Building A Washing Machine.

After a few days of free camping there will come a time when there are some clothes that need to be washed. You could go down to the creek and do what some of our ancestors might have done and washed the clothes in the water, beating them on the rocks and rinsing.

But there are other options now that can be used. Just a couple of examples are:

• Buy a bucket, fill it with water, detergent and the dirty clothes. Then put it in your vehicle while you drive to your next location. The agitation as you are driving will help to wash the clothes. Just take them out, rinse and hang out to dry when you arrive.
• Buy a purpose built hand operated tumbling washing machine from your camping supplies store.

While we were camped at Oxley, Victoria, we met a couple who had another option, so we bought the materials required and built our own machine.

Materials Required:

• Large bucket (20l approx)
• Large plastic funnel
• Broom handle
• Screws

Agitator Construction Procedure:

Cut several large holes in the sides of the funnel.

Cut the end of the spout of the funnel where the diameter is the same as the broom handle.

Attach the funnel to the broom handle with screws.

How to use:

Add water to the large bucket, add the clothes and detergent. Agitate the clothes by pushing up and down with the agitator.

When done, rinse the clothes, hand wring and hang out to dry.

Next Project? A Spin Dryer?

What is needed now is a method for wringing most of the water from the clothes to shorten the drying time. The hand wringing method works OK, but I am hoping to find something better.

I have considered a string bag on a long rope to twirl around, but any other suggestions would be handy.

Starting The Checklist

One of the major aims of the current Grey Nomad trip is to spend some time visiting landmarks that featured in the historical events that were called the Kelly Outbreak in North Eastern Victoria in the late 1870′s and 1880.

We have completed the journey from Bendigo into Kelly country and have based ourselves at Oxley, where the Recreation Reserve is proving to be a very relaxing site.

A herd of about 40 cattle greeted us for the evening meal, and breakfast the next morning. The sound of the small birds that flit around near the caravan is very pleasant and contrast to the screeching of the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. A little walk around the reserve also rewarded us with sights of Blue Wrens, Spoonbills, Egrets, Ducks and Kookaburras, among other birds.

From Bendigo To Kelly Country

Click the Map to see the route that we took to get to Kelly Country from Bendigo.

First Leg: To Rushworth.

We travelled over this route on our quick round trip to Shepparton and Echuca, and I wanted to go back to see if Rushworth had retained the title that I gave it on the first visit. The Town Where Time Stood Still.

We arrived in Rushworth at approximately 10:30am, and the clock on the Rotunda/War Memorial said 9:30, so yes the title still is true. It seems that someone forgot to adjust the clock for Daylight Saving.

Rushworth really is a town where time has stood still, as some of its buildings still have the feeling of being just as they might have been in the Gold Rush days.

In the wide main street we saw at least 3 places where you can enjoy a coffee or some take-away foods. It was a little early for us, so we had to give them a miss.

On To Euroa

From Rushworth we moved through Murchison and headed to Euroa for lunch.

This town has one of the significant Kelly sites that I hope to visit, the National Bank that was held up and several people were taken as hostages, before being released after the gang left town. More about that story later.

Although the original bank that Ned Kelly and his gang held-up has been demolished, there are several other magnificent buildings and places of interest to look at on the historic walk around the town.

With the imposing Strathbogle Ranges to the east of the town this was a ideal setting for a quick lunch before heading to the next stop.

Benalla: A quick visit.

On the way through to Benalla we left the freeway to take a quick drive through Violet Town, according to the sign as you enter, the first town surveyed in Victoria.

Then it was on to Benalla for a little shopping to make sure we had supplies for the next few days. Things were looking hopeful for finding a park when we saw a sign indicating caravan parking. Unfortunately the parking spaces for caravans were not long enough for our rig, so we went on short discovery tour to find some parallel parking spaces that would be big enough. Thankfully that was not too difficult and we managed to find a spot not far from the shopping precinct.

Benalla will be worth a revisit, and not just for the Ned Kelly sites. There are 4 gardens open for visitors on Sunday.

On to Oxley

From Benalla it was back on to the Hume Freeway, were we stopped to take a look at the Mokoan Rest Area, which has a great view out over the lake and has all the facilities for an overnight stay. It would however be noisy with the constant movement of trucks in and out, and the sound of traffic on the freeway.

Just past a Service Centre (there are actually 2 of them, one on each side of the Freeway) with fuel and the obligatory Macdonald’s Restaurant is the turn off to Milawa, which is the road to take to get to the Oxley Recreation Reserve, our destination for the day.

After a quick drive around the site we decided on a spot to park the van, and for the first night we had only the herd of cattle, and the many birds mentioned earlier as company. The Recreation Reserve has a creek running through the back, with an oval (obviously not used for regular sport) and some jumps and a dressage area for the local pony clubs.

For the second night we were joined by two other groups of campers, who also got to share the company of the friendly cattle.

The 12V Experience.

Our first experience of Free Camping, completely of the grid, has pointed out that for a reasonable stay we will have to find ways to make sure that we have power for all of those appliances that are essential.

I guess the first thing to consider is just what is essential and what are un-necessary luxuries.

Since we are living in the caravan full time, with the occasional house-sit, most of the appliances are necessary.

Currently we have both 12V DC and 240V AC powered appliances. The 240V ones are the  Microwave, Washing Machine and Airconditioner. 240V power is also provided to the power points for things like the toaster, frying pan, grill, computer and modem. While free camping, at unpowered sites these are not useable. Read the rest of this entry »

Surfleet Cove

is one of the designated camping sites in the Lincoln National Park, on the southern tip of Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.

It has more than 15 sites that are available on a first in, best dressed basis. At this time of the year, mid-winter, there are not likely to be problems with finding a site.  Access is very easy, with a sealed road for trip from Port Lincoln.

Park Permit Fees

Free camping in South Australia’s National Parks is not free, because there is usually an Entry fee and a daily Camping fee. Permits are required for entry and camping, and these can be purchased at designated stations in each park, at many local Information Centres and from the DENR offices or their website. An annual pass for camping will soon pay for itself with just a few days camping and visits. In our short stay we used nearly half of the yearly permit, and we have more than 350 days left to use the rest.

The Surfleet Cove campsite is situated, as the name suggests at a cove with as narrow sandy beach. At this time of year it is not likely to be used for swimming, too cold! But in summer I am sure this would be a great family holiday spot.

The inhabitants of the beach at this time of year were a pair of Pied Oystercatchers, with many cormorants hanging around between fishing expeditions, on the rocky outcrops at each end of the beach.

The Investigator Trail passes through Surfleet Cove camp site, with a loop that takes walkers to Stamford Hill and other beaches in the Park.

We shared the campsite with kangaroos, emus, a variety of small and larger birds and 2 other camping groups. Photos of some of these are below.

Click a photo to view full size.

 The wrens came to visit almost as soon as we arrived, and were regulars, even hopping around under our chairs as we sat in the sunshine catching up some reading.