The Roaming Rowes Journey, So Far.
We are not here to talk about the meaning of life but if we were, one word – TIME! Society would have you believe that money is the most important thing, but we have seen too many friends and relatives put off their dreams and sadly run out of time. What’s this got to do with Free Camping you ask? Simple – we are here to demonstrate that living your dreams is attainable on a budget, don’t wait too long because likes sands through the hour glass these really are the days of our lives! Let no one else decide how you spend your life time, your life is yours and theirs is theirs.
Stepping out onto Concrete, Complete with Picnic Table.
We have been on the road about 7 months and are about half way around our lap of oz, total cost of caravan parks thus far? $6.50!! YES! The decimal point is in the right spot. That was for van storage on our Wolfe Creek adventure. So how is this even possible? By using free camping practices and resources we have been able to chase and live our dreams NOW! We are certainly not alone in this, more and more people are choosing freedom camping practices and we love it!!! Our beautiful neighbour Donny is about 85 years old and he has been around Australia with his late wife 3 times, when he did this he has free camped for the most part – What a Legend!
Many Free Camps have their own Dumping Point.
Toilets Supplied if Required.
Lets dispel some myths surrounding Free Camping:
- Free camping is not illegal.
- Free campers support local communities.
- Free camping sites are safe.
- Free camping sites have good facilities.
- There are many legitimate free camping sites.
- Free camping sites and facilities are not dirty.
Don’t just take our word for it, or Donny’s – even though Donny’s worth listening to. There are many books and apps out there to aid you in finding these Free Camp sites. We do not give plugs willy nilly but if something is good we will tell you it’s good. We mainly use two books ‘Australia FREE‘ (which also happens to list off free activity options/ideas for the journey!) and ‘Camps Australia Wide‘, many also use ‘Wiki Camps‘. Even a site like this can be handy too Find a Camp. Armed with these tools you will be able to plan your next holiday or trip as means to recharge your batteries or escape from the daily grind without breaking the bank.
When this article was written we had been traversing a great deal of dry, sparse country. The scenery in this amazing country is constantly changing and the free camps and scenery changes with it. Here are some of the free camps we have stayed at lately – simply amazing!
Here is a Free Camp site that we are staying at in W.A.
Caravan Park operators or Councils need not fear the Freedom Camping movement, as it generates a lot of $$$ into their local community and economy. Free campers spend money in various towns all over this beautiful country, with groceries, fuel, tourist attractions, souvenirs to name a few. So unless it’s greed, then Councils and Park operators should embrace the thousands of campers that choose freedom camping. Those that choose the luxuries of caravan parks are likely to continue doing this, and why not. With caravan and holiday parks offering, showers, electricity, pools, playgrounds, laundromats and so much more. The same could be said for free campers, they are likely to remain free campers regardless of free camping sites or caravan parks in the area. This might be due to budget constraints or just having the option due to their self-sufficient setups. The crux of this point is where free camping options are limited often free campers may adopt a ‘Keep Moving On’ approach, and that towns local economy suffers.
Dr Suess – Oh the Places You’ll Go is a Roaming Rowes Favourite.
If you take anything away from this article take this; life is YOUR personal journey live it how YOU choose. Life is finite, don’t be the ‘crystal shop owner’ from the book The Alchemist by Paulo Cohelo (such a worthy read). Grab your life by the scruff of the neck and shake it where you want it to go. Don’t just dream about your life, live it – regardless of your socio-economic circumstance. If travelling this beautiful country is something you want to do – than go get it! Look outside the box, free camping is a legitimate viable option and who doesn’t want to save a few bucks!
Here are some interesting articles on the matter:
Well said guys. Whenever we travel we prefer to stay at free camps. Why? For a number of reasons: you don’t have to book, you can choose a number of options via WikiCamps et al, you generally don’t need to camp cheek to jowl as often happens in a CP, you tend to meet a different kind of person ( adventurous, free spirited, friendly) and you tend to get to see places that others have missed. Well done guys, we are off again next year in our new van. Keep those posts coming.
Thanks Terry well put mate – adventurous, free spirited and friendly that about sums it up. We are bushies at heart and another reason we like free camping is the open spaces, something that can’t be found in a CP. Safe travels for next year mate as you break in the new van.
Loved your story i hope to go on the road next year and want to frr camp as i will be on a very tight budget but a bit anxious as i will be on my own
Firstly what a champion you are to be planning such an adventure. It would be natural to feel anxious as you do, but something tells us you have the inner strength to overcome any obstacles in your path. We have found on the road that most people are helpful and friendly (we are not naturally people people) but a smile usually goes a long way. A good network of people would be helpful if you are on your own, by that we mean check in regularly and let someone know where you are and where you are off too. Most places have phone network (loosely) so that is also reassuring. Thanks a lot Bev for taking the time to have a read and your kind words. We look forward to hearing more about your travels as the time gets closer keep us posted 😉