Excited by the surging number of self-contained travellers seeking to visit the city, Bunbury in Western Australia has decided to investigate the viability of free and low cost camping sites.
The local council has just accepted the recommendations of the Camping Grounds Working Group, which says everything possible should be done to capitalise on the growing numbers of grey nomads and other travellers in the region.
Included in working group’s list of eight recommendations was the suggestion that Turkey Point and Cobblestone Park should be further investigated as potential sites for cheap or free accommodation.
However, the Bunbury Mail reports that there was controversy surrounding the potential detrimental impact the plans may have on current park operators in the city. It said the working group – which included key Bunbury accommodation industry stakeholders – rarely found overall agreement or consensus, and council was urged to address these concerns further if plans proceed.
The city will also be looking into the possibility of ‘RV-friendly’ parking locations around the CBD to encourage more visitors to utilise the City’s assets.
·        Will free or budget camping in Bunbury encourage you to visit or stay longer? Where do you currently stay when in the area? Comment below
Yes, we free camp only as we are living off savings only therefore will stay, shop, fuel up etc. etc. in those towns that offer free camping. People like us contribute to these towns over & above those that use caravan parks. You need to offer both as a lot of travellers will only stay in caravan parks, so the operators won’t be missing out.
Fully agree
We would definitely stay for more than 2 days if there was a cheaper alternative
If they poopoo this arrangement I will stay elsewhere and spend my money in RV friendly towns. It is my choice to help RV friendly communities.
When we visited Bunbury we were impressed by the tourist info centre except for the fact you can’t parrk an RV within cooee of it.
No free camping equates to no spending of money in towns for us….we look and leave. There are plenty of people who prefer vanparks, but van parks generally do not cater for seniors: we do not need bouncy castles etc etc. Most of us are self sufficient and simply want a safe place to park up AND not be squashed in like sardines on a postage stamp size piece of real-estate.
So true! The parks are too expensive and we have never stayed. Last time we were passing through we wanted to stop at the Farmers’ Market but we couldn’t even find a place to stop. If there was somewhere free or low cost we would visit. I don’t think it would impact their parks much. People who have set holidays, work and can afford to pay. They like to book and are not so concerned about the cost – like my son!
We are bunbury people but dont stay local to dear. Fuel is dear in Bunbury compared to Pinjarra. Cobblestone would be perfect.
When we can stay in a town offering free camping for self contained vehicles we spend money on fuel, groceries, coffee shops, local museums etc. All businesses in town share our money. I am an Australian resident who has travelled in New Zealand extensively and motor home friendly towns benefit greatly from grey nomads.who do not always want to stay in caravan parks. We don’t stay in towns which don’t offer an alternative.
Cities should only have the van parks. Free camping is for ‘along the way’. I wouldn’t blame the park owners for dis agreeing with the proposal. Dump point and van parking is a must though.
Free camping should be provided in every town. You will still get the people who want to stay in parks. The free camping allows more people to enjoy your region. People spend money if camping fees are not too expensive. Caravan parks are pricing themselves out of the market. They could provide cheaper options if they wanted to.
Free dump point as well,you are behind the times,city with no dump point. Wrong.
We love Bunbury but can’t afford to stay in van parks as our only income is the age pension. We have a fully self contained caravan and don’t need to go to a van park. We always spend in a town that allows us to free camp. The van parks still get plenty of business but the choice should be there,,,,,van park or free camp!
I was part of an organisation that ran a survey that showed how much people spent ALL OVER TOWN when they free camped.It showed that towns benefit greatly when they had free camps and caravan parks still did okay as they cater for a different clientel. We free camp as we can’t afford to pay the outrageous caravan park fees, but if we do stay in one we still only stay in towns that have free camps. Sorry if I went on but I get so angry when Caravan Parks say free camps will put them out of business when it is just not true.
We would stay in Bunbury if there was a free camp or low cost camp. It would be a good place to be based and look around the area also we would be spending money in the town.
Free camping in the vicinity of caravan parks has always been a hot topic with many and varied opinions. In our eight years full time motorhoming I believe caravan parks are pricing themselves out of the market.
Many have dated or run down amenities with sites that were laid out in the 1950’s for smaller caravans, sites you couldn’t swing a cat on. Townsville is a case in point, we were paying $228 per week for a very ordinary park.
Then you have the free camps that are overrun by backpackers in their slamming door vans who break every camping protocol in the book. Home Hill is a case in point where a beautiful purpose rest camp in the centre of town is packed most of the time with little room for caravans and motorhomes near the amenities. And unlike common wisdom backpackers spend very little in the town to a point where the council are considering closing the facility down.
Same as the BP roadhouse in Wulguru Townsville, twenty or so backpackers a night who spend very little in the roadhouse for the work they cause. The management has put up notices, one very to the point rule was “no walking around the roadhouse brushing your teeth”. Says it all doesn’t it.
Some Tourist information Centres will install a container so you put the dockets of your spending in, they can then record this and use it to prove to the “sceptics” that free camps bring money to the town
As secretary of a caravan club, part of my duty is to write to any shire council where we have just had a rally with the amount spent in their town during the clubs 3 or 4 day stay. In the last 12 months I have had only 1 response from a council, that shire being Chittering so if you are over here in the West drop into Bindoon and support them as they seem to be the only ones who care about caravanners. The others like the dough but don’t want to correspond. By the way, we paid for the use of the hall and a fee for parking even though there are a few spots near the hall. We left those for the travelling public.
Hi Rob just wondering what caravan club you are part of?