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FREE TO FREE-CAMP
WORDS AND IMAGES : MICHAEL BROWNING
WHAT DO YOU REALLY NEED TO FREE-CAMP FOR A COUPLE OF NIGHTS ? MICHAEL BROWNING , WHO HAS CARAVANNED IN EVERY CORNER OF AUSTRALIA , OFFERS HIS THOUGHTS …
The majority of caravans are today sold to some degree on their ability to allow you to ‘ free camp ’. Sounds good , but not every caravan is properly equipped to do it and not every caravan buyer really wants to .
‘ Free camping ’ conjures up romantic outback images . Just you , your caravan and one million stars above . Waking up to the twitters of birds rather than the caravan park ’ s mower and your neighbour ’ s diesel engine . Enough shelter and enough power for a leisurely hot breakfast amidst nature . Enough water for a hot shower and a way to deal with the resulting waste water that threatens to turn your piece of mother earth into mud .
A starting point is determine what you really need to camp off the power grid . Boiled down to the essentials , this means being selfsufficient of power , water , and heating or cooling , for at least a consecutive night or two ‘ off the grid ’ – in other words , without plugging in to 240V power or drawing on town water .
POWER
Most caravans , as distinct from small camper trailers , have enough chassis real estate to carry at least an 80L fresh water tank , a 100 or 120Ah AGM battery or two , with ( ideally ) a 100-120W solar panel ( but preferably more ) on the roof to ‘ feed ’ it .
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