Northern Australia Booked Out?
Submitted: Friday, May 14, 2021 at 16:38
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Member - Alan P3
Six of us in three vehicles were hoping to go to the Kimberleys and
the desert parks to the south of
Marble Bar (east and west) from
Alice Springs, via the Tanami Road, leaving 1 July 2021 for six to eight weeks.
However, we've been told that everything is likely to be booked out, given the current rush caused by Covid -19 overseas travel bans. We know that Karlamilyi is closed for the foreseeable future.
Are we likely to find ourselves being squeezed out of free camps and caravan parks, having to
camp on the sides of roads or where ever we can?
Advice would be welcome, especially on
places we can go where the crowds aren't likely to be an issue.
To put this into context, I heard years ago of campers stuck out in free camps, kilometres from
Broome, with queues of vehicles lined up in the early morning to grab any spots being vacated that day by the inhabitants. Sounds like hell to me.
Regards,
AP.
Reply By: Dusta - Friday, May 14, 2021 at 17:05
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 17:05
there is plenty more to see of WA where there aren't any crowds . The midwest and goldfields would set you up for years.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:06
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:06
Thanks, Dusta.
We will look into it.
Cheers,
Alan P.
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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, May 14, 2021 at 18:48
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 18:48
.
I can think of a few side tracks off the Anne Beadell Hwy that are fairly private and maybe not yet crowded.
But don't leave it too long. lol
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Follow Up By: Gramps - Friday, May 14, 2021 at 22:46
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 22:46
I can assure you there's plenty of really private uncrowded spots on the
Connie Sue Hwy at the moment. Be quick though, word will get out :)
Regards
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:05
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:05
Thanks for the tips, Allan & Gramps.
I will be towing a small hybrid caravan (4.25m long, 2.1m high & ATM 1.6T).
Would it be wise to use these tracks with the caravan from: a. ethically in regard to damage to the tracks; b. difficulty towing with loose sand, sandy side slopes, etc. and; c. damage to the van from scrub?
Alan.
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Follow Up By: Gramps - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:17
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:17
Alan,
If towing I'd say NO to all three (my opinion). While it's possible in a non-towing vehicle for a and b, not c (once again, only my opinion).
Regards
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Follow Up By: Member - John - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:18
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:18
Alan P, what are you towing with?
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:49
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:49
.
Sorry Alan, when I posted about the solitude of the Anne Beadell it was with tongue-in-cheek.
You did reference "desert parks, the
Kimberley, and the Tanami". However, as you ask, I would be hesitant of travelling on most desert tracks with a caravan if you are concerned about road condition and scrub damage.
Unless of course the vehicle and van were fully off-road capable and you were not concerned about some body scarring.
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 11:41
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 11:41
Thanks to everybody for their help.
To
John’s question, the tow vehicle is an Isuzu MU-X MY18, pretty standard (GVM upgrade with a small 30mm lift and 31” tyres).
I’m respecting the advice from Gramps and Allan, regarding
the desert tracks being a no-go.
Sincerely,
Alan P.
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914331
Reply By: Member - Warren H - Friday, May 14, 2021 at 19:06
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 19:06
Not just in the west, north west Queensland as
well. I just booked accommodation for a tar run up to
Boulia to head across to the
Hay River Track in mid July.
Blackall,
Winton and
Boulia full. We secured the last handful of rooms/cabins. Yes there are the Camel Races, but even 500+km away are pretty booked. Only
Nyngan on the run up through NSW had any sort of choice. Bit of a pain to book but great for local businesses. By the way anyone travelling on the QAA line late July, camping
places seem to be limited to 30 people per night. I suspect most will just ignore this or just not stop.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:08
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:08
Wowsers!
Thanks for confirming the gossip.
Cheers,
Alan P.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 19:49
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 19:49
.
Warren,
re:... "on the QAA line late July, camping
places seem to be limited to 30 people per night."
I'm confused. Can you elaborate on that please?
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 08:03
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 08:03
Likewise, there are no “bookable” camping sites along the QAA Line that I can recall.
Macca.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 11:10
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 11:10
While there are no designated campsites in the Munga-Thirri NP, you are required to get a permit if you wish to
camp on the QAA line, you must also stay within 500m of the line. When you get to the booking page it lists the number of people permitted to
camp in the area, this is shown as 30 people.
Munga-Thirri NP camping
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 13:10
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 13:10
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Hi Warren,
After lengthy searching on the Qld Parks Munga-Thirri pages I'm damned if I can find reference to a limit of "30 people" camping. I'll just have to take your word for it. Not that it matters much to me as there were never more 2 people in my party. lol
I did find the reference to camping as per below, but no reference to numbers.
Munga-Thirri Camping
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 13:26
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 13:26
We were pulled up for the night, about 150M off the QAA Line, the sun sinking fast and we were replenishing our fluids, after setting up
camp. 3 vehicles, 5 people,
well below the 30 maximum.
Two vehicles travelling by, suddenly turned off & drove, not up to, but into
our camp. One bloke emerged, to ask if they could
camp with us for the night? While most of us were digesting this request, one of my companions promptly told him to eff off, plenty of other camps about! Off the invaders went, & camped a km or so down the track.
Bob
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 16:21
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 16:21
Allan B, it's not until you get to the actual page where you have entered the date and the number of people, that it shows the max number of people permitted to
camp in the area and the balance. We have four vehicles and seven people. Since we are coming in from the
Hay River Track and have allowed ourselves seven days, the stupidity of the online system means we have booked for a three night window to give us some flexibility. At least there are no campsites that we are forced to make phantom bookings for. It's $6.75 per person per night btw.
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Follow Up By: Captain WA - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 19:35
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 19:35
And that is the irony of the system.... people making phantom bookings to provide flexability for themsleves, with the area now showing as fully booked. Whats worse, the rangers don't let anyone else in to an almost empty area, just in case the phantom bookers shows up very late.
Have been on the receiving end of phantom bookers resulting in not being able to
camp in a relatively deserted areas. Understand the system forces that upon people wanting flexability, but now we have areas fully booked but in reality just not that crowded at all.
Have spoken to Rangers who have to police the system and they do not like it. But apparently their bosses love it.... it shows large utilisation of campsites, minimises maintenance due to low numbers actually using but provides grants justification to upgrade "high usage" sites.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 19:57
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 19:57
And they get the income $$$ which are especially effective as there are no clients requiring service!
It's a rip-off and knowingly set up to be that way.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 21:15
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 21:15
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Frank, I doubt that camping fees provide much income to the Government.
Wouldn't even fund one Sports Rort.
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Monday, May 17, 2021 at 08:15
Monday, May 17, 2021 at 08:15
I thought your camping fee/permit was included in your Desert Parks Pass issued by the S.A. Parks authority. I was under the impression that this permit also covered the Qld. side of the
Simpson Desert as
well. On each of the occasions I have crossed the Simpson, we only got
the Desert Parks Pass.
I cannot remember anything about a separate camping permit, or indeed a maximum number of people in the area. Of course, that was a couple of years ago now.
Macca.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Monday, May 17, 2021 at 08:25
Monday, May 17, 2021 at 08:25
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Macca, I have always purchased a yearly Desert Parks Pass but chose to 'not be aware' that a Qld camping permit was required. Sometimes it helps to be ignorant. lol
Same applies to dates on transit permits for Aboriginal lands....... "Errrrr, sorry mate I thought it WAS the 18th today, easy to lose track of time in this beautiful country."
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Reply By: Member Kerry W (Qld) - Friday, May 14, 2021 at 19:30
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 19:30
Yep - saw it firsthand - people arriving at 11am at remote and not so remote camps to secure their campsites in the
Kimberley.
Also another disturbing trend....camps I assumed only accessable by a fairly capable high clearance and locked 4WDs - only to find 22' caravans skull dragged in and dark looks - and at times - NO friendly waves by owners because we dared tresspass on their remote
camp. Strange times....sad times.
Too many people and too few
places reserved for
recreation - and yes the goldfields and south coast of WA seemingly deserted by the hoards.
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:10
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:10
Thank you for the tips, Kerry.
I loved the term "skull dragged".
Regards,
Alan P.
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Follow Up By: Candace S. - Monday, May 17, 2021 at 03:44
Monday, May 17, 2021 at 03:44
"...and dark looks - and at times - NO friendly waves by owners..."
Wow, and you weren't even traveling in a hire vehicle? I ran into this sort of reception a few times while traveling in Britz or Apollo vehicles, LOL. :)
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Reply By: Member - lyndon NT - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 07:11
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 07:11
Yep, the Mexicans have arrived in the Top End in droves also. Started around a month ago when it was still a bit toasty for some I imagine. Guess they just wanted to beat the crowds.
To the OP, I found
Broome a Hell Hole in 92, over crowded, slept in public car parks in our swags. Don't really have fond memories of the place because of that and the fact it was SO expensive. I'm sure it's nice enough, just a bit over rated to me.
Everywhere across the Top will be crowded this year. dry started in
Darwin 2 weeks ago, bloody beautiful!
Where are you leaving from,
Perth or...? Ever thought about Arnhem Land as an alternative?
Cheers
Lyndon
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:16
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 10:16
Thanks, Lyndon.
We're open to going anywhere.
You've confirmed my impressions of
Broome, although I've never been there.
Cheers,
Alan P.
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb "boab" - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 19:35
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 19:35
Alan : don't be too Hasty there ! its booked out because it is very popular & nice place to visit with a lot of options ,
places to stock up before moving on , markets and shops that you won't find anywhere else in the area . there are Overflow options . I remember lining up at the front of the caravan park 10 years ago waiting to get a spot in a very populated Park.. as they don't normally take bookings it is first in best dressed .
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan P3 - Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 09:08
Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 09:08
Thanks, Nick.
Alan P.
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Reply By: Ozi M - Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 14:40
Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 14:40
Not good for you but it is "usually" booked out for cabins etc by the end of April.
I have health problems so I need cabins or motels and I need to book in February or March.
I work out the vital ones, book them first then work back to
places like Alice where I have options
I suppose the silver lining is that the
Kimberley businesses desperately need people to go there as they missed out badly last year
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Reply By: nick g1 - Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 18:13
Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 18:13
No1...... it's called the Kimberly Not
Kimberley's!! We where corrected by locals when we where there in 2020! On
Gibb River Rd only 2 stations where open, there will be more open this yr. But there is always free camps available, just need to think outside of the square! We camped in gravel pits along
the Tanami track years ago.
Broome is an overpriced overrated drunken digie tourist hell-hole in my opinion! Could not wait to get out of the place! We camped ON
the beach at
Barred Creek at the
Free camp. All that coastal Rd north is fantastic. Heaps of camps.
Good luck on your trip.
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Follow Up By: Keith B6 - Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 18:02
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 18:02
Nick, you are correct in saying it is not the
Kimberley's with an apostrophe s! and it is
Kimberley not Kimberly!
However there are two geographical areas, the West
Kimberley and the East
Kimberley therefore if you are referring to the whole area from the Indian Ocean to the
Ord River then yes you can refer to the Kimberleys.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 21:24
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 21:24
.
I'm with Keith on this.
If you want to be pedantic it needs to be "the
Kimberley Region".
And as there are two disparate regions, West and East, then it is appropriate to use "The Kimberleys" if referring to the whole.
Nick, I will probably be branded a "Spelling Nazi" but if you take aim at others on such as this, then perhaps you should address your own use of "where" when it should be "were"....... Hmmm?
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Reply By: nickb - Friday, Jun 11, 2021 at 02:09
Friday, Jun 11, 2021 at 02:09
Alan, just to add to your woes, school holidays will also be in full swing on your trip so you may need to factor that in!!!
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