Comment: What does “Self Contained Only” really mean?

Our poptop van has rarely seen a "manicured lawn" in a park or even a park for that matter, we have resorted to using a park a bit more lately because of our age and the effort required to set up a good camp site for a 3-4 week or more stay, yes we go "camping" with our caravan out side loo and shower, camp fire, solar panels, backup genny, water purifier, etc,etc....you have now heard of some one saying " WE HAVE HOOKED UP OUR CARAVAN AND NOW WE ARE GOING CAMPING" cheers

Bigfish, I agree with most of what you say. BUT a few minutes on some of the Facebook camping sites (that have membership in the tens of thousands) makes it quite clear that many people think that living in a self contained rig is "camping". Some of them may not specifically say " WE HAVE HOOKED UP OUR CARAVAN AND NOW WE ARE GOING CAMPING" but they do post pics of their "campsite", or showing "where they camped" - strongly suggesting that they believe they are camping.

Cheers,

Val.

They probably do say ..yes, we have hooked up our caravan and now we are going camping. Probably trying to make it sound as though they are roughing it a bit. Sounds better than saying..we have packed up all our necessities from home and now we are going to be setting up to enjoy our home away from home.....

Don't care what is posted....Camping is not living out of a mobile home or caravan...

So if caravan campers are only caravaning and not camping then people in tents are tenting and also not camping. We are half caravan and half tent. So i guess we are caravantenting.
This must be a joke? If you,re out there away from home in the bush with a tent or in a fancy park in a fancy wheeled van, it is still camping. People can camp the way they like. I lived in many countries and caravans and tents are also camping in all those countries. It is the first time i heard someone said caravaning is not camping.

From the OXFORD DICTIONARY...

Definition of camping in English:

noun
[mass noun]

The activity of spending a holiday living in a tent:
‘camping attracts people of all ages’

‘when they were little, we went camping in California’

[as modifier]: ‘a camping trip ’

Quote "I,d suggest 90% of all caravans spend their lives on manicured lawns in parks set up especially for these larger homes."

Haven't been around much have you. There was a report a year or two back suggesting that there are not enough sites to accommodate all the vans sculling around Qld in the winter season. they went on to say that it is believed that there are more vans up there camping away from parks than there in them.

We go camping in our caravan all the time.....inside the van is a small table , fridge and a bed....outside is a pullout kitchen....not much different to a camper trailer, except for the hard sides and roof.

Mod cons....yep, we have a shovel mounted to the front for toilet duties and a solar shower bag for a shower if we could be bothered.....2 doonas on the bed for winter nights and a canvas awning for days when the sun is too hot !!

Hi
I get a laugh out of threads like this one. We have two different types of people and their interpretations on the definition of the word. Not that sharing your thoughts is a bad thing, but don't get personal.
"Camping"
This is my simple thoughts on the word. I would assume if you went camping, whether it be with a tent or with some other means of "shelter", you would arrive at a place tocamp. Once at this nominated site, you set up your camp, now you are camping. Once you have gone, you could than say, "you camped there."
Some may have a tent and others may have Camper Trailers/Vans, but in the end they all become a shelter for you to be covered and protected.
I am sure that the books published such as "Camps 7 & Wikicamps" do not only refer to "people in tents."
The meanings of words change over the years. I am sure some of the older people here will still remember what the meaning of this sentence is, "Look at that lovely GAY couple over there" and the young ones would give it a completely different meaning.
Now I may be miles off course with this as Camp & Camping may have a completely different meaning.

camp
noun
1. a place where an army or other group of persons or an individual is lodged in a tent or "other temporary means of shelter".
2. such tents or shelters collectively:
The regiment transported its camp in trucks.
3. the persons so sheltered:
The camp slept through the storm.
4. the act of camping out:
Camp is far more pleasant in summer than in winter.
5. any temporary structure, as a tent or cabin, used on an outing or vacation.
6. a group of troops, workers, etc., camping and moving together.
The army camped in the valley.
14. to live temporarily in or as if in a camp or outdoors, usually for recreation (often followed by out):
They camped by the stream for a week.
15. to reside or lodge somewhere temporarily or irregularly, especially in an apartment, room, etc.:
They camped in our apartment whenever they came to town.

"SHELTER" noun
: a structure that covers or protects people or things
: a place that provides food and protection for people or animals that need assistance
: a place to live

Full Definition of "SHELTER"
1
a : something that covers or affords protection
b : an establishment providing food and shelter
c : an establishment that houses and feeds stray animals
2
: a position or the state of being covered and protected

Cheers
ps. I love this site, and it gives me a thrill to think I have more important things to worry about, than whether Joe Blow is camping in the bush in his van and not his tent.

Yes Blue, Bigfish made a point of quoting an Oxford dictionary but was very careful to only give one meaning (and he did not number that entry as you did in your reply.) Was he dishonest by his quote by not extending the quote or is this yet another example of why the Oxford dictionary should not be used in Oz.

The dictionary used in Australian courts is the Macquarie Dictionary:
Camp n
1. Group of tents, caravans or other temporary shelters in one place
2. the persons sojourning in such places

I suggest we ignore this poor disillusioned boy.

People that sleep on the ground in a sleeping bag and cook on an open fire claim to be camping. I think most that camp this way frown on people in tents calling themselves campers rather than glampers. It's all in the eyes of the beholder, but really who cares as long as the enjoyment is there.
Back in the 60s I would head off on a camping trip on my Triumph 650 with just a box of matches, a few cans of food and a sleeping bag. Couldn't imagine doing that today, neither can the wife!

OK I get the argument about caravans and tents but what am I doing when I crash in my roll of canvas? "Swagging"

And what about when I just stop somewhere, recline the seat and sleep in the 4by? What is the noun then?

I'm confused!

Pete

I don't know that it's that important to have name for every form of camping but I suppose you could call it swamping or 4bamping, but certainly you wouldn't call it glamping.

And here would have been more than that up at Fletchers Creek (north of there.)

I thought it might have been a "big mob of 'vans", Slow.

Went to The 'Ville Thursday arvo, and got quite a shock to see so many vans there. Usually been deserted on our other trips up there, over the past 18 months.

Looked to be just as many on our return, early Sunday. Seems all the 'vans aren't just in Winton, and along the Landsborough highway! Heaps in Longreach too.

Bob

Bob, didn't leave the Towers until around 7am Sunday as I am a bit skippy shy these days. May have past you, as we had to go into Townsville.

No doubt we did, Slow. Got to the Towers about 7.15.

Had to be in Hughenden before 11, hence the early start. Only one "skippy" moment..........at least he was a lot more active than I felt at the time. :-)

Bob

Who really cares as long as everyone enjoys themselves!!!

Spot on Peter!! ??

exactly !!!!. get over it !! we have tented and swagged it around Australia and now it has become hard to do these things due to the body needing a few repairs and replacements , so we have a off road van, [and carry a] swag which we continue our travels , who cares as long as your are out there enjoying the country and doing the right thing

Which state does that pertain to?

My experience is in WA but believe all States Local Govt are similar. Required to set own definitions and advertise before implementation
Good luck if you ever find the advertisement though.

Neil

You would be self contained...smelly , but self contained......lol

I could also take a 2 man tent, take own food and water. Set up a table and chair. Camp for 2 nights. Poop in a porta potti and leave without a trace of me being there. I could be totally self sufficient too.

It is only the fools that have messed up sites, whatever they are, that is seeing free site stays dwindling. Its easy to buy a hundred thousand dollar outfit. Harder to use 10 cents of common sense..

Everyone knows whether or not they have done the right thing.

Top post, Bigfish

That should have been Glamping

And yes...before you remind me, you are far more mobile and able to get into remote spots that I can't get my caravan into, for those spots I take the tent out of the boot of the caravan and head in there....lol.

"Tenting".(READ THAT AS CAMPING) no matter how you do it can never be self sufficient...Of course it can. As I have already said I can pull up at a spot for a 1 night stay. Put up 2 man tent, swag, small table and chair. Boil billy on portable gas stove. Cuppa tea, bite to eat and hit the sack. Wake up, pack up and if toilet needed use porta potti. Emu bob around site and then out of there. You wouldn,t even know I had been there. Totally self sufficient.

The sooner we can get edit on this site the better.

cheers

Cut off all outside assistance to see what self contained is after about 3 weeks the wheat will be getting sorted from the chaff.
Jump in the water with scuba gear on, if it mostly works, you drown and it isn't self contained.
Nicking off from your van to pour turds down a council provided pit just moves the issue along, it most certainly doesn't make you self contained.
Systems for keeping food, water, power, waste etc, if required must be self supporting and redundant to a point. Check out properly fitted expedition motor homes for an idea.
Personally I think most of us (myself certainly included) would fail miserably at self containment in the event of complete services failure. The ability to wander off and live off the land's natural systems is the only true self containment, and arguably a pretty solid descriptor of camping too ;)

Hi Peter

What is the definition of Self Contained? As has been said many times, and for the purpose of us as caravanners or campers, it is what the controlling authority says it is for that particular campsite.

Basically, if you have the ability to removed everything you took in out again, you are "Self Contained", but your still may not be allowed in many campsites.

It is about the behaviour not the equipment. Even tent campers can camp in this "leave nothing but your tyre and footprints" style.Campground controlling authorities make strict rules to try and prevent those doing the wrong thing camping there, but it really only excludes a lot of people who will do the right thing, and makes no difference to those who will continue their behaviour and breaching of the rules.

For a moment there, Alloy, I thought your reference was to the speed at which some caravans and motor homes move down the highways.
Cheers,
Kevin

Ha ha, my experience over the years has confirmed this . Get to your destination and set up what was sub $2000 accommodation (we did upgrade to $5500 for a year or two ) only one in a choice of 100 plus sites and low and behold a snail would turn up drive around the 3 k internal road and decide a good spot was 20 metres away from us . Pull out the awning, put up the antenna and disappear inside the glow from the t.v makes me shake my head, why if that is your routine find the need to be so close to someone else. Wake in the morning and they have given birth to twins with the same mindset . If wifey was upset about me peeing on a tree during their stay that is their problem .