FREEDOM CAMP OF THE MONTH
Fort O ’ Hare Campground is located in a beautiful riverside parkland in the tiny Victorian town of Dartmoor , which has just 200 residents .
Massive trees surround the camping areas , which is nestled on the banks of the Glenelg River , so there is plenty of shade , handy fire pits with barbecue plates , new toilets – and some interesting history !
At the moment , the main camping area is closed off – it is far too wet just now . But there is still ample space for many more RVs . In fact , there were only three other travellers there during our stay .
History abounds in this area . Major Thomas Mitchell camped in this spot on August 12 1836 . Check out the monument to the explorer , and the junction in the Crawford and Glenelg rivers .
Although the park is like a bush camp , walk just few hundred metres to the playground , pub and general store ( where you can pop in a donation ).
There ’ s more history in here ! You will also find some really quirky carvings of tree trunks and branches . We spotted dwarves , kings , the three bears and even Red Riding Hood ! Around town there are avenues of sculptures placed there as permanent war memorials .
When in this area , make sure you have your canoes or kayaks – there is a launching spot in the park .
Otherwise , be sure to say hello to the publicans , Jess and Charlie . As Jess ’ s husband is a farmer , she jokes that she and her toddler run the pub ! They serve meals each night and pizza on Sundays . There is a beaut beer garden out the back , a bottle shop and a large dining area . The locals were celebrating a netball win and footy grand final when we visited . Although the original pub burnt down a few decades ago , history is all over the walls .
There is a dump point in town , too , not to mention many other free and budget camps in the region . As we sat by our camp fire , we even thought we heard koalas on our final night here !
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