Hot showers on the road when free camping

[Beachman]

Hi All,

Later in the year I’m driving up to Cairns and seeing I won’t have the Wife & Kids I’m planning on staying at designated Free Camps along the way. So just wondering what people do for hot showers?

I know some of the larger Petrol Stations offer free showers to Truck Drivers, but does anyone know if you can pay to use these showers??

Thanks

[trinityalyce]

Get yourself the WikiCamps app if you haven't already. It will be your friend!

Plenty of the truck stops that do allow free/low cost camping will allow you to use showers, either for free or by donation/small fee. Just head in and ask when you pull up (as some places that used to offer free camping and are on WikiCamps may not still be doing so). From memory we stayed at the Charters Towers Puma servo in 2016 (not an awesome spot to camp - its at the back of the truck parking area, minimal space, plenty of dust, traffic and truck noise) and were able to use their showers.

Also, PUB CAMPING. Free or low cost camps, access to toilets, showers, cold drinks, hot meals... Now, that's a pretty awesome way to travel! When we did the Cape and were around the Nth QLD area we stayed at the Ashton Hotel and the General Gordon Hotel and LOVED them as low-cost camps. Both had showers we had the use of and decent meals. Pretty sure the Ashton Hotel has been sold since we were there (had been on the market for a while when we were chatting to the publican back in 2016), but I think they are still offering camping. Apparently there's a Facebook group dedicated to pubs that offer camping... was told this by a publican on the weekend at a pub we stayed at near Toowoomba (Aubigny Hotel). I wouldn't know as I'm not on Facebook! LOL! She was saying that pubs across the country that offer camping advertise on there. But we've found all the pubs we've stayed at via WikiCamps.

Also, there are coin-operated showers in some towns. Usually roughly $2 for a 3min hot shower where they are offered. Not always near campgrounds, sometimes in pretty random council parks/etc. Check out POI's on WikiCamps to find these, or use filters to search for showers.

[speewa158]

Another option is a 20 liter drum a ball tap & a shower rose . Fill the drUm with 16l of cold water & 4L of hot  hoist in to roof rack  . You now have a 20 min hot shower where ever you may be  .                                           

[weeds]

If no installed shower available we boil water, drop it in a bucket and use a submersible pump/shower hose.

I stopped at a one horse town last weekend, free camping was a few hundred meters away from the one pub...after a couple of beers I what coins does the free camping showers take, barmaid said they are cold only but given you have had a couple of schooners I was welcome to use the hot showers at the pub.....grey nomads don’t spend money so only get cold showers


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[RonnieQ]

I use a  primus high volume submersible shower and 3 stainless steel buckets. Shower is 4 years old and still going strong and stores in the buckets.
The buckets can be placed on a gas burner or fire to heat and do double duty for all the things we use buckets for.
We use this always showers or not, include the price of an ensuite tent and you would be hard pressed to spend $150.00.
I have put extra 12v outlet on my Modcon for the shower but do have the benefit of the ensuite tent that comes with the camper.




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[gronk]

Still use it now occasionally....the old solar shower bag. Can add hot water if not enough sunshine hrs to get it up to temp. About 6 litres is plenty for 2 showers, so for one, 3 litres is all it takes.

[TuffBT50]

Run a ebay Joolca knockoff on the back of our modcon. As we only do weekends 2-4 days at the moment I just run it off the trailer water tank/pump.
Haven't worked out yet what to do for the longer trips, another water tank maybe or just regularly refill the 120L tank.

My old man cut the top off a keg and put in on a 3 ring burner. rigged up a boat bilge pump with hose and shower rose and then we used to bucket lake water into it when I was a kid. Still has it and we used it again about 3yrs ago, some 20yrs later... same pump and burner too.

[Rumpig]

I use the diesel heater in our camper, or just go without a shower for a few days, or just have a quick cold scrub under a bucket of water....all good options when camping I reckon.

[TonyF8]

Have you ever considered an under bonnet shower,  had one on the vehicle for 20 years now, and wouldn't go away without it,  easy set up, variable temp water, and can draw from numerous sources.

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Have you ever considered an under bonnet shower,  had one on the vehicle for 20 years now, and wouldn't go away without it,  easy set up, variable temp water, and can draw from numerous sources.

Trouble with Glind showers, don't you have to keep the vehicle running while you shower, so you get the heat transfer?

[weeds]

Trouble with Glind showers, don't you have to keep the vehicle running while you shower, so you get the heat transfer?

Yes,I had one years ago and a mate turned up on our high country trip with one and assume he didn’t have to have the engine running.

No biggie with engine running, it keeps the battery topped up while you are running the pump, tops your batteries up if solar or driving hasn’t done it during the day, Parker or headlight provide lighting......oh it is noisy

My mate ended up filled by a 20L drum with hot water, shut down the engine than there was plenty of warm water for the family to shower.


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[BBull]

Just use truck stops. Plenty on the way up that way. Not worth setting up a full system unless you are going to use it for a Perm set up. But we have diesel hot water in the camper and love it.

[Beachman]

Just wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to reply. I’ve had a heat exchange and for me it suits our purpose when camping with the family. Plus when is shady spots the extra boost it gives the batteries is invaluable

However for the this drive to Cairns  in early July the plan is to drive until dusk and pull over into the free camping beside the Hway, so I was wanting to be a little lazy and not having to set the shower plus tent up.

I’ve just downloaded WiliCamps so thanks for that tip. 

[Bird]

If its only a couple of days just buy some wet-one wipes and use those for face, hands, armpits and the jewellery box.

Then have a shower when you get to Cairns.

[Rumpig]

Just wanted to thank everyone for taking the time to reply. I’ve had a heat exchange and for me it suits our purpose when camping with the family. Plus when is shady spots the extra boost it gives the batteries is invaluable

However for the this drive to Cairns  in early July the plan is to drive until dusk and pull over into the free camping beside the Hway, so I was wanting to be a little lazy and not having to set the shower plus tent up.

I’ve just downloaded WiliCamps so thanks for that tip.

if you are interested....St Lawrence is about 800klm North of Brisbane and costs $10 a night to stay at the showgrounds, showers are $1 apparently...not free, but cheap enough to suggest to you. Not stayed there myself, but had it as a stop over on a run North to The Cape years ago, we ended up in a motel at Sarina due to it being very wet and not wanting to set up camp in the rain on our first night of our trip...lol.

[moeite]

If its only a couple of days just buy some wet-one wipes and use those for face, hands, armpits and the jewellery box.

Then have a shower when you get to Cairns.

That's our option. nappy wipes when we can't shower and shower when we can. A couple of days of nappy wipes wash never hurt anyone. We also lug a 5 litre garden sprayer around with us for when we get desperate. A kettle of hot water, top it up with cold, expel the dunny from its tent and bingo, two hot showers.

[sharkcaver]

That's our option. nappy wipes when we can't shower and shower when we can. A couple of days of nappy wipes wash never hurt anyone. We also lug a 5 litre garden sprayer around with us for when we get desperate. A kettle of hot water, top it up with cold, expel the dunny from its tent and bingo, two hot showers.

A 5L, $8 garden sprayer from bunnings with one of these shower heads is my weapon of choice. You cant go wrong with that:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hozelock-PortaShower-Rose-Head-Trigger-Handle-Assembly-4115/251821898092?epid=1705645588&hash=item3aa1c1396c:g:RS4AAOSwBLlU2I5m


usually get 3 showers out of one fill


As for shower tents...Pffft! Let it all hang out, others will move if they dont like the look of things (or cant control their laughter)

[Alan Loy]

We use a bucket of warm water and a flannel to get clean, the a submersible pump/shower thing to rinse off.

Washing hair is the real trick!

[edz]

^^^^ You got hair !!   

[Muckinhell]

get your self one of those cheap 5ltr weed sprayers from bunnings, cut the wand down shorter, add half and half or to suit the temp you like and pump up for a great shower. can also use to was down windows, washing up etc etc, or keep cool on hat days just mist for a nice refreshing light shower during the day.

[Muxxer]

CPs will often sell you a shower. The price can be steep.

[Hookie]

You could build one like this pretty easily - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG2HK9JsAjw

The addition of compressed air to pressurize is a pretty cool idea.