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25.01.2022 Ess Lagoon in Casterton , Victoria is a 48 hour free camp for self contained vans on the waters edge and it's fabulous. More and more towns are offering free camps to encourage us to stay and spend in the town but most of them require you to have your own toilet and shower and to take your rubbish with you when you go. Our Jurgens Tooradin has everything we need to enable us to free camp and take advantage of enormous savings by free camping but it's not just the free part that appeals it's the freedom too. Free camps seem to give you much more room to spread out and there's a camaraderie we just haven't found in parks. Casterton is a friendly town with lots to do and see and we were sorry we were limited to 48 hours.

23.01.2022 Just when you think life cant get any better Koala Rescue SA came up the drive as we ate dinner and asked if we would allow them to release an injured koala back into the wild in my sisters back garden in the Adelaide Hills. Luckily they invited us to be a part of the release and it really was an experience I will never forget.

23.01.2022 We hope you have a wonderful Easter with your family and friends.

22.01.2022 We just spent some time in Mungo National Park NSW which has been in the news this last week as the 41,000 year old remains of MUNGO MAN were returned to his home. We stayed in park which was fantastic. Toilets, showers at the info centre and well laid out sites. A definite must see if you're in the area. These roos are so so thirsty they were actually drinking our grey water and coming right onto our site for the water we put out when we discovered them in the grey water. Dont worry it was just water nothing in it to hurt them but we did secure it so they couldn't get back in it. Stunning place.

22.01.2022 Last week we visited the historic town of Hay in NSW. What an incredibly interesting town and it revealed things we had had no idea about until we arrived. The first place we visited was the old Hay gaol which has been many things over the years but the part of our history I cant get out of my head is when it was used as a home for girls many of whom had committed the dreadful crime of being neglected These girls were subjected to rape, torture, beatings and unimaginable crimes against them that resulted in the closure in 1974 and a Royal Commission and a public apology but nothing could make them forget their abuse. If you want to read more about this dreadful part of our history The Inconvenient Child is a great book that I am sure no one would ever be able to forget.

21.01.2022 OUR EXPENSIVE LESSON . We spent two years planning our trip around Australia during which time we needed to buy both a caravan and a tow tug. We spent months and months going around the caravan yards until we found our dream van the Jurgens Tooradin and we've never regretted the decision. Its a great van with all the things we needed and that were on our must have list. A full fridge and separate freezer, an oven and a washing machine. Id probably not bother with a wine fridg...e if I had my time again but it makes a great tea towel cupboard. The solar panels mean we can free camp as long as we like and the recent addition of an extra drinks fridge in the car will be very handy out in the bush. Unfortunately we never put the same amount of thought into the purchase of our car. We made absolutely sure we had plenty of power and that the car was well within specs to tow the van and tow ball capacity was plenty big enough, but what we didn't think about was the actual size of the storage behind the safety cage. There simply wasn't enough space while actually living in the van, so over Christmas we had to upgrade.We chose a BT 50 by Mazda, a dual cab which gives us plenty of space for the must haves plus plenty of grunt to pull the van so we're now off on our first trip and just loving the new combo. See more

18.01.2022 We're staying at this great park. Highly recommended that you visit. Loving it.

17.01.2022 We are actually back in Balranald for the second time as we had booked tours and had to leave before we'd seen everything. This is a fabulous historical town and the gateway to both Yanga and Mungo heritage listed national park. We were lucky enough to be able to get on tours to both Yanga and Mungo parks with Outback Geo Adventures and the passionate tour guide German Ugarte and I'll share just a small part of our adventures.

17.01.2022 If you're looking for a beautiful free camp close to the Clare Valley in SA you won't get better than the camp in Rhynie. Close to the Rhynie pub, the famous Martindale Hall and the many wineries of the Clare Valley the camp is manned by volunteers and is well worth a visit especially with the new murals depicting the history of the town. If you visit the pub you must take a photo of the toilet doors. Ive never seen doors made different sizes for men and women.

17.01.2022 The weather the last few days has been just awful so no choice but caravan parks. We love the Kui parks as not only are they cheaper but they're set up for grey nomads with the lower price reflected in the no jumping mats etc. As an ex competitive swimmer I love a pool so this great park in Red Cliffs in Victoria really appealed and we were not disappointed. Spotlessly clean,great management and grassed sites as well as the best pool we have seen. Nothing can make 45.5 seem cool but the A/C in the Jurgens and the pool helped as well as a few cool drinks with other vanners.

17.01.2022 This was our last camp before we headed back to Melbourne to settle on our new house. Winchelsea is west of Melbourne but not a bad run into the city and they have a 48 hour free camp on the Barwon River which we shared with two other vans. There were toilets there but its classed as self contained. Winchelsea is a beautiful little town with a great pub and lovely walks down by the river and at about five o'clock the corellas come back to the river to roost. Thousands of the...m , quite an experience sitting in the park watching them although wish we'd had ear plugs lol. Monday morning the drive back through the city and down to settlement in Gippsland. Due to a mix up with the vendors lawyer I had to do our settlement so I was a bit nervous having not done it for years but all went well and now we are home owners again. Cant wait to get sorted and back on the road. Just love thr nomad life. See more

14.01.2022 Beautiful Frankston Waterfront. Frankston is at the head of the Mornington Peninsula ,Victoria and the perfect place to be on a sunny day. Great to be home for Christmas with family.

14.01.2022 Our group in front of the new Jurgens Solaris.

13.01.2022 We've been in Deniliquin now for a week as although we much prefer free camping, with the temperatures in the high thirties and then the dangerous storms predicted we decided to stay in a caravan park. This a Kui Park set on thirty plus acres so plenty of space and good prices. If I only joined one park loyalty programme it would be Kui due to the parks being more grey nomad than family orientated. Deni as the locals call it is the home of the UTE MUSTER where thousands of utes congregate each year but it's also got the most beautiful gardens and historical buildings. Highly recommend The Globe for a Parma or Parmi as they say in Qld and SA. These are my favourite pictures. Hope you enjoy.

12.01.2022 We are staying with family in the Adelaide Hills and look who took a stroll down our street. Luckily my brother in law is fast with the camera and caught this gorgeous fellow.

12.01.2022 A little bit early for whale watching so we went down to check out Inverloch on the Bass Coast Victoria which is part of the Bunurong Marine Park. Thought we'd go down before Easter weekend as this area becomes grid locked with traffic and with good reason as it's beautiful. There's some brilliant beaches down this way and close enough to Melbourne for a day trip.

11.01.2022 The last of the videos from Altina Zoo in NSW and this time we are with the gentle giants the giraffes. The park has a family, Mum ,Dad and baby reticulated Giraffe and two male sibling Rothschild giraffes. The latter seem to have more pronounced markings and seem to have been slightly bigger. Even though I had a photographer there wasn't much she could do about the audio due to the wind so hope its not distracting.There are about 100 photos as well but Id never be able to forget this experience even if I had no photos. It was absolutely amazing. Id love to go back as there are three other experiences yet to try but maybe next time.

10.01.2022 Burra in SA is a beautiful old historical town absolutely full of things to see. We stayed behind the Bon Accord Hotel in a camp that's free as long as you spend $20 in the pub. We always try to spend our money in the towns that are RV friendly as a way of saying thankyou for having us. This camp has bins, showers and toilets and a great publican who's happy to tell you all about his town. It also has a nice hospital which unfortunately I saw the inside of but Im fine now. Highly recommend this friendly town.

10.01.2022 Last weekend a few members of the Victorian branch of the Jurgens owners group braved the incredible winds and stayed at Kilkunda in Victoria. The worst day was Sunday but we were all snug and warm in our vans although I can't say I enjoyed the incredible noise as the storm hit the van. The Great Ocean Road is lovely but the Bass Straight coast is much less commercialized and just as stunning. If I had a choice of only one I'd choose the latter every time and its proximity to Philip Island and The Prom makes it a must visit place when visitting Victoria.

10.01.2022 Echuca and the AMAZING Murray. This place is really set up for tourists with lots of free camps , more eateries than could imagine and lots to do. Where else could you cruise the Murrray on a paddle steamer, go on an hours guided tour of a discovery centre, eat an enormous meal and then spend the rest of the day on a self guided tour of the Port all for $40 ? The Pevensey is the oldest and most authentic boat on the river at this time and she's the one used in All The Rive...rs Run the mini series. The camp we're staying in is enormous and right on the banks of the Murray. Our Jurgens has big tanks and an ensuite so dont need to worry about lack of facilities although there is a tap with potable water if you need it. We're on our way home for Christmas and a big service on the van so counting the hours till we see our family and friends Hoping for a sneak peak at the new Jurgens range too. EXCITING.

08.01.2022 We have been watching rice paddies for ages as we traveled around and at last the crops are growing so we thought we would take the drone up to get a closer look at how it's done. Crops are grown in 5 to 25 cms of water and we could clearly see the sluices they are using . Sunwhite is one of the biggest producers of rice in the southern hemisphere and they employ up to 700 people in the Deniliquin area. Australia grows more rice per hectare that any other country in the world so we are going to be keeping a close eye out for harvesting starting in March as Id really like to see how its actually done.

08.01.2022 Naracoorte SA is a brilliant place to spend a few days , so much to do and see that we extended our stay from two to four days. We're staying at the showgrounds and at last the weather has cooled enabling us to get out the van. We've had day after day in the forties and basically the A/C in the van has been running 24/7. We spent two days at the caves which was fascinating and a lot easier than I expected. Thanks to the best myo in the world and a few pain killers I didnt miss much. If you come here dont forget the Wood Gallery, the Minijumbuck factory and a trip out to Bool Lagoon and best of all the BAT CAVE where 40,000 tiny bats leave each night. That really was an experience not to be missed. Totally recommend the Showgrounds to stay , cheap and the best managers you could imagine.

08.01.2022 Hay NSW. There is a beautiful free camp on the Murrumbidgee River or you can stay behind the services club as we did. There is so much to do you would need a few days to explore this friendly town. This is a definite must go back to town with fantastic walks, great food and so many places to visit most of which are below $5 entry fee.

06.01.2022 Thanks to one of our followers we went down with family to visit Shack Beach on Bass Straight Victoria today. Look at the amazing rock formation shaped like Australia. There are so many amazing beaches down that way and Cape Patterson has we think two or three caravan parks. Just loving this area. Thanks Jan Agnew for your recommendation. We are going to stay here until the whales start migrating.

06.01.2022 FREE CAMPING We have been staying in a park for four weeks over Christmas while we caught up with family and friends and we bought a new house and a new car. Hadn't intended buying a house so soon but we won't be living in it for quite a while and we really love it. Anyway back to free camping. We much prefer to free camp than stay in parks due to the freedom and the extra space but we are often asked "are you scared "' " are you worried your things will be stolen". The eas...y answer is no not really but we are careful and we are well insured. Before we leave we have the next place to stay added to the GPS but if we get there and its not right for us we move on. Yesterday was one of those days. We found a place on Wiki and the comments were very positive but when we arrived the camping spot was under big gum trees and surrounded by unoccupied battered up houses. No other vans and it just didn't feel right for us so we didn't stay. Free camping is THE BEST thing for us but you do have to be sensible. As for safety in an occupied free camp. No we've never felt concerned and we've found them much quieter than parks and much friendlier generally. See more

05.01.2022 One of the hardest jobs in writing for Caravanning Oz is picking which places to write about and which to leave. From the car park we've stayed in for the last three days to the water front park at Lake Boga in Victoria where we have just pulled up we love them all but as promised Im going to share Mungo NP in NSW. Mungo was amazing. We stayed in the National Park and once again went on a tour with Outback Geo Adventures at sunset. A big lesson learnt about checking roads which I will share. Always check as close as possible to the time you are leaving as we checked a couple of weeks prior and used the best road as advised. Unbeknownst to us that road had deteriorated badly and it was not suitable for vans except full off road. Thank goodness for Jurgens and the mods we had done as we'd have had to turn back otherwise.

04.01.2022 Trip to Queenscliff from Sorrento Victoria

04.01.2022 State Coal Mine in Wonthaggi Victoria. This free activity is one of the best we have ever seen. Only a few kms out of the town, take a picnic or eat in the cafe and you could easily spend a whole day looking around. Run by Parks Victoria and volunteers there are also paid tours down the mine and we will book one for this week. We were lucky enough to be invited up into the winch house to see the tour train being winched up from from the depths. Highly recommend this tour for all ages.

04.01.2022 Six months ago today we set off on the holiday of a life time. We have seen things I'd never have expected,we have met some amazing people , I've put on a lot of weight and Brian has lost weight and we are now on our way home for Christmas. We've missed our friends and family and I know they've missed us but two weeks today we will be home for three weeks then we plan to tour Victoria to look for a town we want to buy a new house before we set off again probably up the middle... so watch this space. OUR SIX MONTH BUDGET I've not includec break downs of personal expenses but they are included in the total. Our rego and hospital cover is paid annually but our extras are included in the total. FUEL. $115 CAR AND VAN INSURANCE $32 FOOD the big shock $173 wonder what we spent at home as we throw little out now. Yikes PARK FEES $101 ALCOHOL $49 ENTRY FEES if we want to do it we do it $62 EATING OUT that includes coffees etc $72 TOTAL PER WEEK $ 886 which is wayyyy less than we spent at home. HIGHLY recommended to get a van with an ensuite and solar so you can free camp.

03.01.2022 We stayed at Kyabram on our way home to Melbs for Christmas. What a fabulous country town. We even went looking for property, maybe a bit far from family but could be tempted to live there. Kyabram has a free camp at the Fauna Park with tables, chairs, bbqs, toilets and a playground for the kids. The Fauna park was the biggest surprise as it not only was a very reasonable price to get in but what they had on offer was amazing. Where else can you go in with koalas free o...f charge and the Sulphur Crested was so friendly he jumped straight on my knee. Great park with the friendliest owners who also run the on site cafe which was yummy. Ate in the town and bought all our supplies there too. Only fair to support the towns that support us. A definate return to place. See more

03.01.2022 Christmas Eve family BBQ . So good to be home.

03.01.2022 From our home on wheels we wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and may 2018 be your best year yet.

02.01.2022 To all our friends please have a lovely Christmas. We are home to share ours with our family and friends. Back to back appointments since we got here but so happy to see everyone again.

02.01.2022 Today we are visiting Cape Patterson and the stunning Bass Straight but we were not expecting the wild life on the track slithering along. I'm no expert on snakes but he sure looks like Mr. Brown. Apparently Killer Whales, Humpbacks and Southern Rights abound between April and November so in a few weeks we will go back and maybe take a picnic. There's lots to do in this part of Victoria with the State Coal Mine, Phillip Island and Wilsons Promentary ( The Prom to the locals ) all close by.

02.01.2022 I was really really excited to go out to see the Bat Cave at Naracoorte S.A. where at dark between thirty and forty thousand critically endangered Southern Bent Winged micro bats leave the cave in search of food. I'd expected them all to come out in a steady stream but in fact they come out a few at a time and as its dark and they fly much faster than we can see we were very disappointed that they were way to fast for the SLR but when we got back to the van I couldn't ...believe my luck at the shots the new Canon digital had got. The tiny bats literally fly straight at you but at the very last sevind divert due to their ability to sense an obstacle in the way. We were lucky enough to be able to talk to one of the conservationists who was involved in the entrapment and tagging of the bats so they can monitor their progress. Interesting to note that the numbers haven't actually increased and that may be due to the fact there just isn't enough food for more bats but no definitive answer. See more

01.01.2022 Many people ask us what are the must haves to make caravan living easier. We are all different but don't follow our lead and buy everything that opens and shuts before you leave as most of it will go to Vinnies in a short while. Things we've kept and we think are essential for us. Cgear mats. We bought another brand and many parks will only allow those that allow the grass to grow underneath. Ill add a photo to show the results of someone using an inappropriate mat. Exact sh...ape of mat in dead grass. Im guessing park didn't notice until too.late that someone was using an unfriendly mat. Collapsible pans save lots of space. We threw out the collapsible dish rack and replaced it with a drain mat from KMart We replaced the hills hoist type washing line with one that goes across the awning Much lighter and less space. Put bikes in storage as we rarely used them. We needed wayyyy fewer clothes than we thought. Jurgens vans have a slot on both sides of van.to allow you to slide a shade screen down both sides which is essential for the fridge in hot weather. We have an extra cassette so we can free camp in out of the way places. Im sure I will think of more so watch this space. Can anyone else add to my lis pls ?