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AA 1 - Introduction
Taking full advantage of the ever expanding CDMA mobile phone coverage in Australia (by Telstra) I left my semi-permanent base in Darwin (NT - Australia) in October 2002 and started travelling around Australia. I continue to write courses and online lessons for my website Jazclass, which I service via my laptop and CDMA mobile phone.
I have been all around the country and now travel at a more sedate pace spending much of the dry seasons (May - September) in tropical Darwin and the summer times in some of the other states (South Australia, NSW and especially Queensland).
Camping by tent, campervan, camperhome or caravan is still the great leisure activity in Australia. Unfortunately since the 90s the prices of car fuel and caravan parks have risen strongly, making camping now more and more expensive. (I myself have rented out my home and together with the small income I generate from this website can just afford to live this wonderful lifestyle.)
I therefore decided to place some of my travel experiences online. My tips focus especially on good places to tank up, good caravan parks to stay and places to eat out.
I also include info and photos on some special features. Not the obvious well known tourist attractions, but lesser known (and some quirky) things which interest me, such as artesian spas, local art (such as murals), old country town pubs and buildings, or just nice places to stay, away from the usual tourist centres.
I have started this page in July 2004, and will add to it as I collect and digest new material.
If you have a good tip to offer too please send it to me by email. If appropriate I will include it on Jazclass together with your acknowledgement.
Please note : Jazclass is an entirely independent website and contains no advertising. All recommendations in this travel section are entirely my own personal preferences. I do not receive, and will not accept, financial payments or other inducements from potential beneficiaries.
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AA 2 - Good Caravan Parks
The combined effect of the new goods and services tax (GST), increased insurance (since 9/11) and higher council rates (due to sky-rocketing land prices) the prices of caravan parks have risen considerably since the late 90s. Best prices are in the lesser known towns and villages and in country Australia.
If you are camping for an extended period of time it is a good idea to join as a member with one ore more of the three main caravan park groups
Top Tourist Parks - Big 4
- Family Parks of Australia (FPA)
Membership costs about Austr.$30 for 24 months, which gives you a discount (usually 10%) on accommodation charges.
In 2004 overnight stays in most country towns on powered sites for 1 or 2 people is still less than Austr.$20 per night. Along the East Coast they are usually Austr.$22 or more, and in some popular tourist locations as high as Austr.$40 per night.
My camp setup at the Darwin Boomerang Park
I personally find the Top Tourists parks at many places especially good. They are usually conveniently located near town centres, or close to local shops, hotels etc. There are also many small independent caravan parks which are great to stay at and good value.
There are of course hundreds of great caravan parks around Australia.
Here is a selection of parks where I have stayed and like to come back to. (They all have powered sites, unless otherwise indicated.)