Lay off the 'rude and entitled' Aussie grey nomads, it'll be you one day

I stand before you all today to defend the honour and actions of the grey nomad community. They are coming under attack like never before, accused of all sorts of camp ground atrocities.

While I'm not yet a grey nomad and won’t be for a while, I aspire to one day join their ranks.

And I won't hear a bad word about them.

Who wouldn’t want to roam this wide brown land of ours, spending the kids’ inheritance while proclaiming "it must be 5 o’clock somewhere" every time you pour a charddy into a plastic cup?

Imagine getting up every morning to a cracking sunrise, knowing the day is yours to do as you please.

The Warrumbungles today?

Why not, dear.

Or perhaps we could take the longboards out at Noosa Point before emptying the waste from the camper van toilet?

Excellent idea.

The whole idea of travelling with no set itinerary sounds idyllic (if you can ignore the poo and wee bit).

But someone has shattered my dream before I've even slipped the first Slim Dusty album into the cassette player.

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Self-appointed grey nomad expert slams over-50s travellers

Apparently once I join the grey nomad ranks, I'll be walking into a cesspit of thieving, bushfire-starting, rude and entitled, "mansplaining" over-50s types.

The nomads’ reputation and integrity - not to mention their hygiene - have been brought into question following a scathing assessment from a self-appointed grey nomad expert.

Queensland-based Victoria, aged in her 30s, runs a bar and does a bit of campsite hosting at an outback sheep station in Queensland.

She gave Yahoo News a blistering critique of what to expect should you encounter one of these creatures, saying she felt "the need to speak out about them".

Victoria listed a series of crimes and misdemeanours allegedly committed by those born before 1960.

Among her gripes were "rude and entitled" grey nomads flouting campsite rules, disregarding safety policies and stealing from her.

She accused one couple of dumping 10 litres of effluent just metres from where people parked their caravans.

Victoria added she rarely sees such bad behaviour from travellers 40 years and younger.

Okay, this is where I felt the need to step in.

I'm in that age bracket between an under-40s traveller and a grey nomad.

And I know which one I'd prefer to pull up next to after passing through the campsite boom gate late in the evening.

Grey nomads were welcoming during my camper van holiday

Last year my wife and I hired a camper van and headed up the NSW north coast, pulling into a caravan park just near the Queensland border.

Before we'd even had the chance to drop anchor, a husband-and-wife grey nomad combo approached.

They knew a camper van novice when they saw one and started suggesting the best spots to set up camp.

This couple knew all the ins and outs – where to catch the best morning sun, where the party vans were located, the gun barbecue with the best gas flow, the happy hour times at the local bowlo and how to sneak through a hole in the back fence to get there quicker.

Over wine, beer, cheese and crackers – after assisting us set up our shade cloth outdoor covering (which would have taken me 10 years) - they proceeded to tell us about their travels while pointing out places we should visit.

It was a similarly welcoming experience everywhere we went.

I didn't encounter entitlement just a desire to help

There was no grey nomad entitlement from what I could see, only a desire to help and have a natter while leaving the place the same way they found it.

About the only thing they thieved from me was time, as some of the stories tended to drag on longer than the Pacific Highway.

But, that minor complaint aside, it was all positive.

I wish I could say the same about some other road trips I've taken over the years.

I'd have to say it's usually the younger brigade – present company included – who've caused the most drama after invading some poor, unsuspecting town.

Think booze, late nights, loud music, rubbish and bonfires.

A group of us is still banned from a campsite near Forster, but that's a story for another day.

So, please, lay off the grey nomads.

It'll be you one day.

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