Australia's UNESCO World Heritage-listed cultural and natural attractions

What does the Great Barrier Reef have in common with the Great Wall of China, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe?

All four of these places – and over a thousand others mostly without the word "great" in their titles – are on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

According to the United Nations body, this makes their protection the common goal of humanity. As its website states, "World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located."

One of Australia's most significant heritage sites: Port Arthur is a former convict settlement on the Tasman Peninsula. 

It's a worthy goal. In the decades since the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted, almost every nation on the planet has signed on and submitted its own list of treasures.

So how easy is it for a place to make the list, and how many sites does Australia have in it?

There are two types of World Heritage site: cultural and natural. To be considered, a site must meet at least one of ten selection criteria. These range from "a masterpiece of human creative genius" to "natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity."

Submitted sites are evaluated by expert bodies. Once their recommendations are in, the World Heritage Committee decides who makes the final cut.

For Australia, that process has created 19 World Heritage sites. They're dominated by 16 natural sites, though four of these are joint natural-cultural entries. Regionally, they're a bit lop-sided: six are at least partly in New South Wales, for example, while Victoria has only one.

From sites in city centres to those in remote locations, they're an appealing collection of attractions.

See the FULL LIST 

Article by Tim Richards for Traveller

Board Game Give Away! The Great Australian Road Trip

The ultimate board game to keep the family occupied on your road trip has to be The Great Australian Road Trip!

A Trivia Game about Australian people, places, wildlife and events across Australia.

Players answer trivia questions, choosing between questions marked as Easy, Medium or Hard, moving 2, 4 or 6 places respectively if they get the answers correct.

Victory is achieved by travelling to three randomly selected destinations across Australia and correctly answering a multiple choice trivia question there, plus by collecting three 'Detour' tokens along the way by achieving 'Detour' quests in their travels.

To even out the game there are 'Half & Half' cards which remove one of the wrong multiple choice answers at the destinations, and 'Speed' cards which allow you to move even if you get an answer wrong. These can be given in greater numbers to younger (or non-Australian) players.

Valued at $60.00 I have one to give away to the first travelling family that emails me to say they are in Margaret River and can pick it up! See the contact page for my email address.

Yakima Tips on Packing the Car

www.yakima.com.au

Road train driver has his say

Hey Guys,

I am a roadtrain driver (and 4WD enthusiast) and I travel around 11,000km every fortnight in a triple roadtrain transporting food and other essential supplies from Perth to towns and mines in the north-west of WA. This means I get to witness the annual migration and sometimes the debris left on the side of the road by those unfortunate enough to come to grief along the way.

The problem I have been encountering lately, of which I hope this feedback will raise awareness, is the practice of caravan and campervans setting up for the night right in the middle of the parking bay - equal distance from the entrance and exit and effectively rendering the parking bay useless to a vehicle the size of mine, especially if the parking bay was already on the small side as many in the Pilbara, Gascoyne and Murchison are.

If you observe the parking habits of most long distance truck drivers you will find they will try to park as far forward as they can in the parking bay and as far to the left as possible. This leaves the maximum amount of room free for additional vehicles ( be they roadtrains or caravans ) to pull in behind and get some sleep and it also leaves an unobstructed exit free in the "right lane" so if any vehicle wishes to leave before the one(s) in front it is not blocked in. It is a simple system that has worked for many years.

There is another issue related to a much smaller subsection of the transport industry, it is my specialty - refrigerated trailers. Refrigerated trailers run 24/7 while loaded with all the frozen peas, ice cream, milk, lettuce, apples, etc that people expect to be able to buy anywhere in Australia. If I park my noisy trailers next to you at night it's not because I'm an inconsiderate and aggressive truck driver hellbent on ruining your nights sleep.

Consider this: truck drivers hours are regulated by law - when our hours have run out for the day we must pull over or face prosecution (some think it's closer to persecution but I won't go into that). I'm sorry if it happens to be your parking bay I take my mandated rest break in. Everyone will be a lot sorrier if I continued driving and fell asleep at the wheel.

Also, triple roadtrains are bloody big! There are limited places we can safely pull off the road for our rest breaks. Parking bays just happen to be ideal for the task, especially after significant rainfall - no driver in their right mind would pull off the road into anything less than a bitumen or heavily compacted gravel area (parking bay). To do otherwise usually results in immediately becoming bogged with, considering the size and weight involved, limited means of recovery.

So please keep these points in mind next time you are looking to pull up for the night or even just stopping to make a sandwich. If you are the sole occupant of a parking bay the chances are somebody will pull in behind pretty soon - are you positioned to give them easy access? I am happy to share parking bays with all road users but everyone has to apply a bit of common sense and consideration. I will always try to minimise the impact running fridge motors may have on anyone I'm sharing a parking bay with. Parking nose to tail with other vehicles instead of side by side is an effective way of do this - park in front of me and you are a minimum of 20ft from my lead fridge motor, park behind me and you are at least 45ft from my third fridge motor. Park beside me or force me to park beside you and you might be as little as 5ft from it. I've gotten used to the noise, in fact, I find the constantly running fridge actually masks other irregular noises which would normally wake me. Such as irate campers yelling at me to shut it off ;)

I know there are people out there who are just not right in the head and certain concepts never seem to take hold. On behalf of all the sensible truck drivers I apologise in advance for the actions of the, thankfully, few truly stupid individuals that may at some point in their life write "Truck Driver" on their tax return.

Five Easy Tips to Arranging a Loan for a Caravan

Caravan ownership allows people to take affordable road trips and enjoy nature outings more thoroughly since they can bring the comforts of home with them to the open road. However, this type of recreational vehicle can be expensive, and many people may not be able to afford one easily. To help you obtain your own caravan, financing companies and caravan dealerships have loans available.

Five tips that can help you arrange a favourable caravan loan, include:

1.       Assessing your ability to repay the loan

2.       Investigating lenders

3.       Saving up a down payment

4.       Reviewing a loan’s repayment terms

5.       Knowing your credit rating

Loan Repayment

Before applying for a caravan loan, be sure to assess your overall finances to determine your ability to repay the amount that you need to borrow. Another option is to establish the amount that you can comfortably pay each month, and then, look for caravans that fall into this price point. By requesting a loan that you can repay easily, the financial institution will be more likely to approve the funds. In addition, you can speak with your bank, which will be able to give you the maximum amount you can borrow in a short amount of time.

Lender Investigation

To locate the best caravan loan for you, be sure to assess the terms of each financial arrangement. You can complete research online to compare the different loans that are available. In particular, review a loan’s repayment requirements, down payment conditions and interest rates. Does the interest rate remain fixed for the term? Are there any penalties for paying out the loan early?

The four most common financing methods include a hire purchase, personal, secured or credit card loan. A hire purchase loan is secured against your recreational vehicle while a personal loan is unsecured. If you select a traditional secured loan, then the lender will likely secure it against the value of your personal residence. A credit card loan is usually funds that a creditor has already approved for you, but the interest rates are often higher than other loan types. It’s probably best not to finance a caravan through your credit card.

Down Payment

Consider saving up a sizeable down payment prior to making a caravan purchase. When you put money down, your repayment amount will be lower, and it will decrease your monthly payments. It also means less risk to the finance companies as you are putting your own money into the caravan. Many loan providers require you to make a down payment of at least 10 percent. Most financiers will want to use the caravan as security, meaning the can repossess it in the event of non-payment and when you have put your own money into it, statistically, this event is much less likely to occur.

Evaluate a Loan’s Repayment Terms

Be sure to assess the repayment requirements of a financial arrangement before you agree to a loan. Keep in mind that a lengthy repayment term may decrease your monthly payments, but if you extend the loan, then you will pay more in interest charges. By paying your caravan loan in full as quickly as possible, you can decrease the total amount that you’ll wind up paying for your recreational vehicle however this may not always be possible.

Credit Ratings

When you have a good credit rating, lenders are more likely to give you favourable repayment terms. Consider checking your credit rating before you apply for a loan to ensure accuracy and to verify your likelihood of being approved. Essentially a financier is looking for a stable, reliable person. You’ll be given a better opportunity for a lower rate if you have been in your job for more than two years as well as being an home owner.

Final Thoughts

Caravan ownership is rewarding as the recreational vehicle gives you the freedom to discover the country affordably and explore isolated areas. When you take the time to arrange the best caravan loan for your personal finances, you will gain peace of mind since a thorough evaluation will give you a comprehensive understanding of the financial arrangement’s terms.

Authors Bio: 

James O’Brian is a Caravan loans specialist. He has been working for www.caravanloans.com.au for three years. They are one of Australia's largest caravan and motorhome finance companies. In his spare time James enjoys camping and travelling around Australia.

Back to basics in great outdoors

Written by Scott Podmore for experiencecaravanandcamping.com.au

AT A farewell party for my friend on the eve of his yearlong family caravanning adventure, I asked him whether he was concerned about taking his boys out of primary school for a year and hitting the road for a lap of Australia.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “They’ll learn more in the coming year than they will in the next five at primary school.”

Two weeks later while watching the news on TV, there they were, the entire family knee-deep in the ocean somewhere along the east coast helping to save a beached humpback whale.

It was a goosebumps kind of moment for me; something much more profound for them.

Another Aussie family who recently packed their life into a caravan for a year and hit the road are Nikki Harris and Matt Allan and their four children. Choosing to explore their “own backyard” rather than overseas was an easy decision, according to Nikki.

“We felt a road trip holiday around Australia was easier and safer,” Nikki says. “We allowed 12 months of travel on the same budget that would have achieved for us a quarter of the time overseas.

“For us, the experience was as much about the length of time together as a family as the destinations we took in. We definitely followed the old adage: It’s the journey, not the destination. We wanted our kids to know their own country.

“Matt’s father had planned to do the trip when he retired years earlier and died prior to doing it. That was a big motivator for us to seize the day.”

Seize the day, indeed, and the “Harris-Allans” are just one of a significantly growing number of families choosing the caravanning and camping lifestyle, according Australian Tourism Research findings.

The ATR research found the largest consumer group in the industry is made up of 35 to 49year-olds, who account for about 50 per cent of all travel in the sector. That figure is further backed by the Alliance Strategic Research finding that the key current user group was 35 to 49year-olds, particularly families with children.

“It’s about escapism, getting back to basics and family values,” says Stuart Lamont, chief executive officer of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia.

Lamont and his fellow industry leaders are rightly rubbing their hands together at a time when the global travel market hasn’t been without its

challenges in recent years, namely a global financial crisis.

Caravanning and camping has always stood the test of time and economic challenges, but now it’s surging.

Proposal for Caravan parks and Camping Grounds Legislation in WA

Have your say!

New caravan parks and camping grounds legislation is being developed to replace the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Act 1995 (the Act). The aim is to provide a legislative framework which better meets the needs of consumers, operators and regulating authorities, reduces red tape and safeguards the health and safety of everyone.

As part of the review and development process, the Department of Local Government and Communities has released a consultation paper to invite public comment on how the new act could operate. This consultation paper is an initiative of the Western Australia Caravan and Camping Action Plan, which is supported by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program.

The consultation period runs for three months from 30 May until 1 September 2014.

Access all the info and documents here

Boatbay Launches First Boat Rental Marketplace in Asia Pacific and Middle East

Boatbay is a community driven website connecting boat and yacht owners, with people looking to rent, charter or crew watercraft of any kind. Boatbay's focus is on people who wish to rent a boat located within Asia Pacific or the Middle East, which are massive growth markets for travel, leisure and lifestyle.

The average boat owner uses their boat 15 days a year, while spending a fortune in storage and maintenance fees with no way to offset these costs. Boatbay lets an owner earn money out of his or her boat, while making quality lifestyle boating affordable to everyone.

Tim Gundry, co-founder of Boatbay is all too familiar with the costs of boating, "the expenses really add up. The advantage of using Boatbay is that you can offset these expenditures while still enjoying boat ownership".

Boatbay allows boat owners and boat charter companies to list their boat at no cost. All the boat owner has to do is to add some photos, a description, contact information and pricing. The owner can rent or charter their boat with themself as the captain; or select a captain of their choice or rent to someone with a boat license.

Boat renters can browse listings across their chosen destination, find a boat they like, select dates and book. Boatbay takes a small commission on consumed bookings and the owner gets the rest. Boat rental rates vary according to the size of the boat ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

"A wide variety of watercraft can be found on Boatbay" added Tim Gundry. "Boat renters can search and rent a luxury motor yacht in Sydney, a sports fishing boat in Dubai, a 1906 Danish built sailing yacht in Phuket or even a submarine in Bali".

"We are seeing an increasing amount of people taking to the water for a growing variety of reasons, such as hosting a corporate event or birthday party, fishing, water skiing, recreation and family holidays. Recreational boating is a $50 billion dollar industry and Boatbay enriches people's lifestyles by enabling fresh social experiences. A 24 foot boat that costs $35,000 to buy is available on Boatbay for rent as little as $150 a day".

Tim continues, "Boatbay not only improves industry efficiency, but enables transparency and reduces risk. We are building a peer-to-peer driven community which empowers people to write and post user reviews of boat owners, yacht charter companies, and those who rent or charter boats".

He concludes "Boatbay is the airbnb for boating, yachting and people who want to experience a social activity on the water".

For more information about Boatbay - visit www.boatbay.com or www.facebook.com/boatbay

Facebook Page for Travelling Families

I have been a page 'liker' of the Facebook Group... Families on the Road - Travelling Australia... for a few weeks now. It is a really helpful forum for sharing your experiences and asking questions of other families. There are thousands of members who are either on the road or planning their big trip (or ex-roadies like me who like to stay in the loop and offer the occasional pearls of wisdom).

It's a closed group for relevant families only, no spammers please!

Send a request to join the group 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FOTR.Australia/

Ten things you must see

Ten things you must see and top tips on how to get the most out of your great Australian road trip

Written by Paul Glover for Escape.com.au

THE Big Trip is the dream of countless thousands of Australians. They picture hitching their caravan to the tail of their shiny new four-wheel drive and heading for the Outback and the travel experience of a lifetime.

It’s a dream that is often tied to retirement, when the shackles of day-to-day commitments are lifted, but can also be a multi-episode event that runs through holidays over a number of years.

If only they knew ...

So, here we go with the best way to make a lap of Australia.

The first and only thing to do right is to plan the trip down to the smallest detail. There’s nothing worse than hitting an unexpected snag, or finding you have no choices at a critical point. And it’s always worth thinking ahead about mechanical failures and health challenges – and having the essential numbers logged in your phone.

The Big Trip is usually about a lap of Australia, either clockwise or running ahead of the sun, but it’s important to also remember that some of the important stopovers – Kakadu, Uluru, Coober Pedy and Alice Springs – branch out from the Stuart Highway that creates the north-south spine from Darwin to Adelaide.

And don’t forget some of the obvious or kitsch stuff, from the Stockman’s Hall of Fame to the Qantas museum at Longreach, and even the landmarks in the big cities. After all, there are plenty of people who have never ventured far from home before planning the biggest adventure of their life.

After driving most of Australia, the thing that always comes back to me is this – it’s bigger, further and flatter than you think. The distances in Australia are huge, especially if you spend most of your days on a home-to-work commuter run. So you should think about the right vehicle, lots of stops, and countering fatigue and boredom.

READ MORE

Camping on Private Land

Youcamp is a community of private landholders who welcome responsible visitors.

Are you a traveller looking for;

• accommodation near a festival or big event
• a safe place to park your self-contained caravan
• private cabin
• labour exchange
• farmstay
• a secluded picnic spot
• traditional camping site far from the crowds....

What a great idea! Check out www.youcamp.com

Happy WA Day!

On June 1, 1829, Western Australia's coast was first sighted from the merchant ship Barque Parmelia. leading to the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the first permanent British colony in Western Australia. Traditionally Foundation Day has been celebrated on June 1st however, in 2012, new legislation passed recognising Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants and traditional custodians of Western Australia. Foundation Day was changed to WA Day and is celebrated with a public holiday on the 1st Monday in June.

I'm a proud West Aussie who travelled Australia for two years marveling at our wondrous country. I was open to finding a new home somewhere in Australia and although I fell in love with many places I chose to return to the West. It is a magical place.

Experience Extraordinary Western Australia

Western Australia is home to plenty of extraordinary experiences, the likes of which can only be found right here. Here’s a taste of the extraordinary experiences on offer in Western Australia….this is just the beginning.

• The South West of WA was named one of the top ten places to visit by Lonely Planet.
• The Margaret River region is one of Australia's premier wine regions and one of Australia's most extraordinary locations.
• WA is home to some of the world's oldest art, by one of the world's oldest living cultures.
• WA is the only place on earth where you can see a staircase to the moon.
• Perth is Australia's sunniest capital, with 3000 hours of sunshine a year.
• Western Australia boasts the largest collection of wildflowers on earth.
• Ningaloo Reef is the world's largest fringing reef, reached by the shortest swim and one of the few places where you can swim with the whale sharks.
• WA is one of the world's largest states with enough diversity for an entire continent.
• Karijini National park is one of the oldest and best rock shows on earth.
• The sand on Lucky Beach in Esperance is Australia's whitest. 

Click HERE for more amazing facts about WA.

Aussie Heli Adventure!

Have you seen this amazing rig on your travels?

Over the last six years, Graeme Harrison has spent a lot of time and money to realise a dream of travelling around Australia in a slightly different style.

“I've been around Australia twice before. Once when I was 20 and again when I was 30, and I always figured that for the third time I would like to do  it by boat or by helicopter,” Mr Harrison said. “But the idea of pulling up in a town and flying when the weather was appropriate appealed more than flying everywhere.”

So over the last six years Mr Harrison built the American-designed Rotorway kit helicopter to precision specifications, and to cart it around the 19-metre long truck and trailer set up, which houses not only the helicopter, but living quarters  complete with a double bed, full kitchen and air conditioning which runs on solar power.

“All up I've spent somewhere north of half a million dollars on the rig and trip, and I’m funding the trip entirely myself,” Mr Harrison said.

A mechanical engineer by trade, Mr Harrison said he always loved helicopters, and that he had around 80 hours flight time in small choppers before he decided  to build his own.

“Anyone can build one, technically. But not just anyone can take on the task,” he said.

“They’re not a Meccano set to build... if you don’t know what you’re doing what you put together isn't going to fly or it’s going to kill you.”

To keep himself occupied along the circumnavigation of the country, Mr Harrison has also been filming while flying with five XD Replay cameras mounted on his chopper, two quad-copter remote control drones with GoPro’s attached and while on foot around wherever he has parked.

Follow Graeme's adventure at his blog and Facebook page.
www.aussieheliadventure.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/aussieheliadventure

Written by Sandy Powell from the Augusta-Margaret River Mail

In a BIG Country

Only 2% of Australia's population live in the yellow area....

Free Rental Cars!

               

What is Transfercar? 

Transfercar is a website that enables rental car companies to reduce costs, while offering a way for travellers to travel for free. Here you can search for free rental cars and campervans  from the majority of Australian rental car companies. In return you will be helping the rental companies reduce their freight costs and reducing the number of vehicles on the road.

How can the rental cars be free?

Rental car companies are spending large amounts of money on relocating cars between their branches, in order to position their fleet for new hires. They can either use expensive trucks or trains or they can let you drive it for free. The rental operators win, you win. 

Who can become a relocation driver?

We are constantly looking for more relocation drivers. Families, students, backpackers, event-goers, seniors or other travellers are all welcome. All that is required is that you are over 18 and have a full driving license valid in Australia. Register as a driver now!

Benjamin Knapinski Photo Gallery - WA's magical landscapes captured

Today I'm working in an amazing store surrounded by jawdroppingly beautiful photos of Western Australian landscapes. It's certainly stimulating my inner travel bug!

Red Cliffs, Cape Leveque

My very talented friend, Ben Knapinski, has over 16 years professional photography experience and is the largest producer of photographic pictorial books on Western Australia.

The BJK Gallery is located in my hometown of Margaret River. An exhibition of prints on gloss, canvas and acrylic in a range of sizes, it is a must visit if you are ever in the area. Ben's work can also be viewed and purchased online at www.bjk.com.au. They will deliver worldwide.

Margaret River Mouth

BJK Photo Gallery - shop 4, 14 Fearn Avenue, Margaret River, WA
Tel: 1300 855 165

Regans Pool, Karajini NP

Twenty-six top reasons to holiday in Australia

Ben Groundwater 

Published: January 26, 2014 - 7:45AM

In honour of our national day, I've pinpointed 26 persuasive reasons to choose a home grown holiday next time.
The temptation is there. With budget flights and a booming dollar it has been easy to take your holidays overseas, to head to another country and leave your own behind. But on this Australia Day, with our dollar just a little less rosy, we're here to celebrate the unique and inspiring travel experiences that make our country so great. Sure, they may not be quite as cost-effective as those offered by our near neighbours but these are things you can only do in our wide, brown land. From the bars to the bush, the coral to the cricket, these are the experiences you should have at home before you set your sights overseas. Why would you want to be anywhere else?

1. DIVE THE HERON BOMMIE

Before you bother with Thailand, or you start thinking about the Caribbean, you have to scuba-dive on the Great Barrier Reef.

One of the best places to do that is Heron Island, at the reef's southern end, and one of the best sites at Heron is "The Bommie", a series of coral outcrops that attracts all manner of marine life. This cleaning station - where fish and rays come to be groomed by smaller fish - is a favourite stop-off point for manta rays, eagle rays, reef sharks, wobbegongs, turtles ... and scuba-divers. destinationqueensland.com

2. TAKE A WINE-TASTING TOUR OF MARGARET RIVER

If you can tear yourself away from the beaches you'll find the Margaret River region's real drawcard: wine. From the huge and professionally run, such as Leeuwin Estate winery, to boutique cellar doors such as that at Cape Grace - where the vineyard dog seems to get as much attention as the award-winning cabernet sauvignon - this is a day that's best spent not being the designated driver. Hire someone else for that and get ready to taste. westernaustralia.com

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3. STAY ON A WORKING SHEEP STATION

Culture comes in many forms, from paintings on a wall to a boot connecting with a footy, but one key element of Australian society is rarely appreciated by city slickers: the humble farm. What better way to grasp the enormity of this wide brown land, and the life lived by those who earn their keep from it, than to stay on a working sheep station? Check out Bullo River Station in the Northern Territory, an $800-a-night luxury experience. bulloriver.com; travelnet.com

4. SLEEP BY THE SEA AT WATEGOS BEACH

Close enough to Byron Bay to possess its hippy charm, but secluded enough to avoid the crowds that flock to it, Wategos Beach in NSW is the perfect place to rent an apartment and while away a week doing very little. You could get up early to surf the gentle break, or you could sleep in and enjoy a late brunch. You could lie on the beach, or hike up to the lighthouse. Or, given the standard of accommodation available, you could not bother leaving your house at all. visitnsw.com

5. EXPLORE KAKADU BY 4WD

If there's any natural attraction in Australia that can stand proud among the world's greats, it's Kakadu. People pay small fortunes to safari in Africa, or to schlep through the Amazon jungle, when one of the true wonders is in our backyard. You need to see this by four-wheel-drive, to get down and dirty with the crocs, to camp under the stars and experience the immensity of this amazing park. That's an adventure to rival them all. travelnt.com

6. TREK THE LARAPINTA TRAIL

Up there with Tasmania's Overland Track as this country's "must-do" walk for outdoor enthusiasts, the Larapinta Trail is a classic adventure. Spanning 223 kilometres of the West MacConnell Ranges in central Australia, the trail is designed to be tackled over 12 relatively gentle days, beginning at the old Alice Springs Telegraph Station and ending at Mount Sonder. The landscape is rugged and beautiful, and the isolation absolute - not an experience you'll readily forget. travelnt.com

7. PLAY A ROUND OF GOLF AT BONVILLE

Golf enthusiasts travel far and wide for the chance to lose balls and get angry with their putters in exotic locations, but some of the world's finest courses are here in Oz. Bonville, near Coffs Harbour, is in Australia's top 50, and provides a great balance of affordability, ease of access, and a ridiculously nice, if challenging, layout. With plenty of other courses in the region, it's worth spending a week here. And bringing a lot of balls. bonvillegolf.com.au; visitnsw.com

Preventing Caravan and Camping Crime

Caravan and Camping Holidays are enjoyed by thousands every year and for most the experience is happy and trouble-free. But a holiday can be upset by thieves who target items that people leave unattended while they relax.

Common items stolen from caravan parks include: 

• clothing from clothes lines or washing machines
• food and alcohol from eskies
• bicycles, surfboards, wetsuits, fishing rods and other sporting equipment
• mobile phones
• laptop computers
• wallets and handbags
• generators
• tools
• bbqs and gas bottles

Protect your property!

1) Check security features on your caravan

• ID number on the chassis
• Vehicle Id Number (VIN)
• a good quality hitch lock
• consider fitting a safe for your valuables

2) Ensure items of value have identification marks engraved on them

3) keep and inventory of all ID and serial numbers of things like microwaves, fridges etc

4) Get to know your caravan park neighbours and keep an eye on each other's property

5) Avoid leaving tempting items lying about

6) Lock bikes to your van or a tree etc

7) Secure items left in boats

8) chain and padlock gas bottles, fridges, bbqs, washing machines etc

9)Take your washing in at night and while away from the park/campsite

10) Report suspicious activities to the park manager

11) Lock your caravan whenever you leave it

12)Leave a light on when you go out at night

13) Advise the park manager and trusted neighbours if you are away for a few days or more

and have a great holiday!