Go-To Guide for Campers (20 Page Sample)

GO-TO

FOR

GUIDE

CAMPERS

EXPERT ADVICE

TRIP PLANNING & PREPARATION

MAINTENANCE & DIY

EQUIPMENT & GADGETRY

gui de onl samp y le

Everything you need to know to hit the track with a trailer in tow

INSPIRING DESTINATIONS

1

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

Contents

12

62

PLANNING

EXPERT TIPS

POWER MANAGEMENT

Pre-Trip Checklist .......................................... 4

Towing Tips ............................................................ 18 Towing Off-Road ............................................... 20 Maintenance ........................................................ 26 Basic Repairs ....................................................... 34 DIY ............................................................................ 36 Touring on a Budget ........................................ 42 Living Off-Grid ................................................. 46 Food ......................................................................... 48

Understanding Consumption ..................... 52 Power Sources .................................................... 56 Batteries ................................................................. 60 Chargers ................................................................ 62

What to Pack ....................................................... 6 Trip Planning ........................................................ 8 Towing Weights .................................................. 12 Reducing Your Footprint ............................... 14

2

42

CONTENTS

18

80

90

128

SAFETY FIRST

TECH

MAPS

What to Do in an Emergency ..................... 64 Off-Road Recovery ........................................ 68 Safety Gear ......................................................... 72 First Aid ................................................................. 74 Fire Safety ............................................................. 76 Security .................................................................. 78 Animal Encounters ........................................... 80 Knowing Your Insurance ............................... 84

GPS & Apps ........................................................ 88 Staying Connected .......................................... 90

Victoria ................................................................... 116 New South Wales .............................................. 120 Queensland .......................................................... 124 Northern Territory ........................................... 128 Western Australia ............................................. 132 South Australia ................................................... 136 Tasmania ................................................................. 140

INSPIRATION Where Can You Stay? ..................................... 92 Top Regions .......................................................... 94 Family Touring .................................................... 110 Cultural Touring ................................................. 114

NOTE: This page is an extract from the Go-To Guide for Campers - therefore page numbers refrerenced don’t match this sample brochure.

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GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

WHAT TO

Pack

You can overpack, you can underpack, but can you ever get it just right? Considerate packing is the key.

QUICK TIP You can encourage the kids to keep a journal of the trip. A selection of arts and crafts supplies will contribute to this activity, which can be a good way to wind down at the end of each day.

O

ver packing is one of the most common mistakes made by any type of traveller. It can be quite a challenge to condense all of life's essentials to a point where you won't exceed your payload limit – the key is to remember that life on the road requires different essentials.

To start with, remember that you are camping. Albeit not the roughest form of camping, but camping nevertheless.

With that comes a necessity to make do, which can be a liberating experience in

4 6

itself. These days it's all too easy to get caught up in the hysteria of consumer excess without even realising. It's not until you start questioning these notions that you can pare down your payload to pure necessities.

KITCHEN The key to a manageable camp kitchen is to call a spade a spade. Or rather, call a bowl a bowl. At home you've probably got different bowls for soup, cereal, dessert and so on, but they're

all still bowls. When you're on the road one kind of bowl will do. And where possible, it's good to replace glass and ceramic with plastic. Not only does it cut down on weight, you're also free to drop them and knock them over to your heart's content without the need to don a head torch to hunt for wayward shards of glass afterwards.

When it comes to cookwear, it's best to go for things that are lightweight and stackable – no matter how good a Le Creuset casserole dish might look perched

PLANNING

WHAT TO PACK

Clothing on a Ceaserstone bench top, it has no place on a camper trailer. A nesting potset is ideal, and a chef's pan (the kind with a little handle on both sides) will take up far less space than a long-handled pan.

LAY OF THE LOAD Putting more weight up front will stabilise your trailer but also put extra stress on your tow-vehicle's suspension and reduce your ability to turn. More weight at the back will do the opposite, take weight of the tow ball but destabilise the trailer. Ideally, the payload will be balanced, the more centred the better. Wheres having weight spread widely to the ends, sides and top of the trailer will make it respond more dramatically to bumps and corrugations.

Also remember that the weight distribution of your trailer may change throughout your trip. Water tanks may shed hundreds of kilos as they're drained and will affect balance depending on where they're installed.

If your tank is right at the back your towball weight might be increasing, even as the overall weight of your trailer is reduced.

AND THE KIDS? Leaving your kids at home and calling it 'weight reduction' isn't something we encourage, so don't get the wrong idea, but they won't be able to bring

crates of toys to keep them entertained.

Of course, the great outdoors will offer up plenty of activities to keep the kids enthralled, but when they echo the mantra 'this is boring' you'll be glad to have a few alternatives. High value for size toys like tennis balls and frisbees are always good to have on hand. Before heading off, allow the kids to pack a small box or bag with the toys they want to take. This may take a little adult supervision, but things like toy cars, army men, favourite dolls and so on can provide hours plenty of play when combined with a little imagination.

You can also encourage the kids to keep a journal of the trip. A selection of arts and crafts supplies will contribute to this activity, which can be a good way to wind down at the end of each day.

TECHNOLOGY The proliferation of digital music means that boxes of cassettes and folders of CDs have been forgotten in favour of smartphones and MP3 players.

Similarly, lots of people will opt for an e-reader these days, rather than lugging around a stack of hefty books.

An e-reader will allow you to store hundreds of books, and even purchase more via the internet as you travel.

Many also have clever lighting built in to allow you to read in low-light without having to squint under the dim beam of a dying torch.

Unless your trip features a scheduled stop on Paris’ Rue de Rivoli, then you don’t need to worry about pandering to the latest fashion trends. Camp clobber requires equal parts comfort and utility. Plus, the heavy-duty washing machines found in caravan parks will shred delicate haute couture garments faster than a five year old shreds wrapping paper.

The clothes you pack should be hard-wearing and versatile.

You may need to cover a broad spectrum of conditions, in which case you’ll want to embrace the art of layering. Thermal underwear, an insulated layer and a shell jacket will keep you as warm as a heavy woollen coat, while each item can be used independently to cover a variety of situations. Embrace the kind of fancy performance fabrics used by outdoor equipment manufacturers, as they really do live up to the hype. Alternatively, seeing as high-tech fabrics can be prohibitively expensive, some folk on longer trips will pack only clothes for the current season, then as seasons change drop into a charity shop where they’ll donate the old stuff and acquire all the gear they need for the coming season.

However, minimising your wardrobe should not be done to the detriment of hygiene. Be sure to pack plenty of underwear, socks and so forth, seeing as you may not always have immediate access to laundering facilities.

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GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

BASIC

REPAIRS There’s not always a mechanic handy in the bush, so it pays to have a few tricks up your sleeve.

W

hat adventures has the open road got in store for you?

Perhaps a journey of self discovery, a life-changing experience or a rattle that drives you beyond insanity.

You may not encounter any unfortunate events along the way, but then again you might encounter the whole lot. Thus, you'll want to be prepared for on-the-go repairs. The exact gear you may need is as ill-defined as a faded desert road sign, but there aren't many things that can't be fixed with a little imagination and a whole lot of gaffer tape.

Luckily, they're often an easy fix. Start by checking for any connections that may have been shaken loose or clogged with debris. A multimeter will allow you to isolate where in the circuit a fault has occurred. Some spare wire and a soldering iron will do the trick for most wiring issues. Otherwise, clean the plug, check fuses and bulbs replace them if necessary. If fuses continue to blow then you should have the matter looked into by a certified automotive electrician.

RATTLES

Any newly installed bolts will need tightening after the first hundred or so kilometres, keeping a socket set handy will enable you to keep everything safe and secure. You may also want to carry a few spare U-bolts, in the event that one of those securing the leaf springs to the axle should fail.

An unstoppable rattle on a long drive is enough to turn an iron constitution to jelly, throw in a few corrugations and it's game over. Jockey wheels are particularly notorious for this, but can be easily silenced. Carry a few bungee cords, tie downs and some zip ties to fasten any loose rattles. Not only will it preserve your sanity, it will also prevent components from the potential longterm damage that a rattle can cause.

LIGHTS

Tail light or indicator failure is a danger, particularly when travelling in groups.

6 34

BOLTS

FLAT TYRES

Every camper trailer tower should know how to change a tyre. Jacking up a trailer is different to jacking up a car, check your manufacturer’s guidelines for recommended jacking points.

Put chocks on opposing wheels, stay connected to your tow vehicle and have

both handbrakes activated. It's easier to loosen the wheel nuts before the tyre has left the ground.

Punctures can be plugged using a simple plugging kit when you're on the go. You just remove any foreign objects, clean the area and lubricate the puncture, then insert a plugging tool, trim the excess and release the plug. You'll need an air compressor to inflate the tyre once the plug has been set in place. This should only be done as a temporary measure and should be professionally repaired or replaced as soon as possible. If you're heading offroad it's a good idea to carry a couple of spares if possible.

TANKS AND HOSES

Though many tanks are protected by guards, there's always a chance that a wayward stone can have its way with your water storage. A few joiners and some spare hose will cover the majority of your tubular troubles, while a bit of silicone is useful for minor tank damage.

If you have a pin-hole puncture in the tank, cover a stainless steel screw with silicone and screw it into the hole to plug it up. Larger holes can be patched with commercial fillers when the tank is drained and dry.

EXPERT TIPS

BASIC REPAIRS

Toolbox Essentials Socket set Open end and ring spanners Good screwdriver set Pliers, cutters, wire strippers Shifting spanners (all sizes) Lockjaw pliers (small and large) Thread sealing tape, insulation tape, duct tape Screws, nuts and bolts (assorted) Wire joiners (assorted) Soldering iron and solder Can of lubricant Torque wrench Bearing grease

Spares Wheel bearings Wheel nuts Studs

Fuses Bulbs U-bolts Shackles

DIY MUST HAVES Silicone

Bungee cord or occy straps

12V Wire

Multimeter

Cable ties

Duct tape

Batteries and jump leads

Oil

Hose and connectors 35 7

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

WHAT TO DO EMERGENCY

IN AN 000

64 8

Get to know emergency procedures and contacts for when you’re on the road. It could help save a life.

SAFETY FIRST

WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY

I

f you spend enough time on the move then you can guarantee surprises. Hopefully, these will result in little more than a slight delay, but if they do manifest as full-blown emergencies then you'll want to be prepared. It's always better to be prepared for an emergency that never takes place than to find yourself in the middle of one with no idea what to do.

Stay Put Never leave your vehicle if you become stranded. Pull up in a safe place and try to contact someone for help. There have been a number of occasions which have seen stranded drivers wander off, become disorientated, dehydrated and eventually succumb to exposure. It’s a good idea to have gear to attract attention, such as a strobe light.

You’re better off bringing help to you, don’t go looking for it.

CONDITIONS

Keep an eye on the weather and road conditions and avoid travelling in extreme conditions – if you must set out then make sure you're prepared.

In extreme heat breakdowns are more common, so take plenty of water and be sure you stay in the shade if you find yourself laid up on the side of the road. Similarly, heavy rain and road washouts can be hazardous and increase the risk of an accident.

First Aid

If someone is injured then first aid should be administered as soon as possible. This can keep the unfortunate victim comfortable until help arrives and prevent the situation from worsening. A good first aid kit is essential, and if you don't know how it all works then a comprehensive first aid course is a must.

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GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

Triple Zero Call '000' in the event of an emergency; the call will still go through if you're calling from a pre-paid mobile with zero credit or if there is no coverage from your particular carrier (it will not connect if there is no reception all together). Be aware that in some places it can take hours for emergency services to arrive, so be ready to dig in for a while. The operator will walk you through what to do and may be able to assist – just remember to stay calm. Give a clear explanation of the situation so that the dispatcher can determine the services necessary.

Emergency Beacons

Carrying an emergency beacon may be the only way to get emergency medical assistance if you are in a remote location without phone reception.

All emergency beacons transmit GPS coordinates, through an international satellite system for search and rescue.

The location is then relayed on to Australian Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Canberra. The RCC will dispatch a rescue team, usually via helicopter, to the location.

10 66

There are three types of emergency beacon: EPIRB, ELT and PLB.

EPIRB: Emergency PositionIndicating Radio Beacons are primarily used on boats, they are quite large and heavy.

ELT: Emergency Location Transmitters are used on aircrafts.

PLB: Personal Locator Beacons are the smallest of the three types of emergency beacons, and these are what you want to use on land; 4WDing, biking, hiking and so on.

SAFETY FIRST

WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY

IN THE HEAT

We all know that it can get hot in Australia, especially if you're stuck on the side of the road somewhere in the outback. Consider travelling during cooler morning or evening hours on days when the mercury is set to skyrocket, and always stay hydrated and cool. Be aware of the signs of heatinduced illness such as headaches, nausea, cramps, excess sweating, fainting or dizziness. If heat-stress occurs, lie down in a cool spot, remove excess clothing, drink small amounts of water and cool down with a cold shower, sponge or wet towel.

KNOW YOUR LOCATION

Knowing your location will help emergency services get to you faster.

Ideally, you'll know roughly where you are along your intended route.

If not, a mobile phone, GPS device or emergency locator beacon may be able to show you or emergency services where you are. You can also download the Emergency+ app onto your smartphone, which uses your phone's GPS functionality to display your exact longitude and latitude, even when you have no signal.

Useful Contacts HealthDirect Australia www.healthdirect.gov.au or Ph 1800 022 222 (24hr health advice line in ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tas & WA) 13 Health Ph 13 43 25 84 (24hr health advice line in QLD) Nurse on Call Ph 1300 606 024 (24hr health advice line in Vic) Poisons Information Centre Ph 13 11 26 St John Ambulance www.stjohn.org.au or Ph 1300 360 455

11 67

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

Where Can You

Stay?

When the sun sets on a day of travel, you’re going to need a place to pitch.

T

he world is your campsite when your home is on the hitch... well, almost.

One of the main reasons people choose to travel with a camper trailer is the ability to take it just about anywhere.

But despite their versatility, there are still some rules as to where you can and can’t set up.

Parking

Parking around Australia is the jurisdiction of local councils. Some parks and beaches will allow camping, some will have restricted windows and others will be banned with vigorously enforced penalties. Setting up on 12 92

residential streets is not allowed in most regions. Rather than pulling into town and hoping for the best, it’s good to check the regulations before you arrive.

A quick online search will reveal local government directories that will point you in the right direction to check local council by-laws, or a phone call to the local council will also do the trick.

Caravan Parks

Caravan parks can be a great addition to a long road-trip itinerary. There are plenty of them around and they offer all the amenities you could possibly need: power, water, bathrooms, kitchens,

laundries, playgrounds, sewage dumps, internet, and many have additional activities for both kids and adults.

Generally you’ll be required to book in advance and they are the more expensive option, so it’s unlikely that they’ll be your sole ports of call. A quick online search will turn up independently owned parks in certain locations and will likely lead you to the websites of big brands with multiple locations, such as Big4 and Discovery Parks.

National Parks

Camping in national parks is usually quite basic and will require that you

INSPIRATION

WHERE CAN YOU STAY?

BUSH CAMPS This lot are a bit of a mixed bag, as the term ‘bush camps’ covers a wide variety of spots. In short, anything that’s free or low cost falls into this category, so they generally have fewer facilities and sometimes none at all. The upshot, of course, is that you won’t be spending big every night on a caravan park and with a bit of luck you’ll find some gems. Many campers head for bush camps to experience serenity among beautiful scenery, and you too may find you prefer them. Hema’s atlases and guides will show the top bush camps in a given region, if not all. Hema’s Road and 4WD Atlas is the definitive travel guide for tourers and adventurers, and features our most comprehensive maps to date. The all-encompassing atlas includes useful information such as 4WD tracks, campsites, caravan parks, rest areas, 24-hour fuel and points of interest.

book in advance, sometimes both park entry and camping permits. It’s not only the facilities at national park sites that are minimal, so too are the roads.

Be sure you’re up to the task of hauling your trailer into the area on what are most likely winding, unpaved roads. In spite of their misleading classification, national parks are in fact controlled by state governments (the exceptions being Kakadu, Uluru, Booderee, Christmas Island and Norfolk Island, which are federally managed), so to apply for permits and find detailed info on each park, head to the relevant parks website.

VICTORIA www.parkweb.vic.gov.au NEW SOUTH WALES www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au QUEENSLAND www.parks.des.qld.gov.au NORTHERN TERRITORY www.nt.gov.au/leisure/parksreserves WESTERN AUSTRALIA www.parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au SOUTH AUSTRALIA www.parks.sa.gov.au TASMANIA www.parks.tas.gov.au

93 13

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

Cape York, QLD When to visit: May to October, during the dry season The pointy end of Australia is a must for anyone looking to join the 4WD fraternity, and can present a worthy challenge for those keen to test their mettle with some proper offroad towing. It’s best to have plenty of time up your sleeve so you can take some sidetracks rather than heading directly to the top, but that’s entirely up to you.

Alternatively, you can load your rig onto the freighter MV Trinity Bay, sail up to the tip and drive back inland.

If your goal is simply to touch the tip so you can say you’ve done it, it’s basically a straight shot along inland roads until you reach the end. Some of the more worthwhile diversions will take you up the east coast through the Daintree National Park along the CREB Track, up to Cape Melville and then a couple of days along Frenchman’s Track.

Finally, the last leg to The Tip puts the final flourish on an incredible couple of weeks of travel.

Of course, not everybody has a month of free time to go cruising around the cape. Those with time constraints can still have a more than satisfactory journey if they allow a handful of days to take it all in. There are plenty of spots to set up camp at Seisia, Loyalty Beach, Somerset and Punsand Bay, as well as a scattering of bush camps. But don’t let that fool you, The Tip is severely lacking in facilities, so you’d best be prepared to rough it. If you’d rather see the pointy end in comfort, you can leave your camper in storage at Caravilla Caravan Park in Cairns and take the MV Trinity Bay or jump on board a 4WD tour.

You’ll find the ruins of an old homestead melting into the bush at Somerset. It was built in 1864 as a haven for shipwrecked sailors and as a base for the Cape’s first cattle property. North of the ruins you can get an insight into the history of the region’s Aboriginal inhabitants, shown through a large collection of cave paintings.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you’re heading out to The Tip is to be prepared. Take extra supplies for anything that may occur.

See map on page 126 100 14

Everything you need to know about The Tip can be found in Hema’s Cape York Atlas and Guide.

INSPIRATION

TOP REGIONS

QUICK TIP

Launch a tinnie from Somerset and up at Punsand Bay and try your luck at catching queenfish, trevally and salmon. Just watch out for crocs.

CLOCKWISE FROM MAIN: The bauxite cliffs of Ussher Point; On the way to Nanthau Beach; Pop into The Croc Tent for your Cape York souvenirs; The wharf at Seisia

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Once you’ve gotten an impression of how remote Innamincka is, the story of Burke and Wills, whose expedition came to an unfortunate end nearby, will be seen in a whole new light. Nowadays, people are drawn to the region to visit historic sites and explore the area around Cooper Creek and the MalkumbaCoongie Lakes National Park. A lot of folk will come to Innamincka by way of the Strzelecki Track, others by detouring from the Birdsville Track, while others still will traverse Innamincka Road from neighbouring Queensland. However you get there, it’s not somewhere you’ll end up by accident but certainly somewhere you should try and visit if you ever have the opportunity.

Simpson Desert Conservation Park

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Kalamurra Lake

Lake Kittakittaooloo

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'Mungeranie'

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Lake Koolkootinnie

Ooroowilanie Lake Mulapula

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park

Lake Puntawolona

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Daralingie Gas Field

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Gamay 1 Gas Well

Cowan 3 Gas Well Fortanna 1 GGas Well

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Thurakinna Gas Field

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Wancoocha Oil Field

Strzelecki Regional Reserve

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Arrakis Gas Field

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Touriga 1 Gas Well

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Della Gas Field

Bauhaus 1 Gas Well

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Mckinlay 1 Oil Well

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Ulandi 2 Oil Well

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Trebbiano 1 Gas Well

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Barcooloo 1 Gas Well

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19 139

GO-TO

FOR

GUIDE

CAMPERS

Be prepared to explore with Hema maps and guides.

Camper trailer touring is one of the most liberating ways to travel, allowing adventurous souls to push into some of Australia’s most remote and picturesque locations.

Produced in collaboration with Camper Trailer Australia, the Go-To Guide for Campers covers everything you’ll need to know, presented in an easy-to-read format with plenty of pictures and, of course, a handful of Hema maps.

The Go-To Guide covers Trip Planning Preparation Food & Frivolities Maintenance & DIY

Safety & Security Equipment & Gadgetry Inspiring Destinations

Not quite what you're looking for?

Check out Hema's Go-To Guide for Caravans to discover everything you need to know as you hitch up and hit the road.

SAFETY FIRST

WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

I

f you spend enough time on the move then you can guarantee surprises. Hopefully, these will result in little more than a slight delay, but if they do manifest as full-blown emergencies then you'll want to be prepared. It's always better to be prepared for an emergency that never takes place than to find yourself in the middle of one with no idea what to do.

WHAT TO DO EMERGENCY

IN AN 000

Prepared to explore. www.hemamaps.com

Get to know emergency procedures and contacts for when you’re on the road. It could help save a life.

Stay Put Never leave your vehicle if you become stranded. Pull up in a safe place and try to contact someone for help. There have been a number of occasions which have seen stranded drivers wander off, become disorientated, dehydrated and eventually succumb to exposure. It’s a good idea to have gear to attract attention, such as a strobe light.

You’re better off bringing help to you, don’t go looking for it.

CONDITIONS

Keep an eye on the weather and road conditions and avoid travelling in extreme conditions – if you must set out then make sure you're prepared.

In extreme heat breakdowns are more common, so take plenty of water and be sure you stay in the shade if you find yourself laid up on the side of the road. Similarly, heavy rain and road washouts can be hazardous and increase the risk of an accident.

First Aid

If someone is injured then first aid should be administered as soon as possible. This can keep the unfortunate victim comfortable until help arrives and prevent the situation from worsening. A good first aid kit is essential, and if you don't know how it all works then a comprehensive first aid course is a must.

64

65

MAPS

GO-TO GUIDE FOR CAMPERS

QUEENSLAND

!

Torres Strait

Prince Of Wales (Muralag) Island

Newcastle Bay

Wilds Shoal

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Cape York There’s a unique satisfaction in conquering natural extremities, and the northern-most point of Australia is no exception. The journey to The Tip is as much an attraction for many as the destination itself and there are a number of ways to do it, depending on how adventurous you’re feeling. Massive swathes of unspoilt wilderness give way to long stretches of spectacular coastline, all of which ultimately lead you to the pointy end. This is one trip that’s best done with a bit of time up your sleeve, you won’t want to miss a thing.

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