BIG4 Holiday Parks announces
Australia’s BIGgest night of charitable
camping

Keep Friday 11 November free to
give camping a go and support a local community cause with BIG4 Holiday Parks. Join
thousands of happy campers for one night of charitable camping under the stars,
and pay just $20 to secure a site at participating BIG4 Holiday Parks, with all
proceeds going to local causes.

BIG4 Holiday Parks is proud to launch Camp
and Care with BIG4, a
charitable night of camping held at a wide range of Parks across Australia. The
event encourages families and friends to try camping for the first time and to explore
a new holiday destination close to home.

Ray Schleibs, CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks, says Camp
and Care with BIG4 allows
families and friends to enjoy a quality weekend together, whilst also supporting
a local community cause.

“BIG4 Parks are integral members of their community and Camp and Care with BIG4 gives everyone the opportunity to
enjoy a night of camping at a flat fee of $20 per site, with the added bonus of
knowing the Park has donated this money to a local person, group or
organisation in need,” Schleibs says.

“For the past six years, BIG4 has run a free night of camping known as Come Camp with BIG4 to reintroduce
people to the best holiday park accommodation on offer in Australia. As the
event and our Parks continue to grow in popularity, we decided to use this
popularity to assist local charities and other community causes,” says Schleibs.

Many Parks will be hosting additional activities over the weekend to celebrate the
event such as pancake breakfasts and face painting, in-park concerts and BBQs
to name a few. The event will no doubt be a date marked in all Australians’
diaries, just as it has been for the last six years.

BIG4 Holiday Parks is well known for being located at key tourism destinations
across the country with a variety of different settings and Park experiences to
choose from. Whether the Park where you choose to camp is situated on a famous
coast or beach, set amongst lush bushland or close to a world-famous winery,
there are over 180 locations Australia-wide to choose from depending on your
holiday style –  majority of which will be taking part in this great event. Each individual Park
offers a unique experience and showcases impressive facilities ranging from
resort style pools and adventure playgrounds, through to giant
jumping pillows and bike hire to keep the whole family entertained.

Keep Friday 11 November free and reserve your powered or unpowered
camping site at BIG4.com.au/comecamp

Details
on participating parks and their selected community causes will be made
available within the next few weeks.

What:                    Camp and Care with BIG4

Where:                  BIG4 Holiday Parks across Australia

Date:                      Friday 11 November 2011

Cost:                     $20 per site (All proceeds go to
a local charity
or fundraising cause of the individual Park’s choice)

              Booking:               BIG4.com.au/comecamp

We surround ourselves today with so much clutter and technology that sometimes it is essential that we take a step back and connect with the simple things in life and what a better way for us all to do so than spend a night out camping.

In the last quarter of a century we have cushioned ourselves away from the natural environment, especially with our children. We are spending more time indoors in front of the television and computers and we are forgetting how to connect with our natural world.

So, camp in your backyard, on a river bank, at a campsite, Caravan Park, on a farm, in one of the hundreds of National Parks – in fact almost anywhere you feel like! No camp site is too big or small to spend the night camping out and just having fun with family, friends or just about anyone you can possibly think of. GACO will again bring thousands of Australians (and visitors) to share in the wonderful experience of camping. We may even break the Guinness Book of Records for the most people camped out for a night!

To join or organise a camp out with friends, family, clubs, community groups or work colleagues on Saturday 15 October 2011 in this free Australia-wide outdoor annual event, register at www.greataussiecampout.org.au Win prizes. Activities, games, recipes and much more! Have fun. Here we can also help you to plan your camp and with great tips, resources and ideas to keep you busy all night long.

Great Aussie Camp Out: ‘Getting more people outdoors more often’

www.greataussiecampout.org.au

12 July 2011

Australia’s favourite holiday park provider, BIG4 Holiday Parks is delighted to announce a second BIG4 Park in Swan Hill, expanding the options for guests travelling to the region and beyond.

Dianne and Dennis O’Bryan, who also own BIG4 Swan Hill, decided that taking on a second park, BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill provided a great business opportunity to host a wider range of visitors to Swan Hill. The new park will give guests the option to holiday with their dogs, being part of the first group of BIG4 Parks to embrace the new change in policy.

Dianne and Dennis are keeping it in the family by handing the managerial roles at BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill to their son and daughter-in-law, Dan and Ainsley O’Bryan, while their daughter and son-in-law Clare O’Bryan and Heath McCurdy manage BIG4 Swan Hill. The two parks, located about five kilometres from each other, offer unique experiences to all visitors to the region and the O’Bryans believe working side by side will be great for both business and guests.

“With all of the wineries and local produce in the area, we wanted to open up the holiday park experience to more mature visitors and also give guests the choice to bring along their dogs and stay right on the river, while maintaining the family-friendly atmosphere that is delivered down the road at BIG4 Swan Hill,” Ainsley says.

“Dianne and Dennis have seen great success working under the BIG4 brand, and now we look forward to offering visitors to Swan Hill the choice of two amazing holiday parks, depending on the type of holiday they are looking for,” adds Ainsley.

BIG4 CEO Ray Schleibs says he is pleased to be welcoming BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill to the BIG4 group and recognises the O’Bryan family’s smart business decision to accept dogs at the new park in light of BIG4’s decision to change its long standing policy.

“It is always great to have an existing BIG4 Park member bring on another, as it represents the success they have already had being part of the BIG4 group. We are looking forward to working with the O’Bryan family to further develop the holiday park experience that they have already delivered to the Swan Hill region,” Schleibs says.

“Families looking for the option to bring their beloved dogs can now do so at BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill if they want to, which opens even more options for a lot of guests travelling to Swan Hill.”

For more information about any of the other BIG4 Holiday Parks around Australia, please visit BIG4.com.au

Following the success of Budget Camps Australia comes this fully revised, simple and informative book written for highway travellers.

 It lists the exact location of hundreds of roadside rest areas, parking areas, bush campsites and caravan stops along Australia’s major highways.

With this book, travellers can plan each day’s journey, incorporating rest stops and lunch breaks at the better rest areas, many of which make excellent sites for brief overnight stops.

Whether it’s to plan where you stop for a cuppa or to find a place to stay overnight when you are a long way from a caravan park, this book will be an ideal companion for your next road trip.

 Includes: Over 1000 rest areas and overnight stays, All sites under $10 per night, All sites visited and star-rated by the author, Photograph of every site, All sites located on maps, Complete road atlas of Australia.

Budget Camps and Stops Australia

Only $56.99 With Free Shipping In Australia

Travelling can be expensive, but just because you have to watch your budget, don’t let that stop you from going round the world and enjoying numerous adventures. To make it affordable, try backpacking and staying in hostels for the experience of a lifetime that will give you fond memories to last for years. The hostels will provide many opportunities to make new friends, so stay in them as often as possible.

When you plan to go round the world, you will need a variety of clothes because of the various climates you will encounter. Just remember, you will have to carry everything around with you for quite a while, so pack as light as you can without leaving out any essential items.

When you want to bring some things that would be easy to buy as you travel, you may consider not packing them and getting them as the need arises. You will have enough to carry on your back without bringing something that you won’t need very often. In addition, you should leave some space for souvenirs that you purchase along the way.

The fun starts when you begin planning for your amazing journey, and lists can be very helpful as you make your preparations. You will need to alter this list to fit your particular needs and circumstances, but it will give you a place to start and may remind you about other items you want to include.

When you are backpacking, you won’t want all of these things unless you plan to pull or push a cart to lighten the load on your back, so try to take only necessities, and improvise where you can.

Packing List

- Carriers

Backpack
Small backpack for day trips
Combination padlocks with strong wires
Handbag
Money pouch

Secure your belongings with strong wires attached to combination padlocks. Keys are too easy to lose, so the combination type is recommended, but be sure to remember your combination. Wear a money pouch under your clothing to keep valuables safe from pickpockets.

- Sleeping

Sleep mask, earplugs
Sleeping bag
Pillow, pillowcase
Sheets
Tent
Mosquito net

When you share rooms with others in hostels, your sleep mask and ear plugs can be invaluable if some of those people snore or like to keep a light on when you want to sleep. When the sheets on your bed look or smell questionable, it would be great to have your own sheets if there is enough room for them in your backpack.

- Food and drinks

Water bottle
Snacks
Canned food
Foldable cooler
Ice packs for cooler
Can opener
Plastic bowl
Plastic knives, forks, spoons
Small plastic containers

Water is heavy, so buy bottled water as you go if possible, but be sure to drink enough to keep hydrated.

- Entertainment

Laptop computer, charger
iPod or small radio, batteries
Paperback book
Deck of cards
Paper, pen, envelopes, stamps
Journal
Camera

- Clothing

Sunglasses
T-shirts, tank tops
Slacks, jeans, shorts
Hiking boots
Tennis shoes, sandals
Socks
Underwear
Sleepwear
Gloves, hat
Light jacket, rain jacket
Sweaters, warm coat with hood

When packing, try to bring mostly wrinkle free clothing if you are concerned about wearing rumpled clothes. Rather than pack a coat for each of several different temperatures, try layering them for added warmth as needed.

- Toiletries

Toilet paper
Tissues, handkerchiefs
Nail clipper, file
Scissors
Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss
Soap
Hand sanitizer
Moist towelettes
Deodorant
Towel
Feminine hygiene needs
Razors
Lip balm
Shampoo, conditioner
Brush, comb
Moisturizer
Hand lotion

Some countries do not supply toilet paper in their facilities, so it’s best to bring your own. A large bath towel would be great for showers but takes up lots of valuable space. Although not as efficient, a hand towel or thick washcloth will do the job and leave room for other items.

- First aid

Insect repellant
Sunscreen
Medications, vitamins
Antiseptic cream
Band-aids or gauze and tape
Decongestant cold pills
Laxative or diarrhea remedy
Painkiller
Insect bite cream
Tweezers
Water purifier tablets

You can get sunburn in cloudy weather as well as on sunny days, so use sunscreen even when you think you don’t need it. You may not get the nutrition you should while traveling, so take a good multivitamin every day to help you stay healthy.

- Other

Cell phone and charger
Universal sink plug
Laundry soap, sturdy string with hooks
Flash light, candle, matches
Safety pins, needle, thread
Swiss army knife
Duct tape
Maps
Compass
Whistle
Large piece of plastic
Plastic bags, twist ties, rubber bands

Many sinks do not have drain plugs, so bring a plug that fits any size drain to hold water in the sink for washing clothes by hand. A strong string can serve as a clothesline. Duct tape is so handy to make all kinds of repairs and hold things together that you should have some in your backpack. Wrap some around a pencil or similar item to conserve space. You can use a whistle to frighten animals away or help others locate you if you get lost. Place a large piece of plastic under your sleeping bag to protect it from damp ground, or use it as a rain cover.

You will be surprised how many uses there are for simple plastic bags, even the free grocery store variety. They weigh next to nothing and can be stuffed in the smallest spaces. Put trash in them until you find a garbage can. Keep wet garments in a bag until you can hang them to dry. Keep dirty clothes in plastic bags to segregate them from your clean clothes. Sit on a plastic bag if the ground is wet. Put one over your head, but not your face, when it rains. Store your soap in a bag to protect your other items. Keep matches and candles dry in bags. As you travel, you will find many more ways to use these cheap travel accessories.

- Needs for round the world travelling

Youth Hostel card from Hostelling International
International drivers license, drivers license from your home
Contact list along with emergency numbers
Information about how to report a stolen credit card
Student card
Universal adapter
Passport
Tickets
Vaccination certificate
Health insurance card
Photocopies of credit cards, passport, insurance card and other documents

Many places in Europe offer discounts to young people with Youth Hostel cards, and many tourist areas in various countries offer discounts to those with student cards. A universal adapter that will work for all your chargers is better than a different adapter for each item. Keep photocopies of your important cards and documents in a place separate from the documents themselves.

- Money

Credit cards
Travellers cheques

Most well developed countries accept payment by credit card, and using an ATM to get cash will give you local currency at a good exchange rate. However, in many countries like those in Asia and Africa, you may find it difficult to use credit cards. Travelers checks are usually accepted round the world, and if they are in US dollars or another major currency, they will be easier to exchange.

Before you leave on your backpacking journey, check regulations for the countries where you will be traveling to see if there are limits to the amount of cash you can bring into the countries or take out of them.

How to Pack

Either fold or roll your clothes. Folding clothes usually causes fewer wrinkles, but if you choose to roll them, start the roll very tight and keep it tight to save space. Placing your folded clothes in Ziploc bags or airtight bags will save space if you press or vacuum the air out of the bags.

When you pack your bag, put the items you will need last on the bottom and the things you will need first or often on the top. This will help you avoid the hassle of unpacking and repacking.

Use all available space by stuffing things like socks and underwear inside shoes. To avoid smelling like sweaty tennis shoes, put the socks and underwear in thin plastic bags before inserting them into your shoes, and put the shoes in plastic bags as well to keep the rest of your clothing clean.

Hostels

Getting a good night’s sleep is important when you want to enjoy the next day to the fullest. Following is a list of what to look for to make your stay more pleasant when choosing a good hostel.

- A safe lockable place to store your valuables
- Shower with hot water and soap
- Friendly staff
- Free breakfast
- Reading lamp at each bed
- An enforced quiet time at night
- Internet service

When a shared bathroom does not have a place to hang your clothes or set your toothbrush, put those items in a plastic bag with handles, and hang the bag on the doorknob.

You may find the experience of sleeping in a hostel to be more fun than staying in a posh hotel with all the amenities, and backpacking around the world is more adventurous and exciting than driving an expensive car to your destinations.

Article brought to you by cheap flights company from Australia.

This simple recipe came through on my Blog Reader and as my family just love Baklava I had to try it. We were just away at Thora which has a small free camp spot on the Thora River. Thora is between Bellingen and Dorrigo.
Ingredients:
1 packet of fillo pastry thawed
1 cup butter melted
2 Cups chopped Walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon (can use a little less but I like a strong cinnamon flavour)

Syrup:
Generous half cup of honey
¼ cup white sugar
Water to turn the above into a medium thick syrup

Method:
Put the beads on to heat I used 12 below and 24 above in a 12” camp oven
Melt the butter
Chop the nuts and mix them with the brown sugar and cinnamon
Cut the fillo in half and cover with a slightly damp cloth
When the beads are hot put them on the camp oven lid to preheat it
Into a greased cold camp oven put the fillo layer by layer brushing each layer with butter.
Use a third of the layers and for me this was about 13 sheets of fillo.
Sprinkle half the nut mixture over the fillo
Then repeat another third of the fillo sheets brushing each one with butter
Sprinkle the other half of the nut mixture over the top
Brushing each sheet put the remaining fillo sheets on top
Cut into triangles prior to baking. I found a pizza wheel good for this
While it was baking I put the syrup mixture to boil and it should be half way
Between honey and water in consistency.
I then baked it for 20 minutes until it was golden brown.
Remove from heat and pour on boiled syrup. Let it cool a bit before you eat.

FACE BOOK: Carolyns Outdoor Cooking In Oz
BLOG: http://carolynscocioz.blogspot.com/
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Cool Camping Australia Book was released in March 2011 and is written by travel writer Kerryn Burgess.

Kerryn  has pitched her tent at hundreds of campsites along Australia’s east coast, she has chosen 60 of the best in this book for  budget conscious campers.

The book includes campsites near beautiful beaches, rainforests, waterfalls so you can easily choose your next campsite. Plenty of information, stunning images are included so you get great viewsand good facilities, it even includes tips to avoid the crowds.

Cool Camping Australia: East Coast  Only $32.92 with Free Postage in Australia

BIG4 Holiday Parks is rewarding its loyal members by offering a 10 per cent flat discount with no cap on selected accommodation and sites for the entire month of May.

CEO of BIG4 Holiday Parks Ray Schleibs says the discount has been introduced to give a little bit more to its members, allowing them to take an extended early winter holiday.

“Giving our dedicated membership base of over 170,000 members a flat 10 per cent off their May holidays is just another way of thanking them for their continued support of the brand. We hope that many will be able to take up the offer and take a well deserved May break,” Schleibs says.

Selected BIG4 Parks across Australia are inviting members to take advantage of the offer, and enjoy the same high quality holiday experience that they are used to at a great rate.

BIG4 memberships normally provide a 10 per cent saving up to $40 per stay on accommodation for every stay at a BIG4 Park, but this May the cap doesn’t apply. Sign up as a BIG4 member and make use of the free book ahead service to guarantee accommodation at the next BIG4 destination, as well as a money back guarantee if you are not fully satisfied with the facilities or service at any BIG4 Holiday Park.

Some of the other national member benefits include special rates on campervan and car hire rentals, 10 per cent off selected services at Ultra Tune and a $500 BIG4 Gift Voucher for new Mitsubishi vehicle sales or $1000 for new Pajero sales. There are also numerous Local Member Benefits that members can take advantage of wherever they are in Australia.

Further conditions apply for the May Members Month offer and bookings are subject to availability at participating BIG4 Holiday Parks. Check the website for more details and conditions: BIG4.com.au

Camp Oven Fruit & Nut Crunch

 
This recipe appealed to me as it has simple ingredients and if your like me with half packets of nuts they can be put in it. I used the camp oven lid as my tin to cool off the slab of crunch and felt worked well. This is my adaption of the Fruit and Nut Crunch by Melanie sisterscafe.blogspot.

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter (no substitutes)
1 cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups nuts (I used macadamiam and pecans)
½ cup craisins (I feel these could be optional)

Method:
I cut a double circle of baking paper to go on my camp oven lid but you could just grease the camp oven lid or grease tinfoil dishes. Put 12 heat beads on to heat up if your using them.

Whenever possible I dry fry or roast nuts to achieve just a slightly toasted taste. I chopped these very lightly.

Melt butter over a low heat then add sugar and water and stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy (about 10 minutes). If sugar granules stick to the sides, wipe them down with a wet pasry brush.

When the sugar is completely dissolved turn the heat up to medium (I put the other six beads under the camp oven. Stir constantly until toffee becomes a medium caramel colour, mine took about 20 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer (I don’t) it should be 300 degrees.

Take it off the heat quickly stir in the nuts, craisin, and vanilla and then spread over the baking paper on the camp oven lid or press into alfoil trays. Cool (you can refrigerate it) and then break into pieces.

FACE BOOK: Carolyns Outdoor Cooking In Oz
BLOG: http://carolynscocioz.blogspot.com/
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BIG4 Holiday Parks welcomes two new parks to its 180+ strong team. BIG4 Pisces Holiday Park in Apollo Bay and BIG4 Rich River Holiday and Lifestyle Village in Echuca are the latest parks to represent Australia’s favourite accommodation provider.

Owner and operator of BIG4 Pisces Holiday Park Tony Lee saw a need in the Apollo Bay area and decided to join the group to further showcase his park to a wider market, and make the most of the relationship that BIG4 has with partners such as KEA, Britz and Maui campervans.

“There is a large number of people travelling down the Great Ocean Road, which will make up a great proportion of bookings now and down the track. We believe that Apollo Bay is a must-see destination on the Great Ocean Road and being part of BIG4 will help introduce our park and area to another market,” Lee says.

BIG4 Rich River Holiday and Lifestyle Village also sees advantages in being part of such a strong and well known team. Manager Linda Hewitt explains what motivated the decision to join BIG4.

“We pride ourselves on our high standards of cleanliness and service, so we were excited to learn that we were eligible to be part of BIG4 as they are known to set the benchmark in the industry in these areas. We are looking forward to being a BIG4 holiday park and welcoming loyal BIG4 travellers to our fantastic park and showing what a great place it is for holiday makers to visit,” she says.

BIG4 CEO Ray Schleibs says he is delighted to have both parks on board and welcomes them to the BIG4 family.

 “We are really excited to have another two fantastic operators join our portfolio of parks across Australia. Both parks are located in ideal and convenient holiday hotspots for guests, and we look forward to working with them to further build on the success of their parks as the industry continues to grow,” he says.

 Both new parks boast top of the range accommodation options, from ensuite cabins to grassy powered sites, and provide excellent facilities that will keep the whole family entertained, with all of the comforts of home.

 For more information about any of the other BIG4 Holiday Parks around Australia, please visit big4.com.au