After using a traditional swag and enjoying how comfortable it was, I decided to purchase a Burke & Wills Ironbark swag to add to my camping kit. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I think that a swag is a more practical solution to self-inflating air mattresses (the big ones can be time consuming to roll up and are still bulky) and sleeping bag (sleeping bags are not easily washable; a … more »
The unseasonal hot weather in Queensland this winter has brought the snakes out early — this photo was taken on 4 August! We spotted this carpet python in the grass near some children’s play equipment at our local park in Brisbane. By my guess the carpet snake was around 2 metres long. The snake was a little slow as it was not really warm enough for it to have come out of hybernation. … more »
Like many people, I am already fed up with the Federal election. The two major parties seem to run negative campaigns against each other, but then promise to outspend each other to buy our votes. I am fed up with it, and I suspect many other people are too. While some people simply will not vote, other people still want to take up their democratic right to vote. Many people also believe that voting … more »
Making your own traditional swag or bedroll in the style of an original Australian swagman is easy using just a sheet of canvas, mattress, blanket, pillow and rope. Today we do not have to carry a swag long distances on our back so we can add in a few extra creature comforts, but why spend $400 or more on a top-of-the-line mass-produced swag when with a little ingenuity you can be sleeping just as … more »
I have worked out a set-up for my Darche camp shelter. I have set up my canvas touring tent standard, but without the awning poled out. On the Darche camp shelter, I have used two double guy ropes with springs from my camping kit on the pole ends of the camp shelter. I have also run a 4 mm rope as the ridge of the shelter. The poles and ridge rope will stand on … more »
I recently purchased a Darche Outdoor Gear camp shelter from Swags & Camping Direct. Price was $129 delivered. On receiving the camp shelter, I was surprised at how small the package was. I measured it at approximately 82 cm x 8 cm x 11 cm and the packaging says that it weighs 3.5 kg. I was a little concerned that the camp shelter poles would not be high enough to clear my tent. … more »
I am in the market for a canvas tourer tent. These tents are fast to set up and can be considered the original quick pitch tent. They are also heavy and bulky, but this is not a problem if you are touring in a car. Having made the decision to buy a canvas tourer tent, I decided to conduct a comparison of the main features of the various extended tents on the market … more »