3 1/2 Year Review plus Budget Travel Tips and Me

Hello All
 Its that time again to review how the Ute and Camper are handling the punishment. This Blog I have also decided to try and incorporate some Budget Travel Tips and also how my lifestyle has affected me personally.

Ok here goes, we will start with the Ute........

Great Wall V200 Diesel 6 speed manual
Purchased new in September 2012
Current mileage 129500km
Over the past 3 and a half years this poor Ute has been punished.....

In November 2012 with about 3500km on the odometer I headed to Hervey Bay to collect my new Camper.
Since then it has carted the Camper over a vast majority of Australia with a minimum of fuss or drama.

so far this trip

 I have had a couple of small issues with the Ute, but considering the punishment it has endured fairly minor and I think acceptable.
After a couple of recalls early on, it has settled down and just gets on with the job.
On the Gibb River Road, in The Kimberley last year a universal joint failed and flogged out the rear tailshaft centre bearing.
Back in Victoria earlier this year I discovered the Steering Rack ends were worn and were replaced.
Other than that it has just required regular servicing.
While down South I also checked all the Brakes. The front Disc Pads have now done 90000km and still have plenty of meat on them.
The rear Brake Shoes are the originals and have now done close to 130000km and are about 50% worn.
In Darwin after 100000km of crap roads I had the suspension replaced with upgraded suspension and a 2" lift.
I chose Pedders Track Rider suspension and so far so good. With the Camped loaded it handles the rough stuff like a dream.

SUMMARY
The Ute is holding up extremely well considering what I do with it. It still drives as well today as the day I picked it up. the trim and interior is as good as new with no signs of wear.
I am happily surprised how well it has done considering that the majority of time it has 800kg plus on the back climbing mountain ranges and crossing desert in hot and dusty conditions.
A good tough very comfortable reliable ute.  

Palomino Bronco B600 Slide on Camper.
Purchased November 2012
http://www.palominorvaustralia.com.au/ 

 Everywhere the Ute has been, the camper has too. I would love a dollar for every corrugation it has been over.

at Wonnangatta Station

 The Camper has endured wild storms, torrential rain, dust, corrugations and heat with minimum fuss.
A couple of small issues only, but with the exceptional back up service and support provided by Kevin, Tanya and Rob at palominorvaustralia nothing is a drama. Quite a few places I have had dealings with over the years should take a leaf out of their book.........

The bracket which supports the fan motor in the exhaust fan over the bed does not like corrugations. I am on my second bracket, which I have already repaired. To solve this issue I now insert a foam spacer which supports the weight of the motor over rough roads. Since this I have had no issues.

with the roof up

 I find the camper great for my needs, with the low transit height and then pop up the roof, it gives me a good space to live safe from the crocodiles and snakes.
 It also gives me the capability to go off road with a little bit if comfort.

Middle Lagoon Cape Levique

The camper also provides me with a bit more security than a camper trailer while giving me the option of dropping the legs, removing the camper and running around in the empty ute.
The other thing I like is that I can break camp in the rain and the sides fold in on themselves....meaning nothing inside gets wet.

SUMMARY
The Camper provides a versatile comfortable package and shelter from the elements. It has survived the dirt roads, tracks, beaches and corrugations better than I could have ever hoped for.

Budget Travel Tips
Some of you may be well aware of these anyway but I will cover these for the newcomers.

Fridge............I have the 12v/gas fridge in the camper, I supplement this with a Waeco 39ltr freezer. A lot of people make the mistake of running the freezer on maximum setting. This will kill your battery. On a 40c day trying to keep your freezer at minus 18c will take everything you have and you will constantly be low on battery. 
I run my freezer on minus 5 or 6c this will keep everything frozen and your solar panels and battery will thank you.

Solar..........one of the best thing I did was to disassemble my 200w fold up panels and permanently mount them on the roof. The downside is you need to park and camp in the sun but otherwise I am getting full 200w charge while driving up the road. This has allowed me to free camp and unpowered camp a lot more often.

Wikicamps.........This is the travellers bible.........if you haven't got it get it. Wikicamps is a real time App on your phone or tablet giving up to date prices, comments and photos of free camps, budget camps and caravan parks Australia wide. If you download the offline content you can even use it well away from phone coverage. A true must have.

Laundry........I use a sealable canoe type 25ltr drum three parts filled with water. In goes the dirty laundry add a bit of Wool Wash (does not require rinsing like detergent) sit it in the camper and when I arrive at my destination the washing is done.......simply wring out and hang out.

Showgrounds and Farm Stays.......I opt for a lot of these. Usually a showground is $18-25 per night for a powered site as opposed to a local caravan park $35-$50 plus per night. The plus is the people are usually very friendly and use aren't crammed in like sardines.
Farm Stays.....Usually priced around $10-$15 per night. most are unpowered but provide toilets and showers normally in a rural or bush environment with plenty of space. With Farm Stays you are helping a local family and not supporting a big greedy corporate chain.

Distance and destinations........Don't over cook your destination............if you need to travel 700km plus a day to get there you have chosen the wrong destination. Its no fun arriving and setting up after dark and 700km. Slow down and enjoy, a big day for me is a couple of hundred kilometres and I usually only travel every couple of days. This cuts my fuel cost considerably. just a few weeks ago I filled with $100 of deisel in Goondawindi and refueled in Noosa Heads over two weeks later. See what I am getting at........instead of spending $100 per day on fuel that lasts me two weeks.

Me..............
Well I have changed a lot since travelling I think.
I am more relaxed and stress is non existent.
I lose weight....being more active doing walks into places is all good for your health.

you get to enjoy this

The major thing I have noticed is that I have become a lot less material. I live a fairly simple life and want for nothing as long as I have money for food and fuel life is good. You can keep your new Iphone6 it doesn't impress me much. And your new car means very little to me.
Sometimes sitting in a camp somewhere in the middle of nowhere a new Landcruiser will pull in towing an apartment block on wheels.........I look, I think....wow how good would all that room be..............then I think.............I am happy and at least I own everything I have.
To me the KISS principle works
Keep It Simple Stupid.

Bye for now

Fraser Island (part 2) to Hervey Bay

Hello all
After over a week over on Fraser Island I have returned to the Big Island.....Australia.

camp on Fraser Island

After a few night tolerating the above view from my doorstep I headed further North on Fraser.

watching darkness approach Fraser Island

 Fraser Island is a heritage-listed island located along the southern coast of Queensland, Australia, approximately 200 kilometres  north of Brisbane.It is a locality within the Fraser Coast  Its length is about 120 kilometres and its width is approximately 24 kilometres  It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1992. The island is considered to be the largest sand island in the world at 1,840 km². It is also Queensland's largest island, Australia's sixth largest island and the largest island on the East Coast of Australia.

Eli Creek Fraser Island

 Eli Creek is the largest creek on the east coast of the island with a flow of 80 million litres per day.

Eli Creek Fraser Island

 The Fraser Island dingoes are reputedly some of the last remaining pure dingoes in Eastern Australia and to prevent cross-breeding, dogs are not allowed on the island.

Dingo on Fraser Island

Dingo on Fraser Island

Next stop was the wreck of the SS Maheno.

SS Maheno

 The Maheno was built in Scotland in 1905 as a luxury passenger ship for the trans-Tasman crossing. During the First World War she served as a hospital ship in the English Channel, and was then returned to her owners to resume her usual commercial operation. By 1935 the ship had been taken out of service and was sold to a ship-breaker in Japan. On 25 June 1935, while being towed to Osaka to be broken up, she was caught in a strong cyclone about 80 kilometres off the coast of Queensland. The towline parted, and on 9 July 1935 the Maheno became beached on the east coast of Fraser Island.

SS Maheno

During the Second World War the wreck served as target bombing practice for the RAAF and was used as an explosives demolition target by special forces from the Fraser Commando School. The remains of the ship are now severely rusted, with almost three and a half storeys buried under the sand. Because of the danger it poses, climbing on the wreck is not permitted.

SS Maheno

Maheno from camp

 All along the beach freshwater creeks flow into the ocean.

my front yard on Fraser Island

 The beach is also the Highway on Fraser and you need to constantly be aware of vehicles approaching.

Indian Head Fraser Island

There is a bypass track over Indian Head to the Northern Beach and Waddy Point, but as I sat there watching vehicles getting bogged in the soft sand I decided that getting through with the camper on would be pushing my luck.

another camp on Fraser

 The beach is also used as an airstrip for joyflights.

 
I headed back down the beach past the Maheno once again.

I then headed inland to Central Station. This served as a Timber Camp back in the day when the tall timbers of Fraser were harvested.

Central Station Fraser Island

 Blackbutt trees (Eucalyptus pilularis), Queensland kauri (Agathis robusta) and satinay or Fraser Island turpentine (Syncarpia hillii) were extensively exploited as they provided excellent timber. 

Wanggoobla Creek Central Station

Satinay logs were sent to Egypt to be used in the construction of the Suez Canal For the first 70 years of logging, bullock drays were used to haul the timber to loading points on the beach. Railway tracks were laid through the forest to facilitate logging, but were later removed. 

Pile Valley Central Station

 The logging industry continued until 1991, ceasing following concerns raised by the Commission of Inquiry into the Conservation, Management and Use of Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Region,

Pile Valley Central Station

 Remember all this timber and rainforrest is all growing in sand......

give way to carpet pythons

After doing the Southern Lakes drive it was overnight at Dilli Village (run by the University of Queensland), in retrospect this place was terrific and I should have stayed there, unloaded be camper and done day trips from there.

75 mile beach Fraser Island

Currently I am in Hervey Bay and the trek North continues in a few days. I also realised today I am due to do my 6 month review on my Ute and Camper, so I will try to get that online in the next couple of days. 
Bye for now........

Gympie to Fraser Island (part 1)

Hello all
After restocking in Gympie it was a slow trip out to Rainbow Beach. An older gentleman towing a 21' caravan decided to sit of 65-70kph and with limited passing possibilities, there was a convoy well over a kilometre long. Obviously he did not have mirrors as he would have seen the traffic behind him and pulled over to let everyone pass.............
With high tide being lunchtime I opted to camp at Inskip Point for the night and catch the Barge early this Morning. The other option was to catch a late Barge yesterday and race up the beach to camp before dark.

the Mantaray coming to collect me

 The morning option put me on the island an hour before low tide,allowing for a leisurely cruise up the beach.

Fraser from Inskip Point

sunrise on the barge

One thing I have noticed is there are no road rules over here, contrary to the literature provided.
Overtaking on the left seems OK
Speeding well over the 80kmh posted speed limit also seems OK

aboard the Mantaray

leaving Inskip

Once over on the Island, the beach around Hook Point was very soft and I was starting to get a little concerned. But once around the corner on to the main 75 mile beach it was like a highway.

sunrise on board

 With the overcast skies cleared and the humidity levels dropping things are looking good.

camp for a couple of nights

patterns in the sand

75 mile beach Fraser Island

I plan to head further up the Island over the next week or so and also explore some of the inland tracks.

 Until then, Bye for now

Lismore to Gympie

Hello All
I haven't done much since my last post from Lismore.
There were a few wet days, a couple of long weekends and a lot of traffic contended with.

Heading from Lismore to Ballina on the coast the rain was so heavy I had to pull over several times until it eased.
Once North of Brisbane the rain came again, with over 70mm falling coinciding with the camper battery failing.

Nearly a week was spent with friends at Cooran in the Noosa Hinterland catching up on a few maintenance tasks.
The camper battery was no longer holding charge after three and a half years and 4 million corrugations. I found a 125AH AGM deep cycle on the Sunshine Coast for $229 which I thought was reasonable.

With that now fitted and charged up, tomorrow I head to Inskip Point near Rainbow Beach to catch the Barge over to Fraser Island for a week or two.
My dilema now is high tide is currently in the middle of the day, and low tide late afternoon.
As the Beach is the road on Fraser island it is best travelled at low tide, which being late in the day leaves little time to get up the Island to camp before dusk.
Time and tide wait for no man................................. 
Bye for now