Phantom of the roads: Camping within and without grounds

We do a lot of free camping. Caravan parks are often not an ideal option for us because you often have to pay for every extra person (including children), and also because with this tribe, we'd rather stay away from crowded caravan parks where vans and buses are parked right beside each other with no room to move. Also, some caravan parks can't accommodate a big rig, and others don't take dogs. When staying in a facility, showgrounds are often our preferred choice with big open spaces - easy parking for the bus - and lots of room for the children and the dog.

In far north Queensland we have, however, stayed in three different camping spots. First, in Cooktown, the council provides a parking spot with a dump point for self-contained RVs. On the web site they say there's a $5 fee per night, and the council ranger will inspect the motorhome for built-in grey and black water tanks, but when we made inquiries with Cooktown council we were just advised to find a spot to park for free. The location is quiet, and a short walking distance to town, so no complaints there. Sand flies can be too friendly at times, but so can they be anywhere in Cooktown, especially near the mangroves.

Our next paid overnight stay was near Cairns, at Lake Placid Tourist Park. We initially chose this park because they are dog friendly, but it ended up being like a little luxury holiday for all of us after weeks of free camping. As usual, we did a whole lot of washing, having access to mains water and power after relying on solar and water tanks for quite some time, and made sure our battery bank was fully charged. But then came the best part of it all: the swimming pool with a lovely BBQ area offered us relaxation for hours! The amenities block is also brand new, so you really don't feel like you were in "just another" caravan park. As the park is nestled at the base of Barron River Gorge National Park, there's a feel of being hidden in a rainforest. The staff at the park were also very friendly and helpful, and although a bit hesitant if our Phantom could be accommodated due its size, they found a perfect spot for us in the park.

Most recently, we have found Kerribee Park Rodeo Ground in Mareeba to be a great stop for a few nights. The amenities are basic but sufficient, and well maintained. The park seems to be very popular as there is a whole caravan village on the other side of the park, but we've found our own corner as there's lots of parking space. There might not be swimming pools or playgrounds to entertain children, but there are other goodies to keep them busy. Firstly, there's so much room to run around, and near where we parked there's even a little sealed path that the children have been using for scooter riding. There's also a horse, shetland ponies and chicken within the grounds, and they all seem to be friendly and used to the attention from visitors. If we didn't have enough horse madness in our family yet, these ponies have converted us all. Unfortunately we can't have one while living in the bus... There's some magnificent termite mounds for the kids to explore on one side of the park, and a whole lot of kangaroos come grazing around the place in the late afternoon. Just because of all the animals, we could easily stay here for quite some time!