From left to right: Peta Murray. Photo: Damian Williams | Gumboots in granite country. Girraween National Park, Queensland – NSW border. Photo: Damian Williams | Cooling off in Fern Pool, Karijini National Park, WA. Photo: Peta Murray. | Signpost along the Gibb River Road, WA. Image courtesy of Tourism WA | Over 160 species of bird call Lamington National Park home. Photo: Peta Murray
Best campsite? At the risk of cheating, I’m going to name my top three… Green Mountains campground in Lamington National Park, south-east Queensland, for its incredible abundance of birdlife; Red Cliff campground in Yuraygir National Park, south of Yamba, where you can watch the antics of the resident kangaroos and sleep to the sound of the sea; and Dales Gorge campground in Karijini National Park, Western Australia’s Pilbara region, where you can stroll down for a refreshing dip in stunning Fern Pool before falling asleep to a starry desert sky and the eerie howl of dingoes.
Camping product you can’t live without: My trusty old gumboots. Walking shoes are a contentious issue, with everyone who ventures into the great outdoors having a different opinion on which footwear is best. But, for comfort, durability and all-weather versatility, my vote goes to the gumboot. Hey, if potato farmer Cliff Young could run a marathon in them…
Favourite esky: Any esky that keeps my end-of-day beer nice and cold! But, seriously, you can’t go past Igloo for a great coolbox.
Favourite sleeping bag: The Sportztrek Extra Lite III…packs away small, is light to carry as the name suggests, micro-fibre insulation ensures warmth even in zero degree temperatures and it’s durable enough to be thrown in the washing machine when you get home.
Are you a sunset or sunrise person? Definitely sunset! My partner is your typical “up and at ‘em” morning person but, despite his best efforts and copious amounts of caffeine, he’s yet to convince me that dawn (yawn) is the better part of the day.
Your favourite tent:
Do you prefer camping or glamping?
The King Camp Explore 2 is excellent for bush camping due to its light weight and all-weather capacities while the King Camp Holiday 3 is a great roomier option for tenting in places where you don’t have to carry your equipment too far.
I prefer camping just because it feels more like the real deal. Getting right back to the basics is, to me, what “getting away from it all” is really about. With that said, I have to admit that I never say no to a hot shower after a day or two of roughing it. GO CAMPING, FISHING & 4W D ADV ENTURES
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