“It depends how you want
to use it,” Peter said.
“If you want peace and quiet, and to get
away from everything, and everybody,
you can fi nd it at a remote camping spot
here on your own piece of riverfront.”
For those who want a little more social
contact, there are plenty of campsites
closer to the unoffi cial “RAP”, basically
a cleared area where everybody
who wants to, can bring something
to sit on and join in a few hours of
lively discussion each afternoon.
There is little or no formality,
and few rules, other than simple
“housekeeping” rules like taking away
rubbish and not cutting down trees, or
damaging the pristine environment.
Gaining access is as simple as making
a phone call to either Peter, or, if you’re
in Townsville, perhaps former 2/4RAR,
2RAR and RAEME soldier Craig Rhodes
whom many would know in his civvy
job as a Thales Bushmaster mechanic.
“Because of the terms of the lease,
only returned active servicemen
and women can access the property,
but they can bring as many guests
as they like,” Peter said.
“We would like to see more of the
younger veterans using the facility.
“You can go with your mates, or your
family, and camp for as long as you like.”
He said some members had been there
long enough to be harvesting produce
from their own vegetable patches.
The fi shing is almost permanently at
the “fantastic” level, there are cherabin
(freshwater prawns), and barramundi
not quite thick enough that you get sick
of catching them... almost though.
To ensure the “regulars” don’t
become a collection of impenetrable
cliques, the committee has
22 | OCTOBER 2017