Go Camping Blog

Fishing Hot Spots - Get Fresh Series

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:05:00 GMT

Picture courtesy of www.flickriver.com

There are many locations to enjoy freshwater fishing on the Gold Coast including in the local dams and upper reaches of the Nerang River.

Upper Nerang River

Location:
Upstream from Weedons Crossing.

Fish to catch:
Australian bass, saratoga.

Bait or lures:
Live shrimp, earthworms, poppers, shallow hard bodies, spinner baits, woolly buggers and Dahlberg divers.

Notes:
There is a closed season for wild Australian bass from 1st June to 31st August with no Bass to be taken during this period.

Safety First!

Please be safe and notify Air Sea Rescue of your departure and return, check for weather warnings and make sure you are carrying the correct safety gear. You can help protect our waterways by disposing of all rubbish such as plastic bags and fishing line in an appropriate way. Observe fish bag limits, practice catch and release and keep only the fish you need. The Go Fishing team look forward to helping make your next fishing adventure a reality.

Hinze Dam Report - May 2012

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:23:00 GMT

As of the 3^rd of May the Hinze Dam was sitting at 93.4% that’s 290,212 mega litres of water. With that much water in there the dam is something to see!

This month is going to be a bit of a transition time for bass fishing in the dam as some bass will still feed from the edges while other bass will start schooling and moving through the dam to do what comes naturally, which is spurn, but the bass can’t get over the wall to do this so they will congregate in mass schools near the wall at times but be aware, like all dams there is a exclusion zone near the wall.

The surface fishing this month is really going to get harder and harder as the month goes on. Try fishing the surface for around half an hour and if nothing hits your lures try other techniques, you’re going to find out early on in the morning if the bass are going to want to hit surface lures by the splashing water the bass leaves behind after hitting a insect or baitfish of the top of the water. Luckycraft lures have their Sammy that’s a surface lure and their GSlash popper. Atomic have a popper and K9 pup. Maria lures have their pencils and Jackall do their SKpop and watermoccasin walk the dog. Walk and pop these surface lures about two foot and pause it for around 5 to 10 seconds then repeat it until around 15 feet of the bank.

After the surface option is over or they didn’t want to eat from the surface try deep diving lures around the submerged trees. Cast just past the trees so you can get your crank baits down to their working depth then retrieve it past the timber if a bass, yellow belly or cod hits you’re going to have to get that fish out of there ASAP, as they’re going to find home pretty fast and that’s going to cost you a lure or two. Jackall D chubbies and D chubby with Luckcrafts Flat Mini DR will get down to their working depth fast to do the job but if you’re not wanting to get that deep try the Megabass MRx Griffon which dives to around 5 feet. Spinnerbaits will do the same job around the timber so give the TT’s striker, tornado and vortex rang as well as their mini chatterbaits a go and Jackall Eruption JR spinnerbaits in half an ounce in ayu is a great colour.

Once you move out into the deeper water off the points and drop offs around the dam you’re going to have to start to move towards lipless crank baits, blades and plastics. Cast these lures across the schooled bass and hop them through the fish with a simple lift and drop of the rod tip. If they’re hungry they will smash your lures while they drop to the bottom, so keep an eye on your line as your lure is sinking. Plastics to try are Sqiudgie wrigglers in bloodworm. Size wise I would stick to 80mm and 100mm the atomic Guzzler Prong do a great imitation of a prawn that does the job but you also have Zman Grubz in 2.5 inches in pumpkinseed, amber and watermelon. Lipless crank baits and blades work great in the dam. Try and get silent versions in your lipless crank baits some of the better ones to purchase are jackal TN5o and 60’s and Megabass vibration-X Smatas. Blades on the other hand are like your lipless cranks but don’t have the body profile. They work in a similar way and have a little more vibration to them which can be a good thing some days when the bass fishing is slow. Berkely big eye blades in 46mm and way 5.7g and StikePro’s 40mm (6.6gr) and 50mm (9.1grs) get down fast and work well just like the TT’s blades in 1/8^th and 1/6^th. Colours are up to you as I think it’s more the action that they’re picking up on more than the colour!

If you’re heading to the dam and need a licence or lures and maybe some sound advice come in and see us guys at Go Fishing in Nerang. We’re always willing to help in any way we can to make your day out that much easier.

Landcare Steps in for Beechmont Primary School

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:40:00 GMT

Beechmont Landcare provides an amazing service to our community by working to improve the environment through education and projects such as planting native species and eradicating noxious weeds. They are also one of the organisations Go Camping supports by making a donation on behalf of each new Advantage member that nominates them. So get behind Beechmont Landcare and support the great work they're doing.
Here's an article on one of their latest projects.

The Beechmont Primary School is situated on Beechmont Road in the centre of Beechmont town. The primary school is an important hub for the district providing educational services to children and a meeting point for many members of the community.

The school frontage to Beechmont Road and the school carpark includes a drainage course that flows directly into Back Creek which drains the Beechmont Plateau.

A proposal was developed by the Beechmont Primary School children in consultation with Beechmont District Landcare Association to plant this area out to stop erosion, filter stormwater coming from the road and improve the water quality of Back Creek which eventually flows into Moreton Bay.

Due to the site location, proximity of powerlines and the need to maintain safety and visibility, use of local endemic tree species was not considered practical as the area is best suited to native plants of no more than 1.5m in height; eg. lomandra, deities, callistemon, grevillea, bakea, melaleuca, etc. These plants would be planted and mulched to form a dense cover to reduce potential for weed invasion.

The planting project was included in the school curriculum for 2011 and presented as an educational and community service exercise. By February 2012 work was ready to start. Contractors were used to prepare the site and the school children undertook the planting. Appropriate traffic control and supervision was provided by the Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade and the school teachers. Follow up tree care and watering and minor weeding will be undertaken by the school children, again with the assistance of the Beechmont Rural Fire Brigade.

Beechmont District Landcare Associations was able to obtain and manage the funding grant, administer the grant, coordinate selection and manage the contractor and select the most appropriate planting material.

This project has numerous benefits for the Beechmont community including, education for children on plant establishment and care, raising awareness of environmental aspects, promotion of local organisations (Landcare and Rural Fire Brigade). In addition, a reduction in school grounds maintenance is anticipated.

Camping with Big Dogs - Ballina Beach Village

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:20:00 GMT

Wanting to go camping with two large dogs was proving to be a difficult event. We could only find places that would take small dogs until we found Ballina Beach Village. So we took our boys, Joe and Blade, camping there for the weekend and had a ball.

The 17 acre property is surrounded by National Parks and, although only a few minutes away from the main town centre of Ballina, the only thing you hear is wilderness. The camping sites are big too! 8x8 metres for an unpowered site right up to 10x15 metres for a premium powered site.

We took the boys to the dog beach which is only a short drive away. With very few other dogs around it was great for them to get out and play and although we didn’t take advantage of it you could also go to Mermaids Café and take your dogs. They had tables set on the grass which was a great idea – you could eat out and your dog is with you.

There’s so many things to do; Harley Tours, River Cruises, Hang Gliding, Skydiving and Game and Deep Sea fishing to name a few. We would thoroughly recommend Ballina Beach Village to anyone especially if you want to take your best friend with you!

Fast Facts

Pet friendly – conditions apply
Amenities blocks include showers, toilets and laundry facilities of washing machines and dryers.
Mermaids Café is open 7 days a week during the peak season, breakfast to lunch every day and Friday & Saturday nights during the low season. There is also a kiosk that’s open from 8am – 5pm 7 days a week. Great for coffee and snacks or if you have forgotten to pack that all important item.
For further information;
Tel(02) 6686 3347 E: info@ballinabeachvillage.com.au W: wwwballinabeachvillage.com.au

Hinze Dam Report - Apr 2012

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:08:00 GMT

picture courtesy of springhillvoice.com.au

As we’ve seen the dam rise in the last 3 months it’s now at a staggering 92.6 percent which has made Hinze Dam look more like Lake Borumba or Monduran Dam minus the Barramundi with all those trees standing in 20 to 30 feet of water. Even if you don’t fish but are into photography the dam is a great place for it with all that water.

The fishing side of things has been hot and cold, one day they are eating anything you throw at them and the next day you just can’t get a bite. As the old grass and trees start to die off its going to make it a little harder to catch fish in that shallow water you’re going to have to concentrate more of your efforts in that deeper water for more active fishing time, you’ll still find fish on the edges and in the submerged trees but not in great numbers.

If you’re one of those surface fishing addicts like myself, hit those trees and the shore line early and be persistent! The trees are going to be your best bet but be prepared to lose some of those lures as the bass have more to bust you off on in all the free standing timber but those grass edges will still have the odd fish on them looking for that easy meal. Some lures to give a shot for the surface are Jackall SK pop, Marias 55mm pencils, Atomic K9 60 pup and it’s bigger brother K9 80. There’s also the popper range.

It’s the deep water to concentrate more of your efforts on and as the water temperature starts to drop this is where you’re going to be fishing more. As mentioned earlier, that grass is really starting to die off and the bass aren’t the biggest fan of the dying grass. The deeper points in around 30-40 feet of water will most likely have fish holding on them as this is the old edge of the dam. Casting spinnerbaits like the TT’s as well as their Chatterbaits and Jackall Eruption JR are great searching tools just cast them out, let them sink then just give them a steady retrieve. If you’re more of a trolling person then give the Lucky Craft clutch a go. The Jackall chubby, D chubby, MR Asaka chubby and D cherry will be great lures for the job too but you also have the Megabass Mr griffon and Deep X 100 plus the Rapala XRS-6 shads. These are also good casting lures for bass.

Once you’ve found fish on the troll you can start to cast blades and plastics around. Let your blades and plastics drop through the schooled fish then, like a spinnerbait, a steady retrieve but unlike a spinnerbait you can incorporate a few hopes and pauses to them. Any plastics like the 2.5 grubs from Zman are ideal just like the squidgies have the 80mm & 100mm wrigglers and your choices for blades are endless, but I like anything in the 1/8’th to a ¼ of an ounce. Berkely have their bigeye blades that have a built in rattle which can be deadly at times. TT’s have a wide range of colours in their blades and StrikePro do a blade that’s called Cyber Vibe which is a fish catching machine.

When fishing in that 30-40 feet of water the more active fish will be suspended on the bottom. They could be 10 feet off the bottom to just 10 feet under the surface. This is where a sounder is worth a million dollars, once you’ve found them just put the right lure on and you should be into them. It may take a bit of swopping and changing lures but once you’ve got it the fish should play the game.

If you’re after good, sound advice on your fishing, come and see us guys at GO FISING. We’re always willing to lend a hand.

Mt Warning and Good Coffee

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:07:00 GMT

picture courtesy of www.australiangeographic.com.au

If you are short on time but still want a quiet weekend away, journey south from the Gold Coast over the border to Mount Warning, named Wollumbin by the indigenous Bundjalung people.

A prominent landmark easily seen from the M1 in the Tweed Valley and looking picturesque from the air, this mountain was named by Captain Cook as a warning to ships sailing along the Tweed coast. It’s an impressive, unusually shaped mountain which forms part of the ancient volcanic ridge on the far north coast of New South Wales.

The Mount Warning Holiday park is a boutique caravan park with cabins at the foot of the mountain and provides an idyllic spot in amongst the ancient rainforests where you are guaranteed a quiet night’s rest but don’t expect your phone to work! They have a pool, adequate self-contained cabins alongside a running creek and caravan sites aplenty. There are two approaches which both go through Murwillumbah. The easiest route is via the M1, exiting on Tweed Valley Way. In Murwillumbah head south-west on the Kyogle-Uki road. The turn off to the caravan park is before Uki. The second approach to Murwillumbah is over the Tomewin mountain which southern Gold Coasters know is via Currumbin Valley. This is steep, mountainous country sporting occasional views to Mount Cougal, very pretty but not as easy a drive as the M1.

Mount Warning provides two walks for those who are very fit. One is a short walk to the lookout, the other is a major hike. You need to be well prepared for that one, checking the weather ahead of time as the mountain changes its mind weather-wise at the drop of a hat. ’Go Camping’ can fit out your back pack with all the essentials for such a trek.

Two nights at the park are needed for such a trek, because the big hike takes about five hours. You will sleep well at night!

We enjoyed a peaceful sleep in one of the cabins by the creek, enjoying a BBQ for tea, listening to the birds chirp as they settled in for the night.

We headed back to the Gold Coast via the M1, enjoying the view of the city’s skyline from the border and then decided to exit to cruise the beaches at Coolangatta and Kirra. There are many good cafes here and we decided on good coffee and brunch at Currumbin. If you have time or have children to entertain, spend a couple of hours at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for some interactive nature play and remember to bring the camera - those rainbow lorikeets make a lasting impression.

Fishing Hot Spots - Get Salty Series

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:06:00 GMT

photo courtesy of campingoz.com.au

The Gold Coast has heaps of places available for saltwater fishing and boating. The marine ecosystem consists of the Broadwater, rivers, canals, lakes and the off-shore fishing grounds. There are numerous islands for recreation which are easily accessed by boat, barge and bridges. North Stradbroke Island, South Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island are popular destinations for fishing, boating, camping and 4WD enthusiasts. There are also many fishing platforms.

Coomera River

Location:

From the northern side of Sovereign Islands up to Oxenford.

Fish to catch:

Mangrove jack, whiting, flathead, bream, tarpon, jewfish, estuary cod, trevally.

Bait or lures:

Live mullet, squid, pilchards, yabbies, prawns, white bait, mullet, chicken gut, herring and worms, soft plastic baits, hard bodies, metal slugs and poppers

Notes:

A fishing platform is located under the M1 motorway.

Best time:
Last of the run out tide and the start of the run in.

Stanthorpe, QLD's "Apple Isle"

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:05:00 GMT

Part 3 of 3

On the last morning we were reluctant to leave this pretty town so we decided to extend the fun a bit by taking the circular route back to the Gold Coast via Tenterfield. Located an hour South across the border into New South Wales, Tenterfield provides a glimpse of early Australiana in its architecture and historic links to this country’s great music industry. The late Peter Allen paid tribute to his father here in his nostalgic song, The Tenterfield Saddler. Although we drove through in Spring this time, the best time to visit Tenterfield is in the Autumn to take advantage of the avenue of beautiful Deciduous trees in all their Autumnal glory, and make sure the camera is handy when you drive along.

From there you head East on the Bruxner Highway. Sure, it’s a little winding at first but it’s picturesque. The road flattens out near Casino, another lovely town with good cafes, and then Lismore, a busy but pretty city, the gateway to the Byron Bay hinterland. From there take the back road up via Bangalow, a gorgeous little town nestled in amongst the hills close to where you join the Pacific Highway North.

We stopped there to stretch our legs and eat another picnic lunch by the river behind the main street where the locals swim. If you have time to spend another night away from home, pull in at Brunswick Heads, a quiet seaside village with two caravan parks with lovely cabins and plenty of motels. From there you’ll have time next morning to treat yourselves to a visit to the Crystal Castle in the hills behind Mullumbimby. It’s a fairytale come alive. You’ll see the biggest crystals you’ve ever seen there and you can eat a healthy lunch while the wife goes and has her fortune told or buys some unique jewellery to wear home.

You have to allow a bare minimum of six hours to drive back to the Coast taking this route; longer if you stop for coffee, but it’s worth taking the time because you get to drink in the gorgeous greenery of the Tweed Valley along the way, thus completing your trip to Stanthorpe, Queensland’s Apple Isle.

Roast Chicken - Great Roasts for Your Webber

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 05:34:00 GMT

Chicken Roast

Ingredients

1.6 kg Chicken

Olive Oil

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

1 Lemon

Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaves or Sage

Method

Drizzle your chicken with Olive Oil and then rub all over with Salt and Pepper

Prick the Lemon all over using a knife, and place inside the cavity of the chicken, along with your herbs.

Roast on your Webber for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Reference: www.jamieoliver.com

Ben Lomond, Tasmania

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:03:00 GMT

with guest blogger Lisa

If you’ve been to Tasmania and think you’ve seen all there is to see, think again. After you’ve visited well known places like, Cradle Mountain, Freycinet and Port Arthur where else is there to go I hear you say. One place I bet you’ve never heard of is, Ben Lomond National Park. Ben Lomond is a huge plateau containing Legges Tor, Tassie’s second highest point and it’s only a one hour drive from Launceston. Dominating the landscape it is well known by locals as a place for downhill skiing in winter but the summer offers wonderful walks and without the crowds found at more well known places.

Camping is available in a small camping area off the plateau, there is water but no electricity. For the more adventurous, trying camping on top of the plateau but be prepared for any type of weather as it is above the snow-line and can snow at any time of the year. That being said, January and February are usually not too bad weather wise and are also good months to see the alpine wild flowers. The plateau becomes a riot of colour with scoparia, gentians, alpine rocket, pepper berries and the unusual cushion plants, plus many more plants only found in alpine regions. Oh, and I almost forgot--- edelweiss, it wouldn’t be true alpine without that, would it?

The walks range in duration and difficulty; a short walk from the ski village to Hamilton’s Crags is about 30 minutes, right up to an overnighter if you want to walk to Stack’s Bluff at the other end of the plateau. One particularly nice walk is from Carr Villa at the base of the plateau to Legges Tor at the top, this one takes about 2 hours one way, then you can either walk back the way you came or walk back via the dirt road.

The start of the walk has a bit of rock- hopping across the scree fields but once you reach the top the walk across the Plains of Heaven (what a lovely name) is breath-taking. As long as the weather is good the views can be magnificent but as I said previously, be like the scouts and “Be prepared” for anything. Layers of clothing are usually the best way to go and don’t forget the water-proof jacket. The only luxury item I would suggest is gaiters, not for snakes but for the scoparia which can be extremely prickly. Wearing gaiters enables you to walk through the scoparia instead of having to navigate a path around, but they are not essential.

Ben Lomond is also known by rock climbers (not my thing, but it may be yours) as one of the world’s best places for ‘Crack Climbing’ due to its dolerite columns.

So next time someone says, “I’ve spent a week in Tassie and I’ve seen everything”, just smile, nod knowingly and say, “yes, but have you been to Ben Lomond?”

Fraser Island - My Favourite Spot

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:57:00 GMT

with Michelle from Go Camping

World heritage listed Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. With it’s pristine white sandy beaches, ancient rainforests and over 100 freshwater lakes, it truly is a place of exceptional beauty.

A great place to holiday for families and couples alike, there’s loads to do in this protected paradise.
For starters Fraser Island is definitely 4WD territory. Get over to the King Fisher Bay Resort on the Western side of the island and grab yourself a “Vehicle Access Permit” from the River Head Barge landing. Seventy-Five mile beach runs up the Eastern side of the island and is actually a highway which is shared by 4WDs and the Air Fraser joy flight planes! There are tracks across the island which can take you to the many attractions including lakes and rainforests.

Seventy-Five mile beach is also a fishing hot spot! Swallowtail is a year round favourite while Whiting and Bream are more abundant in the warmer months. Try the headlands area from Indian Head to Waddy Point for rock species of fish, you can even launch trailer boats in this area.

Don’t feel like organizing everything yourself? Then check out one of the many tours on offer to the major sites. They usually come with refreshments included. A one day, fully guided tour, encompassing seven major locations and a hot and cold buffet lunch at Eurong Beach Resort costs $175 for adults and $115 for kids (as at Feb ’12).

Why do I love coming back here? It’s the perfect place to relax, unwind and get away from it all. There’s no phones and the whole family can enjoy swimming, bushwalking and quality time together.

Just don’t ask about the time when a Dingo took off with my glass of baileys….

Sharp Park - Things to do in SE QLD Series

Tue, 08 May 2012 05:32:00 GMT

Sharp Memorial Park is a peaceful family bush camp with a country feeling. Situated five kilometers from the township of Canungra, the park is just a 20 minute drive from Nerang. Set amongst the hills on the Upper Coomera River the park is an ideal place for swimming or to throw in a fishing line. The day use area is perfect for the family picnics and outings with toilets on site. Campfire facilities are also available. Pets are welcome though they must be restrained at all times.

Bookings essential. Tel 0409 550 745, (07) 3069 3095. Beechmont Road, Canungra QLD

Roast Beef - Great Roasts for Your Webber

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:42:00 GMT

Roast Beef

Ingredients

1.2 kg beef fillet, sinew trimmed

1 tablespoon crushed Black Peppercorns

2 teaspoons Rosemary, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons Thyme, roughly chopped

3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

3-4 fresh Bay Leaves

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

Sea Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

Tuck the tail end under the fillet and tie the whole thing together with string at 4 cm intervals. Make sure you create an even shape and width as you go.
Combine Pepper, Rosemay and Thyme and rub all over your beef fillet, then add Garlic and Bay Leaves.
Pour over the Balsamic Vinegar, cover the roast in plastic and refrigerate for a few hours.
Allow roast to come to room temperature (1 hour), remove from marinade and pat dry with paper towel.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and place on your Weber for cooking (4 hours).
Cut into thick slices and serve! Yum!

Reference: www.lifestylefood.com.au

Stanthorpe, QLD's "Apple Isle"

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:56:00 GMT

Part 2 of 3

After a peaceful sleep without the sounds of city traffic, we ventured out and walked the short walk to town via the beautifully kept Apex Park on Quart Pot Creek. Ladies, if you enjoy quaint drapery stores that sell anything from lace and linen to well-priced quality jewellery or hippy tie-dies, crystals and incense, take a meander through the shops at Stanthorpe. We stopped at Woolworths to stock up the fridge with fresh produce so we could eat in that night and their deli provided plenty of anti-pasta for our picnic at the dam the next day.

For lunch why not try the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE where the trainees do an excellent presentation of restaurant quality food served with wine they produce from vines on the premises. This is the jewel of Stanthorpe, in my opinion. They even catered for my gluten-free requirements with a smile on their faces!

There’s no shortage of good places to eat in this region and there are boutique wineries where you can sample the local vintages. It’s worth stopping by the Granite Belt Wine and Tourism information booth near the motel where the staff can offer you a range of things to do – bush walks in the national parks for those who are fit, or scenic drives to dams, peaks and wineries for the more faint-hearted, plus they offer for sale all the range of jams produced in the region. I bought several. They make great Christmas presents for food connoisseurs.

Roast Lamb - Great Roasts for Your Webber

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:36:00 GMT

Lamb Roast

Ingredients

1.5kg leg of Lamb

Olive Oil

Honey

Wholegrain Mustard

Fresh springs of Rosemary

Method

1. Make small cuts in the meat using a sharp knife and then rub the meat with the olive oil

2. Mix together the wholegrain mustard and honey and rub over the Lamb, pressing into the small cuts you made.

Also insert the sprigs of Rosemary into the cuts.

3. Bake in your Weber BBQ at 180 degrees for around 1.5 hours, for medium-rare meat. Longer if you prefer it

well done. Once cooked, cover meat in foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Reference: www.bestreceipes.com.au