Are Free Camps sites safe

The free camp sites are quite safe to stay in. You will usually have plenty of company from fellow travellers and there have been very few reported problems over the years. Fortunately Australia is still one of the safest places in the world to travel and we hope it stays that way.

In reponse to free camping with kids, we spent the good part of 4 years recently travelling with 2 kids (both under 5 yrs) and experienced more problems with the security within caravan parks than out on the road free camping and in national parks. We'd choose national parks and free camps every time if we could. Then again if you get into a situation where you feel uncomfortable or suspicious of your surrounds, move on. Enjoy your time on the road, its addictive.

Free camps are generally safe. If you are in one by yourself try to get out of sight of the road as much as possible. If others are present dont camp on top of them but try to make contact with at least your neighbouring campers - mostly they will welcome a chat.

Safety and security cuts both ways - if you respect the needs and wishes of other travellers, they will respect you and your needs. As you travel you will meet many people and 98% of them are great folk, friendly, helpful etc. Relax and be friendly in return and you will have a great time. If you do come across someone in the other 2% just give them a wide berth or even move on to another campsite.

Cheers

This topic has just been done to death in the last week.

Have a look Here for all the discussion on saftey and protection.

Cheers

Hi Neurotic Mum,

Really I think you'll be fine. Just keep your eye out as you would at home. You get a gut feel for people and if it's a bit suss, steer clear of them.

Biggest problem I've ever found has been the number of inconsiderate people you find at fee spots, they are in higher proportion than good caravan parks. Makes sense of course but still doesn't make it right. I keep telling my self don't get uptight due to these A/H's they are just some of God's special creatures! Still they are more annoying than dangerous. These are the guys that: leave rubbish around, camp right next door when there's heaps of space, drive to fast in dusty camps, very noisy, run generators 24/7, make their presence know to everyone, etc, etc.

I've never been at risk (though sometimes a tad nervous) nor had anything stolen at any free camp or NP. You'll be fine just keep your female intuition running and don't get to neurotic over the minority of tossers out there. Sad thing is this group is responsible for many of the closures to free camping. Though many times I thinks it's just an excuse for land owners, park owners etc to gather a few more $$

Hi,
pull in well before dark, meet with the neighbours, if you feel threatened by them now is the time to move on to the next site or just further away from them.

If it's a 'free site' that's simply beside the highway, look at the far end first, as other campers will be making some noise late at night in the first section when they enter looking for a quick nap.

Mainey . . .

I dont camp near unsigned no-camping signs anymore... it used to be an unsigned sign wasnt a legal sign but i hove found that an unsigned sign also means the locals will do more illegal things to move you on....

Far far safer than in a suburban home Neurotic Mum. The further you get away from civilisation the better it gets, and the more people look after each other. We prefer to bush camp alone, and disused gravel pits are ideal - clean and flat, and usually with a barrier of bush to screen you from the road. Old roads and tracks into the bush can be investigated (just walk them first), You get a feel for finding good places after a while, and your instinct will tell you if you feel comfortable or you don't. Even when we have stopped at rest areas alongside highways, i have felt quite safe. We rarely bush camp close to towns.

We carry camping books - Camps Australia Wide, or if in WA and NT, the Jan Holland Priceless Campsites and Rest areas series, and use these as a back up. If we don't find anywhere suitable before around 4 - 5 pm, i check out the books. That way we don't have to panic.

I start looking around lunch time. If the lunch stop is just gorgeous, we stay, otherwise as the afternoon progresses we become less and less fussy. If there has been nothing at all and it is getting dark, we just pull off the road. Once it gets dark, not only is there the danger of hitting animals on the road, but it becomes impossible to find tracks to investigate.

Enjoy this wonderful land.

Motherhen

Hi,

We are currently travelling Oz with 2 young daughters, we free camp a lot (as parks can get expensive) we haven't had any issues - the only advise I can give is sometimes on a weekend you will get the local's at free camps - they are generally there to have a "good time" can be noisy.

Just pull over around 3pm within the hour or so, you will find others will pull in around you.

Cheers
Caroline