# 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:** 3
**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 8, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/41 "2014-10-08T15:36:26Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > My mum used to pile all us kids into our third-hand station wagon and take us camping in national parks all over the country because it was an affordable adventure for us. Sometimes the campgrounds didn’t even have the luxury of a pit loo. It was BYO TP and shovel. But it was cheap as chips. (And there’s something else that has risen in price significantly!) Get off my [del]lawn[/del] barren scrubland! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/42 "2014-10-08T17:24:18Z")
Well, given that it is **AUSTRALIA** , I bet the increased fees are to cover corpse recovery and disposal of all the dead campers, killed by **pretty much everything in Australia**. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/43 "2014-10-08T17:55:32Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I share your pain, Kam, I got sticker shock the first time I went camping here in California - $28/night for an unpowered tent site?! In the off-season! Around here, on national forest land, you can practice what they call “dispersed” camping for free, which is usually no amenities at all, or the state parks designate some places as “environmental” campsites (as opposed to…?) which you usually have to hike in to, which do have pit dunnies and sometimes a table or two. > > Found this link: [http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/blog/2013/09/24/best-free-camping-areas-in-victoria/](http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/blog/2013/09/24/best-free-camping-areas-in-victoria/) Oregon law requires that a portion of lottery profits go to the maintenance of state campgrounds. For about $25-30/night you get power, water, clean and well-maintained showers and toilets, picnic tables, fire pits, reasonable site privacy, etc. They’re uniformly the best public campgrounds I’ve ever used. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/44 "2014-10-08T19:10:04Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Alright, alright, I see you’ve played knifey-spoony before. \<3 ! That’s one of my most-used Simpsons’ quotes. Along with calling Jeremy Irons, “Jeremy’s Iron”. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/45 "2014-10-09T10:02:55Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > What’s the official reason for such an steep increase? [http://thegreynomads.com.au/2013/10/camping-fees-to-rise-at-victorian-national-parks/](http://thegreynomads.com.au/2013/10/camping-fees-to-rise-at-victorian-national-parks/) > [@](#): > > Environment Minister Ryan Smith says there is a $10 million shortfall in what it costs to maintain the campgrounds. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/46 "2014-10-09T14:37:27Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Oregon law requires that a portion of lottery profits go to the maintenance of state campgrounds. For about $25-30/night you get power, water, clean and well-maintained showers and toilets, picnic tables, fire pits, reasonable site privacy, etc. They’re uniformly the best public campgrounds I’ve ever used. Just don’t try to pump your own gas. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/47 "2014-10-14T17:32:41Z")
Do they still provide dingos? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/48 "2014-10-14T18:33:54Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Well, given that it is **AUSTRALIA** , I bet the increased fees are to cover corpse recovery and disposal of all the dead campers, killed by **pretty much everything in Australia**. [LIKE button] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/49 "2014-10-14T21:54:02Z")
So that’s why the Aussies here think our campsites are so wonderful. There are fees, but not that steep. I will no longer complain about my Discover Pass. (That one’s just to get through the gate, and to park) ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/50 "2014-10-15T05:46:50Z")
I’ve been glancing at this thread title for a week or so, interpreting “sell the family jewels” somewhat differently and thinking “ya know, I don’t really want to go camping all _that_ much.” ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/51 "2014-10-15T06:03:03Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > 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’. So where were you gonna go camping? I just want to reminisce. I used to go camping all over Victoria. I’ve probably been just about everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/52 "2014-10-15T09:30:40Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > I’ve probably been just about everywhere. …man. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/53 "2014-10-15T19:50:54Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > So where were you gonna go camping? I just want to reminisce. I used to go camping all over Victoria. I’ve probably been just about everywhere. Initially we were looking at Croajingalong (Thurra River) but could only get a week there as we missed the ballot last month. They’ve had fees there for years, but not as steep as now. So we then considered Bear Gully (Cape Liptrap) which has been free since forever, but now costs the big bucks. Lots of two-week vacancies, but what a rip off! Looks like we’re going to Boydtown now, just south of Eden. They’ve got flush toilets, hot showers and the works…for much the same price. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/54 "2014-10-16T01:00:06Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Initially we were looking at Croajingalong (Thurra River) but could only get a week there as we missed the ballot last month. They’ve had fees there for years, but not as steep as now. > > So we then considered Bear Gully (Cape Liptrap) which has been free since forever, but now costs the big bucks. Lots of two-week vacancies, but what a rip off! > > Looks like we’re going to Boydtown now, just south of Eden. They’ve got flush toilets, hot showers and the works…for much the same price. > > 🙂 Have a great time! (I miss the Gippsland coast!☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/55 "2014-10-20T00:20:51Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > What’s the official reason for such an steep increase? They have to hire university students to sharpen the blades of the park grass and replenish the poison sacs in the gum trees, and the minimum wage is something like $15/hour. ---
**Author:** ![DellieM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@DellieM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DellieM)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/56 "2014-10-20T02:15:54Z")
I don’t know where you’re camping - but I live on the Victorian/NSW/SA border and when we camp - we don’t pay a cent. Granted, we have to make our own … ahem … amenities. You could drive north and camp on the Murray River and you won’t pay for the privilege of the best scenery and fishing around. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/57 "2014-10-20T20:09:42Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > The OP wants to go camping, but he is so ignorant of the seasons that he hasn’t bothered to ask how he will use his “dunny”\* without freezing his ass\*\* off in December. > > I’ve heard the same ignorance from other Aussies, too…They just don’t understand how God made the seasons. I’m praying this was a whoosh of high quality. Because, you know, December is the height of summertime in Australia. Right? Right. Must be a whoosh. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/58 "2014-10-21T06:03:08Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Must be a whoosh. That’s a silly name! I’dav called it a Bangtitchnel Knoblefranger! ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/59 "2014-10-21T19:35:40Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Initially we were looking at Croajingalong (Thurra River) but could only get a week there as we missed the ballot last month. They’ve had fees there for years, but not as steep as now. > > So we then considered Bear Gully (Cape Liptrap) which has been free since forever, but now costs the big bucks. Lots of two-week vacancies, but what a rip off! > > Looks like we’re going to Boydtown now, just south of Eden. They’ve got flush toilets, hot showers and the works…for much the same price. > > 🙂 I’ve heard Dijabringabeeralong is nice this time of year. > [@DellieM](#): > > I don’t know where you’re camping - but I live on the Victorian/NSW/SA border and when we camp - we don’t pay a cent. Granted, we have to make our own … ahem … amenities. You could drive north and camp on the Murray River and you won’t pay for the privilege of the best scenery and fishing around. Do they charge extra for the crocodiles? ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630/60 "2014-10-21T20:14:00Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I’ve heard Dijabringabeeralong is nice this time of year. 😃 > [@](#): > > Do they charge extra for the crocodiles? No crocs in the Murray, need to drive about 2,500 km north before the big biting things start. **DellieM** , we’ve camped on the Murray many times, but we’re really hankering for some beach, with sand and real waves and seagulls and stuff this year. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-go-camping-better-sell-the-family-jewels-first/700630.md?page=4)