Welcome to Free Range Camping e-news

Hello and welcome to our August edition of the FRC e-News.  The year is flying past and winter is almost over, so if you are not already out and about, now is a great time to get the camping gear out, dust off the cobwebs and get ready for spring camping. 

In this edition we are off to the Chittering region of WA which has some great places to camp and discover.  We have a closer look at a unique handmade timber teardrop camper, and introduce Camplify which offers an alternative way of getting into the caravan scene. 

Our products this month are fantastic glow in the dark lighting solutions for your camp site, and we have teamed up with the Hose Bag Company to bring you their full range of products.  We also introduce our very own range of Camping T-Shirts, ideal for Father's Day.  And, in our Tips & Tricks section we show you how to set up a simple and effective pump to get extra water into your tanks.  So grab a cuppa, sit by the fire and enjoy a good read. 

Over 100 Pubs Listed

We have been working hard on updating many of our listings over the last few months.  Our focus has been on camping at Pubs & Hotels around the country.  Australia has so many iconic Hotels and many of them are now offering a place for caravans and motorhomes to stay.  In many cases they allow you to stay for free in exchange for patronage at their premises, or in some cases there are small fees involved.  Either way, they are a great place to stay at and meet some of the locals who will often tell you about all the good places to see and discover when in a new town.

So if you head on over to the directory and have a look around you will be sure to find a pub somewhere near you that will offer a great camping opportunity. 

Food & Wildflowers @ Chittering

If wildflowers and fresh produce are your thing, the Chittering region in Western Australia is for you.  Located approximately one hour north from Perth along the Great Northern Highway, now it the right time of year to be there.  August sees an abundance of market stalls and local produce and September sees in spring and the annual Wildflower Festival.

Read our article to discover more about this beautiful area, including places to stay for campers.

Teardrop + Timber = WOW

If you love Teardrop Campers and Timber then this is the ideal combination.  We recently spoke to Howard Campbell, who has combined his love of camping and woodwork to create this beautiful and unique Teardrop Camper trailer.  Each camper is custom designed and handmade from beautiful western red cedar at the Sunshine Coast in Qld.

Easy Hose & Cable Storage Solutions

During our recent visit to the Brisbane Caravan & Camping show we met Dave & Judy, the owners of the Hose Bag Company.  They showed us through their full range of products and gave us some to try out.  They now have a full range of products including their original Hose Bag designed to keep your hose under control, The Cable Bag for electrical leads, Gas Bottle covers and even a cover for your Caravan Jack. 

To find out more about these great products and see them in use, you can read our full overview.

Setting up a portable water pump

If you are camping near a river and need water, or don’t want to move the van but have a water bladder, here is a solution that may help you out.  Alan has set up a portable pump that is ideal for transferring water from one location to another.  It is quite simple to do and he talks you through the process here, including where to get the bits and pieces. 

Lighting Solutions for your Campsite

Fumbling around the camp site in the dark, without a torch can be quite dangerous, and bumping into a tow bar or the draw bar of a caravan can be painful.   But, we have a solution.  We recently met Amanda from Lumo Solutions who gave us some of her Glow in the Dark products to try around the camp site.  We now have these plastered all over Honky and our awning.  They are great at night were there is no lighting around as you don’t need a torch to illuminate them.  These are industrial grade glow in the dark solutions that will last you for years.  

See our overview to find out more about these great products and where you can use them around the campsite or on your caravan.

Share the Caravan Love

If you are looking to get your first caravan or motorhome and want to try one out first.  Or only use one occasionally for your holidays, we think Camplify is a great idea.  It allows you to rent a caravan or motorhome without the outlay.  Or if on the other hand, you own a caravan or motorhome and don’t use it for much of the year, why not rent it out and earn some extra cash.  Camplify has both bases covered offering a unique way to 'Share the Caravan Love.' 

Whats on around the place

There are lots of great events coming up in August and leading into September. 

26-28 August - Rockhampton Home Show and Caravan Camping, 4x4 and Fishing Expo, Rockhampton, QLD

28 August - Taste of Chittering, Chittering, Bindoon, WA & 16-18 September Chittering Wildlfower Festival, Bindoon, WA

28-30 August - Gosford Caravan Camping and Outdoor Living Show, Gosford South, NSW

2-3 September - Birdsville Races, Birdsville, QLD

2-4 September - Wirrina Bluegrass and Acoustic Roots Festival, Wirrina Cove, SA

If you know of any upcoming events in your area, please let us know so we can add them to next months Newsletter.   [email protected]

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