Free Camping By Yourself

[BaseCamp]

thanks for replying, austastar...

On reading this tread, I was thinking about your travels...    Wondering how you go about the security aspects of your trips...

I have read your recent FR on SA etc...

One thing that concerned me a bit was the "concealed nature" - of where you chose to park up at night..

My question is - considering the relative isolation of most of your overnighters ... you seem fairly snug from the random driveby crazies - but what about the team from Deliverance??

I mean if there is some local menace crazy that picks you off - then you are a long way from help...

aka Peter Falcony style - or that nutter pulling guns on campers near Yepoon that was reported in the media recently...

I would free camp using the method you have used - but its those twigs snaping in the middle of the night in isolated remote spots that would do my head in...

What are your thoughts about this - "how do you handle it"    (the paranoia, fear... etc).

You don't seem like a Jack Daniels; or sawn off shotie kind of guy....?     

..... Alter all - we are never really alone - cue the theme music for "Close Encounters" or the flic "Deliverance" etc...

 
 
 

Hi,
   We try and camp well away from 'trouble', but some areas are higher risk than others.
Avoid 'destinations' where trouble may visit, like lookouts,  beachfronts, or spots where kids will drive to for boozing/drugs/sex. If you see condoms/cans/syringes/butts around -move on.
Closer than an hour to towns is higher risk, add a warm night, a weekend  or a full moon, and the risk goes up the scale.
Park where you can't be driven around or passed by, avoiding the opportunity to be hooned or showered with gravel.

If we are a bit uneasy, and somewhat unsure of a place, we park up ready to move if trouble arrives.  However in what may be over a thousand nights camping we have only been worried once, and annoyed probably 3 or 4 times.
Cheers

[nab]

I reckon if you are that worried about it the maybe camping isn't for you.

My wife and I are generally well prepared for most things when camping, have backups/spares, take the easy track etc. When it comes to security there is only so much that a thin canvas wall can save you from. We just accept that there is a slight/tiny risk that the bad may happen.

I feel safer alone in the bush than in some caravan parks...

[austastar]

Hi,
  The 'Team from Deliverance' falls into the same category as a container falling off a truck, or a roadtrain crossing to the wrong side of the road. The possibility is there, but it won't stop me leaving the house.
Thus we minimise exposure to roadtrains etc by using minor roads and try and find camping spots that would be so boring to nutter types that they wouldn't go there.
Cheers

[gronk]

The best bit about remote spots away from anyones eyes is ....no one knows you are there !

The only times you'll get any trouble ( if there is going to be any ) is friday and sat nights.....even scum bags have gotta work !!

[jayjay]

Very interesting topic- have often wondered about this.

[GeoffA]

.....even scum bags have gotta work !!

They usually don't....

[achjimmy]

I reckon if you are that worried about it the maybe camping isn't for you.

My wife and I are generally well prepared for most things when camping, have backups/spares, take the easy track etc. When it comes to security there is only so much that a thin canvas wall can save you from. We just accept that there is a slight/tiny risk that the bad may happen.

I feel safer alone in the bush than in some caravan parks...

+1

[achjimmy]

I know a town up central west the police advise you to stay at the riverside free camp 7-8ks from town rather than the caravan park. They say they openly and regularly check the campsite and it's too far from town for drunk hoons to walk.


We have never had a prob but you gotta be aware. In most places the cops are only to willing to attend and nab some body for dui so if your harrassed that's your best bet or move on. As for maglites, Jack handles, peppers sprays I think your just asking for trouble especially if in a mob. It will just escalate a situation. Thing about carrying weapons is you have to be able and willling To use them. If there was abouslutely no other way out to protect myself or my family I would and it wouldn't  be a pepper spray or iron bar 

[austastar]

Hi,
    Yep, I would rather talk my way out of trouble than a physical fight.
I'm happy talking down an agressive drunk, but have yet to meet the dreaded ice, only  what I've seen on TV.
Hopefully anyone on that would be incapable of reaching the spots we like to be.
Cheers

[Beachman]

A couple of years ago I was camping with my kids at a not so well known National Park and due to the weather forecast predicting wind and storms the place was totally empty. Around 10pm I was woken by some thunder in the distance and then I heard a group of trail bikes & 4WD’s doing circle work etc heading my way.

I have to admit seeing it was just myself and my 2 young children my heart started beating faster as you never know if they are just having harmless fun or out looking for trouble. Luckily when they were close enough to see head lights in the distance the heavens opened from the storm and they took off in the opposite direction. 

Apart from that, it was a fantastic weekend as we had the whole camping area to ourselves and apart from one night-time storm the weather was good. 

[Traveller]

My wife and myself have been touring for about 20 years, and at the start I was a bit nervous about being exposed to 'undesirables' that might be passing. As time went on I was a lot more comfortable with lone camping, although still gave some thought to where we were. Started to get nervous one night when we pulled up still highly visible beside the Planet Arrabury Road, southwest of Windorah, as I thought that no one be be using this road this late in the afternoon. We had just sent up the camper when the first of the vehicles drove past. Hmmmm. Sitting back with a beer, another goes by. Then 2 other tourers get to where we were and then head way off road to hide behind some trees. It was at this point that I thought I should have put more effort into concealment. Finally went to bed expecting the worst.

Woke up the next morning to another lovely day and thought that what was I worried about? It did remind me though about the dangers, and I really do try to get out of sight. Sometimes it is a bit difficult however, especially in desert type country with no greenery to give a screen. When coming down the Tanami last year we used sand dunes to hide behind although we were still slightly exposed.

After saying all that, the camps we love the most are these remote ones. There is something about being in the middle of nowhere, hopefully by yourselves, with just a sky full of stars to keep you company. Life doesn't get much better.

[gronk]

As long as it's not near a town, I don't really care too much if I can't get right out of the way.....I figure the chances of someone driving past being an undesirable is almost zero..

If it's fairly remote, the only ones going past are probably locals going to or from their homesteads..

 

[bergersau]

Does anyone know a recipe for some really effective pepper spray?

Questions that spring to mind are:
##  Is home brew pepper spray legal?
##  What experiences have you had using it in a defensive scenario?
##  How effective was it; etc?
##  Any recommendations on easy-carry spray platforms - as the delivery system?
##  What range/projectory do these have? .

If anyone has any accurate specifics - this would be helpful  vs (non fact based) opinions..

no stress,
Appreciated
   

ANY item carried with the intent to use as a weapon  for self defence is illegal in Victoria as I understand the law.
That includes home made pepper spray, knives, bats, scissors etc.
Having said that, if you snatched up a convenient  mag-lite or aerosol of oven cleaner or other improvised weapon which happened to be laying around in a self defence emergency - that's different.  You'd also need a plausible reason for having that item on hand.  For example "Why wasn't your fishing knife safely stored in your tackle box in the boot of your car with the rest of your fishing gear.  Storage of knives under your pillow is very unusual sir..."

These conversations are always concerning - if you pick up a weapon, ANY WEAPON you need to be fully prepared to use it.  If not then you've just escalated the situation further.
If you use a weapon of any description, improvised or not you had better be prepared to justify your actions in the legal aftermath that often results.

[slydar]

yep - remember, if theyre looking for trouble there is often more than one of them, and its their word against yours and your wife/partners which usually doesn't count (except in a domestic violence allegation )

now - stepping out of your tent/camper/van and spraying yourself with repellent and accidentally using it on them can be a different story

I am a naturist and often stay at the one free campground that is legal to be so and we were woken up one morning by some local surf club having a comp on the beach (don't ask me why it had to be that one) and we were heckled by them - the cheese and kisses calmly walked around the front and took photos of their 'grand stand' and all the cars that were there which had them puzzled but they were such big men they didn't dare challenge her. one of the regulars who knew the local ranger heard what went on and called the ranger that night when he got home and he said he would speak to the organisers and warn them not to do it again (we would have preferred they were banned from any future carnivals), but all night the cheese and kisses kept waking with her heart pounding in case they were coming back as we were the only ones camping there that weekend

many years ago in a past life I had the family camping at cotter camp ground one summer - it was pretty good even if it was the hottest summer many people had experienced. in those days a 'camp host' was appointed from the community to voluntarily be the unofficial ranger but he never had any power so when hoards of young ones wanting to have wild parties turned up there would be a confrontation of some sort and getting the police out there was difficult - at night there would always be at least one car cruising quietly through the camp but a flash of a torch usually gave them notice. the ranger would also come through but he made no secret of concealing who he was

I remember reading on here (I think) of someone who stopped at walgett cop shop and asked where the nearest safe free camping ground was only to be told straight up to keep going to tamworth

[gronk]

Walgett to Tamworth

Geez, the copper musn't have liked him to try and send him all the way to Tamworth !!