Campfire Safety

There is really NO EXCUSE for leaving campfires unattended or still burning when you break camp. It is mostly avoidable.  

Here's a couple of tips:

1. When  you're loading up a campfire with wood at night... Try not putting anymore wood on it as it gets closer to bedtime. This will allow it burn down and out before you go to sleep. Wind can rise during the night and embers can easily start a grass fire or set a fellow campers tent alight.
2. You don't need a roaring fire in the morning to cook brekky. A few coals will do the trick nicely. Coals can easily be awakened with a little bit of kindling.

Once brekky is finished... PUT IT OUT PROPERLY.

USE WATER, a little MORE WATER and a bit MORE WATER just in case.

If you cannot access enough water to extinguish your campfire for some reason... Add a little water, then MIX the coals with a shovel full of dirt or sand. Then repeat this process again and again and again. KEEP adding and mixing until coals are coated and appear SMOTHERED and extinguished.

FIRE PITS also help keep fires contained and prevent children from walking on hot coals. Lay rocks around your campfire if there is no existing fire pit. Please do not simply let your fire/coals fall as they may. Please don't add long pieces of wood that extend out past the fire pit edge if avoidable.  Especially if you aren't watching it. Try not to leave these burning when you have gone to bed.

Think about your campfire and pack and plan for it the same way you do everything else ie EXTRA WATER, AXE, SHOVEL.

IMPORTANT..

DO NOT SIMPLY COVER A CAMPFIRE WITH DIRT OR SAND. It is still hot and well alight under the dirt or sand. Children may walk on this ground. Please think about the after affects of your campfire.

Enjoy your campfire in safety.

Fried Rice - Camping Style

This is my favourite super fast, healthy and inexpensive camping dish. I freeze rice when I cook it. Have even been known to buy extra when I have had takeaway Thai and froze it. Can't imagine anything worse than cooking rice at camping.

Tip# Fried rice seems to be less gluey if pre-cooked and chilled.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 takeaway tub of pre-cooked rice
• 1 can of peas & corn
• 1 small onion
• 1 Egg
• 2-4 tablespoon of sesame oil (or olive oil)
• 1-2 teaspoon of chopped garlic (or garlic flakes)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Soy Sauce

Directions:

• Heat pan. Add oil, chopped onion, garlic.
• Then add rice, peas & corn, salt and pepper.
• Stir occasionally until all is heated through.
• Crack egg into rice mix and fold through.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce or to your taste

Camping at Lennox Head, NSW

I headed to Lennox Head, NSW on the weekend.   Lennox is only 2 hours south of Brisbane and 1 hour from the Gold Coast. Lennox Head is surrounded by some of the most beautiful national parks and rainforests you will ever see if you ever want to explore this coastal region further.

We booked into the North Coast Holiday Park.  The park staff was both friendly and helpful.  There is a choice of cabins, tent or caravan sites.  The park is immaculate and has all the basic tourist park necessities i.e.  BBQ’s, camp kitchen, dump point.  It does lack a playground and swimming pool though and sadly, it is not pet friendly.

Cabins available

Lake Ainsworth in the background

Nice big sites





My favourite thing about this park is how perfectly situated it is to everything.  It is only a short walk to the main street of Lennox Head.  Ideal if you fancy brunch in one of the busy coffee shops.  The surf club is directly across the road.  I’m also told the bowls club is a great feed, if you need a night away from the kitchen.  All within easy walking distance.

I didn’t see a lot of children in the park but maybe they were all at Lake Ainsworth recreation area, which is a tea-tree stained dunal lake right beside the holiday park.   This lovely, well grassed recreation area has barbecues, picnic tables and a couple of blocks of toilets very close by.  It is perfect for swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking or canoeing.  Ideal for children as there are lots of shallow areas and no motorised water sport is allowed in this protected lagoon.

To the front of the holiday park is Seven Mile Beach which is a renowned surf beach.   It was super busy on the beach with all the little surfers having a club day and many bigger surfers enjoying some waves.

A lovely weekend was had by all and both this holiday park and region come with glowing recommendations from me.  Definitely one of my favourite spots as it is just that little bit away from the hustle and bustle of Byron Bay and the Gold Coast.

https://www.northcoastholidayparks.com.au/park/info/lennox-head

Driving to Ballina



Seven Mile Beach, Lennox Head, NSW



Busy day at the beach for little ones club day



About to have boogy board lesson



Lake Ainsworth



Lake Ainsworth