CAMPSITE # 112 - Idiots Guide to Camping

This is the Bicentennial Tree. It was traditionally used for fire fighters to climb to the top to monitor bush fires. It's now a tourist attraction, you can climb up the steel pegs all 75 metres to the top. That little platform you see just a third of the way up apparently is "The Easy Part". We chickened out...

Driving into Conto Camping Ground felt like we were driving into a forgotten forest. The whole surface of the ground was overcrowded by a lime green weed that made the whole place look so colourful and alive.

We found our site and set about getting everything ready for a peaceful and calm night amongst the woods under the full moon. After feasting on one of Tom's Beer Bread specials and smoked fish on the cob, we sat around the camp fire together just enjoying our surroundings and each others company.


Just as the fire began to get scolding hot and saved us from the harsh cool night, our neighbours returned to their camp. There would have been about 8 of them, I would guess an even mix of boys and girls. From the honking of their horns, music blaring, loud argumentative chatter and distrubtive clanging of their belongings, it was quite evident that our neighbours were not your everyday campers. 


Tom and I were very entertained as we listened to - 

• Two of the guys having an argument over who could get the fire started and were confused at why their wood was just smoking out and not catching alight. (N.B. the supplied wood was damp & wet and needed to be axed up finely to get things going).
• The girls were busy fighting over which boy was to blame for eating all of their lollies (N.B. That'd be thanks to the crows we saw earlier that day feeding on all of the food they'd left out).
• When they finally gave up on the fire that was still smoking away, they decided to resort to cooking their sausages on the little Gasmate cooker. Except there was only a little bit of butane left in the old can so 'just chuck that one on the fire and we'll get a new one. (N.B. Stupid.)

We sat there together, all snuggled and comfy from our blazing hot fire with full bellies thanks to the glorious meal we'd just eaten. I guess that's what 112 campsites in 7 months will do to you, you quickly learn what's important - warmth, good food and having no 1st degree burns to speak of.

Thankfully, we didn't hear any "Oh My God, somebody call an ambulance" thanks to

Butane + Fire = Boom

But that would no doubt be because of their pathetic excuse for a fire. I just hope the next guy that stays in their site cleans it out before he lights that match.

Site : Conto Camping Ground

Rating : 13 / 20

Facilities :Great camp fire with picnic tables. Lovely & peaceful surroundings (providing you've got good neighbours), close to beach.

10 minutes of fishing, results in... ONE 

Two...

Three...