You should always keep your dogs on leads even when free-camping .
DOGS
More and more people are travelling with their dogs and these present a whole new set of issues at free camps . Unlike caravan parks , there may not be specific rules concerning management of pets and some people take advantage of this .
We travel with dogs and we always keep them restrained . That said , there are times when the little buggers get away from us to greet a new arrival . If this happens , get your dog and apologise .
We also discourage our dogs from barking at everyone who passes . We don ’ t want our dogs to be a source of annoyance to our fellow campers .
Most importantly , make sure you pick up your dog ’ s droppings and dispose of them responsibly . Just because it is a free camp doesn ’ t mean your dog ’ s droppings can be left in place .
GREY WATER
Next to generators , grey water would be the most controversial topic on caravan and camping Facebook groups . Some react to grey water as if it was an oil spill over the Great Barrier Reef while others don ’ t give it a second thought .
The problem is so bad that the full containment of grey water is a condition of use in many free camps . You ’ ll often hear that you must be self-contained in order to stay at a particular free camp .
Unfortunately , the term ‘ selfcontained ’ can mean many things . It might be okay to just collect your grey water in a bucket or portable grey water tank and dispose of it into a nearby garden or tree . Or it could mean that you must have an onboard grey water tank and you must keep that grey water stored until you find a public dump point .
Whatever the rules are , try to follow them precisely ; otherwise , you run the risk of being fined by the local council or asked to leave the free camp .
If there are no restrictions on the disposal of grey water , try to be thoughtful about where yours flows . Place your grey water hose so that the flow is directed away from your neighbours ’ sites and towards a nearby tree , shrub or grassed area .
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