I’m a big fan of free things, who isn’t really? I was really surprised when when an Australian first said to me, “look out for the free camps! They’re everywhere.” Come again, what? Yeah. All over Australia are amazing free campsites!
A bit of background: in Canada the first and only time I had heard of a free campsite was a from a friend of mine who loves this lake near Merritt, BC. She said there’s a free camp there because it’s a difficult road to get to and not much there aside from bathrooms.
I believed it, because there really wasn’t much there, it looked pretty run down. More importantly, how could a ranger’s salary be paid by a campsite that is rarely visited and placed very inconveniently. Either way, free campsites are not common in Canada, or as far as I know of. Unless it’s camping on an old logging road or somewhere else like this.
Back to Australia now, the country is chock full of free campsites. At that, really beautiful, clean, well maintained ones. They’re also widely used by Australians and travellers. This was surprising to me, because many Australians I meet at free campsites have beautiful—and obviously expensive—caravans. I thought these people would prefer the benefits of a paid campsite. This validates my point that most people love free things.
It didn’t take long to realize that many people love to take advantage of the free camps. As in, stay longer than they should, and really, make it their home. It seems with a bit of cash, a decent set up, and eons of time, avoiding rent or a mortgage isn’t that hard.
Free camp “locals” or, the people living at free camps are generally easy to spot. From what I’ve seen, their set up is usually very… spaced out. They seem to take up more space than necessary because, they’ve probably been there longer than anyone else.
This is a great conversation starter for the locals. Because if a new camper needs to squish in nearby, the local can talk them up for days. Such as why they had to take up the space and why they don’t mind sharing the space. And believe me, the free camp locals generally love to talk.
So I’m at a free campsite just north of Ben Boyd National Park. My partner and I are heading over to the bathrooms and I noticed a laughing Kookaburra on a tree. Little did I know at the time the Kookaburra was next to this local’s encampment. At this point, I didn’t realize the man lived there because half of his stuff was on another part of the campsite (so clever, this one).
I stopped to look at the Kookaburra because it was so close, the closest I had seen yet. Also, at the time there wasn’t anyone outside, so I thought I was safe.
Immediately, a small stocky man emerged from the tiny cave-like-caravan and offered to feed the Kookaburra in front of us. I cringed. I hate when anyone tries to feed wild animals. Let alone this local who was likely doing it every day. Of course though, he couldn’t take no for an answer and chopped up a piece of sausage for the bird.
Still cringing as the man held it up for the bird. Then he went on for days about how this Kookaburra was the brother to another Kookaburra around and their parents had died, and so on. He continued to talk even after I tried to walk away because at that point my pee was the only thing on my mind. Then still talked at me after I walked away.
My attitude to this man may not seem that I’m patient. However this wasn’t the first run in I had with a local, an old man, a lonely old man, or a lonely old Australian man.
Anyways, I’m not Australian and I don’t take it personally that people try to live at free camps. I believe nature is for the public and if it’s respected, who’s to judge for how long people enjoy it?
