Ferndale Park - Revisited

Since Annie's maiden voyage in August 2017, we have made 7 trips away. We decided in the beginning that we should make an effort to get away at least once a month. We have managed to do that . . . . nooooo problem 👍😋Of all the places we have ventured to, Ferndale Park our first ever destination has been our favourite place. It offered everything we were looking for. Dog friendly, spacious, trees, peaceful, open fires, amenities, powered, friendly hosts and a river.

We needed to get back there.  We needed to revisit Ferndale Park.

Setting up and visitors

Arriving at Ferndale Park and finding we were one of only 4 visiting vans and the best spot in the park empty, we were ecstatic.  It was going to be a great week.  The weather forecast was for cool nights and warm to hot days.  Whatever happened to our Australian Autumn ?

Awning was threaded, firewood was gathered, beds were made, knick knacks were placed, the kettle was on the boil and Claire headed straight for the water. (We're getting this down to a fine art)

The cows were absent this visit or so we thought.  On day two we were visited by a family of 6.  One bull and five milkers.  Lucky fella.

Over the week a few more vans arrived and set up camp further along the river. We had a few visitors wanting to  know about Annie and to take a look inside.  We love visitors :) 

On our last night we were joined around the campfire by a couple from Brisbane, Karen and Bob.  It was a first for all of us when what we thought was a rabbit wandered into camp.  It was not a rabbit. It was a bandicoot. It was hillarious.  Karen didn't like the bandicoot trying to eat her chocolate stash and she let the whole immediate world know with an enormous scream.

I thought a bandicoot was the size of a rat . . . . . It was the size of a small dog with a long pointy nose like the bottom of an icecream cone . Should I ever have the pleasure of meeting another bandicoot, I will offer him chocolate.

Exploring the wild outdoors

After hearing stories from other campers we found that Ferndale Park is a very popular place especially in the summer months and even more so on long weekends, Easter and Christmas.  Imagine the first photo on this page with the hill incline covered in tents !

Along the meandering river which runs out of Chichester Dam and through the 250 acres that is Ferndale Park are a number of swimming holes/rock pools.  Its also hard to imagine these water ways full of family's swimming and kayaking.

Claire and I managed to go for a dip, well she dipped and I floated whilst anchored by a rope to a fallen tree.

It's not camping without a fire . . . .

Most places we have stayed do not allow individual camp fires but offer communal firepits instead.  Kinda takes the fun out of it a bit. Not here and not on our watch :)

Food for thought . . . .

Food preparation and presentation . . . . . is not reserved for the four walls of home. That's another reason why they call it "glamping".

Breaky Riverside

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Back to Ferndale - 8th to 11th November

Shane just loves this spot. He's been working very hard lately and needed some down time. Our ill fated attempt at a weekend away in September, when the park was closed was still fresh in our minds.  We double checked the website and the weather forecast and decided to give it another shot. Well worth it.  The long range forecast showed showers for 3 out of the 4 days but as it got closer the sun icon began to appear. 

We arrived to blue skies and our favourite spot was available.

A quick set up and off Shane went with Claire for a swim while I played house.

Lots of visitors this time.  It's funny, when we're sitting out under the awning and people walk past, we can hear what they are saying when they look up towards Annie. Most people give a shout out "I love your van" , others comment quietly to one another "ohhh look at that van" They get such a shock when I say "you wanna have a look inside" and they are up the hill, taking their shoes off and stepping up into Annie's world in no time flat. One family offered to trade us their 4 man tent for a night.

The park was quite full this visit with maybe 12 families staying over the weekend.

We met up with a couple who I didn't realise (and neither did they) were on the same Facebook Camping Group.

My daughter and grandson stopped by on the Saturday.  It was a lovely day. We did the long walk along the river to the other side of Ferndale where the weekend warriors (mainly blokes with utes and lots of beer) hang out.  They were all pretty happy to be there also. 

Comments

Hi there
Where did you get your lovely fabric for the annex? Did you make these yourself?

Hi Emma. I have a post devoted to Annie's Awning. Check it out in the Menu 👍