O/T ...Shocking Yarn from the 80's

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 00:28
ThreadID: 55694 Views:3184 Replies:9 FollowUps:10
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In the olden days you used to have to
pay for a shower in some "remote" areas. Especially
when travelling Adelaide to Perth and staying in
camping grounds.
There was a coin operated machine which timed the
water flow. They used to take a $1 coin.

And a dollar was worth something in those days.

At one well known establishment I needed a shower and
thinking myself smarter than the average rock, I
stepped inside and stripped off first, before
depositing my hard earned in the machine. I wasn't
wasting any of my water time by undressing after the
timer began.

Wet concrete floor, ready for shower, money into slot.
Zappo!

I ended up with the $1 coin going skyward so I grabbed
it on the way down and automatically put it in the
machine again. Hey, I was dammed if I was going to
waste money. Maybe it was static electricity I
thought.

Nope. It grabbed me and this time held on !! I was
lucky enough to be able to let go after what seemed
like an eternity.

Clothes under one arm, nothing on feet, still shaking slightly and with a strategic towel
wrapped around my nether regions, I wandered across to
the office. Not happy Footy.

"Well you'll just have to stay dirty, won't you?"
replied the annoyed manager.
I suppose he thought I'd just ruined HIS day!!

And so it was. Dirty, smelly and tired of camp grounds,
I booked a motel room further down the track.
That night I was not a water saver I can assure you. And
just in case, I had another shower in the morning.


Something tells me that the manager wouldn't get away
with that retort these days :))





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Reply By: Rossco td105 - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 01:35

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 01:35
Footloose

Me thinks he would be "shocked" with my response.

Thanks for the 'shocking' tale...

Rossco.
AnswerID: 293519

Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:34

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:34
I have to admit that the episode shook me so much that I was keener to get away from there than give him a serve.
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FollowupID: 559214

Reply By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 02:05

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 02:05
You need not go without your fix of coin operated showers when crossing the nullabor.
fraser range station camp area still has them - Wonder where they came from???????
AnswerID: 293521

Follow Up By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 09:10

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 09:10
They also have them at North Shore Caravan Park and Fresh Water
Camp Ground up from Teewah Beach. I remember one time we
were at Fresh Water, and we did-nt have any change, nobody was
around, the camp sites were vacant, so my Cook and I shared a shower. Lifes Good.

Cheers

Daza
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FollowupID: 559176

Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:36

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:36
Daza. What a shocking thought :)))
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FollowupID: 559215

Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 10:03

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 10:03
Footy

There used to be a 20c coin operated shower at Camooweal Caravan Park. You needed a handful of coins to get a decent shower though.

These days we are self sufficient and do not need to used such devious facilities...lol


Cheers
AnswerID: 293549

Follow Up By: Twintrail(W.A.) - Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 at 00:43

Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 at 00:43
Willem last time i saw you having shower it was at place i have forgotten. but it was free .Predro
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Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 at 08:58

Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 at 08:58
Pedro....maybe Butterfly Springs, NT?
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FollowupID: 559446

Reply By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:11

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:11
I think Innaminka still has coin-op showers !! Or at least it was in '02..

AnswerID: 293554

Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:33

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:33
Oh......... time to be more self sufficient methinks LOL
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FollowupID: 559199

Follow Up By: Gramps (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:26

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:26
Signman,

And '05.

Still remember a caravan park/campground at Greenwell Point where we had to take a supply of 5c pieces to feed the showers ( '70s ).

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FollowupID: 559210

Reply By: A J - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:18

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:18
footloose - just had a look at some old notes and in 1979 showers in Coober Pedy were 60 cents. Had to give the caretaker some fuel for his car as he had run out of petrol. From memory the coin machine was actually outside the shower on the opposite wall.


A J
AnswerID: 293567

Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:32

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:32
AJ, yep. Some were, this one wasn't. The ones further up the track were around 60c and the box was outside if I remember correctly, but they had one shower only. These had one for ladies and one for men.
These days the only shock you might get there is the price of fuel :(
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FollowupID: 559213

Reply By: Matt(WA) - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:54

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 12:54
Coin operated showers! They used to have them down at Wilsons prom in vico. I remember doing weekend hikes with scouts down around waterloo bay and tidal river. We used to save up our twenty cent pieces and on the walk back(normally up mount oberon) all you were thinking about was "I hope I haven't lost my coins"
Matt

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AnswerID: 293571

Reply By: Mal and Di - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:04

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:04
Last time I was in the caravan park on the south side of Coober Pedy they still had coin op showers, (about 3 years ago).
AnswerID: 293579

Follow Up By: Member - barry F (NSW) - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:58

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:58
We stayed in the same park Sept. 06 & they still had them. Can't remember the cost but do remember thinking at the time that it was cheap
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Reply By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:09

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 14:09
We met coin operated showers a few times in Tasmania. Most were operated with 20 c coins, and 20 c was a reasonable length shower, 40 c a long shower. The trouble is, they work on a timer, so if i turn the water off to shampoo my hair, the timer keeps running. Regardless, i could still get by with 20 c. Pretty cheap for a good hot show at a low price camp site.

Motherhen
Motherhen

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AnswerID: 293580

Reply By: DesF - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 17:24

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 17:24
Hi, Eucla caravan park has coin opp showers as of Sept 07, uses $1 coins but got a good shower for a dollar.
Coober Pedy C/P had them for years.
Cheers Des
AnswerID: 293610

Follow Up By: Richard Kovac - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 23:49

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 at 23:49
Des

They are great showers if only all cp's had them, when you travel in a land that has little rain, every drop counts

richard
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