Esperance's scenic coast attracts many visitors (photo: Tourism WA)
After flirting with the idea of allowing free short-term camping for self-contained caravans, campervans and motorhomes, Esperance Shire Council has decided not to pursue the plan.
The Western Australian town – a long-time favourite with grey nomads – was initially keen to follow the example of other regional towns such as Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Lenora in offering free short-term camping..
The proposal was put forward by Robert Hicks, chair of the Goldfields-Esperance Tourism Alliance who suggested a broader regional approach would attract more grey nomads and other travellers. However, councillors eventually felt unable to endorse a free camping area for self-contained RVs … much to the delight of local van park owners.
“There is absolutely no advantage in providing free parking for RVs in town,” the owner of the Esperance Seafront Caravan Park, John D’Emden, told the Esperance Express.
Esperance Bay Holiday Park manager Nigel Gardam agreed, saying the provision of free RV parking would have been disastrous for local tourism parks.
“It would affect our occupancy rates and our livelihoods,” Mr Gardam told the local paper. “I’m glad that council decided not to go down that road.”
Do you understand why Esperance Shire Council doesn’t want a short-term free camping spot close to the town? Comment below.
Of course the manager of Esperance Bay Holiday Park would say there is absolutely no advantage in providing free parking for RVs in town. But he was referring CP owners and not us, right?
I wonder what would happen to the legions of GNs on the road around Oz if ALL free camping were to disappear overnight.
Why dont the council look at putting in ‘stop no longer than 48 hours’. Coolamanshire in NSW has the perfect set up. It cost $2.00power for 12hours. They were fantastic. I’m a Traveller, but have not free camped as yet. I am a strong supporter of spending in any town as these people need tourism. Of course the Caravan Park owners are delighted all they see is Dollars. Look what I’m trying to say is lets think outside the square and allow it even if a limited amount of sites.
We all would like free camping but fair go to the caravan parks. The small parks we go to have expenses too and have to charge to keep afloat. The y like any business are there to make a profit otherwise there is no point. We need caravan parks not everyone can free camp indefinitely or are able to do so. Also the way the world is travelling the security of a caravan park can be comforting to some.
If all the GN blacklisted Esperance then maybe the shops in town would have a say. I am sick of paying high prices for the privilege of parking my van in a caravan park when not requiring the use of amenities, pools etc. We even have our own power source. If we could pay a minimal price then ok but not $35 or more. When you are on a pension this soon adds up. There will still be plenty of visitors willing to pay to use the caravan parks but when we are self sufficient why should we pay the excessive costs. We are just about to start our trip around Aussie land and it looks as though we won’t be visiting Esperance unless they change their minds.
Julie don’t avoid Esperance, stock up with food from outside Esperance then head to Cape Le Grande national park . Fees are reasonable and the views would have to be some of the best in Australia. Get back at the Council and high priced caravan parks by not leaving any cash in their community then they may wake up
Does that mean we can’t visit the town for any longer than is necessary or stay at the expensive caravan park for as long as ones money lasts. Phew, for a second there I thought the town was not RV friendly. What about the dump point?, the dollars to be spent in the town etc…does that go with the drive through? Little thought given to encouraging tourism for the town and region, other than deciding NOT to do it…lucky there is a great view down there or it would go the way of Tassie, as a bypass (or forget it, its too bloody expensive)!
Yes it all comes down to money. I can see a lot of GN and regular tourists who use Free Camping, not stay in the town, just pass through, thereby loosing money for the town. I certainly wont be staying in the Tourist Park or Caravan Park if they can tell us what we can and cant do.
As a single white female (!) travelling solo with my caravan, doing an exploratory trip of life as a GN, I was not impressed with WA. The caravan park in Esperance did not impress me much at all. Don’t even get me started on Perth, the costs and the very low standards. I couldn’t get out quick enough. My four month, 16,000km trip was saved by SA! I did find some stunning, remote spots in WA that were super cheap or free, and that was the saving grace. However, I doubt I will ever return to WA, particularly considering the fuel costs between the limited wonderful spots.
I know I probably sound very rude, but its just my opinion 😉 and I’ve heard the East coast will delight me!!
I am from the east coast, and find it extremely beautiful but the west coast from Broome to Perth and below Perth was just stunning. I hope to do it again next year, The wild flowers were also out and often we pulled over to admire them.
I know that it sounds awful, but if no one went to the CP and no one spent any money in the town I am sure the council would change or be forced to change if no money came in. No petrol sales, no food sales, no laundrymats and the list goes on to the next town. Look at Emerald that welcome the GN dollar
Wake up Esperance Council, I am sure you have no idea what the Grey Nomads give to your town caravan parks are not the only ones trying to make a dollar, fuel,food,clothing,repair business will all miss out when we just look and move onto the next town that welcomes us.
We are currently staying in Esperance (as a guest on private property). We have observed that all the caravan parks in Esperance, as well as the camp sites in the nearby Cape Le Grande National Park are almost full, not school holiday time, but with Grey Nomads, waiting for the heat to settle before they head off north. In two weeks time, school holidays hit here in WA, so where will the families go? Let the families have the tourist parks, give some more thought for what Grey NOmads really want, which is often not what the tourist parks are offering.
As grey nomads who both freecamp and use caravan parks occasionally (cost is a factor here) here is an ideal chance for an enterprising caravan park ( or sporting ground committee) to have an area set aside for self contained vans and charge them $5- $10 a night for the privilege of parking somewhere safe that they can leave the van and do the tourist thing around town. Have a max amount of nights that they can stay. Maybe 3 nights. Everyone is winner, caravan park is getting an income( albeit a small one) and the community is gaining with money spent in town for fuel, food, tourism activities ,repairs, laundrette etc.
Sue, I heartily agree with your comment. Your idea would also be a good fundraising idea for sporting clubs etc too !! A win/win both ways !!
The caravan parks complain about people free camping. But if we all dicided to book in at every town we come too a lot of us would be turned away as the c/parks wouldn’t have enough room to cater for all of us. And what about all the parks that refuse to take pets. Do these parks complaining take pets??? And where do they think pet lovers will stay?
For clarification on the Shire of Esperance Council’s position please see media release ‘Shire supports RV-friendly region concept’ here: http://www.esperance.wa.gov.au/3/55/1/media_releases.pm
Here’s a tip: if the council’s so committed to attracting ‘RVers’, maybe start by giving us what we want… like a free camp site. If council had taken the radical step of listening, they might discover that we don’t call ourselves ‘RVers’, even.
It is such a shame to see so many negative comments about free camping. I am a grey nomad and unlike a lot of you I don’t expect to be able to get every thing for free! Boo Hoo you have to pay to stay. I guess those of you who don’t want to pay your share don’t know anything about the cost of life. Because if you did you would know that towns, businesses and living, costs money. And that is what park owners are trying to do, Make a living and a life for their families and their kids future. Obviously you’s have no idea about the cost of business, we pay exhorbadent fees to the shire to be allowed to operate and so have to pass those costs on to the consumer just like any other business. so if you want to lower park fees complain to the shires about park license operation fees. Also if you think for one minute it’s about making big bucks out of people think again. Come have a look at our balance sheets. We will not retire wealthy people. I am a builder by trade and can make a lot more money building and my wife from nursing, but we don’t do this for the money. We do it because we love the life and strive to provide a great experience for our patrons. Perhaps you won’t mind if when our group travels we might use your driveway and backyard and sidewalk to camp on free of charge, why not you paid for your place too didn’t you? So why should you care if we camp on your front lawn, use your power, water and facilities for free!!
Nigel, everything you have said is all about you. the comments are not negative they are everyones individual opinions including yours. Grey Nomads dont expect or get anything for free. They still have to spend their hard earned on living, including in the same place you do. Grey Nomads have spent a lifetime working their guts out to be able to do this. They certainly have helped run and support this country and no one can tell them in their declining years, that they have not got the right to park their van in a free part of their australia. BooHoo we dont have to pay to stay for things we dont need or can afford. But most of the rest of the businesses in a town will benefit or lose a massive market across the board, van park owner self focus does not seem to want to consider them. Councils who want to cater to the little toe at the expense of the body are totally foolish. Nobody wants to park in your front yard for free. If you want to park in mine its only ten bucks and you can have power, but if you want to use my pool and trampoline its thirty bucks, you will have the choice. For a lot of your fellow aussie battlers, they have scraped enough together to be able to live their dream to what ever degree that is and if they cannot afford your prices should they just stay home and vegetate. To most pensioners if they cant freecamp or cheapercamp some of the time then it is not possible for them to live their choice of lifestyle in their remaining years. Fair go!!!!!!! You have other trades but you want to pursue your dream,WELL SO DO THEY. Babyboomers are a massive flood in progress, do what you must do to go with the flow or go under. Consider others as well as yourself. Adapt.
Totally agreed people are not wanting to camp at caravan sites for free thats just stupid but yes for cheaper self sufficient options would be good and easier to find information on free camping like im looking for somewhere to go fri sat sun need reception on beach with pets and free its pretty hard to get clear information if i can have my dog along the beaches as some places go in and out of national parks
We are not so grey nomads who work occasionally while travelling. We service caravan parks but not whilst working. We have previously worked in Esperance while staying at a caravan park, and what an awful experience it was. Not that it was anyone’s fault, but as shift workers we need our sleep during the day which is when most people and children are up and about. One caravan park had a problem with their electricity which kept switching off as it couldn’t handle the amount of people and when we stepped out of our van we had to step over our neighbours tie downs as we were packed in. I have been told by the permanents of one caravan park in Esperance that this year there have been a lot more people in the park than previous years. We were asked to return this year to work and found a very peaceful place which the council is now closing down. Looks like we will have to apologise to our employers and move on. We have never had a problem in the five years (2 of which has been in WA) by staying on people’s property (which we only do whilst working). And what about last year when the gun club allowed a caretaker to stay in their van on their property in lieu of looking after the place? What about other people who offer travellers a patch of dirt to stay on their property in lieu of work? I believe travellers are one of the main advertisements for a town as we meet lots of people along the way, always discussing the places we’ve been and I know we have gone out of our way to visit a place we have been told about. There is always going to be certain groups of people who will only stay in caravan parks, those who only free camp and then us who do a bit of both, but the main thing is we all bring money to your town and if you or the locals don’t care about us tourists, then why waste your money on advertising your beautiful town.
The seaside caravan park is so run down.Ive been coming for a few years and each time the sites are so unkept.Permants are so untidy.the girls do a great job keeping the toilets clean they need an upgrade and the laundry well don’t even go there. Children’s so called play ground the 1950’s.Yet each time the price goes up.
We like the position of this park that’s the only reason we come to this
park.
I agree, they need upgrading. I am not a traveler with the lucturies of toilet, kitchen etc. But have a car to sleep in. There is not a lot of places that u can sleep free except way out of town. My adult children & I stayed at this park in 2014 for months, and were charged $340 a week for a tent site. I won’t be doing that again. Other states only charge $170 a week . Esperance need to lower prices or loose people. Just because u have loverly beaches u shouldn’t depend on it attracting people.
Everyone in talking about “free camping” I thought the proposal put to the Esperance council was for “freedom camping” this is meant for self contained vehicles to park overnight at selected places for a small fee. It is “freedom of choice” some CP’s could provide this option too.
My choice of vehicle is self contained, it is taller than a caravan so the solar panels are at risk from low branches in the average CP, the panels don’t like a “nice shady spot” anyway. Most CP’s are not an option even if I liked them.
It is unbelievable the way some councils spend money to deter a mix of visitors to their town.
Carnarvon employed more rangers, paid for advertising on radio and newspapers, erected signs and have a “dob in a free camper” attitude to warn against free camping. Now they are scratching their head because the visitor number is down and several shops have closed. I am no longer a heritage volunteer doing un paid maintenance. Fun people!
My plans to visit Esperance have evaporated, the National Park sounds good but we would also like to have a restaurant meal and stay in town at night.
The member list of RV friendly towns is growing, thank you CMCA.
Caravan park owners always try to get on to couincils in tourist areas and bl;ock this sort of thing. Because they have a vested interestr they shoul;d not even be discussing it–let alone voting on it.
I am confused by the CP managers comments. We were left high and dry in that area because all the parks were ‘booked out’. Please explain?
Has anyone written to the Council to voice your excellent opionions on here. We are full time travellers and find paying top dollar in a CP which is crowded and have more cabins and permanents in them than Caravan sites is not our way of enjoying our camping. I was going to stay in Esperance, but after reading some of these comments, I may just look around for the day and move on further.
We are fully self contained and mainly free camp with an occasional stop on a park. This gives us the peace and fyreedom we want and allows us to spend more in the local shops and cafes etc where we are staying. We decided not to stop in Esperance because there was no where to free camp. The caravan park owners seem to believe if there were no free camps we would all use the caravan parks but this is not true. Most travellers would stop travelling because it would be too expensive which would be a loss to everyone.
Yep. Byassing Esperance.
Disappointed and a ruined trip. So friggen greedy.
Went to cape le grand paid our fees and still got told to
Got told to leave. Esperance we won’t be coming
Back. Greedy council. All about ripping people off
Sure I understand it, but it will impact tourism. We will plan the shortest times possible or avoid these places all together. I also prefer to do all shopping even the basics in other towns
No free camping or cheap fees will give esperance a miss will support towns that want are business