G
Guest
Hi Guys,
Just wondering how many of you camp out on your own in the Bush?
Joe
Just wondering how many of you camp out on your own in the Bush?
Joe
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
If I am hitting new ground and need to walk in for a few kms, yes, I'll camp overnight. Just have a ground roll, light-weight sleeping bag and mozzie net in a pack but only usually for a night. I see numerous overnight camping set-ups in the bush as well. People park up and camp near or in their vehicles. Saves $$ and is perfectly legal. The big issue if away from a vehicle is charging batteries.
G
Guest
Do it all the time, As long as your ok with things that go bump in the night its a great experience, if your not its a horror show. Cheers Balx
Yes I do, sometimes a week at a time no-one else knows I am around except property owner, I really need to get a PLB or similar.
cheers
Lee
cheers
Lee
trenchfighter
Matt
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2013
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 33
Redfin said:
Im with redfin..... cept my dog comes with me, She protects me from those vicious man eating drop bears
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2013
- Messages
- 3,271
- Reaction score
- 4,826
There is always 2 of us, Mrs Redfin and I, and we always carry a Garmin Rino 650 each, which allows us to see eachother on the topo, talk via a built in UHF [ 80 channels ], or text via satellite [no data, internet or mobile needed]
Great machines.
Great machines.
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2013
- Messages
- 272
- Reaction score
- 364
I do it all the time, just take the proper precautions and you will be fine!
At work I'm camped on the property ( in a caravan, tents, sheds whatever the farmer has to offer) by myself and don't see anyone for days, prospecting is usually the same, a tarp off the side of the ute and a camp stretcher for a two-three day run or a full camp setup for longer. One has to be just that little bit more careful. Night time doesn't worry me, if I hear a noise and I could be bothered to get up I'll check it out. I can light the camp up like a xmas tree with 4 led work lights and they use buggar all power.
Mick
Mick
G
Guest
I used to be bloody hopeless at night but then i took a practical approach to it all, for 2 million years our genetics have been programed for Lions, Tigers and Bears Oh my, picking us off at night. Luckily this is no longer applicable to us here in Australia. You still going to get a squirt of adrenaline when you hear something but with a little training your not going to do your head in about those noises or start creating your own imaginary threats. I trained myself out of it by walking through paddocks in the dark with no moon for 3 or 4 nights just down to the back fence and back, by the 3rd night I had defeated that horrible urge to "turn around" "TURN AROUND NOW" something is there, hahaha. As for the other risks of being alone in the bush your chances of a snake bite are between 3-18 per 100,000 people annually and chance of death from that bite is .03 per 100,000. So whilst the threat is not Non existent, it is mathematically very very very low. In fact you are much much safer by yourself in the bush than you are in an urban environment. That includes just sitting on your couch. "What ifs" hold so many people back, you might fall into a mine, get bitten by snake etc But if you lived by the same rules at home you would have a nervous breakdown and end up in a padded cell. Go Bush solo, go bush with others, Just go bush and know its the safest place you can be. Cheers BalxBen78 said:
Oh and if someone pipes up with "what about wild dogs"? Attacks on adults are almost non existent and even attack on children are 1 in 10s of million.
G
Guest
I absolutely agree!
You are more likely to die in a car crash on the way to your camp site.
Only deaths I ve heard of are people camping in river beds when the waters low, then there a downpour up in the hills flooding the camp area.
Also camping under certain trees that just drop their limbs (widow makers)
Cheers
You are more likely to die in a car crash on the way to your camp site.
Only deaths I ve heard of are people camping in river beds when the waters low, then there a downpour up in the hills flooding the camp area.
Also camping under certain trees that just drop their limbs (widow makers)
Cheers
I see wild dogs and dingoes every now and again at work, they even come up to the camp. I was out prospecting I got woken to the sound of rustling in the grass and here was this dingo 2 mtrs from my camp stretcher so I just laid perfectly still to see what it would do, it just kept sniffing the air and pacing side to side but soon as I flinched it was gone, I love those sort of things.
The only thing to fear is fear itself
Mick
The only thing to fear is fear itself
Mick
G
Guest
Thanks guys for replying.
I think if anything this is a mind thing. As long as you take the necessary precautions I think one would be ok.
Not keen sleeping on the floor of a tent due to things that crawl all come out at night.
A Roof top tent whether on my ute or trailer would be the best way to go.
I think a good investment would be a ute tub trailer these are cheap enough with a mounted roof top tent (which cost less then $800)
with sink and small BBQ and water tank fitted out.
Its like moving out of home for the very first time. The excitement comes then its time to sleep in your new pad with no one around and you start putting stuff into your head but then all of a sudden you wake up the next morning ready to do it all over again.
So in summary one needs to be equipped for a campout, trust yourself you will be ok and when the time comes lay down and before you know it it's time to wake up.
I think the hardest part is security especially if your walking around the bush with a $4k - $6.5k detector.
Please keep your replies coming.
Thanks
Joe
I think if anything this is a mind thing. As long as you take the necessary precautions I think one would be ok.
Not keen sleeping on the floor of a tent due to things that crawl all come out at night.
A Roof top tent whether on my ute or trailer would be the best way to go.
I think a good investment would be a ute tub trailer these are cheap enough with a mounted roof top tent (which cost less then $800)
with sink and small BBQ and water tank fitted out.
Its like moving out of home for the very first time. The excitement comes then its time to sleep in your new pad with no one around and you start putting stuff into your head but then all of a sudden you wake up the next morning ready to do it all over again.
So in summary one needs to be equipped for a campout, trust yourself you will be ok and when the time comes lay down and before you know it it's time to wake up.
I think the hardest part is security especially if your walking around the bush with a $4k - $6.5k detector.
Please keep your replies coming.
Thanks
Joe
Me and my old trusty Holden ute and later MQ Nissan shortie spent up to 6 weeks at a time in the WA outback for many years. Recall going 3 weeks without seeing another sole. When I began waiving to overhead jet streams it was time to visit civilization. The only contact back then with the outside world was smoke signals.
Interesting the mention of "widow makers", the first time to Nullagine region I was setting up my tent near the bank of a creek and another prospector rocked up. He showed signs of losing a tooth recently and immediately I thought he may have been involved in a bit of "biffo". After introductions he told me he would give me a demo of what not to do. Don't break off dry branches from the gums on the creeks. He wrapped a tow rope around the trunk of a near by large gum and gave it a tug with his 4B. Result a tonne of instant firewood at base of tree. Turns out a large branch had dropped a few days earlier the end flicking up and smacking him in the mouth resulting in losing a tooth. He called them "Snappy Gums" I used a short piece about as thick as a finger for years, stirred my billy tea. It was like petrified wood in this super dry climate.
Yes, the kangaroos thumped past at night and the dingoes howled and the stars shone so bright you could almost reach out and hold them. Nothing like a week or three in the bush to recharge the batteries before settling back into the rat race job to build up more holiday.
Interesting the mention of "widow makers", the first time to Nullagine region I was setting up my tent near the bank of a creek and another prospector rocked up. He showed signs of losing a tooth recently and immediately I thought he may have been involved in a bit of "biffo". After introductions he told me he would give me a demo of what not to do. Don't break off dry branches from the gums on the creeks. He wrapped a tow rope around the trunk of a near by large gum and gave it a tug with his 4B. Result a tonne of instant firewood at base of tree. Turns out a large branch had dropped a few days earlier the end flicking up and smacking him in the mouth resulting in losing a tooth. He called them "Snappy Gums" I used a short piece about as thick as a finger for years, stirred my billy tea. It was like petrified wood in this super dry climate.
Yes, the kangaroos thumped past at night and the dingoes howled and the stars shone so bright you could almost reach out and hold them. Nothing like a week or three in the bush to recharge the batteries before settling back into the rat race job to build up more holiday.
As a Victorian, there are few good sites.
http://www.bushwalkingvictoria.org.au/start.html Deals with bushwalking but has some very good tips.
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks Parks Vic website that has a search function and some rules and regs. (Can't access Parks on code red fire ban days for example)
http://www.bushwalkingvictoria.org.au/start.html Deals with bushwalking but has some very good tips.
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks Parks Vic website that has a search function and some rules and regs. (Can't access Parks on code red fire ban days for example)
camping by yourself has to be my favorite switch off mechanisms, alone under the stars makes a man feel small and insignificant in the greater scheme of things. If you play it safe and are prepared you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Sure the odd person gets in trouble but most of the time its blokes who decide they are going to go native they run off to buy up all the bear grylls merchandise. Maybe i'm lucky i grew up in the bush and was allowed to go off camping/fishing by myself from 8/9 years old best tip i can offer anyone get a good knife, not a cheap one a good long bladed knife with a firm handle this is your multi-tool.
Camping out in Oz is a lot easier than other countries.
We have a few creepy crawlies, spiders and snakes than can grab ya. However we do not have the big cats, bears etc that may seek you out for dinner.
Camping down the bridle track as a youngin, many times I have heard a bird at night dubbed "The Screaming Lady"
I remember one trip my Uncle went with us. We had just finished running the set lines and on our way back to camp when the "Lady" let loose with a blood curdling scream. Poor ol` Uncle Dave walked backward nearly all the way to camp...and never run the lines at night for the rest of the trip.
Pretty amusing considering he was in the Army.
Different locations, different noises...can cause the most unexpected reactions from some people.
We have a few creepy crawlies, spiders and snakes than can grab ya. However we do not have the big cats, bears etc that may seek you out for dinner.
Camping down the bridle track as a youngin, many times I have heard a bird at night dubbed "The Screaming Lady"
I remember one trip my Uncle went with us. We had just finished running the set lines and on our way back to camp when the "Lady" let loose with a blood curdling scream. Poor ol` Uncle Dave walked backward nearly all the way to camp...and never run the lines at night for the rest of the trip.
Pretty amusing considering he was in the Army.
Different locations, different noises...can cause the most unexpected reactions from some people.
slowflow
Barry
I camp out with the dog, seems Ok to me. Have a swag or camper depending on where I am.
