Thoughts on our first family camping trip

9 Jan 2010 will remain one of our family's fondest memories.

That was the day we finally - after months of talking and surfing the net and planning - experienced what it was like to go camping like any regular Aussie.

Imagine a whole bunch of strangers congregating in one sprawling tourist park for the same reason: pitching tents, setting up deck chairs, grilling dinner over a Weber, gathering around a fire to sing American Pie to guitar accompaniment (very good singing and strumming it was too), teens trying out dance moves and doing handstands, kids running barefoot, friends drinking beer and chatting late into the night while the sun refused to go down till after 9 pm.

The most magical moment must have been when we were snugly tucked in under our quilt listening to all the activity that was still going on outside. Knowing that we were not alone, that we were part of this massive meeting of strangers-with-a-common-purpose, at whom we smile and nod but will probably not see again.

Wow.

Even the accommodation options were amazing.

There were caravans and campervans. The van next in the next space proclaimed Wicked Campers. (We later saw a number of Wicked Campers vans on the GOR on our way home.)

People who had brought only their tents (like us) and people who had brought their entire outdoor furniture sets.

People who had their own BBQ equipment and were barbequing like old pros, and people who used the camp kitchen to rustle up instant noodles and luncheon meat (like us).

People with boats.




The Great Ocean Road Tourist Park is perfect for first-time campers. It's got cabins, a central brick building housing the bathrooms and laundry, another building for kitchen and indoor games, a playground, and a huge grassy area for the powered and unpowered sites with the numbers of the lots painted on the grass.





And the cost?

$42 for one night for the four of us. You can't get much cheaper, unless you go bush (no thanks....yet!).

We're thinking Wilsons Prom next.

And Philip Island. Anglesea. Lorne. Torquay. Warrnambool.

Travelling in Australia is double the fun when you can save heaps of $$ by camping.

The savings can go to special treats, like Timboon Fine Ice Cream - Mmmm!