the Your news and views? Email us at [email protected]In this issue: •Keeping food fresh •WA - hot or not? •Cancer diagnosis couldn’t stop us Travelling through remote Australia in a caravan or mo- torhome remains an incred- ible adventure. e distances are huge and the variety of both the landscape you see and the people you meet is near endless. But, for grey nomads, who may have ‘been there and done that’ before, the tempta- tion to compare their current Big Lap to previous trips – oſten negatively – can be irresistible. Among the most common Happy Hour com- plaints are things like ‘there’s too much bitumen now’, or ‘it’s become so expensive’ or ‘it never used to be this crowded’. However, perhaps one of the biggest changes over the years affecting the ‘around Austral- ia’ travel experience has been the incredible advances in communication technology. Many travellers say it’s fantas- tic to be able to keep in touch with family and friends just about no matter where they are. ey are largely happy that they are nearly always contactable ‘in an emergency’ and that they can share a stunning picture almost the second it is taken. But is that really a good thing? Just as youthful baby boomers used to ‘disappear’ in order to find themselves on backpack- ing trips to Europe or Asia, some wonder whether the real magic of travel is actually the opportunity to truly escape from normal life? Wasn’t it more exciting and interesting when they would ‘drop out’ for a week or two and perhaps only be able to make contact with ‘home’ when they stum- bled across a payphone in a dusty Outback town? Grey nomad Cliff Bache certainly looks back fondly on earlier travels. “e equipment we have today certainly lets us travel to Is mobile communication taking the fun and freedom out of the Big Lap? Issue 161: December 1, 2017 Page 1 remote places in comfort and without breakdown … but the world has become a much smaller place,” he said. “When I was 18 in the ’70s, even driving a few hours ‘down south’ for a surfing weekend with mates, we were basically isolated which was great.” He says back then the advent of mobile communications technology was still decades away and, for those lucky enough to travel overseas, trunk calls were so expensive that sending a postcard was pretty much the only way to keep in touch. “ese days you’re in a cara- van park you’re probably go- ing to be online so you don’t Trapped by technology? Times get that sense of separation from the rest of the world,” he said. “A good idea is to leave the van at the park, take a tent and some basic port- able camping gear, and use the 4WD to camp overnight somewhere remote where there’s no mobile signal, only the Milky Way and the sound of the bush … we did it this year in the Bungle Bungle – magic! • Do you miss the days of mo- bile technology-free trips and that feeling of truly escaping? How has travelling Australia improved since the first time you did it? Click to comment Do nomads really want or need constant contact with the outside world as they appreciate the beauty spots on their big journeys around Australia?
In this issue: •Keeping food fresh •WA - hot or not? •Cancer diagnosis couldn’t stop us
Travelling through remote Australia in a caravan or mo-torhome remains an incred-ible adventure. The distances are huge and the variety of both the landscape you see and the people you meet is near endless.But, for grey nomads, who may have ‘been there and done that’ before, the tempta-tion to compare their current Big Lap to previous trips – often negatively – can be irresistible. Among the most common Happy Hour com-plaints are things like ‘there’s too much bitumen now’, or ‘it’s become so expensive’ or ‘it never used to be this crowded’.However, perhaps one of the biggest changes over the years affecting the ‘around Austral-ia’ travel experience has been the incredible advances in communication technology. Many travellers say it’s fantas-tic to be able to keep in touch with family and friends just about no matter where they are. They are largely happy that they are nearly always contactable ‘in an emergency’ and that they can share a stunning picture almost the second it is taken.
But is that really a good thing?Just as youthful baby boomers used to ‘disappear’ in order to find themselves on backpack-ing trips to Europe or Asia, some wonder whether the real magic of travel is actually the opportunity to truly escape from normal life? Wasn’t it more exciting and interesting when they would ‘drop out’ for a week or two and perhaps only be able to make contact with ‘home’ when they stum-bled across a payphone in a dusty Outback town? Grey nomad Cliff Bache certainly looks back fondly on earlier travels.“The equipment we have today certainly lets us travel to
Is mobile communication taking the fun and freedom
out of the Big Lap?
Issue 161: Decem
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remote places in comfort and without breakdown … but the world has become a much smaller place,” he said. “When I was 18 in the ’70s, even driving a few hours ‘down south’ for a surfing weekend with mates, we were basically isolated which was great.” He says back then the advent of mobile communications technology was still decades away and, for those lucky enough to travel overseas, trunk calls were so expensive that sending a postcard was pretty much the only way to keep in touch.“These days you’re in a cara-van park you’re probably go-ing to be online so you don’t
Trapped by technology?Times
get that sense of separation from the rest of the world,” he said. “A good idea is to leave the van at the park, take a tent and some basic port-able camping gear, and use the 4WD to camp overnight somewhere remote where there’s no mobile signal, only the Milky Way and the sound of the bush … we did it this year in the Bungle Bungle – magic!
• Do you miss the days of mo-bile technology-free trips and that feeling of truly escaping? How has travelling Australia improved since the first time you did it? Click to comment
Do nomads really want or need constant contact with the outside world as they appreciate the beauty spots on their big journeys around Australia?
While ill health may have first delayed – and then shortened – their Big Lap, nothing could diminish the magic of the around-Australia adventure for Glynn and Linda Brown.Having excitedly plotted an itinerary with no time re-straints and no more than four hours’ driving between stops, a double cancer blow threw carefully laid plans into chaos. Linda underwent surgery and chemo for bowel cancer and liver cancer, while Glynn had ureter and bladder cancers removed and is still undergo-ing treatment.During the difficult times, the couple never let go of the Big Lap dream and bought them-selves a Bailey Senator Loui-siana caravan, which has an island bed, a front lounge and full ensuite. Then, when a gap between treatments opened up a three-month time window, Glynn and Linda didn’t need a second invitation.Leaving Albury/Wodonga in August, the couple travelled through New South Wales to attend a family birthday party in Moama, then on to Forbes, Coonabarabran, and into Queensland to Goodi-windi and Yeppoon, where they linked up with the Bailey Australia Owners Group. “Amongst the highlights at Yeppoon was a visit to the Capricorn Caves, a Hawaiian
Luau Party and trivia nights arranged by Bailey Australia, where I won a Caravan & Camping Monopoly game!” said Glynn. “We also pur-chased fresh king prawns straight off the boats at only $20 a kilo.”They travelled on to Emerald visiting Sapphire and Ruby-vale, and then Barcaldine, followed by Longreach where they enjoyed visits to the Qan-tas Museum and the Stock-man’s Hall of Fame. “We had encountered many road trains on our travels for which we always slowed down when they passed,” said Glynn. “If they came up from behind we always looked for a turnout to enable them to pass safely, with many drivers showing their appreciation.”The couple travelled on to Kynuna, Mount Isa, Avon Downs, Tennant Creek, the Devil’s Marbles, Alice Springs, Uluru, Erldunda, Marla, Coo-ber Pedy, Glendambo, Port Augusta and Bolivar … having a great time as they did so.
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Unfortunately, a medical setback in Adelaide meant the couple had to cut their trip short by three weeks and they had to hotfoot it back home via Parilla, Swan Hill and Moama.“All up we had travelled about 8,500 kilometres and had a great time and saw many places of interest,” said Glynn. “We live in a country area but the Outback was really stunning and we really noted changes in trees and plants as we travelled across Queensland and the Northern Territory.”Wherever they parked their caravan, the pair said they always met friendly fellow travellers with whom to share stories and advice.“It’s something that everyone needs to do at least once if not more often … city people re-ally miss out on what matters in life,” said Glynn. “Despite my health problems, nothing is going to deter us from plan-ning our next trip!”Click to comment
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Glynn and Linda’s rig (above) suits them well. A Hawaiian party (right) was a highlight for the couple during an owner’s group rally.
Not even a devastating double cancer diagnosis
could spoil our BigLap joy
Nomads in Brief
Caravan crashA 4WD and caravan have careered off the Bruce Highway and into the me-dian strip at Forest Glen. No injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing.
Park hold-upPolice are appealing for information about an armed robbery at a caravan park in Mandurah, WA. Police said a man entered the reception area and demanded money from a staff member, stating he had a weapon. He fled with a sum of cash.
Break-inBurglars broke into the RV and Caravan Centre in Warrnambool, Victo-ria, stealing a quantity of cash. After the alarm was triggered, police arrived to see someone dressed in dark clothing jumping the fence. Despite a search, they were unable to locate the suspect.
Croc goneWildlife officers have cancelled an alert for a problem crocodile after failing to find any sign of it since it was seen at the Port of Townsville. The reptile, believed to be about 4 metres long, was caught on sur- veillance camera on November 14.
Thought for foodAs grey nomads get off the beaten track and head bush for longer and longer periods of time, many find storing food safely and in sufficient quantity a real challenge.While solar panels and genera-tors may make freezers and fridges a more practical option than ever before, and dried foods and vacuum packing technology have also made life easier for the on-the-road chef, off-grid caravanning certainly still requires some thought for food.The secret of travelling with perishable foods like cheese, meat, and fresh fruit and vegetables is to have sufficient cooling capacity and to use the correct storage methods. Depending on how long you are in the wilds for, it obviously pays to eat the most perishable foods first, and then have the more easy-to-keep items later in your in-the-wilds stay.When storing items in the fridge, it makes sense to keep the door closed as much as possible to keep the tempera-ture down and your foodstuffs lasting longer. To that end, travellers should seek to organ-ise their food so the items they are most likely to use first are at the front. In terms of meat, items such as bacon and sausage will last longer than pork or steaks due to the high amount of pre-
servatives they contain so these should be on the later menu. Vacuum-sealing meat will also greatly increase its longevity, and some travellers believe that wrapping meat in a cloth that has been soaked in vinegar will also extend its life consider-ably. Apparently, the vinegar smell/taste disappears as soon as the meat is cooked.Smart shopping is also the secret to keeping fresh food on the menu as long as possible. For example, red cabbage can be a great alternative to a regu-lar head of lettuce as it keeps for weeks without refrigera-tion. And grey nomads are also well placed to get genuinely fresh food from roadside stalls or farmers’ markets which can last twice as long as food pur-chased from a supermarket.Experts says that travellers should avoid washing produce if they plan to store it in vege-table storage bags as dampness, humidity, or condensation inside the bag will lead to rot.With so many grey nomads keen to keep their menus fresh and exciting as long as possible, it is no surprise that innovative entrepreneurs are
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Healthy ... but is it practical to eat in the bush?
applying some thought to the dietary dilemmas faced by long-term travellers.One ingenious Australian development has been the Swag, a bag made of three different layers designed to keep produce fresher for much longer. Once dampened, the outer layer of The Swag holds moisture and helps prevent the water in the middle layer from drying up. The company says the thick middle layer absorbs and holds the water, almost like the inner layer of a baby’s nappy, and draws the moisture away from the fresh produce. The very inner layer provides a drier protection barrier while allowing the fruit and veggies to draw on air and water as they need and stay fresher and nutrient rich for much longer.It seems then that not even the challenges of tropical heat and extended off-grid travel can prevent food-loving grey nomads from making nutri-tious and delicious meals a key ingredient of their fun-filled days. Day 5 in the bush and beyond equals rice and tinned beans … not any more!Click to comment
If you’ve got a dump point, there’s a very good chance we’ll visit … that’s the message that grey nomads are sending out loud and clear to towns right across Australia.In our recent GNT poll on the issue, a whopping 83.7% of respondents said a place to dispose of waste helped draw them in to communi-ties.“That means they care about the caravanning fra-ternity,” said Ken B.Steve P agreed.“If small country towns want the grey nomad dollar, then the least they can do is install a dump point for their use,” he said. Chris W said it was about more than convenience.“It’s another important step in the protection of our environment,” he said.And Carolyn D said it helped her decide where to travel, and Ruth C said making a visit to the dump point was always the first job when arriving at a new town. Jim K though had other priorities. “Free or low cost camping areas in or close to town are the most important considerations,” he said.
Click to comment
GNT readersadmit to allureof dump pointsWe’re always told that fresh
fruit and veges are best for us .. but are they practical?
I totally agree that there should be some degree of ac-creditation. I also feel that the caravan manufacturers should get their act together with their weights. I feel the tare of each van should be the true weight, full of water and gas, and any accessories as fitted by the manufacturer, as delivered. Much more realistic.
Brian BOh for heaven’s sake. This de-ception and fraud is common knowledge among all but the terminally naive, and it goes right back to the manufactur-ers and even to the regulators who have carefully designed the system to maximise the opportunities to hoodwink the buyer. Industry groups are equally as complicit because they issue these worthless certification badges and then, when the consumer dares to take them to task, merely says ‘sorry, we just represent the industry and have no powers to force compliance’.
Tony L We need to up the standards as they are very poor. My wife and I have purchased a num-ber of vans and not one had the correct weight on compli-ance plate.
Derek MI would also like all caravan manufacturers to provide a
weighbridge certificate rel-evant to the van weight at time of delivery.
John WSome of these sales guys are roped in from all over the country just to make up the numbers on the stands at the show.
Robert FI was visiting a caravan sales outlet in Townsville last week. I was told by salesperson not to expect any more than three years out of the chassis of 95% of vans made in Australia. That is why most companies will not warrant a chassis for more than three years.
Rosanne CThe manufacturer needs to
have a legal responsibility - as well as duty of care - to ensure that the weight of the caravan as delivered meets what is stated on the data plate. Then, before a modified caravan is delivered to a customer, there needs to be a weighing certifi-cate issue by the dealer (the scales used must be regularly calibrated also). Manufactur-ers also need to provide more comprehensive user manuals, as well.
Ian MWe need specific licensing of anyone who tows a trailer in excess of 500kg. That should include how to hitch it to the tow vehicle, how to connect the electrical system and how to test the brake lights,
What a wonderful group of happy campers snapped at a great little camping spot at Swans Crossing near Kendall on the New South Wales north coast. Thanks to Dennis Mc-Cann for sending in this pic of his friends (from left to right) John, Lois, Vikki, Patrick, Maryanne and Geoffrey. “I really enjoyed the company and fire,” said Dennis. Have you got a favourite pic to share? Email it to us here.
indicators and brake system. It should also include how to load the trailer, how to drive the trailer and how to back it up. Further to that, all trail-ers should be married to an approved towing vehicle, that is the towing vehicle has a certificate to prove it can safely tow the, fully loaded, specified trailer [caravan] and transport inspectors should randomly inspect the rigs’ certificate and load rating like they do with trucks.
Bastiaan KI think every new caravan reg-istered the owner should have to prove that they have the skills to tow it. For example, 20 years of having a registered caravan and a summary of kilometres including destina-tions to support that experi-ence. If they do not have this experience they should have to do a compulsory towing course.
Geoff MWay overdue but I would still prefer it to be mandatory instead of voluntary.
EddieFrom our experience in relation to the new off-road caravan we have recently pur-chased and taken extensively over dirt roads, the claim by the manufacturer/salesman of the van being dust free was highly over exaggerated. We did everything that was recommended.
Gary B
Should RV salespeople be required to have a certainlevel of expertise? Oh, yes!
Re: dogs in parks (GNT: 160). There is nothing worse than a screaming child (whether in excitement or being murdered, it’s all the same), it catches a raw nerve on most, because it’s built into our DNA. Nowadays some parents seem immune to their screaming kids and often switch off to it. Once upon a time children were brought up properly and trained never to scream unless they were being murdered. Out of a choice between high pitched scream-ing brats, and a dog trying to communicate something by barking, I know which one I would prefer.
Jason F
Regarding dog friendly caravan parks and people not wanting dogs there – you MAY step in the poo of a dog from a thoughtless owner but if you swim in the caravan park pool, you WILL swim in the urine of someone’s child.
Greg
It seems that there are two types of humans on this planet – dog lovers and the rest. Our last little girl died recently and has left a big hole in our lives. We took her in the van on every trip and she loved the change of environment, but we never left her alone. She loved the neighbours but was a bit wary of other dogs because she was blind. Responsible ownership is even more im-
portant when one is travelling so train your pooch, pick up the poop and who knows the rest of them might just start to appreciate how a dog can enrich your life.
David H
What a pack of delicate, pre-cious, little whingers we have become! Most of us have far more years behind us than ahead, these days, so how about we all just relax and reintroduce that old saying, ‘live and let live’.
John C
There is a caravan park at Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast with a sign outside read-ing: “Dogs welcome, children tolerated”.
Gordon
Re: Tassie advice. Having ‘wet the toes’ with a six-week trip out of WA, we are looking now to travel to Tasmania. Do we: Fly ex Perth, hire a car and B&B; or fly ex Perth, hire a motorhome; or drive with the 18ft caravan and LandCruiser and ship to Tassie. Done the sums, hiring a motorhome un-less private is expensive. With-out the money side – what is the most comfortable for two adults for say eight weeks?
Mary R(Any suggestions? – Ed)
Re: Spider shock. I recently returned from a four month trip in Queensland and was shocked to find a redback spi-der nest right by the accelera-tor pedal, up under the con-sole. It wasn’t until I got home
and pulled everything out and gave my tourer a thorough clean that I found the sticky web. I vacuum up around and under there routinely when on the road. I emptied half a can of Pea Beau into the underside of the front console and put on thick gloves to vacuum the area again. I got a bit of a shock... which got me think-ing, it might be a good idea to get the van fumigated occa-sionally? What do van owners usually do? Do they do that?
Leah R
Re: reflective screens (Gadget: GNT 160). Back in 2011, I bought myself a brand new NW Pajero. I soon found that on bright days, the speedo was almost impossible to read. Sure, sometimes by squint-ing, moving my head around, and being very lucky I could make out an approximation of my speed – but I didn’t fancy those sort of gymnastics while travelling at 90km/hr or more. I overcame the problem, sort of, by installing a crash cam that had a speed readout, but this is very slow in updating the readout I found myself do-ing (for example) 65km/h al-though the readout was show-ing my speed at (say) 58km/h. While I mostly learned to live with this anomaly, it did cost me a speeding fine in Queens-land when the readout was especially slow to update.
David
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Many thanks to Michael and Chris Ritter for sending in this stunning image of Ponto Falls at Wellington, in New South Wales.
Wash and cookGrey nomads who like to travel light and head bush will be hoping that the ingenious Kariba stove-shower will soon make its way onto the Austral-ian market.The compact South African device does exactly what it says on the packet … it kills two off-the-beaten track camping conundrums with one ingen-ious, inventive stone. The Nomad is a versatile single burner all-in-one camping gas appliance that provides hot water for a shower … and also acts as a cooking stove. With a 12 volt pump, the sys-tem draws water in, pushes it through a heat exchanger and sends it cascading out of the shower head. The Nomad can apparently raise ambient water temperature by some18C, delivering water temperatures ranging from 10C to 28C. This lightweight appliance features a micro fine flame controller to adjust the shower water tem-perature to a desirable level.
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The Kariba kit also includes a bucket that works as a carry case in transit and holds water for the shower at camp. Carry it, hang it in a tree or from a roof rack of a car, or place it on a table for use anywhere, any time.And, when you are all squeaky clean, and ready for a deli-cious meal to end the perfect day, you simply swap the heat exchanger for the cooking grate and cook up a proverbial storm. The powerful cooker is said to be capable of boiling a litre of water in less than four minutes. Kariba say the Nomad’s
compact design and oh-so-practical functionality would be appreciated by campers, hikers and adventurers … and no doubt by Aussie grey no-mads who may have dropped the van for a day or two to head off into remote country in a tent.The Nomad has just been made available in the USA for US$520 but no word yet on if – and when – it might make its debut in the Australian Outback.
• Could you see a use for this two-in-one device?
Click to comment
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Ditch the ensuite and the cooker with this space-saving stove/shower device
Website highlights
Jayco woesRecently our websitewww.thegreynomads.com.au reported that Jayco is facing allegations that it breached the Australian Consumer Law by its conduct towards customers who purchased defective caravans. The ACCC alleges that, between 2013 and 2015, Jayco acted unconscionably towards four clients by obstructing them from obtaining redress, such as a refund or replacement for their defective caravan.
Read more here
Other website must-reads:Rescued!4WDers’ five-day horror
Camp shutsBehaviour blamed
Eureka!Monster gold nugget found
Not againVan collision on highway
Merchandise magicGet your grey nomad gear
SURVEYHave you had problems with your new caravan?
WA ... hit or miss?Western Australia with its in-credible diversity of landscape, stunning beaches, and sheer aura of adventure remains one of the most alluring grey nomad destinations … but it is not universally adored.With many travellers still unforgiving of what they say was a less than warm welcome during the mining boom, a widespread dissatisfaction at the free camping options on offer, and an aversion to the perceived high costs in the state, all is not entirely well in the WA wilderness.A new report by the auditor-general Colin Murphy has issued a slamming indictment on the State Government’s key ‘Strategy for Tourism in WA 2020’ policy. The strategy — launched by Tourism WA five years ago — aimed to double tourism spending to $12 bil-lion by 2020, but the report says it is extremely unlikely to happen.Mt Murphy says the state is perceived as “too far away” and “too expensive” and its inability to convince tourists to visit is set to cost the State $800 million in projected tourism revenue by the end of the decade.A recent survey by Tourism WA had a more detailed look at some of the issues. During 400 face-to-face interviews with visitors, it found that a Western Australian holiday was seen as ‘poor’ or ‘extreme-ly poor’ value for money by 17% of all visitors in 2016-17.Nonetheless, nearly all visitors mentioned something positive
about their holiday in Western Australia. Some 35% were most complimentary about the landscape including the beaches, coastline, national parks and rivers; while 15% loved the weather; and 11% loved the relaxing atmosphere.Interstate visitors contained the highest proportion of couples and over half fell into the 55+ age category. Visitors from interstate surveyed were mainly from Victoria, New South Wales, and Queens-land, with two thirds repeat visitors to Western Australia. Those who were visiting from interstate were less likely to perceive their holiday in West-ern Australia as ‘excellent’.One clear area of opportunity is to capitalise on the growing interest in an Aboriginal activ-ity or experience in WA. Over the past five years interest has grown 19% while participation has declined 5%. Currently the
gap sits at a massive 57% dif-ference between interest and actual participation.Going on a tour with an Aboriginal guide is seen as the most appealing tourism offer but recorded very low participation. Aboriginal galleries and viewing of arts/crafts was the most common activity participated in. Visi-tors who had not participated in Aboriginal tourism cited the availability of activities and experiences as the key deter-rent for participation. Over a quarter (27%) described how they had attempted to partici-pate but were unable to due to sites being closed, not know-ing where to find them, or nothing being available where they were visiting.
• What did you like – and dislike – about your last trip to WA?
Click here to comment
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From the gorges of the Kimberley (above) to the white sands of the Esperance coastline (left), the scenery of WA is spectacular.
Neighbours
Last week’s picture puzzle winner was Lorraine G
QUIZ CORNER
Win grey nomad stickers!Email the solution to the puzzle. Winner announced in Issue 161. CLUE: To beat the heat in the bush, you would need this if you haven’t got aircon.
Do You Know1. I’m travelling between the Yorke Peninsula towns of Walla-roo and Paskeville in SA. Which highway am I on?
2. Townsville in Queensland was named:a) In 1886 after Arthur Townsville, the architect who designed the iconic Townsville Post Office. The town was pre-viously known as Flinders. b) In 1859 after surveyor Sir Alan Delafonte and his French wife Jaclyn who apparently argued over whether to give the site an Anglo or French name … before compromising. Ville is the French word for town.c) In 1865 in honour of businessman and entrepre-neur, Robert Towns, who had initially initiated the search for a port on the north Queensland coast. 3. Mother Moo (anagram). No need to tow this!4. Shortest road distance between Queensland towns of Windorah and Charleville?a)322km b) 398km c) 458km
5. E is for end but it needs More to find which inland NSW town? (Answers on p. 9)
Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,We travel on a pension so money is pretty tight. Of course, I understand that we have to watch our pennies and can’t live an extravagant lifestyle. We always thought the simple pleasures of the Big Lap would be enough … and they are. However, I can’t help thinking that my husband, Eric, is taking things to a ridiculous level. He seems to take more pleasure out of not spending a cent than he does in the glorious sunsets or the amazing landscapes or the friendly people we meet. We are now eight months in to our endless adventure and I really think he’s getting worse … to a ridiculous extent. He’s always devising ways to save more money, and I now dread Happy Hours and listening to Eric tell fellow travellers how cheaply we travel … while they roll their eyes!
Lydia
Tight fisted tirades Travelling around Australia where there are so many temptations and tours to spend your money on makes living on a budget very tough. It can be very difficult to get the balance exactly right. It is understandable why Eric would be keen to err on the side of caution. As you slowly acclimatise to the rhythm of life on the road, Eric should relax a little more about the state of your finances and your ability to afford your lifestyle. Try to be sympathetic, Lydia. We all have a different thresh-old for risk and Eric clearly feels responsible for ensuring you have a successful adven-ture. Try to gently reassure him that all is well … and why don’t you jump in at Happy Hour and tell a few stories about the exciting things you have done and save those other travellers from Eric’s boring bank account anecdotes?
Jaclyn
Oh, dear! Christmas is coming and your own private Big Lap Scrooge is getting ready to douse your festive spirit with his miserly misery, Lydia. I am not privy to your finances but I assume from your com-ments that the pair of you could loosen the purse strings a little. If Eric prefers talking about dollars saved to walking to extraordinary beauty spots, then it’s time for an interven-tion. Why not remind him of happy Christmases past where money wasn’t his favourite topic of conversation, and then make him look ahead to a Christmas future where a sad-looking Eric counts his pennies alone in is soulless, wifeless caravan! You don’t need a heap of cash to enjoy life on the road but you do need to be positive and to embrace the opportunities for pleasure as they present them-selves. Bah! Humbug!
Heidi Click to comment
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CLASSIFIEDS
DISCLAIMER: The Grey Nomad Times team is not responsible for any sale, trade, or other transactions between vendors and vendees or advertisers and respondents. All parties enter into transactions at their own risk.
People travelling in remote areas are being urged not to rely on the ‘SOS’ capacity of their mobile phones. Mobile phones outside of mobile reception areas often display an ‘SOS only’ alert, suggest-ing a message can be sent in an emergency. However, the Australia Mobile Telecom-munications Association says the system only allows the phone to send a message via an alternative carrier, and there’s no way of summon-ing help if you’re outside the reach of all mobile phone services.
CLASSIFIEDS HUMPTY DOO, NTLooking for a responsible caretakers in own caravan or 2 bedroom shed available for our property on 5 acres situated at Humpty Doo. Requiring care of our pets Kelpie (female desexed friendly), 3 Cats (all desexed ), chooks and Guinea fowl. whilst we are away. A little Garden main-tenance would be required. Use and care of our large swimming pool included. We are 7 minute drive to shops and approx. 35 min to Darwin CBD. Dates are flexible looking at leaving 10th Dec 2017 and returning 28 Jan 2018. Click here.
***VIRGINIA, NTWe are currently looking for a housesit-ter from 5 – 22 Feb 2018. We live on a 10 acre property approx. 30 minutes out of Darwin City CBD and 5 minutes to Coolalinga Central. We have 2 black Ger-man Shepherds and an Australian Silky Terrior to be fed and walked around our block each day. There is plenty of room to accommodate a caravan or stay in our house. Click here.
***DIMBULA, QLDSeeking someone to look after our farm from 21/12/2017 to about the 31/12/2017.Mainly just feeding the pets and keeping an eye on the animals. We are near a small town called Dimbula which is about 100k west of Cairns QLD. Must have own caravan. You will have access to power, shower and toilet. Click here.***KENMORE, QLDWe have a home in Kenmore, Brisbane, (suburbia – 12kms from CBD). It is a lovely, large, quirky home and garden, that needs tending, pool to swim in and keep free of leaves, and 3x friendly cats (and a bunch of guppie0 that need feeding). We are leaving early on Xmas Day, and will be away until the 5 Jan. Click here.
***TOWNSVILLE, QLDCouple needed for housesitting for the month of June (and a few days before).Our property backs onto the Ross River in Townsville. We are 20 minutes drive from the CBD. It’s a suburban block really but once entering the house and seeing the view from the back deck ( all native bushland) it is more like paradise. Great neighbors in a quiet street with no through traffic. We have two small older dogs one of which is deaf. They are precious to us of course so we require housesitters who love dogs. We also have two small aquariums. There is a very small amount of lawn mowing but the larger area is taken care of by the lad next door and his ride on. Click here.
***DEVONPORT, TAS Housesitter wanted for a property just outside Devonport on Tasmania’s North West Coast for 8 or 9 days in early to mid-January. Only tasks required are to feed 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 chickens. Click here.
***GERALDTON, WAWe are looking for a couple to come and mind our property from Monday the 19th of February to the 9th of March 2018. Our 6 acre property is located on the south side of Geraldton with a 15minute drive to the centre of town. It is a quite location with trees and space. You would have access to power, rain water, outside toilet facility and outdoor patio area. Duties would include minding our chooks (7) and dogs (2)…very friendly and general garden care. Click here.
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Issue 161: Decem
ber 1, 2017
PROPERTY SALE
CENTRAL QLD CATTLE STATION, QLDRemote Cattle property in central QLD, needs help around the homestead. Area to park your caravan with water & power in return for light cleaning and gardening duties. Suit a couple who enjoy the outback lifestyle. Access to property via dirt road – must have 4WD and semi offroad van.Position available all year round – length of stay can be discussed on application. Click here.
***FAR NORTH QLD CAMPGROUND, QLDBeachfront Campground in Far Nth Qld needs help for the upcoming season. No experience required just friendly people who get the job done. Powered caravan site in return for light cleaning duties. Position available from March – November (Seasonal campground). Click here.
***VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN TASMANIAWe are currently working with several well-known Aged Care providers across all regions of Tasmanian who are seeking to recruit Registered Nurses in both permanent and casual/contract positions. Click here.
***GRAMPIANS/DUNKELD, VICGrampians in Summer. Suitable to self-contained RV travellers: A free quiet site on a farm setting near Dunkeld, Victoria in exchange for 2hrs / day help. (Shower / toilet , power & water available.) Perfect launching pad for touring The Grampians National Park, SW Victoria & The Great Ocean Road. Quiet serene location adjacent bush walks, magical mountain views, and abundant birdlife & kangaroos. 10mins to Dunkeld gourmet cafes & renowned Royal Mail Hotel. Click here.
***GERALDTON, WAWe are looking for travelling couple to come lend a helping hand for a week or two when travelling by Geraldton in Western Australia. Duties would include some gardening, rak-ing leaves, pruning, and watering, sweeping, feeding chooks and light household duties and what ever you are willing to lend a hand to. We have a young family and run our own business so we are grateful for any extra help and a friendly smile. You will have ac-cess to rain water, power and outside toilet facility. We are located on the south side of Geraldton on a 6 acre property. Click here.
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MOSSY POINT, NSWCome to the lovely south coast of NSW (Mossy Point/Broulee) while we go to see other lovely places. Lifestyle estate with large block. Walk to the beach. 12 February – 18 March 2018. Bring your own caravan and park in our yard. Free electricity and water. Please water the garden and feed the chooks. Click here.
***RYDALMERE (SYDNEY), NSW Sitter wanted 9-20 March 2018. Prefer single, mature female. 3 dogs to feed and care for. Jack – male, desexed, Belgian shepherd x border collie, 14 years old; Charlie – male, desexed, pb chihuahua, 10 years old; Molly- female, desexed, chihuahua terrier x, 9 years old. Care of my dogs is the most important aspect of this house sit. No mowing but will ask you to water garden beds perhaps twice while away, collect mail, poo patrol, mail collection, dog walks and cuddles. Live in house, no room for caravan or large MH. Smaller campervan/MH probably ok. You may also bring your own dog but no more than one and only if well socialised and house trained. Click here.
VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN AUSTRALIAMystery Shop jobs available for Grey No-mads in many regional areas in Australia.The Realise Group are a Mystery Shop-ping company based in Melbourne and we are looking for new shoppers to join our team. It’s the perfect way to earn some extra money while on the move! Mystery Shopping involves following instructions, visiting a specific store and reporting the details of the shopping experience. We provide a survey and guidelines advising what to enquire about (or purchase if required) and what to assess. In summary, Mystery Shoppers check out the service, products and cleanliness of the store and then submit the results online via an online survey. As a contractor, payment is usually between $8 and $50 or more per completed questionnaire, depending on the assignment. PLUS we reimburse for any purchase needed to complete the as-signment, which can usually be kept! Ph: (03) 9687-2360 or Click here for more.
***CASINO, NSWWe have a quiet, clean, small caravan park for permanent residents only, in Casino NSW. As we don’t live onsite we are look-ing for relief caretakers to keep an eye on things in exchange for a free powered site.Ideally you would be available from Dec 15th through to Feb 21st 2018. If you have an ABN and are interested, we can discuss 4-5hours per week paid cleaning. If you are honest, friendly, have your own van, have basic handyman skills, and are good with the occasional problem solving, we would love to hear from you. Click here.
***GATTON AREA FARM, QLDWe’re a family owned and run orchard. With our three children Finbar, Coleridge and Pearl, we pick, pack and do all the tree maintenance ourselves. We have been hosting friends and family for years and they kindly help us around the farm. We are looking for people who can give us a hand around the house and yard or on the farm, general handyman tasks, house painting, gardening, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, mechanical or basi-cally anything you enjoy that can help us. We appreciate the added security of having people around. We are located just 15km north from Gatton on the way to the picturesque town of Esk. We’re only an hour west of Brisbane or 40 minutes from Toowoomba in the Lockyer Valley, Aus-tralia’s food bowl. Please contact us to let us know that you are coming. Click here.
