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May 2008 ... The Nomad
May 30
Love at first 'site'
 Well, I’m not quite sure what it all may mean but I was interested to read that Australia’s BIG4 Holiday Parks has signed what’s called a Master Licensing Agreement with Kampgrounds of America (KOA). Apparently, it’s all quite a big deal, and we’re told it’s going to enhance customer service in all BIG4 parks.
“In these uncertain economic times,
when the tourism industry is faced with high interest rates, increasing fuel costs and rapid change, it is exciting to be able to announce a new global commercial relationship that will deliver significant benefits to consumers at BIG4’s Member Parks,” says BIG4 Chairman, Rodger Powell. “BIG4’s 170 parks will gain access to KOA’s ‘tried and tested’ customer management technology, including a real-time reservation service, member loyalty rewards program, service training and a best-practice guest feedback system.”
Hmmm! He goes on to say that the deal will allow BIG4’s award-winning parks to provide a more streamlined, personalised experience to their customers.
Hmmmm! More streamlined? Am I the only one who gets a little suspicious when a super dooper ‘everybody’s-a-winner’ type announcement like this is made? Does more streamlined just mean less staff? If BIG4 parks have suddenly got access to this wonder customer management technology, does that mean less costs and therefore lower camp fees?
I have my suspicions on both counts ... but maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m just too cynical
Caroline Wilkie from the Tourism & Transport Forum would certainly think so. She is gushing about the deal.
“Caravan and holiday parks are particularly important in regional and rural Australia, where they allow visitors to immerse themselves in an area providing vital tourism income to local business,” she says. “The agreement signed between BIG4 and KOA ensures that one of Australia’s major holiday park groups can strengthen its tourism offering, benefitting both park visitors and the tourism industry as a whole.”
And she doesn’t stop there. “By showing innovation in customer service, BIG4 is demonstrating its leadership of the caravan sector – and setting a strong example for others to follow,” she adds. “That, in turn, is good news for the Australian tourism industry.”
Wow! I hope she’s right. I’d be grateful if you guys could keep an eye on BIG4’s exciting newly enhanced customer service for me. They obviously set themselves high standards and I’m sure they’d want to know when they slip!
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May 29
Mission Inconsolable
 Well, just a few days after we reported in these columns that Queensland Premier Anna Bligh had saved a threatened coastal park from the clutches of developers it seems another one is in harm’s way.
When the Sunshine State leader announced with a flourish that Caloundra’s Tripcony Hibiscus Caravan Park was to be retained andthe lessees offered a 30-year lease, she also re-emphasise+d her government’s determination to hold onto caravan parks on State-owned land.
Unfortunately that commitment can do little to save the privately-owned Beachcomber Coconut Caravan Village in the grey nomad hotspot of South Mission Beach.
The 2.26 hectare site, which is metres from the Pacific Ocean, is up for sale with developers strong favourites to snap it up. According to local real estate agents it’s probably the best available development site in the Mission Beach region.
I guess no-one can blame current owners, Don and Janene Gray, for getting the best possible price they can after having run the park for the past 17 years.
The couple also ran the Dunk Island View caravan park for a while. Nonetheless, it’s a sad day.
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland says the often-unique locations occupied by the state’s coastal caravan parks, particularly those waterfront ones, means they will always be in hot demand for development, and will command premium prices.
As yet another one of them prepares to bite the dust, I guess it’s fair to say we ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
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May 28
Battle lines drawn
 More skirmishes to report in what is beginning to develop into a full-scale battle between some caravan parks and what they perceive to be the threat of free overnight rest areas. Reports out of Forbes in inland New South Wales suggest local caravan parks are far from happy with the council’s decision not to ban overnight camping near the town. Lions Park was once the favoured site for passing free campers to pull up but, following concerns raised by the Department of Lands, a new rest area is to be located on land adjoining Wheogo Park. Last month, the council said this was to be an ‘extended stay rest area’, and it expressed its desire to maintain the flow of recreational vehicle travellers to the town.
Well, it’s all good so far.
But four local caravan parks have now joined forces and are telling the world that the growing popularity of free overnight camping is leaving their businesses struggling.
In a letter to the Forbes Advocate newspaper they make a number of points in support of their case. Among the issues they raised were:
- The caravan parks already welcome and provide rest stops at discounted rates for motorhomes and self contained vehicles.
- The four caravan parks offer secure surroundings for those in transit.
- Any size of recreational vehicle can be accommodated in the parks.
- Two of the Forbes caravan parks are pet friendly.
- The Forbes ratepayer is paying for: toilet paper, BBQ cleaning, rubbish removal and maintenance of all Forbes free camping areas in general.
- Forbes ratepayers are also providing free water, as some of campers fill up their tanks that can hold 120 litres plus.
The parks also say that if any of them were to become unviable then any permanent residents and members of staff would be left facing an uncertain future. It’s a tricky one and, with about 50 caravan park closures in New South Wales in the past five years, nobody wants to see any more shutting up shop.
However, I think it is a little bit much to bemoan the cost of toilet paper and rubbish removal at overnight rest areas. That is to completely ignore the money that grey nomads and other traveller pump into local economies. One suspects that the Forbes council – and others all around the country – are well aware of just how much financial benefit we bring with us.
So, have the Forbes caravan parks got some valid points? Or should they just have to deal with the business facts of life? What do you guys reckon? Email us here. Because I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this sort of debate is going to become increasingly common in the months and years ahead.
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May 27
Farmers to offer pitches?
 A few weeks ago we reported in these columns that some tourism industry movers and shakers were pushing for a relaxation of town planning regulations in regional areas to allow farmers to accommodate small numbers of recreational vehicles on their properties.
Tony Charters, the convenor of the Tourism Futures convention to be held in Queensland next month, said this would not only generate additional income for country people but also add to the experience for visitors.
Well, a number of you have emailed in to agree with him, and also to bring our attention to the situation in the UK. There, a new less stringent arrangement has been a big hit and given the country’s caravan industry a massive shot in the arm.
It seems that, after a number of complaints that landholders interested in setting up a park were being thwarted by local planners, a certified location system was introduced. Now, after an inspection by the National Caravan Council, a farmer can offer pitches with electricity and water to a maximum of five caravans without the bother of seeking planning permission. And the system is working well.
According to our sources, spaces at Britain’s 2,500 certified locations are in record demand.
Could something similar work here? What do you think? Email us here.
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May 26
I heard it on the grapevine
 With fuel prices continuing to surge, we are all going to depend ever more heavily on the grey grapevine to help us keep ‘living the dream’. Sadly, grey nomads are more vulnerable than most to the impact an extra 10, 20, 30, 40 cents a litre can have on the sometimes already stretched weekly budget. Of course, we can travel more slowly and trim other costs as much as possible - but when you’re circumnavigating a continent you do have to pay the fuel pump piper somewhere along the line. So, the grey grapevine – that informal exchange of information between fellow nomads – is ever more vital. If you’re heading south and your northbound campfire companion tells you that fuel is 10 cents a litre cheaper in town B than in town C it’s worth planning accordingly.
But that raises a crucial question … exactly how reliable is the grey grapevine? Maybe your helpful fellow traveller was just exaggerating a story for dramatic effect; maybe things have changed since the days/weeks that he or she passed through; maybe the old memory was just playing tricks.
But I know from experience that it can be frustrating discovering that a grey grapevine snippet is a proverbial red herring. The old favourite is the pothole-riddled, corrugated nightmare of a dirt track that you had been promised the night before was “like a highway, mate!”. And I’ll definitely never forgive the encouraging old soul who told me I couldn’t fail to catch a barramundi in a particular stretch of the River Ord (I did!).
But misinformation can also have its upside. I remember driving into Broome one year with tales of overcrowded jam-packed van parks ringing in my ears. What a joy to find that – bizarrely and I’m still not sure why – there were sites aplenty at a number of the town’s parks.
And what about the whispered tips about a “dream camping spot that nobody else knows about”? I guess, like fishing spot certainties, they are really very opinion-based.
Happily, in the end, it seems that no matter how much you have been told, how many books you have read, how much information you have digested, you never really know until you visit a place and find out for yourself how you feel. It’s why the grey nomad experience is so wonderfully different for each and every one of us.
Having said that, the next time someone tells me about the mythical servo where I can pick up a litre of diesel for $1.50 I’m darned well going to go look for it!
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May 23
Tassie goes grey
 For those of us lucky enough to have discovered – and enjoyed – its incredible scenery, magnificent camping options and near-endless variety, Tasmania is inevitably near the top of the ‘must-go-back-there-again-soon’ list.
Okay, so it’s not always the warmest place in the world but – if it was – it would probably be a little too perfect! It comes as something of a surprise then to Tassie fans like us that there is not a huge queue of people desperate to make their home on the island state.
But, it seems there most certainly is not. Indeed, according to reports in the Tasmanian media, some experts are claiming t he state's very slow rate of population growth and resultant skills shortage had created conditions where Tasmania, if it were a business, would be close to receivership. Amazing!
According to Professor David Adams from the University of Tasmania, the yardsticks used by the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to track quality of life, would rate most of the state at no better than six out of 10. And he reportedly believes towns and cities in the state's north are more liveable by international standards than many population centres near Hobart.
And the solution?
Well, according to a story in the Sunday Tasmanian newspaper, Professor Adams says one option is for Tasmania to reinvent itself as a centre for grey nomads.
Sounds like a great idea!
Professior Adams is quoted as saying that, with Tasmania projected to one day have the largest older population in Australia, it should take advantage of the fact and turn itself into a retirement state specialising in aged-care enterprises.
Interesting. So what else could Tassie do to become even more attractive to grey nomads? It’s already got great camping, awesome scenery and friendly locals. What would you like to see? Better roads? More services? Cheaper ferry fares? More sunshine? Email us here. Or do you like things just the way they are?
- Incidentally, Professor Adams says most people looking for a place to live wanted the amenities of a big city and the feel of a country town. He said Launceston, Devonport and Burnie potentially had these features, while Hobart, Glenorchy and Clarence did to a lesser extent. Do you agree?
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May 22
Wildlife under threat
 We carried a story in these columns a couple of weeks ago about a report warning that global warming was set to bring an increase in the incidence of droughts, heatwaves, landslides, flooding and cyclones in Australia.
We speculated about how this might affect planning for our future travels around the country. What we didn't mention - and should have - is how this will also affect (and is affecting) our native wildlife.
A report recently published by WWF Australia entitled Climate Change: What does it mean for Australia's species? maintains that we already have the worst rate of mammal extinction in the world. It says almost 40 per cent of mammal extinctions globally in the last 200 years have occurred in Australia, and that this incredible continent is losing species at an unprecedented rate.
It's shocking and disturbing. And what's worse ... it seems as if we are all to blame. The major factors in driving our woeful extinction record are habitat destruction and alteration, invasive species, and altered fire regimes. And climate change is only going to make things worse.
“The threat posed by invasive species could increase with climate change, with direct repercussions for species like bilbies and rock wallabies,” the report says. “And pests such as the cane toad will thrive in warmer conditions and move into new areas.”
And it gets better. Apparently, weeds are often more effective than native plants at dispersal so they will become more apparent, in part because they are often transported unintentionally by people.
Threatened species like Gouldian finches have already declined as a result of changed fire regimes and, in south-east Australia, the home of black cockatoos and quolls, the frequency of very high and extreme fire danger days is likely to rise up to 70 per cent by 2050 with impacts on these species.
Among the many other creatures likely to be directly and adversely affected by climate change are Red Kangaroos, marine turtles, and albatross.
Happily, though, all is not lost. The report says one of the fundamental ways of keeping the ecosystem resilient is to remove the existing threats to biodiversity, such as invasive pests and weeds, water extraction, and inappropriate fire management. It says by tackling these threats to wildlife and protecting and connecting their habitat, we can give them the room to adapt to climatic changes. And the report’s authors would also like to see our network of national parks and nature reserves expanded.
It’s sobering stuff and a harsh reminder to us all that we should do all we can to travel responsibly, make as light a footprint as we can and hopefully help to ensure that our grandchildren will be able to enjoy our wonderful country and wonderful wildlife as much as we can and do.
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May 21
The essence of the bush
 The Australian Outback is a near endless and mysterious place that means so much to so many different people. Those of us lucky enough to spend months and years travelling through it have a fantastic opportunity to come closer than most to fully appreciating its magnificence. All of those bush walks, and nights spent sitting beneath the stars, and even those long drives through its vastness , perhaps bring us just a tiny bit closer to understanding it.
In our own ways, we all try to interpret the experience. Some of us write detailed descriptions in our journals, some try to write poetry, others are inspired to take up photography, and others still to rekindle that long-forgotten passion for painting.
Art is possibly the medium best suited to trying to truly capture the essence of the Outback and, for that reason, the Brushmen Of The Bush exhibition currently touring the country is well worth a look.
The tour which began almost two years ago in Broken Hill is currently in Mackay and will continue its nationwide journey until July, 2009.
The ‘brushmen’ include Pro Hart, John Pickup, Jack Absalom, Eric Minchin and Hugh Schulz. While three of their number are now sadly departed, their spirit lives on through their vibrant work. The group originally got together in 1972 and they developed a unique style which was lauded across the globe.
Impossible as the task may be these artists have probably come closer than anybody to capturing the harsh beauty of the Outback, complete with its unique colours, trees, skies, wildlife … and, above all, people.
Try to have a look at the exhibition … it’s well worth it.
Dates
16 May – 29 June 2008 Artspace Mackay, Qld
14 July – 5 September 2008 Outback Regional Gallery, Winton, Qld
24 September – 25 October 2008 Qantas Founders Outback Museum, Longreach, Qld
14 November 2008 – 4 January 2009 The Cunnamulla Fella Centre, Qld
27 February – 1 April 2009 Chinchilla White Gums Regional Gallery Qld
22 April – 24 May 2009 Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW
12 June – 26 July 2009 Moree Plains Gallery, NSW
Incidentally, we would love to hear from any of you budding painters, photographers or poets out there. Have you produced any work that may perhaps capture the essence of the grey nomad lifestyle? Email us here and perhaps we can share it with our readers.
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May 20
Saving public van parks
 More good news in the ongoing ‘developers versus caravan parks’ turf war.
The Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has saved one of the State’s oldest coastal camping grounds from the bulldozer’s path. And, there are encouraging signs that the historical and cultural value of these scenic areas is finally being fully appreciated. Ms Bligh recently travelled to Caloundra to announce that the State-owned TripconyHibiscus Caravan Park – where the camping grounds date back to the late 19th century – will not be developed.
”The caravan park is here to stay,” Ms Bligh said with a flourish. “Coastal caravan parks like Tripcony Hibiscus provide affordable facilities where families can enjoy what it means to be a Queenslander – the sun, the beach, the outdoors.”
She said that when the cost of essential living items like groceries and fuel go up, ensuring that low-cost holiday options remain available to everybody is more important than ever.
Hallelujah! Anna. Hallelujah!
The high value coastal location of the park meant it had been under threat since the Queensland Government and former Caloundra City Council undertook a Master Plan to consider its future. This work examined whether the 3.8-hectare park could be relocated to make way for development options including various mixes of open space and commercial/residential uses. But that threat is now gone.
“Over 650,000 Queenslanders holiday at caravan parks around the State every year,” Ms Bligh said. “And for those that come to Tripcony – one of our oldest coastal camping grounds – this tradition will continue. “
The Premier said this decision was in line with her Government’s commitment to retaining caravan parks on State-owned land for low-cost tourism.
The current lessee of the site has now been offered a new 30-year lease for caravan park purposes. The lease will specifically state the site cannot be converted to private freehold, and that a minimum 50 percent of the caravan park must be used for tourist accommodation.
The new lease will also include an easement to enable Sunshine Coast Regional Council to complete a link in the Coastal Walk that stretches along the seafront of the Caloundra region.
“Currently, people enjoying the gorgeous walk have to detour around the perimeter of the caravan park,” Ms Bligh said. “But the new lease will allow for a small easement on the sea-side of the site to enable the council to complete the walk,”
It seems like this is one of those situations where everybody wins. Except, of course, for those cash-hungry developers who wanted to make another few million by gobbling up yet another of our increasingly rare coastal van parks. Oh dear!
***
May 19
Trouble in paradise!
 Could there be division in the ranks? Are we grey nomads not the united force that we should be. Of course, we all know we are a broad church. We are luxury motorhomers; we are battered second-hand caravanners; we are six-months-a-year travellers; we are indefinite adventurers; we are couples; we are singles; we have pets; we don’t have pets … but our differences do not matter, for we are one.
We are travellers of a certain age with a love of Australia and a determination to enjoy everything it has to offer (within reason!) We have so much in common that our occasionally different viewpoints (often related to generators) really don’t matter in the bigger scheme of things.
We are all equal around the campfire … are we not? Sure, we may be a little bit jealous of the luxury fittings of the massive Winnebago next door, or we may wish we’d brought an off-roader like that nice couple in Site 26, but we know the experience is essentially the same for all of us … don’t we?
We know we’ve all worked hard all of our lives and are living the same dream. We are brothers and sisters of the road.
Well, maybe. But it seems even beneath the star-filled Outback sky; even among the paradise that is this great land; even as we live the dream … discord, snobbery and dispute can rear their ugly heads.
In response to our story about grey nomads travelling in tents , we recently received an email from Joan praising the tenting lifestyle. But she warned:
“Both of you need to be a camper from way back to understand you do not need a washing machine and full stove etc, but the freedom is exciting and the cost is even more exciting.”
Fair comment ... but Joan then continues:
“The only drawback is that caravanners do not want to talk to tent people - they think they are an inferior breed.” And then adds cryptically, “little do they know.”
Shocking, isn’t it? Maybe we have been touring around with our eyes shut but we’ve never really noticed (to any great extent) this worrying snobbish phenomenon.
So, let’s have it out in the open then guys. Do you look down your noses at tenters - and presumably all those travelling in less de-luxe rigs than your own? Do you stop for a chat with the couple driving in a brand new 4WD but hurry past the camp of the battlers in the road-weary pre-John Howard’s prime ministership van?
Or, conversely, are you the couple in the tatty van who have been the victims of on-the-road snobbery?
Email us here. This is a story that needs to be told.
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May 16
What about us?
 You may remember a ‘Nomad’ story earlier this week about the growing importance of grey nomads to the tourism industry.
You know the one where the Tourism Futures study conducted by Roy Morgan Research found that nearly 40 per cent of the tourism industry sees older travellers us golden oldies as the way forward.
Well, it appears that it is not just the older Aussies that the survey identifies as a potential cash cow.
“The long flight to Australia is holding up a lot of travellers,” says Tony Charters, the convenor of next month’s Tourism Futures conference. “People in Europe and North America are tending to take more frequent, short-haul holidays for maybe a week, so we need to target the people who have plenty of time such as the baby boomers.”
Sounds fair enough, so far. After all, having the occasional campfire chinwag with a grey nomad from England, or America, or Germany, should help to add more interest and variety to our already stimulating lifestyle.
“These nations already have a culture of motorhome holidays and long-term touring,” says Mr Charters. “So we should start looking at a quality market rather than focussing simply on visitors numbers.”
He argues that the Australian tourism industry should be taking a more entrepreneurial approach to our national parks, and that investment in infrastructure is crucial to achieve that end.
“We need to make the most of our major asset, which is our environment,” he says. “We need to focus on being the world leader in drive touring – with the best presented national parks, the best themed touring routes, unique camping opportunities in regional Australia and the best tourism services in regional towns.”
Yes, okay, okay. I know things aren’t perfect and some facilities could do with a bit of an upgrade … but a lot of us enjoy things pretty much the way they are.
But Mr Charters continues. “Our national parks need significant investment and national co-ordination,” he says. “So they start to compare with the great parks of the world like Yosemite and the Grand Canyon in the US.”
Crikey! It sounds like the tourism bigwigs have got major plans to entice those big-spending overseas grey nomads to our shores. And incidentally, although I have never been there, I have it on good authority that Yosemite has become something of a ‘Paradise Lost’ thanks to over-the-top and over-greedy tourism ventures.
I hope when those hotel-residing movers and shakers sit down at the Tourism Futures Conference in the Gold Coast on June 2-4 to plot Australia’s tourism strategy, they don’t forget about us poor old Aussie grey nomads and our needs and aspirations. After all, we – tens of thousands of us – have been doing our part to support the tourism industry, and indeed entire economies, in regional parts of the country for years. It would be awful to think that in their rush to lure cashed-up international nomads here, these tourism ‘experts’ forgot about the likes of us. It’s called throwing the baby out with the bath water … and it generally ends in tears.
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May 15
The Strait and Narrow
 Well, Wayne Swan’s first budget has been and gone. While we can argue amongst ourselves about whether it all added up to a masterpiece of economic management or a complete disaster, I’m sure there are one or two things we can all welcome.
Like the increase in the Bass Strait passenger vehicle subsidy, for example. In raising the subsidy for standard vehicles from $150 to $180, the new Labor government honours one of its election promises. Happily, a 20 per cent subsidy increase will also apply to other eligible vehicles like motorhomes, buses, and vehicles towing caravans … and that means us.
The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania (TICT) has obviously welcomed the news, saying the state’s tourism industry will benefit greatly.
“This is a big win for the TICT, for the Spirit of Tasmania, its passengers and for the Tasmanian economy,” TICT’s Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Hanna, said. “The Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation Scheme is vital for the ferry service, the tourism industry and the regional economy.”
Mr Hanna said the increase in the rebate would help to offset some of the increased costs of running the Spirit of Tasmania ferries caused by rising fuel costs. He said it would ease pressure for fare increases and encourage more people to use the ferry to visit Tassie.
The increase is also linked to inflation so that each time the Consumer Price Index goes up, the assistance goes up, too.
Now, the fares quoted by the Sprit of Tasmania already include the rebate so I’m not sure whether we’re actually going to see fares drop now (I can dream, can’t I?)… or simply not go up as much as they otherwise would have done.
Either way, it has to be good news. I know that many grey nomads find the cost of hauling a van across the Bass Strait prohibitive. I even know of some who choose to leave the van on the mainland and rough it for a couple of weeks in a tent. However, the last thing you want to do in a place as wonderful and as grey nomad friendly as Tassie is rush the trip.
Prices to make the crossing vary depending on the season, and the length of your vehicle. As a rough guide, a vehicle towing a caravan with a combined length of between 10.1 metres and 11 metres will cost $366 in the off-season, $474 in the shoulder season and $543 in the peak season.
Similarly, a motorhome measuring between 7.1 and 8 metres will cost $132 in off-peak, $159 in shoulder and $195 in peak.
Ouch! It certainly ain’t cheap but I suppose that - as every little helps - we should all say thank you to the nice Mr Swan for trying to keep the costs down.
“Thank you, Mr Treasurer … now what about doing something about fuel prices?”
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May 14
What's in a name?
 Everybody seems to have an opinion about what a grey nomad is. To some, we have to be travelling Australia indefinitely in our caravans or motorhomes; to others we are anyone over the age of 50 taking a lengthyish around Australia trip; and to I guess some younger people we are anybody aged over 25 who slows them down on the road! So who are we? Do we have to have sold our homes to qualify? Do we have to have grey hair? Do we have to travel for more than six weeks at a time? Do we have to live in a caravan, motorhome or camper trailer or are we allowed a sneaky night at friends’ houses?
It’s not as easy as it sounds to put a definitive label on us.
Of course, the dictionaries have had a go.
The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary, sixth edition, defines a grey nomad as:
“ grey nomad n. Aust. colloq. retired person who travels extensively, esp. by campervan etc.”
I guess it’s a pretty all-inclusive definition. But even then, grey nomads who spend time picking fruit, or helping out at farms and caravan parks, or cutting hair, or even camp hosting might take exception to the “retired” element of the definition.
A while back, grey nomad was named as Oxford Australia’s word of the month and they had a look at its origins. They said they were not sure how long the term has been around, but reckoned the first printed evidence occurred in 1995. According to Oxford Australia, the internet presence of the term is overwhelmingly Australian, so they were claiming it as an Australianism.
Oxford Australia then offered a fuller definition of the term:
“A grey nomad is a retired person who travels extensively within Australia, especially by campervan, caravan, or motor home. Grey nomads generally travel with no particular schedule or date to return to their normal place of residence. They are all members of the baby boomer generation.”
What do you think? Does that describe who you are?
Well, I reckon it’s a fair stab but we, the grey nomads, should be able to do even better. At time of writing there is no entry at all for ‘grey nomads’ on the online dictionary Wikipedia. For those of you not in the know … and I’m very much a learner in this regard … Wikipedia is an online dictionary that allows anyone to attempt to define a word and then allows other users to edit, amend or correct previous listings. So, come on, let’s give it a go. Between us we should be able to come up with the definitive explanation of what a grey nomad really is. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grey_nomad&redirect=no and have a crack. Just click on ‘edit this page’ and away you go, although you may have to ‘log in’ first (top right and very easy to do). Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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May 13
A site for sore eyes
 Well, surprise, surprise! A major new tourism industry survey has just identified grey nomads as the best opportunity for growth in the next 12 months.
The Tourism Futures study conducted by Roy Morgan Research found that nearly 40 per cent of the tourism industry now sees us golden oldies as the way forward. Indeed, despite 21 per cent of those surveyed expressing concern about the price of fuel and its effect on drive tourism, many are still relying on the generation of baby boomers to keep the industry buoyant. Anecdotal evidence points to the era of post-war babies cannily stretching out their stays in each location to spread the costs of travel over a longer period.
Tony Charters, the convenor of the Tourism Futures convention to be held in Queensland next month, says it is important that consideration be given to the development of separate recreational vehicle (RV) sites.
He reckons the relaxation of town planning regulations in regional areas allowing farmers to accommodate a small number of recreational vehicles or motorhomes on their properties could be a good thing, arguing that it would not only generate additional income for country people but add to the experience for visitors.
“This could be local show grounds or privately owned facilities in time,” says Mr Charters. “But being parked under a gum tree down by a creek in regional Australia on a property owned by an Australian farmer sounds pretty attractive to me.”
I think many of us travellers would agree as would many landholders. We've just had a farmer write to us from central NSW offering a free site on his property for nomads to park the van. The couple just enjoys meeting people and would be happy for travellers to stay a few days (check the housesitting link for more details). Let's just hope that local councillors will see the big picture and encourage others to do the same.
What do you think? Would you like to see more opening up farmers’ properties to grey nomads? Email us here.
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May 12
Safe as Houses
 Due to the way vehicle theft data is compiled in Australia, it is sometimes very difficult to establish the exact numbers of caravans, motor-homes and camper trailers that are stolen each year.
Certainly, as their
fixtures and fittings become ever more luxurious and their value grows, their desirability to professional
thieves increases. Happily, at the same time, there have also been significant advances in security technology, allowing you to take that bush walk or overnight tenting adventure with relative peace of mind.
As I say, it is very difficult to pin down exactly what is happening in terms of RV theft in Australia but we can certainly take some comfort from the trends in the UK which show a sharp downward turn. Indeed, figures just released at that country’s National Vehicle Crime Conference reveal t hefts of caravans have fallen by 70 per cent in the last eight years.
The chairman of the Leisure Sector Crime Reduction Action Team, Alan Bishop,
told the gathering that, back in 2000 , caravan thefts were at an all time high.
“Some 5,000 caravans were being stolen every year causing distress to their owners and costing the industry millions,” he said. “By working together we have reduced that by some 70% with current levels running at just 1,600 per annum.”
He said the new and innovative built-in security devices that had been developed and caravanners’ raised awareness of the need for vigilance had both played their part in reducing theft. But, he said, by far the greatest impact has been through improved police activity.
It’s all encouraging stuff. I just hope we are learning the same lessons over here.
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May 9
Whither the weather?
 Oh, my goodness. Who can take any more bad news? Yup, as if rising fuel prices, rising van park charges, rising national park entry fees, and rising numbers of developers building on our favourite camping spots wasn't bad enough, now it seems the weather is going to turn on us. A report published recently in the Australian Journal of Rural Health says global warming will bring an increase in severe weather events, including droughts, heatwaves, landslides, flooding and cyclones.
And, according to the research by University of Adelaide and Charles Sturt University, as minimum temperatures rise, we're also going to get changes in the distribution of vector-borne diseases, such as Ross River and Barmah Forest viral infections, food-borne diseases. This will also mean variations in daily mortality and hospitalisation rates, emergency department visits and the use of ambulances services.
“Health effects from climate change will stem from increased temperatures, irregular
distribution of precipitation, air pollution and infectious diseases,’’ said Dr Peng Bi, from the Department of Public Health at the University of Adelaide.
Cheery, isn't it?
It certainly makes you think. How long until we have to start really factoring in how climate change is going to affect our trip planning. I have already read that the CSIRO is predicting wetter conditions in central and north Australia, but drier conditions elsewhere.
In the meantime, I'm going to do all I can. And I'm definitely not going to accidentally leave my environmentally friendly green shopping bags in the car next time I go to the supermarket!
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May 8
Wolf Creek ... No worries
 Wow, what a great response we had to our story in this column last week about the movie, Wolf Creek! It seems like there's no shortage of nervous Nellies (like me) out there who don’t want to risk watching the film and have it lessen the enjoyment of future Outback adventures. Happily, we didn't hear from anybody who had become sospooked that they decided to park up the van permanently … at least we haven't heard form them yet! Kathleen was pretty typical of our correspondents. She says she loves to travel and camp in isolated places and wasn't game to go with her husband to watch Wolf Creek when it initially came out (incidentally, he loved it). "I think I will watch it one day," she says bravely. "But I am jumpy at the best of times."
Richard is one of those who has seen the film, which he describes as "very disturbing".
"I love camping in the outback however and try not to let the movie take away from the enjoyment," he says. "But I strangely have no keen desire to visit Wolfe Creek Crater in the Kimberley."
"Norrrr meeeee, Richaaaaard. Norrrrr, meeeee (that's my voice shaking!).
But that then begs the question … is anyone braver than Richard? Who among you has watched the movie and then been game enough to camp at Wolfe Creek Crater National Park … alone?
Yes, I thought so … you lily-livered lightweights. I'll meet you there at midnight tomorrow ... if you dare!
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May 7
 Is the grey nomad lifestyle under threat from the sea? Well, it certainly appears that many of our fellow baby boomers are foregoing the joys of the open road in favour of those of the open ocean.
Princess Cruises says it has seen a surge in first-time cruisers aged over 55 on its Round Australia expeditions … and it has scheduled another three
circumnavigations for next summer to keep pace with demand.
The cruise line says that two-thirds of passengers aged over 55 years who have booked on the 28-night voyages are new to cruising, reflecting the growing interest in longer, premium cruise holidays from this age group. The cruises, which depart from both Sydney and Melbourne, visit 13 of Australia’s most beautiful coastal destinations.
"Instead of hooking up the caravan and taking months to drive around the country, these circumnavigation voyages take you to some great coastal cities and some even greater natural wonders in just a month," says Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia which operates Princess Cruises in Australia. "Our ships offer all the ingredients we know Australians look for in an exceptional holiday – premium service and accommodation, great food and entertainment, plenty of time to relax. And the best part is you can leave the driving to someone else."
Fair enough. But can you have a campfire? Can you argue with the captain about the best route to take? Can you stay a few days longer if you really like a place? Can you show off about how many kilometres your rig gets to the litre? Can you take your fishing rod? (I don't know, maybe you can).
But anyway, I appeal to all of you considering cruising off into the sunset to come back to the grey nomad fold. We know you've been tempted by the luxury; by the promise of untold creature comforts; by hot showers every night; by restaurant dining; by no driving, no packing and unpacking, no van reversing showdowns … but think again. Do not give up your grey nomad status so lightly.
Still toying with the idea of abandoning us? Well, the 28 days is going to cost you nearly $11,000 per couple. That sort of cash would put an awful lot of fuel in the tank!
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May 6
 Considering many American's passionate attachment to their constitutional right to bear arms, it came as something as a surprise to me to learn that they had no more right to carry a loaded gun into their national parks than we do in ours.
That, however, could be all about to change. Under pressure from the gun lobby, the US Department of the Interior has proposed rolling back regulations that prohibit people from carrying loaded guns in national parks. Analysts say the lifting of the 25-year-old ban could be pushed through before the Bush administration leaves office early next year. I'm not sure if I was camping my way around the US whether I'd feel any safer knowing that a stack of my fellow campers in national parks could be armed to the teeth. But, it seems, regulations or no regulations, plenty of visitors are packing heat anyway.
“When I’m in a state or national park, I’m armed,” said Jerry Patterson, Texas General Land Commissioner. “An unconstitutional rule promulgated by a federal bureaucracy is not sufficient to deny me that right.”
Gulp!
But before you start cancelling your dream trip to the US, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees reckons all of the arguments about changing the gun regulations are a nonsense. They reckon it's a waste of time because the statistics show that US national parks are already among the safest places in the country. The probability of becoming a victim of a violent crime in a national park is 1 in more than 708,000 - less likely than being struck by lightning, the groups said.
Thankfully, the chances of being the victim of a violent crime in Australia is even more remote. Nonetheless, I suspect there are more than one or two grey nomads and other campers who keep some sort of firearm secretly tucked away somewhere while they travel. I guess it may give some people peace of mind (like the family who managed to shoot an attacking crocodile in Cape York a few years ago) but, in reality, they will never be needed or used.
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May 5
 While grey nomads towing a caravan, a camper trailer, or even a small 4WD, are a pretty familiar sight on our roads, not many of us are game to haul a yacht behind us just yet.
But that could be about to change. Organisers of the recent Trailable Yacht Festival in Geelong reckon there is increasing interest in the craft. And guest speakers at the event at the event were Eric Gibbons and Flo Barnett from Fremantle in Western Australia, who travel Australia with their 7.5m trailable yacht for nine months of the year. The couple simply pull up at any likely waterway for a sail and an overnight stay.
Sounds great, doesn’t it?
It has to be the perfect solution for those who find a tinnie doesn’t give them the comfort they need while out fishing … but then again, sleeping on board a boat isn’t for everybody.
Anyway, the couple have apparently got some great stories to tell of their adventures, particularly those along the Kimberley coast. They are currently heading up to the Gulf so keep an eye out for them on the road ... and in the water.
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May 2
Plans are moving ahead to convert 20 acres of land near the Bruce Highway, to the west of Bundaberg, into a multi-million dollar caravan park complex. If the proposal is approved by Bundaberg Regional Council, the new park will be able to comfortably accommodate the larger grey nomad rigs that are increasingly doing the rounds.
The couple behind the plan, George and Roslyn Pyziakos, say it will boast sites that will allow large motorhomes and fifth wheelers to pull straight in and straight out without having to turn around.
The site at Currajong Farms Road south of Gin Gin would also feature facilities to enable it cope with horses and horse owners travelling to competitions or racing events … one of very few parks in the country able to do so.
Once approved, the construction of the caravan park could take up to a year.
Hay ... isn’t that something to look forward to?
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May 1
What about us?
 Just when you think it can’t get any worse … it does!
There are a lot of theories about why fuel costs are continuing their dramatic upward journey but, from a motorist’s point of view, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it is happening - and it is hurting. Oh, and according to Caltex chairman Elizabeth Bryan we can look forward to more of the same. She told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in Sydney: "There is long-term upward pressure on petrol prices and Australians, like motorists around the world, can expect to pay more." Great.
While Kevin Rudd loves to talk about the pain of ‘working families’ and Brendan Nelson talks about the financial hurt of ‘everyday Australians’, who is talking about the absolute agony of grey nomads?
I can’t think of any group more directly and more personaly affected by the bowser price hikes. Whereas most people travel hundreds of kilometres a week, we travel thousands. Whereas most people have a small car to take them from the suburbs to the city, we have 4WD’s towing caravans and large motorhomes.
Yes, it’s a lifestyle choice. And yes, grey nomads are lucky to be able to live in such a wonderful way. But most have worked hard all of their lives to get themselves into such a ‘fortunate’ position, and many are travelling on an extremely tight budget.
I can’t keep track of how much diesel has gone up in the past year but I know I’d have been spluttering in my cornflakes last dry sesason if I’d been paying $1.60 plus per litre in metro areas. Fuel is the biggest expense for most grey nomads and it has gone absolutely through the roof.
So what about it, Kev? Next time you make a speech about the anguish caused by rising fuel costs … sure, talk about working families, and trucking companies, and the effect it will have on food prices in the supermarket … but how about you give us a mention, too?
No-one expects you to be able to be able to do much about the surging cost of crude oil and what it means at the bowser … but an acknowledgement of our particular difficulties would be nice. We enjoy tea and sympathy as much as the next man.
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