Camping equipment - what to take?

[Pine and Riana Pienaar]

We love camping and over and above the Echo trailer we also have a 3.5x4.5 canvas tent that we bought long ago, as well as som of the campmaster dome tents - different horses for different courses.

We also have all the needed equipment that we can possibly need to camp either in civilisation or in remote areas.

I already read that the gas equipment may not be the problem but the cylinders themselves is a no-go. What else should we be looking at if we want to bring our camping equipment?

Let me know.

Pine

[Nilo]

We live in Brisbane and over here people love to camp. Bring everything you have, just remember to clean it properly!!! There's to be no soil grass etc on any items.

Many of the camping spots don't even have toilets or water on tap so we have often had to take our own. In Aussie you can buy a little toilet/shower tent so you might even get one of those over here too.

Bring the 4x4 trailer. We camped on a farmers land the other weekend, right next to the river. Fantastic, idilic and just relaxing. (remember it's safe here!!) Traveled for about 45minutes on a 4x4 track to reach the camp site.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Nilo

[Tracy]

Apart from the gas bottles, bring as much as you can squeeze in a container; I'm glad I did!

[Bob]

I think Nilo has summed things up pretty well.

You can buy most things for getting out in the bush for a week or two, right here in Australia.

If you like campfire cooking, you might like to consider buying a "Bedourie" camp oven, made out of spun steel. They are originally from the south west Queensland town of Bedourie. Being steel they are a lot lighter than the old fashioned cast iron camp ovens and you can use the flat lid as a frying pan also!

http://www.southern-metal-spinners.com.au/camping-page.html

One of the things I've noticed with many campers is that they have different gas fittings for their gas lights or stoves or whatever.

I use Primus equipment . . . . . and only Primus . . . . because all the stuff I take is completely compatible with everything I have. Primus has a good range of products, is Swedish in design and built to last.

http://www.primuscamping.com/

At the end of the day, you get pretty much what you pay.

Chinese made stuff might be half price, but quality often leaves a lot to be desired and you don't want a piece of equipment that fails you out in the bush for the week.

Bringing that sort of stuff is worse than useless. It's just dead weight and taking up valuable space!

For lighting in the bush, we've gone away from the old gas lamps (although we still have two of them) for the more convenient 12V lighting equipment that runs off your spare battery in your 4WD

DON'T get the cheap $29 lights that some "el cheapo" camping stores sell you. These work once . . . and only once . . . and will leave you without lights for the holiday. Buying a good reliable 12V light from one of the 4WD stockists for $79 or $99 is a much better option for your peace of mind. These are bright and light up a good area for setting up camp after sunset in the dark and also inside the tent or canvas area for reading, etc.

http://www.piranhaoffroad.com.au/products/Lights/Fluro.htm

Edited May 18, 2008 by Bob

[Goldie]

We sold most our stuff before we came. We have had a few regrets, but have managed to build up a fairly good stock of stuff at fairly reasonable prices quite quickly. Some examples of prices are:

8 man tent - $180

Chairs - $8 each

Single blow up mattress - $18

Queen blow up mattress - $25

Pump (plug in to car lighter) - $12

Oil lanterns - $10 each

Metal folding table -$40

We brought our sleeping bags in our luggage. Our next investment is a gazebo and will cost around $100 for the same one we had in SA (we paid around R800 for it).

Now it's winter, a lot of the stores have massive sales on camping stuff. You can get a patio gas braai (small and ideal for camping), marked down from $89 to $40. When our container arrives we have the nick naks like stainless steel plates, bowls, cups etc, but you get all the same here.

If you camp in a tourist type park, they generally have a central kitchen area, with an urn, toaster, fridge (believe it or not no one steals your food) etc. You each get a personal code for enterance and for using the toilet facilities. Quite different.

Candice

[milo]

I think if you had use for it while camping in RSA, you'll use it again in Australia.

You'll definately get different equipment in Oz than in RSA, because every culture invents equipment for their needs.

I'm still trying to find out if the gas bottle fittings will fit on Oz bottles? Or do I need to buy adapters once in Oz?

And the Alva cooker. Do I bring it with?

[Camper]

We packed all our camping equipment except for the gas bottles. We bought the Alva stand that takes the 3 apliances and got the Cadac adaptor at BCF. This way we put all the cooker, hot wheel etc on the stand and run it off one bottle.

We also bought our Afrispoor off road trailer with, if you have it and have room in the container bring it.

Cheers

Camper

Edited May 19, 2008 by Camper

[Pine and Riana Pienaar]

Sounds like I am in for a bit of cleaning then. Any suggestions on how to get the camping stuff to the level of cleanness they need? I also see there are one or two of the eyelets on the tent that has some rust courtesy of sea camping. Suppose rusted tent penns will be a problem.

Must say looks like 4x4 and camping is the thing for weekends - cant wait.

Pine

[4mcnuts]

Ear buds / cotton buds or whatever you choose to call them are and excellent way of getting that bit of dirt/sand out that nothing else can reach! try them, I am using them for cleaning everything!

[Nilo]

They are not too worried about the rust as long as it's not biological stuff like sand and grass and goggo's!! Buy some Rusist it's excellent stuff, just don't clean the spot you want to treat too well as it needs the oxadised mettal to react. Get the real macoy not the cheap stuff!!

[LPH]

I have just (less that 1 year ago) bought a new Gypsey caravan.

Would you guys recon it's worth bringing that along? (I see the ones in Aus go for $40k and up).

I am two thirds into a 40-foot container, so I should have space.....

[Nilo]

I would bring it along, the only problem being getting insurance for it this side, just find out if you can.

You have to pay the gov this side 10% import tax on the current value of the caravan and then offcourse the Rego etc.

[LPH]

The import tax should be OK. It would come down to under AUD1,500, and I assume the registration, etc won;t be thousands...

Will find out about the insurance, thanks.

Any pointers where I can look?

[Nilo]

$1500 is allotamoney!! I sugest you get someone to do a "low" valuation on that side!!

Insurance companies - for Qld you can look at: RACQ, AAMI, Real Insurance, NRMA, Suncorp, the list goes on. Google it!! LOL!!

[LPH]

Dankie!

[Pine and Riana Pienaar]

Someone mentioned to me that import duty and normal tax is on the original purchase price. Indications here are that it is on current value.

Can someone explein to me. May even consider bringing my 4x4 if it is on current value?

Ho does this wotk if I do buy something new (less than year old)? What to they need to prove I have had something for longer and does it make a difference to fees payable?

Pine

[Nilo]

Eish, Pine jy vra nou moeilik. Ek het "the powers that be" hier in Brisbane gebel en dis wat hulle vir my gese het. Ek dink die is die email adres wat ek gebruik het www.customs.gov.au.

Hoop dit help 'n bietjie.