Winter camping with the kids

[ellicat]

Headed out to our usual camping spot last Sunday. Advice was that it had been getting down to -6 degrees overnight. Accordingly I put off the haircuts and threw in a few extra jackets.

Campfire and gloves held us together for the first night. Dan put on his unripped jeans after the first night :laugh:

After the first night's sleep (with the typical campers wee at 3 am risking frost bite on the hose) a few adjustments were made to camp - getting the pergola up and tarping a corner for wind protection. Naturally the wind did a 180 that night and the campfire smoke filled my eyes as I tried to cook dinner :pinch: Another camping tip here - We took some portions of a poinciana tree I'd removed from the front yard earlier this year. It was dry, but it is the smokiest wood to burn. It didn't get a second chance on the fire.

A few locals visited; providing Dan with an opportunity to practice his mooing abilities :S

Then he was able to practice his samurai skills and stunt the growth of this pest.

The beach colours made quite a contrast with the dull winter colours. The grass was very dry as this area missed out on the water of the earlier floods this year. The back of the kettle lid was hot enough to set it alight. Noone was injured during this discovery. The water levels were also low around the place, but that's probably got a lot to do with GL dam not needing to feed the cotton boys as much at this time of year.

A few marshmallows the next night. The clouds had rolled in and it was much more comfortable. The 2 AM camper wee showed the thermometer to be at +0.5. Still didn't break out the fans though.

A selection of fuel for the fire was made at home. Apart from the wood I felt a great desire to burn a bit of everyone's favourite legislation. 3 Volumes of The Tax Act from 1991 (which is about half of what it is now ) made it onto the list.

It was a great feeling seeing Volume 1 disappear. I've sent a copy of the pic to Mr Henry to contemplate for his next "review". Hoping he doesn't get the idea to tax fire fuel as well :whistle:

Caught the kids washing the dishes and wiping up on the camera as evidence for the good wife at home. Yes they can actually do it !

Cooked up a couple of these garlic and herb cheese dampers. mmmm they smell and taste good.

Went for an explore one day. Headed west out towards Yelarbon and then down towards Yetman. We were looking for some other camping spots in the area we can head to if there are any other campers where we usually go as it's so much better being away from other people when camping/relaxing.

Found this spot along Desert Creek Road. It's a good section of the Dumaresq. Photo's not great but the river section/s are long and wide along here.

Yelarbon is a clay and surface sand area. They had a bit of water laying around the place that provided a bit of entertainment in the Navara. Photo doesn't show how thick some of the dirt was, particularly on the steps. The old road tyres were just adequate enough :laugh:

Crossed the Dumaresq at Keetah Crossing/Bridge and drove down onto the riverbed to have damper and dip for lunch. Beaut spot except for the rubbish the locals like to leave on the waters edge and around their campfires. A real shame. The river looks excellent for some fishing here - up and downstream with snags and overhangs aplenty.

Upstream

Downstream

After here we headed towards Yetman on some dirt road and headed down some tracks etc exploring. Eventually came across the MacIntyre down this track. Mud was a bit slippery here and looked like there'd been a bit of an effort for someone earlier.

This looked like a good spot for a camp and fish. Locked into the GPS. Come spring hopefully I'll have a report up on the fishing front from here.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9UtASNzHYU

In fading light we found our way back to some bitumen and returned to camp about an hour later.

Kids got busy blowing up some targets to shoot at the next day.

Strung them up on some wire and the kids made short work of them.

Dan's shooting has improved a lot since a few months ago - hitting targets like the end of a small plastic coke bottle with ease. Lost a few fivers to him. Last time he had a shoot he was flat out hitting a beer carton so I thought it was a safe bet Mitch is a good shot, so no chance of losing money by betting with him.

Dan's still a bit small for the butt length so we let him have a bench rest.

Personally I took great satisfaction jamming rounds through and in the remaining two volumes of the Tax Act :woohoo: :laugh:

Made it a bit fatter though :S

Thanks for reading.

[ellicat]

Already feel like getting back there.

We were originally going to head home half time Wednesday so we'd be back in time for the game Dassa didn't want to see but we were enjoying the easy times and didn't get back until late Thursday night.

While we were away we took the opportunity to put together this wonderful series of camping tips also. http://www.australianfishing.com.au/forum/33-camping/275084-brians-bush-camping-tips#275197

[Keen-as-fisho]

Sounds like a good relaxing trip. Apart from the tax book and balloons did you guys get into anything else, rabbits, foxes, etc? I dare say they wouldve been in hibernation. We used to go for a shoot at Arcot station a short drive from the Dumaresq R. Arcot is now a 4wd park apparently, some great tracks from memory. Now we go to a property on the side of Pike creek. This place has everything, pigs, deer, rabbit, heaps of goats, foxes and cod, bass, silver perch and some redclaw in the creeks, win, win in my mind Been a while since we've been there hopefully return in September.

[ellicat]

Wouldn't feel it was safe enough for both the kids at this stage to go hunting.

There are plenty of foxes and pigs still around. The pigs were leaving their calling sign quite close to camp. I could hear the buggers one night late whilst sitting at the fire by myself. Bulb had blown in the good torch so I couldn't see them. Decided to light a decent stick up though :laugh: Nearly ran over two foxes on the way home. There were about a dozen dead foxes on the river bank last time we were there.

Heaps of roos and wallabys around as well as emus.

Might have to look at this Arcot place. Thanks for the headsup.

[mick fillet]

awsome report.

a trip packed full of fun adventures.

ahhhh the smell of gun powder and the shreeking sound of wild life scattering :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: .....ahhh the serenity :laugh:

mick

[crazywalrus]

wow great times there Brian - I owned my first gun wen I was 12. You are certainly giving your boys a good grounding in life. Not many people I know now have a license. Do you shot at the gun club. I did not bother myself. How old are the boys?

[ellicat]

Thanks Ted - I like to hope so. I ditched my weapons licence about 7 years ago as I had only used it once since they came in. We rely on Dad's when we head out there. Been thinking of getting it again and hooking up down at Belmont which is only a stones throw away. Mitch is 15 and Dan 11.

You shoulda heard those balloons squeal, Mick :laugh:

[Angus]

Nice report matre.

It does look like an appealing stretch of river for sure.

Is the original camp site near any water bodies? I thought that would have been a pre requisite for sure!

Are they both .22's?

Angus

[ellicat]

The usual spot is at the top of the river bank. I didn't take any fishing gear after hearing of the low temps. They'd been having frosts in the week leading up so the fish tend to go off the chew.

All .22's