paulcd said:Big prob for me and family 3 years ago was only 2 campfires in NZ + OZ due to fire bans...in 9 weeks of camping! Admitedly, if one got miles into the bush, you would be undetectable, but don't take lighting fires lightly...if the authorities don't get you, the locals will! Seriously, I would like to know where in OZ + NZ anybody has managed to light campfires to make the bush experience complete out there. In OZ, my image from 20 yrs ago was shattered...all camping spots used to have bbq grills for your steak for a real fire...now they are soulless, flameless gas things to help the 2nd (its true...forget the fit image) most obese nation on earth get their grub fried quickly and cleanly without soul.
Bring back the campfires! The bush needs regularly burning anyway...
paulcd said:Big prob for me and family 3 years ago was only 2 campfires in NZ + OZ due to fire bans...in 9 weeks of camping! Admitedly, if one got miles into the bush, you would be undetectable, but don't take lighting fires lightly...if the authorities don't get you, the locals will! Seriously, I would like to know where in OZ + NZ anybody has managed to light campfires to make the bush experience complete out there. In OZ, my image from 20 yrs ago was shattered...all camping spots used to have bbq grills for your steak for a real fire...now they are soulless, flameless gas things to help the 2nd (its true...forget the fit image) most obese nation on earth get their grub fried quickly and cleanly without soul.
Bring back the campfires! The bush needs regularly burning anyway...
zackerty said:Oh yes...hottest time of year is February...+-25 to 30° C
Matau said:Unfortunately, public camping areas are as you described for a good reason.....and the reason is losing millions of hectares of forest to bushfires every year....this year included....there is a huge one in Victoria at the moment and scores of homes and properties have been destroyed this year and a few lives lost.
Not lighting fires in the bush over Summer is fine with me, I've got another three seasons where I can have a nice open fire but to have one in Summer is reckless. The 1.1 million hectares burning in Victoria at the moment was a result of lightning strikes which is natures way of cleaning up as you mentioned, but over the warmer months, nature doesn't need a helping hand from careless campfires and the odd nutter with a box of matches when lives and livelihoods are involved.....just my .02 cents.
Cheers
Dave
paulcd said:thanks for the info. I've a soft spot for that part of the world but am struggling to fight my bushcraft instincts...I know most members here are very fire responsible, but also know that 1 rogue spark may cause big problems. Thing is, I'm taken by the romance of it all...eg I see a documentary on hitchinbrook island with campfires, then when I log on to book a spot, no campfires allowed, then I see Ray Mears having plenty of fires with the aborigines, then I can't find one spot to do it...
Do you have a list of places in what season that it can be done...eg we used to do it in the blue mountains, but surely it is banned all year now?
Sorry for taking this away from thread...the guy asking about NZ will have a great time, I'm sure. The Maoris were/ are big on bush tucker and the scenery is great!