I will have a lot of capacity in tanks if needed but I do like the idea of a 12v pump as back up. Where do you carry the 200 lt tank?

It’s collapsible so takes up hardly any room. I throw it in the boot of the car. Depending on pressure you might not even need one as you could pump direct from river. However I find the water pressure is much better by using the tank.

one thing I forgot to mention, Camps book is great BUT and a big BUT it is
a lot of people are using it and anything that has a tick on it, is full by 3pm and bursting at the seams by sundown, we are now looking for places 3 – 6 km off the road, to have some sort of space around us.
We couldn’t yesterday at (NT 94, in camps 5) Newcastle waters (does NOT have a tick) when we came in at 2.30 there were already 12 rigs there and another 5 rigs + 5 whizzbangs came in later so, I parked as close as I could to a coaster bus without being a pain and by sunset a Korean couple in a car, and with a tent had set up camp between us, the tent was 2 feet away from us, tonight we are at The (devil’s ) Pebbles 20km N of Tennant Creek (NT 20 in camps 5) and there is one other rig here at now 2.30.
So although the book is good it does have draw backs.
Frank

A mate told me they were a free camp near yarrwonga they let there fire die down and next morning there was a van parked right on top of the fire

Some great info folks – thanks, please continue to add comment. I am learning a lot, thanks.

Frank & Brenda Dan & Kerrie
I must agree with Franks comments re the numbers of campers at some free camps.
But!!!! then again there is safety in numbers.
My Darling, said that we will never free camp, but now after paying thoses high C.P fees for a little power and water, she has the camp 5 book on her lap checking out the best of the best free camps. That’s my Darling for you.
Very rarely do we free camp on our own.
JayDee

Sounds like my darling needs to spend time with your darling.

We are visiting caravan manufacturer tomorrow so I will collate all of this info. Thanks friends!

Hi Wayne,

I notice you went for a diesel heater for the van. I have seen a thread elsewhere on the forum and it seems to me 50/50 on who likes what. Can you tell me why you went for diesel over gas?

Guys, I am copying this info into a list and I want to say i am really grateful for your combined assistance!!!

Dan

Well, we have studied the suggestions on this thread and visited the manufacturer about a month ago. We have the plans and specifications and have been mulling over them. One thing we seem to be good at is procrastination. It is such a large investment (for us at least) so we have been thinking about each feature but I think we may be ready to ask final questions about a few items and then probably take the plunge. Thanks folks for all your help! Dan and Kerrie

G’day Dan & Kerrie.
Seeing as to how you are in the early planning stage, I hope you dont mind if I throw a spanner in the works and give you an alternative viewpoint….. Firstly, to outfit yourself the way you are thinking,..Toilet, shower, washing machine, generator, solar power, dual batteries etc. etc. etc…not only will you spend $10,000 plus more on your outfit but you will need a stronger, suitable Tug for same and because of the huge extra weight, your fuel economy will suffer greatly. I reckon fuel could be around $2.00 a litre within a couple of years and you’ll be doing about 25,000 kms for the round trip. at, say, 18litres per hundred clicks..you do the sums…Look at the cost savings for this one trip alone = $10.00 for every hundred = $2,500. !!
You would come out a great deal better if you do as we do..that is use Caravan Parks about 70% of the time. We dont have any of the above mentioned extras. Not even a dual battery system in the Tug yet we can easily free camp for weeks if we want to… We, too, use our Lap-top for TV etc…all our lights are LED and cooking and refrigeration is gas when we’re in the bush and we have a pop-up $70. shower tent and $30. 12v shower….Most of the good free camps have toilets…and if thats not a given and you dont like using the bush or want the convenience of an inside toilet,..get a porta-potti.
It’s a funny thing, but I notice that we seem to have just as good a time and it seems to be far less complicated compared to the others who have spent tens of thousands more on their outfits with all the bells and whistles. We bought our Windsor Rapid new in 2002 for $25,000 and our near new diesel Terracan 3 years ago for another $25,000… because of the light weight we average approx 13 litres p.h. … I reckon that, despite, the amount of CP useage we indulge in, we are still miles in front dollar wise….and I haven’t even considered the amount of depreciation you will lose on your outfit compared to ours..
Just another point of view..(could open a can of worms here).

Just another thing even if you dont agree with the above. Allow to take stand alone camping equipment, tent etc. for those side trips where you cant take a normal caravan..e.g Gibb River Road, Bungle Bungles etc.

Jock