Camping the East Coast of Australia – By Roselle Tenefrancia
“But the place which you have selected for your camp, though never so rough and grim, begins at once to have its attractions, and becomes a very centre of civilization to you: ‘Home is home, be it never so homely.’“ Words of Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century American poet and naturalist, does ring true in this era of uber technology.
We often plan to visit a place for the view – landscapes and seascapes – and take for granted that we can actually be right in the spot where most people just look at (or take photos of) from the top or from below. And that’s where we can actually appreciate the little details of nature – wet grass in the morning, insects that glow in the dark, wild flowers, sea of stars in the sky when it gets dark, sounds of bats and other invisible creatures of the night, even the glistening waters of a billabong. And because we often travel to get to a destination, why not make the destination a journey as well? One way is to go camping.
Camping is the best way to experience Australia and its amazing environment. Whether it’s getting wild and dirty with bush camping –mosquitoes and all– or indulging in a bit of luxury with the new trend of glamour camping (aka Glamping), there is nothing that will match sleeping in the outdoors and breathing nature in all its nakedness.
Australia is teeming with caravan and tourist parks, and has infinite number of places where freestyle camping is permitted. And people camp in various ways – ways that fit their lifestyle, budget and tolerance levels. But any type of camping is a great way of knowing more about the environment and knowing more about the destination.
Here are some random thoughts about the journey of camping.
- The less things you have, the more you can do, hear, see, feel and think.
- Staying in a tent is the best way to ensure you and the kids enjoy the outdoors most of the time.
- Sleeping close to the ground easily reconnects you to the environment—not much effort needed there.
- If freestyle camping is not an option, caravan parks always have the best location: by the beach, river, and lake or in a forest. So choose the least busy ones or the ones farthest from the town centres or the “main drag”.
- The best camp experience is the one with the least amenities available.
- Camping makes you more thoughtful about the resources you use. Sharing resources with other campers also make you more mindful of how you use the space and facilities. It also makes you think about the resources you waste!
- Simple eating is made easier because you cook with least “additives” to your food. Gourmet food is not out of the question though because cooking with less ingredients means you have to be more resourceful and creative.
- Camping has made our life less distracted: no forced socializing and no (or limited use of) gadgets. The people you meet spontaneously seem to have the most interesting things to say anyway.
- Sleeping closer to the wild nature creates a sense of vulnerability, and makes you realize you are just one of the many creatures on this planet — that you are neither superior nor inferior to the others.
- Travel light. Think about this: for each destination or stop, you probably don’t need much of your “necessities” to get you appreciating the view or the feel of the environment around. Even the drive, the sail, the walk will always be as exciting as the destination, as there are just endless things to see along the road.
Whatever your choice of camping style, what’s important is to immerse in the experience and enjoy the spontaneity of the journey. Rugged or luxurious, camping your way in and around Australia should be something everyone must do!
