The South Australian town of Victor Harbor is to trial a free camping site as it seeks to attract more grey nomads.
The local council voted to allow self-contained RV overnight camping at the Dump Beach car park in the Hayborough district for an initial period of six months.
The Victor Harbor Times reports that there will be a designated area where camping in a self-contained recreational vehicle is permitted between the hours of 6pm and 9am each day. The vehicles used in connection with camping in the area must be parked within designated car parking bays only.
At the completion of the trial a report will be presented back to council.
However, a push by some councillors to have more designated camping areas around the city was defeated.
Councillors Carol Schofield and Marilyn Henderson wanted the council to endorse a trial for six months for self-contained RV overnight camping at The Esplanade Car Park located on The Esplanade. They had proposed that a ticket from ticket machines in the area must be obtained and the ticket must be displayed on the dash of the camping vehicle.
The Victor Harbor Times reports that it was moved that camping be approved at Barker Reserve car park on George Main Street, Kent Reserve car park on Franklin Parade, Encounter Bay and the Dump Beach car park.
These proposals were voted down.
“I am concerned this could get out of control,” said Councillor Tim Glazbrook. “There will be problems, so I would like to move that we have only the Dump Beach trial.”
Councillor Bryan Littlely agreed.
“We have to give this a go, as we do not have much to lose,” he said. “The intent is to get people in the centre of our town … we need to act quickly.”
Cr Littlely said he would like to have seen the RV area closer to the business district.
“At least we are making a move forward,” he said. “We need to be progressive.”
Hello, a great start. I only live at Nairne but love camping at Rapid Bay because it is cheap. I don’t necessarily want free camping I am more than happy with cheap camping the same as some showgrounds. I will defiantly stay overnight at this free campsite, visit the town and spend some money. I feel it should be for 2 days so this gives you time to visit all the towns in the area and still come back to camp.
So an overnight stop being one night & hrs of entry 6pm – 9am, don’t see how this is going to create a great in put for the town. Need to go exploring so where do I park my rig prior to 6pm & what tourists things are going to be open between 6pm – 9am for us to spend money in this town, yeah again not much thought has gone into this, minium time with after hours…
No, we won’t use it. Not parking up until after 6pm is a deal breaker for us.
Needs to be more like 3pm start
Park up between 6pm and 9am. What a waste of an effort. This will not work. Most are looking to be set up 3 or 4 pm, organise tea then settle in for the night. The next day catch up on shopping, washing and other bits, including some sights. It is obvious that Victor Harbour is not interested in freedom campers. But by doing this, when it doesn’t work, they can say they gave it a go.
Park somewhere else during the day to do everything you want to do then go to the Dump Beack park. Why so negative?
Will be Interesting to see what business will benefit from these hours maybe the pubs
The hours are ridiculous. All the shops will be shut so how to we give financial input to the town. Need to rethink.
Don’t understand how this is of value to the town. Shops are shut, spose you could go to a pub. But really no benefit can be for seen by me, unfortunately.
Too far out of town to be able to walk around and spend money in supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, cinema etc. nowhere to Park MH/caravans in town to be able to look around. Needs to be closer to town centre or somewhere that walking into town is doable
We find a camp before 4 pm. What happens if you leave it till 6pm and it’s booked out, and you don’t have an alternative place to go.
We became full time caravaners in 2020. We are originally from Adelaide and we know Victor Harbour very well. We recently stayed for a week in Goolwa because the CPs in Victor were too expensive. We are always stopped by 3-4pm so 6 pm is far too late. We also walk early in the morning and head off around 10am. I also don’t think our caravan would fit in your spots.
Consequently, we’d be bypassing Victor Harbour with our van and spending our time and money elsewhere.
Perhaps councillors should look at some other successful low cost or free areas. Eg: Kimba who provide a huge free area with toilets and pay as you go showers (recently built) or Kingston who have a huge grass area , toilets and use a $10/night ticket system.
The park is for self contained RVs, not caravans. If the council set up a park as you suggest it would be accused of going into competition with privately owned commercial caravan parks.
Peter, If you check the definition of recreation vehicles, caravans are included in the definition.
The definition is on Wikipedia.
Kingston charges $10 for a TWO night stay – your choice if you only stay 1 night and pay $10 for the pleasure!!! Machine only issues two day stay (can’t buy 1 night at five)….still worth it. Within walking distance of town, beach , Main Street. Ps most no.ads like to be settled well before Sun goes down around 4pm and before native wildlife becomes active.
The councillors didn’t do much homework with campers as the allocated times are just silly. 6 pm to set up camp, no time for sightseeing or shopping as everything will be closed. If their aim was to have the trial fail then they are on the ball. As to getting people to spend money in town I hope it works.
As the councillor who proposed the initial motion for RV parking in a prime and dedicated location between the Rivers in VH I was disappointed to only achieve this outcome. We almost got there but this is at least a start.
Please, if nothing else, have your say here and direct to council so I can continue to push for an improved option.
I have some great insight into this sector and the growth it’s experiencing. I would very much like to have you all visit our town, so will stick with trying.
Cheers
Bryan
Great that you are trying to get a free camp in town. We plan on visiting the area once covid is more under control everywhere. I hate staying in caravan parks as they are too expensive and they cram you in like sardines.
Could I suggest you follow the example of Newman in WA. The mines have taken over all caravan parks so they have created a cheap camping area at the visitor centre. $10 per night no power. $15 per night with power. Water is available to fill your tanks for free. Each camper is allocated 2 parking bays, 1 for the van and one for the car. No time limit for your stay. We had a wonderful week there, catching up with friends who work there and visiting local tourist attractions. Spent money at the local pub, local shops, (not just the big supermarkets), and cafes as well as the visitor centre for our accomodation and some souvenirs for us and to send to family.
If this camp had of been just an overnight sleep spot we would only have spent money for the accomodation for 1 night and then moved on as having to hitch up by 9am would not have left enough time for shopping etc.
Good on you Bryan!
Nice to see we have someone on Council trying to do something progressive – It’s a pity you have to wade through treacle to do it.
Please don’t give up.
Admittedly the Dump Beach car-park is a bit far out of town but it should benefit the local shops just up on the Port Elliot Rd.
I live nearby and will be watching with interest to see how it goes ( once there are some blue lines marked).
(Now all we need is to have the un-leashed dogs on the beach better policed as they are near to out-numbering people!)
I’m planning a trip to Victor Harbour in April/ May for the vintage caravan nationals (was supposed to be this year but…Covid!) so this is take 2, fingers crossed. We’re booked into the caravan park during the event but I’d certainly be willing to park up a night to support a free camping push by council, only wish more councils would realize the benefits especially since caravan park rates are just getting ridiculously prohibitive for most full timers like me, but agree with everyone here that the strict time limit does not work for me either. I prefer to have more time to unwind and explore but I’ll go stay there and be sure to give my feedback to council in person when I’m there.
Its for self contained RVs, not caravans
Peter.. Most caravans now are self-contained the same as motor homes. Why is the council discriminating against caravaners?
I think it needs to be 48 hrs or more so we can prop explore the region and hopefully spend our money thete5 it is no advantage doing whagg they have proposed
just remember this Bryan ,australian’s spend about $10,000,000a day whilst traveling around this country.Perhaps your council ,under your leadership could find a park or unused large area and convert it to a reasonable free parking area.
One day is silly you may get there mid day or later how do you look around the area to see what is around maybe coffee, grab some food and leave next day by 9am a bit dumb most people won’t come
I cannot believe how negative many, if not most, of these comments are.
The council is providing a facility for self contained RVs to stay
within certain hours, yet people are complaining because it’s too far from the town centre, or they like to set up by 3pm, won’t be able to go shopping or see the sights. They seem to be able to do that now…without the opportunity of the Dump Beach park.
There is parking in the streets all around Victor Harbor. To the self interested complainers: Do whatever you want to do during the day and then go to Dump Beach and maybe thank the Council for introducing this facility.
Well said Peter.
People need to realize that this is only a trial at the moment and, if successful, could lead to more sites in Victor with less restrictions. My wife and I frequently wander down to the area in the evening and chat to the people staying there. They are nearly all really pleased with the set-up and appreciative of having somewhere to stay overnight on the South Coast. Many are inter-staters traveling through who would not normally stop here.
Unfortunately there seems to be a small group of “locals” who are vehemently opposed to the idea and are doing their best to have it shut down. As far as I can tell, their only valid argument against it is that a few campers are using the sand-hill area as a toilet, in spite of numerous signs stating that it is for self contained vehicles only. From my observations this only seems to be a problem on long weekend holidays when there seems to be an increase in the number of campers wanting to sleep in cars or pitch tents (I’d suggest reading the comments about the site on Wikicamps to get an idea of the mentality of some of them). Hopefully, more patrols of the area and the issuing of a few fines will deter them.
Other than that I fail to see how anyone can complain about it. I have not seen any increase in the amount of rubbish in the area, have not heard any reports of anti-social behavior by the people staying there and have not heard any noise from the area. I would love for the ‘knockers’ to come up with a valid reason against it other than the toilet facilities ( a problem which I hope can be sorted to everyone’s satisfaction in the future).
For now I would ask everyone using the area to stick to the rules so that we can make it work.
Well, it was inevitable, but camping at the Dump Beach Carpark was canned at the Council meeting on 22nd March.
You can draw your own conclusions after reading the relevant pages of the council minutes (pp 297 – 324 of the pdf document) here – https://www.victor.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/861474/20210322-Ordinary-Council-Meeting-Agenda-Updated2.pdf
Too late in the day to set up camp. We are usually on site by 4pm as we don’t like being on the road all day. Often you need to go to the shops before dinner & usually start preparing dinner well before 6pm. Also don’t like leaving in the morning until 10am. It’s a start I suppose, it would suit some travellers, just not us.