Wild dogs in the VHC and my 30 second awning may not be suitable. 

Btw, really like the content of this new channel. 👍🏼

Mate I had no option but to tow (wife) and just wouldn’t part with my hard earned cash for any of those crazy expensive off-road campers so I built one but if I had the option I would go a rooftop tent any day. You’re off the ground which is a benefit not only in the VHC but also in the tropics. If you can sleep in a swag a rtt will be a breeze.

Tent extension sounds like the go.

Just buy the tent , i tow a camper a lot and its great but its nice not too tow as well.

Dome swag or easy up tent is the way to go. Preferably canvas.

Hi. There. Like you, we like to go to more remote locations where the track in is often rough and long. We get around with a pioneer camper trailer. Very happy with it. Our friends tow a cub. They’re stoked with it. They are not as fast to set up as an awning , stretcher and swag, but for us, we are st up in 10 minutes after parking up. A small ,simple but strong camper trailer is the way to go

I wouldn't rule out the rooftop tent until you take a look at Alu-Cab. I'm 60 and it's the best set up I've ever had. Their ladder has wide, flat angled steps. I've wired a light switch in the tent that puts on an led right by the ladder, so I can see to go down and have my late night wee. The issue here in Tasmania is not wild dogs, but wild wind (and a bit of rain now and then). I park the ute with the Alu-Cab hardshell pointing into the wind. No flapping canvas -- just peaceful sleep. Set up and pack up is very quick and easy. Oh, btw: thanks for the info on the Stormchaser. My gen 1 Foxwing is still holding up after 10 years, but I'm thinking about the future and life with a free-stander.

I attended the caravan/camping show in Adelaide late last year and out of the myriad of campers the stockman ultra pod style stood out from the pack. Light to tow. Good kitchen, awning and security. Access was excellent also with gullwing style entry. It’ll drive the hounds crazy…….

I have nothing on the roof of my vehicle. But swagged it most of my life. Thinking about going to the high country next year, never been, bit of a way from WA. For the past year l have been using the Zempire Pronto 4 V2 Inflatable Air Tent, (Something l thought l would never buy is a tent). This thing is so simple to set up and is 100% waterproof. It’s about 13 kg, and packs up small for a tent, the air pump pegs tent fit into expandable bag easily. I’m 6ft and can fully stand up, great for getting dressed undressed. Also peeing in my pee bottle in the night a lot easier, and l still carry my swag and stretcher. For about $550 sometimes cheaper on special at BCF.

Cure for constipation 🤣the tent attachment looks good, or you could design a kind of wind breaker fence type thing vang6sine poles in and shield yourself in like those beach privacy style things, great video shayne 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

I tow an old aussie swag camper, fairly cheap and probably outlast most of the imports-very quick and easy to set up. As you would know though, towing is not always good in the High Country. I'm usually in a group so not encountered your issue yet, but using a sensor light might be a good idea maybe?

I do the tent option, I use the RV5 it also zips to my awning and doesn’t take long to setup. If you are staying for a few days you can unzip and take to explore etc…. much cheaper than a camper trailer and it also is less restrictive on where you can go. Also in my 50’s and could not be bothered with a roof top tent not tomention changing the CofC of my vehicle...

I have been thinking the same thoughts as your video as looking to head off to the Simpson again in 2025. Did the VHC with my eldest and had the same setup as you but didn't experience any wild dogs thankfully. Going with a cheaper RTT for my son to head up into and redesigning the back of 200 (no middle or back seats) into a temporary area for sleeping inside one side of the landcruiser for me. The thinking from this, believe it or not, was the transit between Brisbane and the VHC. Did the right thing and stayed in hotel accomodation at West Wyalong and unfortunately the picture on the online booking site over flatted the actual accomodation. Swore blind that I would never do that again. That wild dog experience you encountered has caught my attention as we have the same issues at K'Gari (Fraser Island). I don't want to tow as seen no benefits of it if you are constantly on the move. Think you just made my mind up for me. Great videos by the way. Thanks Mike

For the price, try the tent first. If it does the trick, it’s money well spent. If it doesn’t work out for you then it’s a cheap trial and error and you could explore the camper trailers.

An enclosed swag on the stretcher and 2 friends for security under the pillow. Smith & Wesson anyone?

30 seconds Their tent or an Oz Tent. Oz tent and several other companies do a swag tent on a stretcher

Solo female camper and I camp very much like you do depending on the weather, sometimes on a stretcher under my 270 awning, sometimes a swag or air pole tent Zempire Pronto 4. I am keen to do the VHC but have heard about the dogs and I travel with my old mate a 15yo jack russell, he wouldn’t stand a chance with wild dogs. I have been looking at maybe getting a Tvan, great little van that goes any where, check them out.

I have a Sunland off-road caravan. Mini is 10 feet long with a 30-second and awning. Google Sunland Mini. Not cheap but warranted for Gibb River Road travel low enough for trees short enough to take tight bends. Their warranty is 20 years on chassis and 5 years on the caravan. It's a hard top. Perfect for wet weather camping. Only 5 made, but Tarrot GM will make to your specs. Set up takes as long as winding jockey wheel off the tow bar if you decide to disconnect and setting up 30-second awning. Mine weighs 1128kg with tow ball atm 1600kg ( photo in profile). This is another option, there is a company in Qld that sell them. A roof top tent that sits on the towbar. The bracket takes any of the roof top tents in the diamentions of the framing. google rubicon hitch tent. All you need is a hard shell walled roof top tent. I have the dome tent I would run a fly over it in wet weather.

I'm 55 years old and use rooftop tent. Have a uncle that 65 and he also uses a rooftop. Quick to put up quick to put down

Mate I love Shad Donaghues setup, that Ultimate Xpolr (I think it is) are mint. I’d be looking at a secondhand one of those for sure 👍

Don't blame you, I ve heard some pretty scary accounts from the back of Mt Stirling area.I like your minimal setup, and I'm guessing you do too. I think towing a camp trailer would bug you. There is something wonderfully solid about proper canvas. Southern Cross and Outback canvas used to make fabulous touring tents. pretty fast to set up and pack up. and although it might be scary, no dog is going to claw its way through real canvas

I have been going down this path for a while now and finally decided on a pod style camper. I'm happy with my decision but I took a deep dive into SUV connected tents, so as to avoid towing too. There are a bucketload of tents available that connect directly to the tail end of your rig, giving you access to your goodies and (some level of) security against the elements. I'm not far from you and I'm looking to take out the new camper for a weekender (or so). I'll keep an eye out for ya in the VHC :)

I’ve seen first hand how good these awnings are in heavy weather. I’d recommend one to anyone.

I am a sucker for the KISS principle. Find a good second hand CUB hard floor. Cheap and basic without any frills. With your basic setup I can’t see you liking anything more than that with a camper trailer…good luck!

Thinking outside the box here, Would be easy to rig up an electric fence with all the poles set on the awning. That and an IR sensor light. Just be careful where you piss at night,,,

Fyi, I roll up the strap for the awning and it gets tucked into the awning bag, Re the dogs, what about a dome style swag like the arb one. That’s what i have, i was camped with a mate at Kellys hut in the high country one night, after we went to bed heard a bunch of dogs howling. He was in a murchinson traditional swag and shat himself, I rolled over, moved my feet from the edge of the swag and went to sleep.

For $190 I doubt that tent is wind/waterproof, I’m with you on the towing thing it’s not practical in the high country not to mention expensive. An oztent RV5 is the go , they are quick to setup and bomb proof as far as wind and rain goes. I seriously wouldn’t worry to much about wild dogs just make sure you don’t leave food , scraps or dirty cooking utensils around,as far as I know there has never been a wild dog attack a person in the VHC . I bought a RV5 about 6-7 years ago and it’s one of the best additions to my camping kit by far.

Mate, just get a dome swag or similar to put on your stretcher. I used to carry a oztent RV3 which is probably the fastest tent to pack up and put away on the market. Buy what a pain in the arse having to do it each stop. I still use the swag on a stretcher but in the WA Goldfields, it best too have the protection. I suspect a good quality dome swag tent will give you ever bit protection the larger tent will.

Why not a cheap, or expensive, awning on the drivers side complete with an awning tent. It means that your view is not interrupted where you sit normally and you also have access to the car from the rear of the tent. Also, if you want to be lazy, then just connect the four upper corners, job done in four or five minutes.

Some of these tents are not waterproof. The one you had in this video, we had one similar and wasn't waterproof. So we used it under a awning.

I like the tent idea. Can you carry pepper spay?

try the tent mate you only need to use it where you think there are dogs, or get an enclosed swag, that would solve the problem as well, like you i think camper trailers are priced over the top. I know you love your open traditional swag so maybe the tent option? cheers.

dont people put those tent like swags on a stretcher like you have already so you are enclosed and protected?

Keep it simple and go with the tent.

Have you looked into wall kits for the awning?