Deciding where you can stay will take time and planning. A lot of people end up choosing a caravan park to stay in but there are always a core group of independently minded travellers who prefer, wherever possible, to stay in the bush or by the side of the road. Think about what you want from the camping area, and what is expected of you in terms of being truly a good neighbour.
CHOOSING A CARAVAN PARK
The best caravan park for you is the one that suits your preferences. Children require a park with a playground or a swimming pool and a lot of room to run around. When you are travelling with pets, you need to be selecting a caravan park that allows pets - not absolutely all of them do. A large van or motorhome demands a suitably large site, maybe even a double drive through site. Travellers concerned about privacy may want a park with en-suite facilities.
Location is important. Selecting a caravan park near shops, the beach and other facilities will reduce car use. This is important to those with motorhomes and campervans because utilizing the car means dismantling your camp.
You will probably look in Caravan Park directories and on the net, but word-of-mouth can be the best way of selecting a caravan park. Create a point of talking to people who have just been to the places you want to visit next. These chats which more often than not take place in the laundries of caravan parks are a great source of up-to-date information on where to go and where to avoid. Just remember that different people have very different ideas of why is an excellent caravan park, so use your judgement on what others say in selecting a caravan park.
Australia's auto clubs publish guides to caravan parks based on star ratings. A problem with this particular system is that for a park to earn more stars it must offer a growing selection of services and facilities. Average campers, who would happily accept a shady site, friendly service and spotless amenities, end up paying for a range of facilities they don't necessarily need or want, such as tennis courts and trampolines. However, if "luxuries" at a caravan park are essential to you - pick the parks with 4-5 star ratings.
When you are selecting a caravan park have a look for well-tended grounds because this often gives a sign of what the rest of the park is like. I'm not taking anything away from anybody but you could find that owner-operated parks provide that little bit more in the way of friendly service.
CHOOSING A CARAVAN SITE
Every caravan park differs and contains different layouts and sites of varying size. Based on the time of your travel, your choice of site will undoubtedly be limited during holiday periods and in popular parks which are busy year-round. If you book well beforehand, you may be able to specify a particular site, or a general area of the park, where you intend to be located. Sites with beach or river frontage are always popular, and could even attract higher site fees.
When booking or checking right into a park, ask if you have either site. You may be travelling or meeting friends and what to be near them. You may want to be close to the toilets or away from a busy road.
Most parks have powered and un-powered sites. Un-powered sites are generally reserved for people with tents and small camper-trailers and may occasionally be of a poorer quality than powered sites. If this is the case where you are staying and even if you do not intend to use the power, it may be worthwhile paying the tiny bit extra for an improved site. However, in plenty of other parks un-power sites can be of a good quality, with grassy expanses and close proximity to the amenities block.
If you are choosing a caravan park site or have been allocated a niche site beneath trees, always have a good search for dead or unstable limbs, particularly in riverside parks with lots of gum trees. The shade is wonderful but branches can, and do, come crashing down, causing injuries and even fatalities.
While you are travelling around and coming into a large town listen in to the FM tourist radio network. The option of the network in a specific area is advertised on blue and white road signs as you approach the town. The frequency is normally 88FM.
PRICES AND BOOKINGS
If cost is really a concern, choosing a caravan park is a lot more important to you. Prices vary dramatically across Australia with seasonal a minimal season prices normally available. Discover more here have much demand on sites during holiday periods and charge extra at this time, but may offer attractive discounts in non-peak periods. Site fees range between around $10 per night for a simple park in a non-tourist area to $40-50 per night during the summer holidays in an excellent quality park near a popular beach. Parks frequently have a policy of minimum bookings over holiday periods: around four days over Easter or more to weekly in the summer holidays. Look out for discounts, such as seven nights for the price tag on five, but make certain the standard nightly rate is competitive with other parks in the area.
There are three major caravan-park chains that operate in Australia. If you're planning an extended tour around the country, look at joining a minumum of one and possibly all three. The chains make discounts available to members and you will quickly recoup your membership fees by staying there. They normally offer a 10% discount of these camping fees with a maximum discount of about $20-25.The caravan parks associated with these chains are usually of better than average quality.
If you are selecting a caravan park, the three chains are:
BIG4
Family Parks of Australia
Top Tourist
BUSH CAMPING
Camping in the bush or along the roadside has been common in Australia for ever. The nomadic lifestyle of the Aboriginal people, the exploration by the Early Settlers, the Australian Swaggie have all just camped in the bush or across the "track". This has carried over by way of a lot of travellers. In recent years, rising concerns about security has seen less roadside campers, but many still enjoy the pleasures of self-sufficiency, particularly owners of motorhomes and campervans. The best places to stay will be the many recognised bush and roadside camping areas in which a small gathering of overnight campers can usually be found. There are many of advertised 24 hour camping spots around Australia. Avoid camping alone if you can.
CAMPING IN NATIONAL PARKS
Camping in national parks is quite popular. Most sites were created for tents. Vans are allowed but in some parks they're poorly accommodated. A common problem may be the positioning of the post and rail fences which are used to separate camping areas. Vans cannot pass through, forcing them to park on the roadside. However, several national parks do cater very well for vans, offering generous sites. Hardly any sites in National Parks offer powered sites.
Most sites in national parks require a amount of self-sufficiency but camping fees are generally much cheaper than in commercial caravan parks. Contact the park before you happen to be find out about caravan access. In a few parks the handful of caravan sites available are booked up for weeks or months in advance.