Security in the outback

Hello Neil and Pat,
Look, the Lone Ranger has travelled with guns forever... Since the 80's in Oz... Yes at times it was comforting to know I had a 12ga at the head of the bed. But in truth, I do not think this is a concern. You are far safer, like about 1000 times safer, way out Bush than anywhere around the Cities... Look, I will give you a couple of practical examples:

(Happened many years ago) Midnight, way out back of Woop-Woop, we are camped on a flat ground off the hiway out of sight in an abandoned quarry used to make the old hiway in our Bushtracker... The quarries are found every 40-50 kms or so, if you know what kind of type of old abandoned dirt track to look for... Anyways, midnight, old Ford big 4 door pulls in, four drunks fall out laughing, pushing each other around, beer bottles falling out, carrying on... Pulls over about 80 metres away, and after a little fooling around and carrying on, my nervousness and patted 12ga settles down as they start to pull out swags and bed down for the night.... Dawn broke to find 4 decent Ringers, or Jackaroos off a Station, just too bleep to make it home from a big night at the Pub... They were the sort that would have come to your rescue at the first sign of trouble, not to be worried about...

Look, the truth is that the criminal type cannot afford to get to the Outback, neither in fuel or vehicle, they prey on the people in the cities... If they did get out to a small town, they would soon be sorted out by the Locals. Basically you have nothing to fear. Incidence of crime in the real Outback Bush, would be less than lightening strikes to worry about. One German Tourist did not pay his bill at a serve your self honour bar at a Station and left... The Station Owner fired up his plane and landed on the hiway to stop him about 150 kms down the road.. Crime in the Bush is not tolerated.

Leaving your van somewhere? Have someone at a country store or servo or something keep an eye on it, and padlock through the watertight door 'T" handle hole... Reward them with a carton or two of grog sort of thing... No worries...

Stop worrying, and start living... You are safer out there, the more remote, the safer you are...

Hi Neil and Pat,
I fully agree with Da` Ranger - no real problems in the bush. I have only been pestered once - but that was by a very horny donkey.

I don't carry a 12g but do carry a very large Ghurka Kukri just down beside my drivers seat - but thats mainly for trimming unwanted foliage that may otherwise damage the van or scratch the windows. But... it is certainly cabable of doing a very good Crocodile Dundee "Thats not a knife....." impersonations if ever really necessary.

Enjoy the journey

John and jean

I'm the good looking one..... and it was very persistant even my fearsome dog could not distract it by chewing on his lower abdominal extremities - probably made it more exited! Managed to eventuallyescape by diving into the old Troopy.

Theres a photo in my pictures - not sure how to get it onto the public forum without going via photobucket which seems to be a bit of a performance.

Cheers John and Jean

We have never been disturbed when bush camping, and in most outbackish places I have felt quite secure. I know others have not been so lucky - usually if near enough to a town for the drunks to drop in and get rowdy. One camper reckons he was shot at.

We are reluctant to leave the caravan, but have done it on a number of occasions; Shire council car park, parking bay for tourist features, but generally at a caravan park or designated free campsite. We took chains and padlocks to put around the wheels, but never bothered. I reason that in outback tourist areas, everyone has got their rig attached, and most people have ball hitches anyway. I like to believe that most tourists are like us all - totally ethical and honest.