Continuing Rant Thread - Get it Off Ya Chest here

[Kudzu]

Didnt this all happen 12months or more ago. Shitloads of very popular parks were closed to campers. Some stayed open to day visitors who could walk and follow signposted tracks, others were locked up altogether as heritage. If this is incorrect the news and all 4x4 mags I browse are incorrect....

No it didn't. As jlm said, there were some 4wd tracks closed, but they weren't in world heritage area, possibly not even national parks.

Camping is permitted throughout the world heritage area and all national parks.

 

[Dave70]

Nothing says camping like huddling round your Coleman fuel stove with a plastic mug of luke warm Bovril I say.

 

[Phoney]

That the state of NSW with roughly 800 650 square k's of land can only set aside a paltry 4 x 4 km square of space on the shoreline of Stockton beach for recreational vehicles.
That have to be registered with the RMS.
And require a day pass.
And are restricted to 40 kph.

By comparison, the state of California is roughly half that size, over six times the population and has more RV parks than you can shake a riding boot at.

Basically, if you don't have access to private property or a registered vehicle, you're pretty much fucked - or at the mercy of dedicated riding parks. Trust me, that aint a cheap weekend.
With so much public land sitting around unused and parents desperately keen on keeping the kiddies off drugs, out of gangs and transfixed by the x box, getting them into powersports seems like a great option.

whut? I go 4x4'ing occasionally, there's HEAPS of options within 4 hours of Sydney. I've never liked Stockton because the two times I went it was full of hoons on quad bikes, but virtually every long stretch of beach north of there going up the coast is open to vehicles. Going west there's plenty of NP's with 4x4 tracks to explore as well.

edit: I just noticed that you want to ride unregistered vehicles around on public land. Really?

The problem is that there's a small minority of bogan dickheads who tend to ruin it for everyone else, by bush bashing off tracks, driving over young saplings, knocking down or vandalizing infrastructure, lighting fires everywhere, leaving rubbish and beer bottles everywhere. When this happens NPWS often close off areas as they become too difficult/expensive to manage. Source: Mate of mine used to be a ranger.

BTW: RV parks in California are similar to what our carvan parks are here. Tourist parks for grey nomads to park their Winnebago's.

 

[Dave70]

whut? I go 4x4'ing occasionally, there's HEAPS of options within 4 hours of Sydney. I've never liked Stockton because the two times I went it was full of hoons on quad bikes, but virtually every long stretch of beach north of there going up the coast is open to vehicles. Going west there's plenty of NP's with 4x4 tracks to explore as well.

edit: I just noticed that you want to ride unregistered vehicles around on public land. Really?

The problem is that there's a small minority of bogan dickheads who tend to ruin it for everyone else, by bush bashing off tracks, driving over young saplings, knocking down or vandalizing infrastructure, lighting fires everywhere, leaving rubbish and beer bottles everywhere. When this happens NPWS often close off areas as they become too difficult/expensive to manage. Source: Mate of mine used to be a ranger.

BTW: RV parks in California are similar to what our carvan parks are here. Tourist parks for grey nomads to park their Winnebago's.

Yes, really.

Not such a radical idea actually. I have a couple of mates who live in Huntington Beach CA who often load the 'pick up' and head out of town with the kids to ride the trails on unregistered bikes. You need recreational rego and the bikes have to comply with certain rules like noise restrictions and spark arrestors in the exhaust, so it's not a free for all. If bush walking is more your speed, there's about seventy gazzilion miles of powered vehicle free trails to indulge you. My point is we have, as far as I know, the ludicrously small square on Stockton designated for these purposes, so it can be done. Why not look elsewhere?

Passing laws and enforcing restrictions based on the lowest common denominator is simply lazy and unworkable, but you'll get no argument from me that culturally we have a lot of growing up to do in this joint. In my modest travels around the world, I was constantly surprised at things as simple as being able to buy pint cans of Heineken from a vending machine in Vienna whilst doing the washing at the laundromat. Were there boisterous outbursts and people generally making c***s of themselves? No. Were there kids pooling their euros and sneaking in to buy as many cans as they could carry. Not that I saw. Just folk casually sitting around reading whatever, sipping their drink waiting for the spin cycle to finish. Can you imagine that here? Not a ******* chance. Speaks volumes about us culturally.

 

[Bribie G]

Well the navel orange season is over, will have to wait till next year.

Who knows what the USA farmers spray theirs with but they are always sweet and juicy and delicious. Now it's Autumn and the fucken disgusting sour dried up tough Australian crop is hitting the markets.
What's wrong with Australian Citrus growers? They whine and wail about us importing oranges and juice but inflict their substandard acidic crap on us year after year. Suck it up cretins. Or rather don't as you'll look like this dude who has just sucked one of your gobshite offerings.



And what's the story with fucken limes? They have been a dollar or two dollars each for about 15 years now. No not two dollars a kilo, two dollars a farkin LIME.

Are citrus farmers fucked in the head or what? Any citrus farmers on the forum here? Do you need a PhD in Agronomics and a half billion dollar processing facility with research station attached to grow a feckin lime? If I had some land it would be packed with lime trees and I'd be making a fortune selling them at five bucks a bucket around the fruit barns and farmers markets.

Are citrus farmers too busy arguing between their two inbred heads instead of going out and growing stuff like their job description mandates?

 

[Camo6]

What makes you think the farmers dictate the price? Would you complain more if there weren't any limes at your local supermarket? Trust me, the lime grower's not getting $2 a lime. A good year in farming is not as common as a bad one.

 

[Florian]

Actually I too tried the answering the door in my underwear trick. Their 10 yo daughter thought it was pretty funny. Parents looked aghast. I invited them in. We never again had the Witnesses come back to my parents house. I'd be curious to see their list and reasons

I had them ringing at my door just a few minutes ago.

To my surprise they were actually two fairly hot, young chicks, dressed in short-ish skirts and all.
Unfortunately I couldn't get my cloth off quick enough before answering the door.

 

[sponge]

Well the navel orange season is over, will have to wait till next year.

Who knows what the USA farmers spray theirs with but they are always sweet and juicy and delicious. Now it's Autumn and the fucken disgusting sour dried up tough Australian crop is hitting the markets.
What's wrong with Australian Citrus growers? They whine and wail about us importing oranges and juice but inflict their substandard acidic crap on us year after year. Suck it up cretins. Or rather don't as you'll look like this dude who has just sucked one of your gobshite offerings.

gurning.jpg

And what's the story with fucken limes? They have been a dollar or two dollars each for about 15 years now. No not two dollars a kilo, two dollars a farkin LIME.

Are citrus farmers fucked in the head or what? Any citrus farmers on the forum here? Do you need a PhD in Agronomics and a half billion dollar processing facility with research station attached to grow a feckin lime? If I had some land it would be packed with lime trees and I'd be making a fortune selling them at five bucks a bucket around the fruit barns and farmers markets.

Are citrus farmers too busy arguing between their two inbred heads instead of going out and growing stuff like their job description mandates?

I'll admit that whilst working in Renmark and Mildura I was required to drive through some citrus farms (along with table and wine grapes, nuts, avocados, etc) to reach the work sites and dear lordy the produce was delicious. My understanding is they do quite a bit of growing for Asian export and don't end up in our supermarkets (happy to be proven wrong by any of the locals), especially some of the vine-dried saltanas - I could live off those bad boys..

It's a shame we don't end up with produce like that in our trolleys..

 

[Airgead]

It's a shame we don't end up with produce like that in our trolleys..

You can do... if you know where to shop (and hint - it's not Coles or Wollies... or Aldi either)

 

[Bribie G]

Great trick with the Witnesses is to say "I only speak to one of the 144 thousand true anointed, not the lesser sheep". We aren't supposed to know about that so they make their escape very quickly.

 

[Phoney]

Yes, really.

Not such a radical idea actually. I have a couple of mates who live in Huntington Beach CA who often load the 'pick up' and head out of town with the kids to ride the trails on unregistered bikes. You need recreational rego and the bikes have to comply with certain rules like noise restrictions and spark arrestors in the exhaust, so it's not a free for all. If bush walking is more your speed, there's about seventy gazzilion miles of powered vehicle free trails to indulge you. My point is we have, as far as I know, the ludicrously small square on Stockton designated for these purposes, so it can be done. Why not look elsewhere?

Passing laws and enforcing restrictions based on the lowest common denominator is simply lazy and unworkable, but you'll get no argument from me that culturally we have a lot of growing up to do in this joint. In my modest travels around the world, I was constantly surprised at things as simple as being able to buy pint cans of Heineken from a vending machine in Vienna whilst doing the washing at the laundromat. Were there boisterous outbursts and people generally making c***s of themselves? No. Were there kids pooling their euros and sneaking in to buy as many cans as they could carry. Not that I saw. Just folk casually sitting around reading whatever, sipping their drink waiting for the spin cycle to finish. Can you imagine that here? Not a ******* chance. Speaks volumes about us culturally.

Yeah similarly you'll get no arguments from me that we live in a nanny state, and that largely is borne out of the fact that there's a fair percentage of the population who just cannot be trusted. I think in other, less populated states we have recreational rego's for off-road vehicles. I guess the best thing you can do in NSW in that case is befriend a farmer with shitloads of land.

 

[Phoney]

And what's the story with fucken limes? They have been a dollar or two dollars each for about 15 years now. No not two dollars a kilo, two dollars a farkin LIME.

Are citrus farmers fucked in the head or what? Any citrus farmers on the forum here? Do you need a PhD in Agronomics and a half billion dollar processing facility with research station attached to grow a feckin lime? If I had some land it would be packed with lime trees and I'd be making a fortune selling them at five bucks a bucket around the fruit barns and farmers markets.

Are citrus farmers too busy arguing between their two inbred heads instead of going out and growing stuff like their job description mandates?

The thing I hate most about limes in the shops is that more than half the time they pick them way before they've ripened. They need to be soft and juicy, and about the size of a mandarin. Not the size of a bloody golf ball, and about as hard as one too. My in-laws have a lime tree (in Brissy) and it produces the best limes I've ever had in Australia. Because I've only had store bought ones.

As for the price, go to Coles or Wollies self serve checkout, and just accidentally press lemons instead of limes. Bam! They're 3 bucks a kilo.

 

[sponge]

You can do... if you know where to shop (and hint - it's not Coles or Wollies... or Aldi either)

Yea I don't get fruit and veg (unless in a big rush) from any of the big supermarkets. All produce is much better from the little fruit and veg markets - the difference really is amazing.

It reminds me of when the mrs and I stayed in bilpin a few years ago and went apple picking as the mrs had never done it before. She was real skeptical about the fruit as they looked much more deformed/rustic than the aesthetically-pleasing floury crap you get in supermarkets, but one bite and she realised you really can't judge a book by its cover.

 

[Airgead]

We've been doing the apple picking in bilpin thing for years. Better for us - we get better fruit. Better for the orchardist - they get a fair price and don't get ripped off by the wholesalers and supermarkets.

And even better, the guy we visit now gives me all the seconds I want for cider.

 

[Dave70]

We've been doing the apple picking in bilpin thing for years. Better for us - we get better fruit. Better for the orchardist - they get a fair price and don't get ripped off by the wholesalers and supermarkets.

And even better, the guy we visit now gives me all the seconds I want for cider.

Its a good deal alright, and I certainly don't mind helping the farmers out. I paid a whopping 40c a kilo for my seconds from Shields. Boxed when I got there and ready to go. Nice bloke to is Jim.


Avoid the the Fruit Bowl though. Leave it to the hapless tourists. Bunch of indolent, miserable assholes.

 

[Airgead]

Bilpin Springs Orchard is my preferred one. Cedric is a great guy.

And yeah... the fruit bowl... and the one across the road (the pines I think it is)... avoid.

If you want lunch up there, pie in the sky does really nice pies.

 

[Bribie G]

Maccas South Grafton

Could I get the mighty McMuffin meal with coke zero Please.

Yep, medium Coke?

Thanks

So that's a bacon and egg McMuffin with a coke.

No, Mighty McMuffin with coke zero

Aha, (adjusts order) eat in or take away?

Eat here

Thanks, your number will come up on screen, that's $7.20

Cheers

Number 140

Hands me meal in paper bag.

<edit> cultural note: In the UK we would just say "Mighty McMuffin meal please" but I find that in Australia this is regarded as the height of rudness and you have to start every shop order with "Could I please get a.....". For some reason. Of course you can get a whatever product because that's why they set up the ******* shop and why you walked in. Could be a hangover from colonial times "Could oi please get an extra bowl of gruel for me starvin kids please Governor"...

end obnoxious Pom rant. Missed bath day yesterday might pop into the shower later

 

[mckenry]

Well the navel orange season is over, will have to wait till next year.

Who knows what the USA farmers spray theirs with but they are always sweet and juicy and delicious. Now it's Autumn and the fucken disgusting sour dried up tough Australian crop is hitting the markets.
What's wrong with Australian Citrus growers? They whine and wail about us importing oranges and juice but inflict their substandard acidic crap on us year after year. Suck it up cretins. Or rather don't as you'll look like this dude who has just sucked one of your gobshite offerings.

gurning.jpg

And what's the story with fucken limes? They have been a dollar or two dollars each for about 15 years now. No not two dollars a kilo, two dollars a farkin LIME.

Are citrus farmers fucked in the head or what? Any citrus farmers on the forum here? Do you need a PhD in Agronomics and a half billion dollar processing facility with research station attached to grow a feckin lime? If I had some land it would be packed with lime trees and I'd be making a fortune selling them at five bucks a bucket around the fruit barns and farmers markets.

Are citrus farmers too busy arguing between their two inbred heads instead of going out and growing stuff like their job description mandates?

Its because Corona is so popular, limes are in short supply.

 

[Florian]

<edit> cultural note: In the UK we would just say "Mighty McMuffin meal please" but I find that in Australia this is regarded as the height of rudness and you have to start every shop order with "Could I please get a.....". For some reason. Of course you can get a whatever product because that's why they set up the ******* shop and why you walked in. Could be a hangover from colonial times "Could oi please get an extra bowl of gruel for me starvin kids please Governor"...

end obnoxious Pom rant. Missed bath day yesterday might pop into the shower later

Over there they also say "you're alright?" when they see each other, just like here we say "hey, how are ya?" or whatever.

Me not knowing that when I came over here straight from London I almost got into trouble a few times until my wife kindly explained it to me.

 

[AndrewQLD]

You're on a roll tonight Bribie, hope you're ok.


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