Five Reasons Why Winter Doesn’t Mean the End of Camping

We understand why a few of you out there tend to pack up your tents at this time of the year and stow them in the spare room until summer.

But compared to most countries Australia is pretty mild and here at Lotus Belle, we’re convinced that a tent is for life, not just for summer… and when it comes to making a pitch for year-round camping, we think we’ve found the perfect solution with our sturdy, heavy-duty canvas tents which can withstand most weather conditions and even suit a wood-burning stove to make sure you stay nice and toasty.

Here are 5 great reasons why you should consider a Lotus Belle getaway this winter.

1. You get the best sites all to yourself. Yes, that sounds thoroughly antisocial and – sure – during summer, camping is all about getting a whole heap of people together and enjoying life in the great outdoors. But how often are you left with that last spot to pitch your tent next to the toilet block, and how often are you woken by screaming kids at 6am, and how often do those drunk teenagers stumble into the side of your tent in the middle of the night…? 

2. It’s more romantic. Leading on from the fact that the children are probably back at school, the teenagers are back hanging around malls rather than campsites and you’ve got the run of the best campsites in the world, is the fact that camping in autumn and winter can be totally romantic. Pack a nice bottle of red and a heap of blankets and cosy on up to your loved one… who cares whether the wind howls and the rain pours? 

3. The weather’s better. Trust us on this… yes, relentless blue skies and blazing sun is pretty cool during summer, but all that parched grassland and burning sand isn’t for everyone. Australia has wonderfully clear, crisp days over the colder months and when the sun isn’t beating down on your back, you might enjoy some of those tramping trips a little bit more. We’re not advocating heading down to far reaches of Tasmania or up Threadbo to pitch a tent in the snow (although camping in snow can be a totally magical experience), but consider some of New South Wales' National Parks and Queensland were it's still warm and toasty all year round  – there are some truly stunning sites.

4. The wildlife. In short, more of the good stuff and less of the bad. You’re highly unlikely to get munched by mozzies or annoyed by sandflies during the colder months while some of the larger wildlife is much easier to see outside peak tourist season. 

5. Festivals! Australia is host to some of the best music festivals in the Southern Hemisphere over winter including Splendour in the Grass near Byron Bay and the hugely popular Darwin Festival in the Northern Territory which attracts upwards to 100,000 people. Why spend a fortune in motels and hotels when you can use your very own Lotus Belle tent!