At the Silver Wattle Caravan Park

I arrived back at the Silver Wattle caravan park on the 29th September, 2015, when I couldn't get a spot in the free site in Emerald at two o'clock in the afternoon. It was 8pm when I arrived and although I was apprehensive about the timing, I was assured by Margaret that it wasn't a problem.

On the 3rd of December there was a brief but strong afternoon storm which folded my awning up over the top of the van and ripped a small section out of the top of the wall.

This along with the two bent arms that hold the awning up was the extent of the damage. But given the way the cladding on the walls is installed, it all has to be removed and replaced, about ten days work which should be done in the next fortnight. Thank heavens for insurance, I couldn't afford this out of the pocket.


Although the Silver Wattle guard dog, Beau, was present at the time as she is now, she was no help at all. She can't hang onto the guy ropes and she can't type.

A ferocious guard dog with the killer instinct who has been gainfully employed of late exterminating some of the vermin, but not all of them.

Really just a pussy cat who enjoys sausage and cheese followed by a banana smoothie for lunch.


The weather here at the moment is hot, 35 to 37 most days, and very humid. Thunderstorms most afternoons with some spectacular light shows after dark and a lot of rain.
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 This is Sarah, manager of the Silver Wattle Caravan Park in Mount Morgan.

There are motel rooms, cabins for singles up to families of 5 and powered and unpowered sites for vans and tents. But don't cook or eat food prepared in the camp kitchen, there are good reasons not to and you probably don't want to know.

The Mt. Morgan Motel and Van Park down the road is thirty percent cheaper, and yes they do have some permanents, but surprisingly they are not a problem, no fowl language and no pestering other travelers for anything. The only time I have heard fowl language, was from the drunken permanent at the silver wattle, and in front of children.

The silver wattle caravan park is now up for sale for $1,150,000 on one site and $1,160,000 on another. That was 19/7/2016 and I was told it was no longer for sale, BUT, both for sale signs are still active 25/5/2017

Water Pressure

In my van I have a pressure / flow rate regulator valve of the brass variety and the pressure, or should I say the flow rate inside the van has always been very poor, ie. wait for ages to fill a bottle. I had a look on the net for any mention of this problem and someone mentioned that the easy fix was the spring (C) inside the valve.

When you dismantle the valve, you only need the take parts (A) and (E) apart and then remove the spring (C). In the photo I have expanded all the parts so that the viewer can understand the way it works.

When the pressure in the van increases, it pushes the plunger (D) compressing the spring (C) back into the regulator part (B). It is a little hard to see, but part (B) has some small holes around the middle where the water entering the device through (A) continues to the inside of (B, C and D) and exits through (E). The pressure inside the van forces the black tip of (D) back inside (B) and thus closing the holes in (B) and thus reducing the amount of water able to flow through device.

The only thing you need to do is to stretch the spring (C). It is a tough little bugger and it took all of my strength to stretch it just an eighth of an inch or 3 millimeters. The holes in (B) aren't much bigger, so it would be pointless to stretch the spring (C) any more than that.

Reassemble the device being careful not to damage the 'O' rings. The pressure in my van now is such that I can easily wash all of the soap off me in an instant.