# Let's go camping! Better sell the family jewels first! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 7, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630 "2014-10-07T07:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/1 "2014-10-07T07:38:00Z")
Camping in Australia has a long and proud tradition, giving pretty much every person the opportunity to get out bush for the cost of a tank of petrol and an esky full of VB and ice. Most of the National and State Parks have also had a tradition of charging either nothing, or a peppercorn fee for sleeping under the stars on their land, until now. Fuckers have upped their fees to the astronomical fucking limits. You wanna sleep here for 13 nights over the Xmas break? _“Well, we provide a pit-dunny, byo-toilet paper of course, byo water and firewood, except, ahhh, forget the firewood, you can’t have a campfire! And for the privilege, we’ll debit your CC for SIX HUNDRED FUCKING DOLLARS!!”_ (and that’s one of the cheaper ones). :eek: Goddamit. I know times are a’ changing and all, but bunging the tent and the kids in the back of the wagon was a way for us poor people/average family to experience a ‘holiday’ at some of the most beautiful places in this country. Whichever ‘numbers-cruncher’ decided it was a Good Thing to price a camping spot out of the reach of most families needs a red hot poker stuck up his or her arse… …just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![Waymore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Waymore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waymore)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/2 "2014-10-07T07:42:28Z")
What’s the official reason for such an steep increase? ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/3 "2014-10-07T08:17:50Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > bunging…the kids in the back of the wagon was a way for us poor people/average family to experience a ‘holiday’ That doesn’t sound like much of a holiday for the kids… ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/4 "2014-10-07T08:53:27Z")
> [@usar\_jag](#): > > That doesn’t sound like much of a holiday for the kids… In theory, you let them out once you reach the destination. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/5 "2014-10-07T09:28:50Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > What’s the official reason for such an steep increase? Limited resources, high demand. Economics 101 The rangers used to complain that the dunnies filled up too fast, and they weren’t going to stand for it … ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/6 "2014-10-07T09:53:58Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > Limited resources, high demand. Economics 101 Exactly. Many National Park camping areas have been on a ‘ballot’ system availability over high demand times (Xmas, Easter etc) for a number of years now, but there are others that (were) still on a first-come-first-served basis until recently. Now with the changes, bookings and fees must be paid at ALL times during the year, regardless of demand. Anyways, turns out it is cheaper for my family to go to a commercial camping ground this year than the National Park. This way we get hot showers and a flush dunny too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/7 "2014-10-07T10:36:19Z")
…What’s a dunny? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/8 "2014-10-07T10:41:45Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > …What’s a dunny? Outhouse in this case. Indoor=flush dunny. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/9 "2014-10-07T10:42:16Z")
I’m guessing toilet. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/10 "2014-10-07T10:45:27Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > …What’s a dunny? Dig a hole in the ground, and crap into it … a toilet. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/11 "2014-10-07T11:14:21Z")
Everything I need to know about camping in Australia I learned from this [movie.](http://www.rifftrax.com/dont-be-a-bloody-idiot) ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/12 "2014-10-07T12:47:35Z")
See, I was somehow under the misguided impression we spoke english on this board… :V ---
**Author:** ![Napkin\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@Napkin\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napkin_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/13 "2014-10-07T13:28:25Z")
Just think of it as pre-payment for bushfire evacuation. Most of the NPs we camp in are around $5-10/night. That’s pit dunny (cleaned every other day or every three days) and no other facilities. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/14 "2014-10-07T13:35:07Z")
$600 for 13 nights? Not horribly out of line these days, but usually you get better amenities. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/15 "2014-10-07T13:37:10Z")
Theare better amenities than crapping in a hole? ---
**Author:** ![Napkin\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@Napkin\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napkin_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/16 "2014-10-07T13:41:01Z")
Yeah, some places now have flush toilets with lights (some sort of solar setup with battery storage, I think) and gas BBQs. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/17 "2014-10-07T13:46:41Z")
What an age we live in! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/18 "2014-10-07T13:49:31Z")
Yeah, but it’s Australian dollars, not real dollars. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Napkin\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@Napkin\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napkin_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/19 "2014-10-07T13:59:44Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > What an age we live in! Don’t tell anybody, but some of them even have stones you can put around the campfire instead of just piling it anywhere. 5 star facilities! You just have to set up the ten close enough to the fence line so that everyone has enough space to play cricket. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/20 "2014-10-07T14:03:30Z")
…esky? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630.md?page=2)