Kimberley Kamper on the Simpson Desert

Thanks Wildmax, so you can leave the camper at Maree? I thought that may have been the case of the camper as the videos we watched they all had either swags or tents...Thanks for the advice. Kristine Harrower

Hi Kristine, yes, we just paid a small fee to park our campers (3 in our group) in the corner of the caravan park at Maree. You could probably do the same out the back of the pub, or at caravan parks in Birdsville or Oodnadatta, if that suits you better. Lock up securely of course, and we also use a hitch lock when leaving the camper for any length of time.

I've done the same.

Don't expect the CP to keep much of a watch though.

Thanks Baz, i am hearing all the comments and it looks like the Camper will have to spend a few days on its own at Maree.
We are not very experienced in sand towing so i will heed the warning.
Thanks
Kristine

Thanks Tony only me and the good hubby heading there and then off to the Alice so it may pay to leave the Camper at Maree and tent it across....

Thanks
Kris

Thanks Stephen, i just turned around in my office to see if there was a camera....I was looking up swags and boy is that confusing...Which one do you recommend?
Kris

Hi Kris

Asking that question is like asking how long is a piece of string.

We have 2 types of swags, both 100% Australia made quality swags and very different.

The first type is an Adelaide made tradition double swag with open end with zippers each side the full length and a head flap and now more than twenty years old, and still like new. It has travelled many thousands of kilometres through our great Australian deserts. All we would ever do is put a ground sheet down first and put the swag on top of that. Because it is the tradition open swag, we would never open it up until we were ready to go to bed. The only down side with this type of swag is that because it is open at the head end, mosquitos can be an issue, but we used to carry some fly net for situations like that. If it was windy, it would be critical to place the end of the swag into the wind, so your swag does not fill with sand, which had happened on more than one occasion.

A few years ago, we went up market with the double enclosed swag by Southern Cross from Melbourne. Yes it might take a couple of minutes to set up, but has features that give it the feel of a mini tent, but still a great swag feeling.
Because it is fully enclosed, we can open it straight away, and if windy, just zip it up and everything is safe and sound. To see the full stars like the open sway, just fold up the canvas sides and leave the mesh cover open and you can lay back, see the stars but safe from any bugs etc.

Next morning it is a very simple job on either swag to just roll them up and you are ready to go.

Swags are great and get a good one, and it will last you your full camping life.



Cheers



Stephen

Thanks Stephen, we are looking at the double swag...here's hoping.
Kristine

Hi Kristine

Once you have enjoyed the experience of sleep in a sway out in the desert, you will see that they are the way to go and will have many years of great use.



Cheers



Stephen

Mark, i think you may be right, and imagine how much fuel it would eat up...

Thanks
Kristine

Less damage when you don't get bogged. Wouldn't brag too much about looking after the environment then.

Phil

Thanks Phil, dual cab Hi-Lux and after a discussion with the better half last night we have both decided to leave the Kamper somewhere and just tent it across.
Thanks for the tip.

Kristine

Thanks Bruce & Di, six times, wow great effort. We want to go to the Alice after the Simpson so still trying to work out which way to go, east/west or west/east...Thanks again for the tips we are defiantly going to tent it across the French line.

Kris