Should grey nomads really expect to be able to camp at places like this for free?
Grey nomad Dave Miller says that he has to pay for rates, insurance, and amenities when he is at home … so simply doesn’t understand why some travellers suddenly expect accommodation to be free when they hit the open road.
Is the expectation that you can roll into a town and find somewhere to park your rig for an extended stay, for free, somewhat unrealistic?
We spend about six months of the year ‘on the road’ with 80% plus of the time in caravan parks. We like the security, being able to unhitch our van and go on ‘day trips’ sightseeing with a reasonable expectation that our rig is still going to be there, and in one piece, when we get back.
We like the fact that the likelihood of ‘hooligans’ or other unwanted ‘guests’ running rampant at night is greatly reduced; the convenience of power/water and other amenities; and the opportunity to provide business to a small business that employs local people.
We own a house and have to pay council rates, water rates, insurance, electricity, and all of the other maintenance issues that come along without doing a single thing above and beyond just being there. So, when we hit the road we certainly don’t have the expectation that now everything should be free.
If you take the cost of fuel out of the equation our expenses on the road are actually less than what they are when we are at home and, as I mentioned earlier, we spend more than 80% of our time in caravan parks.
Sure, we do the occasional stop at a ‘free camp’ but, more often than not, it is of necessity rather than choice. And to be honest, we have never stayed in a dirty caravan park, but can’t say the same for ‘free’ camps.
Towns make their ‘income’ by rates paid for by the local residents so, by extending the idea of ‘free’ camping, the line of reasoning becomes that local ratepayers should be subsidising our holidays. Maybe the local residents should pay higher rates so we can have ‘five star’ free camping?
It is any wonder that we, the baby boomers, are viewed as the ‘entitled generation’?
I see people say, ‘well if I can’t stay for free’ then I am not going to spend any money in that town’. Maybe I should try that out on our local council, tell them that if I have to pay council rates then I won’t shop locally. I wonder how far I will get with that?
Sure, everybody likes a great deal but there is an old saying ‘every great deal leaves enough on the table for the next bloke’. The idea of not wanting to contribute anything to the deal, or leave anything behind, will always kill it in the end!
Agree….no such thing as a free lunch though there are some who expect dinner as well. The cry is support local business. Is a caravan park run and owned by a family a local business? A certain brand who we use when we can, are generally privately owned and most employ locals for cleaning etc. Dave, we travel like you, your points are spot on mate. Safe travels
I agree whole heartedly, someone has to pay, to say we buy enough in these towns doesn’t really sit right with me. Surely if you can’t afford at least $5, you shouldn’t be on the road. The council has to pay someone to keep the facilities we want access to.
I agree totally . Small towns ect are dying and to help them out just a little by staying in their caravan parks and by shopping in that little old corner shop helps . It might not make them millioners but every dollar helps them to survive another day . Rob
I agree with some of this article. However having free camping benefits more than one owner of a caravan park, often a big national organisation. People will stop to refuel, have a meal, restock on provisions, have repairs done etc. This creates benefits across the community. Like it or not, there is no way to change the minds of ‘free’ campers. If towns want them to stop and spend, then they have to become RV Friendly. When Bunbury opened up free camping they noted that $52,000 flowed to the community in a couple of months, and that was only what they knew about! One suggestion is for caravan parks to supply non powered sites at low cost for self contained vehicles. No access to amenities, washing machines always cost extra anyway. That would be the best of both worlds for many of us.
Dave Miller must be very selective when it comes to van parks if he has never stayed at a dirty caravan park. We have struck quite a few all around Aussie. I agree that most are very clean but they also charge exorbitant prices for what is supplied
Maybe caravan parks should look at there prices,we like many on the road now are fully self sufficent and dont require all the bells and whistles.At the same time towns may make there income from rate payers but the small businesses dont they need us so its time councils need to look at the big picture.I have said many times before Caravan parks dont care they are wiping out the Motel industry when they whack in a few cabins We will continue to support towns that have free or low cost camping and bypass the ones that dont.Stevo.
Most grey nomads have paid rates, taxes, and all the usual household bills all there lives. In the mid to latter working years part of there income taxes were probably put to subsidise childcare for generations who expect To have 2 incomes the best house in the street with new furniture and 2 cars. Many of the grey nomads would have lived on single incomes while raising their families and with no baby bonus or help with education or government handouts. Most don’t have large super funds to draw on. Why should they not be able to access a few free or low cost camps if they need them to travel the country. Maybe it’s time caravan parks supplied a low cost site if you are self contained. Sometimes I wonder who the entitled generation really is.
Helen, you are right, it all comes about money, if I a had a lot of money, I still would not go in a caravan park, I love the distance between people, the choice to make connection, I like free camping, my own space and the money goes all along the way to the shops.
By the way we use sometimes low cost camping too, showgrounds, donations, we never forget to put in donations, because we appreciate and they have to pay to for the toilet paper too.
We have a self contained Knaus motor home, who does not need a parking spot for $…., we have it all, the people who go into a caravan park and can and will afford the high prices good on them, company, safety, if you need and like that, why not?.
Yep . Agree with most of these comments. But another reason for free camping. I travel solo with my dog. I can pull into a town caravan park which at the time maybe empty. Ask about the tariff for one. No reduction. I am paying double the rate . $25/ night per site for a couple.They still want to charge me $25/night for single.So free or small charge for out of town camping for me. I still have to by supplies and fuel somewhere so the towns get my business. As far as supporting c/van parks. When they charge fair rates for what they are offering i may use them more.And that will be the very small towns off the highways. Try the inland roads and towns.Tidy,clean and quiet.!
I pay rates where I live and free campers use the facilities in my general area, spend their hard earned, and I’m sure are very grateful. You pay rates where you live and I use your free camps and facilities, spend my hard earned in your area and I’m grateful. It all equals out, so as far as I am concerned this ‘who pays for the upkeep, etc’ is just a huge nonsense, as we all pay anyway.
I don’t agree. We stay at both caravan parks and free camps. You can still support a local community and stay in a free camp. Fuel, coffee, groceries. I hate councils that put up signs saying no free camping in their council area. A balance is good. Some of the most iconic spots we have stayed at we found on Wiki Camps. Stay and respect the free camps
I forgot to answer about the above question, if it was a right or privilege, We are living in a beautiful free country, we can choose between, Coles, Woolworths, Iga, Aldi and more small super marktes, now they want to make me choose between free camp or a caravan parks.
Why should I support the caravan parks instead of the shops in the little towns?.
When the supermarket goes, than the town dies, when the caravan park goes, the town grows from the free campers who spend the money in town.
The caravan parks do it very fine nowadays, look to all the new caravans and motor homes on the road, all those baby boomers, some can’t go in a caravan park because they are full or have a lot of space for the cabins, some have a restaurant, less business for the hotels, some have cabins, less business for the motels
We should tell our councils, that the C.P. have to look after their own business, what every business does and not press us to support their business. We support the towns, who support us. As the letter above every body has the right to support the caravan parks, it is the same as I support David Jones instead of Meyer so go ahead and pay.
C.P need to wake up. The customer needs have changed. Have an area suitable for those that only need patch of grass and charge lower rate. Simple.
C.P need to evolve or they will be the become their own demise.
The Creator of these lands didn’t say we have to pay to stay on it so why should you,unless there are amenities that need people to clean and maintain, which you pay through your rates and government subsidies anyway,Australia and its colonies was formed by grey nomads so as like council there is a conflict of interest because council give permits to caravan parks etc and having free camping is not going to benefit caravan parks. Saying that camping in towns brings business and is quite legal in the 1901 Australia Constitution.
I must agree with Goldman. Those of us who still own a property somewhere pay annual rates and utilities. If we are traveling we are not in the area we are paying for , so someone else is reaping the benefit at our expense. Out of necessity we still spend money at various businesses as we travel. Somewhere down the track it balances out in the end.
I guess it basically comes down to what we can afford. If you can stay in caravan parks all the time, good on you but some of us if away for several months we need to make the dollar stretch further, hence budget and free camping. We do stay in caravan parks, the cheapest in the town as long as we can get water we are happy. If above 40 odd dollars we move on. Works for us and have met many like minded people.
Goldman is right, it equals out, even renters pay rates in their rent and it comes all down, about how much money you have in the pocket, or will afford it, but it is a free world, so we still have choice.
Hi I totally agree with free parking and staying in caravan parks. But Some caravan parks are pricing themselves out of the Market. And There is some Grey nomads That can’t afford to stay in caravans parki every night And there is a grey nomads that like to stay in caravan parks every night becausI feel more secure. There is a way around it if all the grey nomads got together and put $10 in trust account in end up with enough money to buy two or three caravan parks if you charge to $15 a night that be permanently full Something to think about.