Camper Trailers Tech Tips

Little Wombat Bush Campfire

 

 

 

product test

little wombat bush campfire

 

 introduction 

    I had the opportunity recently to trial a Little Wombat bush campfire thanks to Ian Porteous from Dreamtime Campers in Newcastle. The Little Wombat is a high quality stainless steel, fully insulated portable firebox which can be used as a campfire, a bbq or a spit.

    A campfire is one of the joys of camping in the bush & I like the idea of having a fire which does not scar the ground. Next morning I emptied the ash onto the edge of the bush clearing to be washed into the ground during the next rain, leaving the camp area in a pristine condition, untouched for the next camper. We are fully behind the conservation of our natural environment & the practice of Leave No Trace Australia

 

what you get 

    The Little Wombat comes in an orange zippered canvas bag with the carry handle webbing sewn around the circumference of the bag & not just to the top, to support the weight. The upright folded dimensions are 510mm long, 250mm wide & 370mm high. All you need for a fire as well as cooking is conveniently stored inside including a cast iron bbq plate, a cast iron grill & a rotisserie which uses two D cell batteries to cook the perfect roast. The Little Wombat weighs around 15kg.

 

using it 

    Setting up is easy. Just unzip the bag & unfold the legs which elevates the Little Wombat off the ground to about 200mm. The two stainless steel top covers lift off & clip onto the side of the fire box to provide shelving to rest your bbq cooking utensils etc. Out comes the two cast iron bbq plates & the rotisserie.

    If using it as a bbq or rotisserie you first need to light the fire. An alternative fuel source other than wood could be heat beats. When the fire has reached the right temperature, place the bbq plate in position & start to cook. Easy as that. I did find the fire to smothered a little & smoke when I put both plates on, however when I removed them after cooking the fire once again burst to life.

    The  rotisserie is also easy to assemble & clips into the Little Wombat's firebox surround. The shaft comes in two halves & screws together.  After cooking, the Little Wombat can be used as a campfire. Because the firebox is insulated the sides are not red hot making it safe for small kids, though in cold weather I would say you will need to sit over it more to get the heat coming from the top.

    When heading off to bed the lids can be replaced on top of the firebox, smothering the fire & making it safe to leave for the night.

    Some form of fire grate/bbq plate lifter would be a handy addition as part of the package for removing the bbq plate or grill.

 

likes 

  • everything packed inside the fire box for storage so you are not looking for bits & pieces.

  • versatility of the Little Wombat as a camp fire, bbq or spit.

  • safe for young kids melting marshmellows.

 

summing up 

    A fantastic idea for having a safe campfire with the environment in mind leaving no ugly scaring on the ground. The Little Wombat is priced at $280 plus $30 postage.

 

 

 

 

easy storage unzipping legs down
 

 

bits inside fire grate cooking plates
 

 

rotisserie lighting the fire lit
 

 

nearly cooked campfire evenings campfire

 

by Rob

 

february 2009