Camping in the old days!

Axle
Know what you mean ... not personally but whay I read and see on tv , funny though , as a Truckie in park bays I/we never have any troubles , Also picking up Hitch-Hikers and or stopping to help someone, better to keep going and that way you won't have problems or have the mongrels take your car, Back in the 50s 60s you always stopped to see if they were OK ,not today .

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Axle - Crikey that idea of throwing a tarp over a fence brought back memories. I've no idea why but back in the 60's when Dad & I went from Sydney to Ipswich to visit relatives, he did this exact thing.

When you're 10 or so anything Dad says seems like it must be right. Problem is he didn't clear ir with the ants & just about as we were nodding off in our sleeping blankets (yes blankets with big pins to make the shape like a sleeping bag), the ants struck. Strike a light anyone passing could be excused for thinking there was a corroboree or something. It was a B&B the next night.

Doug T (NT) Concerns over stopping to help strangers was discussed on here not long ago & the tips were great.

So recently when I saw a car & trailer up ahead by the side of the road with bonnet up, I heeded the advice and slowed down to check as a passed them. They gave me the thumbs up & you could hear them yelling out "thanks anyway".

It's hard to pass folk who are stranded but you're daed right about the need to look out for yourself first.

I remember that dad and uncle had to cut down a long branch to throw the army tent over. I remember the small pump up burner and the excitment when they got the first primus 2 burner stove.

Dad made an outside stove with a roof over it and that was where all the cooking was mostly done. We stayed for 6 weeks and dad travelled to work after his 2 weeks leave was up. WOW 2 weeks annual leave only.
Gee we had some fun on & in the water nearly all day. We stayed at Shoal Bay in a clearing between Tomaree and the last Residential house/flat

Years ago my family (Parents and 5 kids and cat...) were on the way to Cairns. Dad drove until he was tired, and pulled over from a quick kip, around Miriam Vale somewhere. Being kids we reminded him that a local had chopped up his family somewhere around where we were.
Well that was it! My mum wasn't staying a minute longer so Dad had to drive us into a town where we slept opposite the Post Office.

Hi Axle

Our first memories of camping were at a motor bike scramble as they were called then with a trap thrown over us and yep the ants were there.

However as for saftey I would think its a lot safer these days.

The good ole days ... heheh :-{

A one person shelter made from rope slung between two trees with a tarp draped over it. Useless in the wind.

Big upgrade to a hike tent .. small and triangular in cross section. When it rained the walls sagged and leaked where they touched you. Slept on the ground. Another big advance learning about hip holes from an old bushie.

Ah well, we were young and resilient and anyway had no money for anything better.

On the safety issue, you could pull up 20-30M behind the other vehicle, leave one person in the drivers seat with doors locked and engine running, and a mobile (or microphone) where it can be seen. Stopping at night, for us anyway, is just begging for trouble.

cheers
T.R.

About 1951 our family travelled in a 1939 International Ute from Gosford to Bellingen. My brother and I had the pleasure of sitting in the back. Which was good fun and as my old man wouldn't buy anything except utes, that's the way we travelled for many years.

It took 3 days. There were ferries at Taree, Kempsey, and I think Hexham.

In those days the Pacific Highway went through Glouster, where we camped roadside in the rain. My father, who should have known better, set up camp on low ground, and as we were sleeping under a tent fly, we got washed out.

I recall waiting for what seemed hours at the approaches to the ferries, as it was just before Christmas.

It rained on the way home too, and guess what, same type of camp site, and wet beds.

But in those days I think nearly everyone camped on the road. There were no rest areas, just fireplaces.

As we caravan now I'm very conscious of our safety and I don't compromise ourselves. No stopping near towns and if we stop in rest areas we try and get in one where there's company. Always place the door of the van away from the road and in such a place that we can't get jammed inside.

Oddly enough, I've only heard of three incidents occurring to people, and one asked for it by staying right on the edge of Tennant Creek on dole day. His van was rocked, literally.

Hard way to learn though.