What's making News - 2023

[Hairs]

I still marvel at how many muppets think it's safe to tow a van heavier than their vehicle coz the sales brochure says it can tow 3.5t.
Even with the landbarge as a tug, I didnt consider anything over 2.5t when we bought our van.




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See Matt,
That is the difference between a few of us & the majority that believe they know.

I've never understood how how someone can drive a car all their life, retire, buy a 4wd & caravan and it the road.
As many Swaggers who drive trucks & heavy vehicles for a living know, why isn't there a driving test to tow, anything.


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Bird]

I still marvel at how many muppets think it's safe to tow a van heavier than their vehicle coz the sales brochure says it can tow 3.5t.
Even with the landbarge as a tug, I didnt consider anything over 2.5t when we bought our van.

This also comes down to what they are told it can do by the salesliar

[Fizzie]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-12/nt-court-convicts-nsw-men-for-uluru-cave-art-damage-handprints/102968566

How to win friends & influence people - NOT!

[Troopy_03]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-12/nt-court-convicts-nsw-men-for-uluru-cave-art-damage-handprints/102968566

How to win friends & influence people - NOT!

This is an indicator of their mentality:

Both men also claimed to be sovereign citizens.

[Bird]

Not good news for farmers, or those that like a Lamb sanga....
Good if you need ya lawn mowed...

https://www.theage.com.au/national/farmers-offloading-sheep-for-free-as-drought-looms-20231012-p5ebnm.html

[Fizzie]

The BGS is now into camping!

https://www.bunnings.com.au/campaign/camping-recreation

Yes, they've always had some stuff, but it appears they may be taking it further

[NZMarkb]

The BGS is now into camping!

https://www.bunnings.com.au/campaign/camping-recreation

Yes, they've always had some stuff, but it appears they may be taking it further

That looks like stuff they've always had on the shelf here, unless I'm missing something

No, I take that back, looked a bit deeper and saw Swags, way more cooking gear and a lot more tents etc.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/outdoor-living/camping-recreation

Most looks very budget stuff though 

[Bird]

The BGS is now into camping!

https://www.bunnings.com.au/campaign/camping-recreation

Yes, they've always had some stuff, but it appears they may be taking it further

They were doing pet food the other day....

[Fizzie]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-19/kimberley-tourist-numbers-bouncing-back-after-record-flooding/102980930

Don't know people are travelling with the Fitzroy Crossing bridge still out though, possibly for another "couple" of years

[xcvator]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-19/kimberley-tourist-numbers-bouncing-back-after-record-flooding/102980930

Don't know people are travelling with the Fitzroy Crossing bridge still out though, possibly for another "couple" of years

.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-11/fitzroy-crossing-bridge-reopening-ahead-of-schedule/102964638

[Fizzie]

Thanks, X

Read ABC most days & didn't spot that story

Hadn't even seen anything about the temporary bridge!

[prodigyrf]

If democracy is upsetting take 5 days off on the taxpayer-
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/public-servants-offered-five-days-of-paid-leave-if-they-are-psychologically-distressed-by-australia-voting-against-the-voice/ar-AA1iwhHQ
Expect Canberra to shut down for a week if this is catching.

[Bird]

If democracy is upsetting take 5 days off on the taxpayer-
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/public-servants-offered-five-days-of-paid-leave-if-they-are-psychologically-distressed-by-australia-voting-against-the-voice/ar-AA1iwhHQ
Expect Canberra to shut down for a week if this is catching.

and what happens after teh 5 days off....

[Champin]

Go back to doing bugger all I suppose

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[xcvator]

If democracy is upsetting take 5 days off on the taxpayer-
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/public-servants-offered-five-days-of-paid-leave-if-they-are-psychologically-distressed-by-australia-voting-against-the-voice/ar-AA1iwhHQ
Expect Canberra to shut down for a week if this is catching.

I can't shut down,so can I get double pension coz I'm upset ?

[Hairs]

While having lunch today, my mate/ subcontractor mentioned this.
Like really WTF.
But then again, on FB I've seen local councilours posting how deeply sorry they are with the result.


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Bird]

The murders were the 565th US mass shooting of 2023.
****in insanity...

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/police-hunt-for-gunman-after-two-active-shooter-events-in-maine/news-story/458ab15c38c50672cbaf6b9ea2222150

[Pottsy]

The murders were the 565th US mass shooting of 2023.
****in insanity...

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/police-hunt-for-gunman-after-two-active-shooter-events-in-maine/news-story/458ab15c38c50672cbaf6b9ea2222150

So commonplace now, hardly worth commenting on, they just don't seem to give a f...k!

[prodigyrf]

No climbing Ayers Rock or the Grampians either-
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-27/traditional-owners-to-ban-boats-through-horizontal-falls-gaps/103032448

[Bird]

Queenslanders warned of fines for towing overweight caravans | 7 News Australia


https://youtu.be/VkaFHoeOUFs
Queenslanders are being warned of a hidden threat hitting our roads these summer holidays.

Caravan owners are being caught out by heavy items, making their vehicles illegal to tow, but there are ways to make them safe.

[Spada]

Queenslanders warned of fines for towing overweight caravans | 7 News Australia

Yep, there's a reasonably strong campaign going on in Qld (mainly in the South East region) with fairly regular "pop up" weight check stations appearing on weekends in popular caravan areas. So far it's all been about education, but enforcement will come soon. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-12/queensland-caravan-owners-weight-regulations-towing-skills/102932800

In Queensland, an estimated 90 per cent of vehicles towing their caravans exceeded their weight limit when tested recently, according to the Queensland Police Service.

We've recently sold our Complete Campsite & are waiting on delivery of a new van (yep, we've gone to the dark side). Everything that came out of our old one is in a pile in the shed & the other week I weighed everything.
Stuff from the external storage totalled 163kg
3 chairs 17kg
table 6kg
ground sheet 8kg
solar panel 11kg
shade wall 2kg
poles, pegs, ropes 5kg
camp oven & bits 16kg
tool box 8kg
chainsaw & drill 7kg
hose, sullage pipe, & electrical cords 9kg
axe & shovel 3kg
ziggy bbq 15kg
awning & antiflap kit 24kg
miscelaneous assorted crap 32kg

Inside stuff totalled 98kg
bedding 10kg
pantry food staples 20kg
bathroom stuff & towels 11kg
coffee pod machine 3kg
kitchen cooking items 25kg
plates, cups, cutlery etc 17kg
miscelanious assorted crap 12kg

allow another 365 kg for-
beer wine & drinks 30kg
clothes for 3 people 30kg
water 260kg
gas 5kg
diesel 10kg
perishable groceries 30kg

I'm calculating that when packed for a trip we'll be carrying around 630kg of stuff, which is surprisingly high but still well below our 800kg payload. It's quite the eye opener when you start digging  into just how much crap we seem to accumulate, I'll be having a serious cull of things when it goes into the new van, but honestly don't think It'll make a significant difference to the total. Once loaded, I'll be getting a proper weight check. I've done the same exercise a few years ago with our old conqueror fully loaded for a 4 week trip. Turned out the car was well under, but the trailer was 300kg over. Ever since then I've tried to be conscious of what what I'm carrying, but crap just seems to find it's way into the camper over time 

[austastar]

Hi,   and to think we did 25000km around the block, 2up on a motor bike in 4 months with what we could carry on the racks.
Yep, young and silly, but so much fun .
Cheers

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[Fizzie]

I weighed everything.

I did the same thing when we went over a weighbridge with the old van & found we were way overweight

Pulled everything out, weighed it & found that "exterior" items (tools, poles, gas, chairs etc) came to 230kg, with another 220kg for "interior" (pots & pans, food, drinks, clothes etc)

After a massive culling exercise, we went through a free weight-check program that RACQ ran early this year & came in at 10kg under our allowance

Definitely worth while doing if you spot one in your area!

[Bigpickle]

Yep, there's a reasonably strong campaign going on in Qld (mainly in the South East region) with fairly regular "pop up" weight check stations appearing on weekends in popular caravan areas. So far it's all been about education, but enforcement will come soon. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-12/queensland-caravan-owners-weight-regulations-towing-skills/102932800
We've recently sold our Complete Campsite & are waiting on delivery of a new van (yep, we've gone to the dark side). Everything that came out of our old one is in a pile in the shed & the other week I weighed everything.
Stuff from the external storage totalled 163kg
3 chairs 17kg
table 6kg
ground sheet 8kg
solar panel 11kg
shade wall 2kg
poles, pegs, ropes 5kg
camp oven & bits 16kg
tool box 8kg
chainsaw & drill 7kg
hose, sullage pipe, & electrical cords 9kg
axe & shovel 3kg
ziggy bbq 15kg
awning & antiflap kit 24kg
miscelaneous assorted crap 32kg

Inside stuff totalled 98kg
bedding 10kg
pantry food staples 20kg
bathroom stuff & towels 11kg
coffee pod machine 3kg
kitchen cooking items 25kg
plates, cups, cutlery etc 17kg
miscelanious assorted crap 12kg

allow another 365 kg for-
beer wine & drinks 30kg
clothes for 3 people 30kg
water 260kg
gas 5kg
diesel 10kg
perishable groceries 30kg

I'm calculating that when packed for a trip we'll be carrying around 630kg of stuff, which is surprisingly high but still well below our 800kg payload. It's quite the eye opener when you start digging  into just how much crap we seem to accumulate, I'll be having a serious cull of things when it goes into the new van, but honestly don't think It'll make a significant difference to the total. Once loaded, I'll be getting a proper weight check. I've done the same exercise a few years ago with our old conqueror fully loaded for a 4 week trip. Turned out the car was well under, but the trailer was 300kg over. Ever since then I've tried to be conscious of what what I'm carrying, but crap just seems to find it's way into the camper over time 

We're strange beings.
We buy the camping stuff so we can get away from it all but then find that we just want to take it all with us.

[Hairs]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-15/students-around-australia-join-school-strike-4-climate/100541412
"Thousands of students join School Strike 4 Climate to demand stronger climate change action:

FFS, most can't keep their rooms clean, have no idea what goes in what bin, and are the biggest uses of natural resources.

Listening to some of them, it's like listening to a robot.



You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.