every afternoon and at the campsites the bushes didn’t provide much shelter.
If you want power, toilets, and a bit more comfort, then you’ll need to stay at a station.
Border Crossing
This is one area where you need to be prepared. There are biosecurity checks in both directions, and you will be stopped. In short, no fresh fruit or vegetables are allowed.
If you travel with a dog, 1080 baiting sometimes comes up when people talk about crossing the Nullarbor Plain. In online forums and Facebook groups, it can sound like a constant danger. Our experience, and that of many other caravaners travelling with pets, is that it’s no more dangerous than many other parts of the country.
When we crossed the Nullarbor, we don’t remember seeing any 1080 warning signs at all. That surprises some people, but it highlights an important point, baiting isn’t permanent or always active. It’s typically carried out in specific areas, for specific reasons, and often for limited periods. If there’s no active baiting at the time, there are no signs to see.
1080 baits are used across large parts of rural Australia, not just the Nullarbor. They’re mainly laid by pastoralist protecting livestock from wild dogs, along with government land management agencies running coordinated pest control programs. In some areas, conservation groups also use 1080 to reduce foxes and other feral predators that threaten native wildlife. It’s a regulated tool, used deliberately rather than casually.
That doesn’t mean the risk should be ignored. 1080 is deadly to dogs, and sensible precautions apply anywhere it’s used. Keeping dogs on leads, avoiding scrubby areas, and sticking to established camps and roadhouses significantly reduces the chance of a problem. These are habits most responsible dog owners already follow when travelling through rural Australia.
In reality, the Nullarbor isn’t uniquely dangerous for dogs. Many travellers cross it every year with their pets and never encounter an issue. Like much of remote travel, it comes down to awareness of your surroundings and making sensible decisions.
Thanks for reading Caravaning The Nullarbor – What to Expect. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you enjoy this kind of content, you can sign up for the newsletter. You’ll get an email when a new post goes live (usually around 4–6 a month), plus a monthly wrap-up.
I post these budget updates every now and again, it gives me a good reason to look at what has been spent, and why. Also it makes a good subject to write about as lots of people think that living on the road full time is cheap.
Pro-tip, it is not.
The Numbers
What we spent in December 2025
Explanation
Fuel – is a big one, we went from Brisbane, QLD to Hopetoun, WA via the Eyre Peninsular. According to my fuel app, we covered 6,100Km, at a cost of $2,850 (we left Brisbane in November, but most of the distance landed in December), Our average fuel consumption is –
Best – 17L/100
Average – 21.6L/100 at $47/100
Worst – 27L/100
Looks like a lot, but if you take into consideration that our GCM is 6.4 tonne, and the car all loaded up (GVM) is 3.5 tonne all by itself, that is a fair amount of weight.
If you want to understand more about GVM, GCM and what all that actually means, I’ve written an article here
Groceries, Takeaways, Alcohol – This was a bit higher than normal, mainly because we went over the SA/WA border, so no fresh fruit & vegetables, plus it was extremely windy (no outside cooking) which meant that we got a little lazy and ate out a few more times than normal. When crossing the border heading west, the next big town is Esperance, which we never got to, Hopetoun is a small town, so small town prices definitely apply here.
Caravan Park Fees – This is a bit of forward planning on our part, in WA at this time of year you need to book ahead, so plenty of bookings for January and February and even some as far ahead as Easter.
Medication – A big jump here, Cathy has started taking some medicine and unfortunately it is not on the PBS, so full price is charged.
Storage, Telstra – Not listed here as these are constant and come out of separate accounts, combined they come to $800/Month
Subscriptions – Still stubbornly high. I’ve been chipping away at these since we started travelling. I cancel some, then others go up in price. Sigh.
(I added another one … don’t tell Cathy!).
Summary
December was an expensive month, and it usually is. It’s the holiday season, so prices go up across the board. WA has also been a learning curve. You really do have to plan a long way ahead for summer and school holidays.
We started planning a stay in Esperance back in August/September and still missed out. Esperance and Albany are extremely popular over the summer months, and availability disappears fast.
Thanks for reading December 2025 Expenses. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you enjoy this kind of content, you can sign up for the newsletter. You’ll get an email when a new post goes live (usually around 4–6 a month), plus a monthly wrap-up.
If you’re travelling Australia by caravan, you’ll get used to seeing border signs, quarantine bins and the occasional checkpoint.
NOTE: Picture above is from Interstate Quarantine website , you can click on the icons to get more info on the checkpoints.
If you haven’t dealt with it before, Australia’s domestic biosecurity rules can feel confusing. They’re not just for overseas travellers. They also apply when you cross from one state or territory into another. Here’s a simple guide to what those rules mean and how to handle them on the road.
The Basics: What Usually Can’t Cross Borders
You don’t need to memorise a huge list. The same patterns show up almost everywhere, also in our experience so far, the 2 states to watch out for is WA and SA and (Tasmania, we haven’t been there yet).
Fresh fruit and vegetables are the most restricted. This includes apples, stone fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers and leafy greens — basically anything from the fresh produce section of a supermarket.
Plants, soil, seedlings and firewood are nearly always a problem.
Honey and bee products are restricted in some states.
Meat, eggs and dairy can have conditions depending on the state and the type of product. Not too much to worry about here, if it came from a super market, should be ok.
Most processed foods are usually fine. Think canned foods, dried/frozen goods, packaged snacks, long-life milk and anything commercially sealed.
If it has been bought at a super market, and it has been processed in some way, then it will probably be ok, except honey.
Honey is one to keep an eye on. Even if it was purchased in WA and hasn’t been opened, you may not be allowed to bring it back into WA once you’ve crossed the border.
A simple rule that works well: if it looks like it came out of a garden, check the rules first.
When biosecurity rules aren’t followed, it’s farmers’ livelihoods, local jobs, and entire regions that can pay the price if pests or diseases spread.
What You Can Expect at Checkpoints
Not every border has a manned checkpoint, but some do, especially where fruit fly zones or strict bio security controls are in place. South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania are known for this.
If it is a manned checkpoint you will be asked to stop and let an officer look in your fridge or pantry. It’s usually quick and friendly. If you have something that isn’t allowed, you’ll be asked to bin it.
The safe way to handle borders: use up your fresh food before you cross and plan to buy more on the other side.
A Quick Look at State-by-State Patterns
Here’s a simple overview of what caravan travellers tend to run into most often.
South Australia, Western Australia& Tasmania
These states have the strictest fruit and vegetable rules in the country because they work hard to stay pest free. Expect quarantine bins and check points.
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables and honey are usually the sticking points here.
WA SA border checkpoint
Warning ⚠️ : Don’t forget the firewood, if you have any, unless treated then it is NOT allowed to cross many borders.
Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Northern Territory & Victoria
These states have fewer statewide bans, but they do run fruit fly control areas. If your route takes you through a zone, the rules apply even if the states themselves have lighter restrictions.
We have never travelled through a controlled zone so can’t comment about what may happen. As for going over the borders, well nothing there other than a sign saying Welcome.
Australian Interstate Quarantine Booklet
This should be your bible, check it out, do the right thing.
The advice here is in general only, everybody likes different foods stuffs so please consult the pdf below.
Australian Interstate quarantine rules pdf
Our Experience
We have been on the road for over a year now, the only 2 states that we have personally encountered that deals with border quarantines with manned check points is SA and WA. The other state’s and territory’s sometimes have signs, mostly nothing.
If we are going into SA, or WA, we make sure we have no fresh fruit or vegetables on board before we reach the border, we don’t normally have Honey, so that is a non issue for us.
The check point guys are usually friendly, so long as you are co-operative and honest, there will be no issues. You may have to throw some food out, but it won’t be much if you have prepared before hand.
Disclaimer: This information is intended as a general guide for caravan travellers. Biosecurity rules vary by location and can change at short notice, so it’s always best to confirm current requirements with official authorities before crossing any border.
Thanks for reading State Border Food Rules. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you enjoy this kind of content, you can sign up for the newsletter. You’ll get an email when a new post goes live (usually around 4–6 a month), plus a monthly wrap-up.
We’ve eased into 2026 the same way we like to ease into most things these days. Parked up, settled for a while, letting the rush thin out before we move again. Christmas and New Year have become our pause time. A chance to reset, look back, and quietly think about what’s next before the roads fill and the weather turns.
Last year was our first full calender year on the road, but with a few prior commitments to satisfy before we were truly free. A trip to Hawaii (June), and to the Rugby Lions in Adelaide (July) put us in parts of Australia at the wrong season.
We have been travelling for about nine months all up. There was a stretch back in Brisbane for appointments and life admin, but once we hit the road again, we really felt like we were living the way we’d talked about for so long. Slow mornings. Fewer deadlines. Days shaped by weather, road conditions, and how we felt rather than calendars.
Reflections on 2025
We started the year in Millicent, SA at this caravan park, a great place to base yourself to wait out the busy Christmas/New year period. It was here we did many day trips, Mt Gambier, Southend, Beachport and other small towns in the area.
Cathy snorkelled in a sinkhole, one of those experiences that sounds slightly mad until you’re floating there, surrounded by stillness and impossibly clear water.
After January, we headed to Victor harbour, hung around there for a few weeks, then headed to Melbourne for a few weeks.
Us at the Victor Harbor sign
Then the idea came to go to Mildura to catch up with some friends who happened to be there, This was the beginning of March, wow it got hot, so what do you do, head south to the coast. Eagle point was our target. We went from being cooked in the heat to nearly needing a heater in the space of a week.
Then we started heading up to Sydney going around the coast heading through Gippsland a part of the country we hadn’t given enough thought to before, and one we already know we’ll return to.
Not everything was postcard perfect. There was the morning we woke up in Bredbo to find icicles outside the van, no heater inside, and a very clear lesson about preparation. That problem got fixed later, but at the time it was one of those laugh-or-complain moments that travel seems to serve up from time to time.
We stayed with friends in Sydney, then up to Brisbane to collect a few bits a pieces, get the caravan serviced, put in a gas heater, then back to Sydney to drop off the car & caravan, then Shadow then to catch our flights to Hawaii.
After we got back and had a rest it was onto Adelaide. I know what you are thinking, Adelaide in July, are you mad? This was another of those prior commitments we made before hitting the road.
Afterwards we tackled parts of the Oodnadatta Track. It was at this time the caravan suffered some damage, mostly cabinetry and plumbing. We had the constant wheel alignment issues that we finally got fixed in Alice Springs.
At this time, a change in plans meant we had to head back to Brisbane. We crossed the Plenty Highway, stayed in Winton and then drove to Charlotte Plains Borehead Camping for the hot bores.
Vince & Cathy at the Winton sign
After finishing with Brisbane, we headed to Adelaide, which is much nicer in summer, then on to the Eyre Peninsular and finally rolled into Western Australia for the first time in December.
WA had always felt like a “one day” destination, something we talked about and never quite reached. Then suddenly there we were, tyres dusty, dog settled in the van, looking west and wondering why the heck it took us so long to get here.
Along the way, it was often the smaller, unexpected moments that stayed with us most. We spent time in Coober Pedy, sleeping underground and appreciating just how clever people can be when the landscape demands it.
Then there were days that felt quietly special, like feeding the dolphins at Rainbow Beach, standing on the shore early in the morning and sharing the space with locals.
Not everything went smoothly. It never does. But 2025 taught us that setbacks don’t cancel the journey. They just change the shape of it.
Looking ahead to this year
The long straight road ahead
For now, the plan is to stay in WA. We’ll head north as winter sets in, follow the warmth, and then spend a few months in the NT before drifting south again as summer creeps closer.
The Horizontal Falls is on the list, after being cancelled last year, hopefully we make it this time.
After that it is on to doing the iconic Gibb River road, then into the NT.
What happens after that is still up in the air.
We will find a place to stay over the next summer holidays like we did this year and last year. We just don’t know where yet. WA again or shall we head east for something completely different? Add your suggestions in the comments.
One thing we’ve learned is not to lock ourselves into plans too tightly. Flexibility has become one of our most valuable travel tools.
In Closing
As one year rolls into the next, we’re reminded that this life isn’t about ticking boxes or covering ground quickly. It’s about finding a rhythm that works and sticking with it. Here’s to another year of quiet mornings, dusty roads, and figuring it out as we go. Wishing our fellow travellers a calm and safe start to 2026.
We originally booked 4 nights, but with so much to see and do in the area we extended our stay to 7 nights. We found the campsite to be in a convenient location being centrally located by the National parks.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Paid, from $20 / un-powered
Booking: Yes, phone
Powered Sites: Yes
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: Yes
Dump point: No
Pool: No
Fire pits: Yes, fire-restrictions
Telstra: Flakey
Starlink: No problems
Generator: ?
Shop at the entrance to the property
Our Experience
There are various camping options from self-contained to power and water hookups, we opted for the budget option – fully self-contained, which means we were put in the back paddock – our choice.
We had great uninterrupted view of Port Lincoln, which was great, unfortunately that also came with a few windy days.
The ground was not level where we were, so levelling ramps needed. Also the grass is that corse prickly stuff, not a big deal however it does have burrs, we had out matt out so Shadow could move around without his boots on.
The location is excellent, only about 5 minutes from Port Lincoln itself, which was a nice little town and 20 mins from Coffin Bay.
The shop sold veggies, eggs – chicken and duck eggs. An assortment of meats, bacon, ham steaks, etc. Lots of home made jams and pickles. Worth stopping even if not staying there.
Views over Port Lincoln area
We would definitely stay here again, location is good, host was friendly.
Attractions Nearby
There are 2 National parks nearby and a sanctuary, if you are into drives, walking, fishing, swimming there is plenty here, also the camp owner may be able to help with finding a dog sitter while you go out and explore, Bonus.
Whaler’s Way Sanctuary – Dog friendly
Lincoln National Park – NOT dog friendly
Coffin Bay National Park – NOT dog friendly
Local wineries
Usual coffee shops etc
Thanks for reading Great views at Port Lincoln – Review. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you like this type of content, please consider signing up for our newsletter.
We stayed here for 2 nights, a quirky place, with lots of animals freely wandering around. This is definitely not your typical caravan park. Would we stay here again, yeah, why not?
We arrived mid afternoon, and were greeted by Peter who showed us where the campsites are.
The campsites are level and on dirt so if it was raining it could be very slippery. Being on the edge of a desert, this probably an unlikely scenario.
There is not much shelter from the wind here, so we left the awning packed away this time has the wind was getting up during the day.
The single flushing toilet, is a short walk away, dodging the animals and the Mad Max paraphernalia to get there, it is a single out house with a door that sort of locks. Gaps everywhere.
There is no power or water, you have to be self contained to be here, which includes collecting your grey water.
The animals were all friendly, and nosy especially the Emu and Ostrich. there’s dogs, cats, goats, water buffaloes, camels, pigs, donkeys, lamas, dingo’s to name a few.
This park exceeded our expectations, while not being the most secure (no locked gates etc), it was quite, felt safe, and for the cost, very cheap.
The facilities where top notch, while I can’t vouch for the showers as we never used them, the toilets were clean and stocked.
The campground was level, you are on gravel, with tar seal underneath, so pegging down the awning may be a problem. For us, we just put it away at night or whenever we were not there.
We spent 4 nights there, and went to the Clare valley (about 20 min away), most days for wine tasting, and a bit of gourmet food. Thoroughly enjoyed our time.
There were a few other campers there, and the local pub was good to have a drink at too. The locals friendly an all.
There is the Brinkworth Historic walk, about 2Km, which is nice to do. all about the railways which is why Brinkworth is there. Brinkworth was a junction on the Gladstone railway line.
Named after George Brinkworth, one of the land owners in the district at the time the town was the established, the town’s main street is liberally sprinkled with buildings dating back to the twilight of the 19th century, while a turntable and water tower remain as beacons to its past importance as a rail junction.
Brinkworth, which lies 32km north of the major regional town of Clare, has a population of approximately 200.
Thanks for reading our review of Brinkworth RV Park. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you like this type of content, please consider signing up for our newsletter.
After being stuck in Brisbane for nearly 3 months, due to various appointments, it is now finally time to hit the road again.
This time we will be heading to WA for Christmas / New Year, so a trip over the Nullarbor is coming up soon.
The Plan
Get to Adelaide in a timely manner. Here in Brisbane it’s November and we have been experiencing storms nearly every second day, while not severe, (I think we are just lucky where we were and got the the edges most times compared to other parts of the city), the bad parts are getting close. It’s also getting very warm and humid. Time to leave.
We decided on this part of the trip no caravan parks, low cost or free camps only. Goondiwindi Showgrounds, WikiCamps did not show much here that was dog friendly, so we went with an unpowered over night stop.
We passed through Silverton/Broken Hill on the way to the Mundi Mundi bash about 2 years ago. At that time Silverton was packed, so we just drove straight passed. It was noted that whenever we were in the area again we would stop and have a look around.
This time we plan to stay at Silverton and we want to check out the Mad Max 2 museum and have a look around, so a 2 night stay was on the cards.
Day 1 – Goondiwindi Showgrounds (B)
Our first stop after leaving Brisbane is Goondiwindi and it was raining. Rain seems to be a bit of a theme with us every time we leave Brisbane!
The drive to Goondiwindi is about 386Km, we stopped about half way at Millmerran – Lions Park. This was a nice spot to have some lunch, stretch the legs and let Shadow have a run around.
Millmerran – Lions Park
After the break we moved onto our overnight stop.
Goondiwindi Showgrounds at sunset
Once we got to the showgrounds, there were automatic boom gates that read our number plates and let us in. First time we have come across this in a showground. We did book prior to arriving.
Day 2 – Alex Trevallion Park (C)
Today is a 342Km day. For us, that is our sweet spot when it comes to travelling, not too long or too short.
Our midday stop was at Mungindi -Major Mitchell Crossing, on the NSW/QLD border. A nice area with all the amenities, toilets, bbq and picnic tables. The ladies toilet was closed. Its a really great spot for a rest.
After the break we moved onto our overnight stop at Walget.
It was at this stage we came across a dirt road. Good old Google maps, we decided to push ahead and luckily the dirt road was reasonably smooth, not too dusty and best of all did not last long before we were back on to tar-seal. Phew!
Alex Trevallion Park itself was pleasant enough and other campers pulling up gave us some peace of mind. When it comes to free camping, especially by a town, next to a main road, other campers being around make us feel better about the place.
The facilities, hot showers, toilets, bbq, even filtered water all looked reasonably new and in good condition. All this for free, amazing.
There is some artwork on one of the towers coming into town. It’s about a 1 km walk from camp and worth taking a look.
For this leg, we went the slightly longer route through Bourke, looking at Google maps, we thought the shortest route could be over dirt roads so we opted for the 10 min longer and a few extra km route instead.
This route is about 400Km, 6 hours with a stop somewhere in the middle. We chose Percy Hobson Silo Art, in Bourke for our rest stop.
The only thing here was rubbish bins, nothing else on offer at this park.
Percy Hobson Silo Art in Bourke, NSW
After our break it was onto Cobar. In WikiCamps, it comes up as Reba Park, in Google maps it’s Cobar free camp. Enter off Conduit St and you will have plenty of space to pick a site.
When we were there, there was about 6 campers/caravans. We felt safe enough to stay. While there are no amenities onsite, it is a short walk across the road to the information centre to use their toilets.
A dump point and potable water for filling tanks was just about next door to the campsite.
Cobar free camp (Reba Park)
Day 4 – Silverton Outback Camels (E)
This was going to be our longest day on the road, at 482Km, I was sure glad when we pulled up to camp.
We left early, about 8AM, had a quick look around Cobar, filled up with gas, and then on the road. We swapped drivers about every hour or so. It was tiring, as the road is straight, with not much on it.
Even with a break about half way, it felt like the road was never gong to end. We stopped at a rest spot somewhere along the road.
We finally arrived at Silverton Outback Camels mid afternoon. We set up camp and relaxed until the Ostrich came a calling to say hello and pecking our windows. Hi mate.
Day 5 – Silverton / Broken Hill (F)
This was our day to have a look around and take a break from driving. Well sort of, at least there is no towing but plenty of driving around looking at stuff.
Mad Max 2 Museum – trip down memory lane when this movie was big, I may have to watch it again.
Silverton Hotel – A small country pub, with character. We had a few beers, and a meal here.
The Living Desert, Sculpture Symposium – interesting sculptures and a good walk around NOT DOG FRIENDLY
Pro Hart Art Gallery – pretty cool gallery
Broken Hill town centre – good walk around, even visited the BHP (Broken Hill Pub), too late for lunch, had a beer instead.
A 305Km day today, so nothing too strenuous. Also today we went over the NSW/SA border. Something to note is the quarantine station is 200Km from the border.
Yes, the station is manned and they do check your caravan.
It was then on to the Peterborough RV park, a free camp on the edge of town, with no facilities, except rubbish bins. It’s a big park with plenty of space. A dump point NS toilets are in town about 1 Km away.
It was a quick trip, with a stop in Broken Hill/Silverton. It could be done in 5 days, if not towing a caravan, you could possibly cut that down to 4 days.
When towing the caravan, we travel approximately 90 – 100Km/hr, depending on road conditions, mainly around 95km/hr.
We spent 5 nights on the road. Accommodation cost us around $70 all up. Fuel approximately $900, over 2000Km and 22 hours on the road.
If you like the art work on silos, water towers, etc, and you want to see where they are and ‘mark’ them off your list, you can download the Australian Silo Art app. It will tell you if any are near you, add to a list, note the date you visited them, etc. Worth getting and it’s free – even better!
Thanks for reading Road Trip – Brisbane to Adelaide. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you like this type of content, please consider signing up for our monthly newsletter.
This post is going to be all about planning for that upcoming trip. Wether it is a week long holiday, or on the road for a longer period, the way you use WikiCamps is the same.
Everybody is different when it comes to planning their holiday, some people want to “wing it” , others want to to know what, where, when and how before they have left home.
Research
We use WikiCamps, mainly because it was first on the scene that was really good, there is now another app available called Camps Australia, it works more or less the same way, but I have not had much experience with it.
Both apps, wether you are on Android or Iphone are relatively cheap. WikiCamps is a one off $10, while I believe Camps Australia is about $10/year.
The best feature about these apps is the user feedback unlike a paper map, without the feedback you have no idea on what the true current condition of the campground is, quite often when you have a selected campground, there is feedback left by someone, sometimes only hours / days before.
Also safety, some places, after reading the feedback, we have avoided due to safety concerns.
WikiCamps
The first thing to do after you have installed the app, is to create an account. This will be handy for backups, and also for synchronising between different devices.
Cathy and I use the same login details, we both edit and add info to the trip as we go along, once the edits have been synchronised, then the other person can see the changes.
Creating a Trip
After creating an account, the next step before you do anything, you will need to create a trip, this is where your saved campsite(s) go. From here you can sort them, find out how far to each campsite and even estimate how much fuel it will cost.
Once your trip is saved, you can come back to it later to delete/add campsites, change the order, add notes, and more.
Below images rotate from 1 to 3.
Wikicamps create trip
1 – Select Plan
2 – Select + Create Trip
3 – Fill in the details, only the trip name is essential, then select Create trip. Go back to home Explore screen
1 – In the Explore screen select Map settings icon on the right, then you will see your trip/s you created previously, select it, now as you add campsites, the green line (your path) will be created as you go.
You are now ready to filter campsites.
Set the filters
This comes down to what you want. Now the trick here is not to select too much, otherwise campsites will en-explicable start disappearing, or not show at all, or the other way if not enough filters options selected then you wont be able to find anything, the screen will become too crowded,
Since we are in a caravan, travelling with a dog, our selection is based on that as an example.
Our filters are set to –
Caravan Parks
Campgrounds
Showgrounds
Farm Stays
Dog-friendly
Free, Donation or paid.
Below images rotate from 1 to 5.
Wikicamps create trip
1 – Explore screen showing what the icons mean, select Filters, to get to the next screen
2 – On this screen, make sure the collections and fee category are like above.
3 – scrolling down, select the accommodation type that you want.
4 – Still further down the page is site features, again be careful here as campsites can start disappearing, just set the bare minimum.
5 – An example of us setting our site features to dog-friendly
Lastly click the button Show results, you should be back at the Explore screen.
Icon Meanings
WikiCamps icons table
Selecting campsites
When in the Explore screen, it works the same as Google maps, use your fingers to pinch and zoom, move the map around, etc, when you are ready, click on an icon to get more information about that campsite.
Below images rotate from 1 to 7.
Selecting campsites for a trip
1 – Select campsite
2 – This screen is all the information about the campsite, reviews, cost, contact info, location.
3 – Site features – more information
4 – The reviews themselves, what other people have observed.
5 – Trip selector, what trip you want this campsite to go into
6 – Where in your trip do you want this to go
7 – The options available in the plan section of WikiCamps.
TIPS:
Always read the reviews, from here you can learn the current condition of the park, facilities, and also how safe it is. Not all caravan parks are created equal.
After reading some reviews we have given some parks a miss, due to safety concerns or condition of the park.
Summary
This is just a brief introduction to WikiCamps. From here you can –
Save filters to re use later
Off-line content
Find other facilities
Average fuel consumption, distance between camps etc
Thanks for reading Trip Planning – WikiCamps for Beginners. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
If you like this type of content, please consider signing up for our newsletter.
