The best part of travelling is when you stop and sit around a beautiful wood fire and cook meals in a camp oven. The peaceful and quietness, of the open bush is incredible.

Often we sit and listen, not believing how quiet it is at night in the bush. Yes if you camp too near to the road you will still hear the trucks going past, therefore try and park further back in the free parking areas behind trees or scrub, these act as a baffle against the passing traffic.

Generators

The only thing to disturb this peace is someone using a generator late into the night. We all need that extra power from time to time, so if this is you please be considerate and do not leave generators running after nine pm in the evening. Let's face it after travelling many miles during the day, we need to be able to relax and have a good restful sleep at night to recuperate.

Fire restrictions

Fire restrictions can stop this from happening in the summer months, so keep this in mind before you attempt to light any fire. What with the shortage and restrictions on water usage, we cannot afford to waste it on putting out fires illegally lit by careless and thoughtless people.

Protect our bush

The bush has an abundance of good firewood. Use it wisely, do not destroy the live trees, walk a little further and try to find dead branches and fallen trees to use on your campfire

Protect yourself

• Wear suitable clothing
• wear sunscreen and mosquito protection
• wear all terrain comfortable shoes - like crocs

Cooking with camp ovens

The best way to cook a simple meal is in a camp oven. A stew is the simplest meal of all because it is so easy.

Light your fire and wait for the wood to burn down, using the hot ashes to cook your meals.

Scones

Make your usual recipe for this. It is best to place a try about an inch up off the bottom of the camp oven for this, as the scones will burn very quickly. These will cook in 5- 10 minutes. Add the coals to lid as described with the stew.

Spread with butter and jam of your choice while waiting for the stew to cook.

Beef Stew

You can use any left over vegetables at all for a stew.

I used:

2 cups of water

4 potatoes cut into quarters

2 carrots cut in half or large pieces

4 pieces of pumpkin

2 onions sliced

Salt and Pepper

500 grams of steak (use steak of your choice not stewing as cooks very quick)

Use spices of your choice. Let your hair down and be daring.

Throw everything into the oven, and sit over the hot coals, add a few of these hot coals onto the lid to head from above. Depending on the size and heat of the coals it could take from 20- 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it as if too hot it will boil dry.

Take of heat and serve and enjoy. If you make too much put rest in fridge and keep for lunch the next day.

You can do the same with spicy chicken or pork for that matter.

What do you think of our toasting fork. My husband made it from wire found in the bush. It sure does the job thats the main thing