Meet Ashley
No. of years camping:
20
The first time I went camping was…
When I was 12, my dad and I went camping with my best friend and her family. There were over 30 of us and I remember it being so much fun. No phones or TV — just our imagination in nature, sleeping under the stars, easy meals and lots of chatting around the campfire.
First thing you do once you’ve set up ‘camp’ ?
These days, once we set up camp I love to go for a walk around the area, chat to others and then head back to start preparing a delicious dinner.
The last time I followed my wanderer I ended up…
in the Riverland with 10 or so friends — think festoon lights, no phone reception, circle of chairs, boat days, singalongs, group dinners, games and lots of chats. My idea of a great holiday.
If I had to pick one crazy camping story it would be the time …
Litchfield National Park in the NT with friends. We spent the day shopping at a local market and then headed to multiple waterfalls before setting up camp and cooking a curry. Hot tip: do not add “bitter melon” to your curries thinking it will taste like other veggies!
The best thing about camping is…
Making memories, being out in nature, not looking [at] or using my phone in the same way I would at home. Seeing the stars at night is one of my favourite parts of camping.
My must-have gear when hitting the road include…
A good cooker, a pizza oven, camping mat, chairs, swag, comfy bedding, coffee plunger, water, first aid kit, fridge/freezer and a book to read.
The top three road trips on my wanderer’s bucket list are…
Ideally a lap of Australia, but if I had to choose three separate trips:
South West, WA • Perth to Exmouth • Tasmania.
To my fellow wanderers out there, you absolutely, definitely have to visit…
The Eyre Peninsula, SA — so many beautiful national parks to explore with beautiful beaches and places to camp.