RV FEATURE
Out of all the ways we can travel around the country , free-camping is my favourite . There is something very challenging about living in your caravan in a remote area , using only the resources you have available to you at the time . The other challenge is to see how long you can stay off the grid , as this means you can enjoy these locations for longer periods .
The problem for many caravanners is , they struggle to free-camp for longer than a few days , even if their caravan is equipped with the latest in power and water systems . They often run their batteries flat , run out of water , or encounter some other issue .
CHOOSING A CAMP
The first thing you are going to want to do is find somewhere to camp and see what facilities , if any , are provided . In the past , we used to use paper maps but the information they showed was extremely limited . These days , we have the internet , smart devices and community-based information .
Don ’ t forget to keep the batteries in your tow vehicle charged , especially if you have to carry a car fridge .
External solar panels come in all shapes , sizes , weights and output levels .
We have found one of the best smart-device apps for locating free camps is WikiCamps . For a minimal fee , you can download the app and have access to all the information you need about campgrounds anywhere in Australia . The best thing about WikiCamps is that the information is crowd-sourced , meaning users can contribute to the data and update information if they find any details inaccurate .
The worst part is that the data is crowdsourced . I know that sounds strange but the fact is , you are relying on the users to contribute accurate data . We have found some campsites listed on WikiCamps are not authorised campsites at all , so it ’ s worth reading the reviews and comments .
If you are a little old-fashioned and prefer paper-based information , Camps Australia Wide produces a book with camp information as well as maps . It also backs up its books with a smart-device app . Just be aware that anything printed is only current at the time it is published .
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