Gladstone Regional Council in Queensland has announced that all the campgrounds it manages will be closed until further notice, due to concerns over Covid-19.
The decision affects the hugely popular camping spot at Calliope, as well as the Lilley’s Beach, Futter Creek, Oaks, and South End campsites.
The decision will come into effect from midday tomorrow.
A council statement said:
“In order to meet the public health direction, the council would be required to have staff in attendance at its five campgrounds located across the Gladstone region at all times, which would come at a significant cost for ratepayers.
“GRC does not have the staffing and financial resources to service the operational requirements that are necessary to meet public health direction COVID Safe requirements for campgrounds.”
The move follows a complaint from a local caravan park owner a couple of weeks ago who said it was not right that free camping areas weren’t subject to the same strict Covid-safe enforcement protocols as caravan parks.
Kin Kora Village Caravan Park owner Monte Olsen Gladstone Observer that “what’s good for the goose, should be good for the gander.”
He said that if there was going to be an outbreak in the Central Queensland region, it was going to be at the free camping areas.
“I asked who’s patrolling the Calliope River free camping area with over 100 vans there and who is filling out the compliance forms,” he said. “It’s council responsibility to operate a free camping ground and caravan park … have we got inspectors going out there every night doing paperwork?”
Rules are rules, Mr Olsen said, and asked why if he could be shut down for noncompliance, why can’t free camping areas.
It seems that Gladstone Regional Council has now agreed with Mr Olsen’s view.
The council said it was committed to ensuring community health and safety, and continuing to follow Covid-19 health directives from Queensland Health and the Queensland and Australian Governments.
“The Gladstone Region has many caravan parks and accommodation businesses currently open to service residents and tourists,” the statement said.
Mr. Olsen may think he has a win but he won’t be getting our business. I don’t like to stay in parks that are to home to the financially disadvantaged.
This operator has been pushing the local council for years to close Caliope.
If you saw his campsite and charges you would understand why we go to Caliope.
This is opportunism taking advantage of the current health scare. Hope fully, council will reverse the decision when the crisis is over. And not bow to commercial pressure.
Council needs to be held accountable not the caravan parks. The main reason why private parks are so expensive is the costs council impose on them to operate legally. As a family of 5 we love camping but do not stay in caravan parks due to the ridiculous costs for a patch of grass peak season. We are thrifty as most clever families need to be, the money we save by free camping goes back into local servos, super markets, RSLs, restaurants, fish and chip shops, cafes and tourist attractions. Councils need to wake up and cut the operating costs on parks, they will gain more by promoting tourism instead of forcing grey nomads and families out.
So once again a caravan park owner/ manager is going
To deprive other businesses from Grey nomads spending
In the area. Free campers don’t spend money on park fees
But the do spend in town,
Just an excuse for the caravan park owners to get rid of free camping, I still won’t be staying in this town if I have to fork out a ridiculous amount of money for a small patch of ground squeezed in with no room to move.
Well said , i couldn’t agree more . Why should free camps be exempt . The rules are in place to make sure everyone keeps safe . If it means they have to pay to stay safely in a caravan park then so be it , if they dont like it Go Home .
There is way more chance of catching covid in a caravan park with more people in a smaller area, shared playgrounds, camp kitchens, bbqs, showers etc that at a camp like Calliope. They should have just closed the toilets and allowed self contained campers. (We are not self contained so I am not being selfish with this remark.)
Time and again caravan park operators will cling to any reason to shutdown the free camping spots. I think they are of the opinion that closing the free camp means all of those travellers will suddenly be queuing at his gate when in reality all it means is the town will miss out on tourist dollars. I also would be very surprised if Covid 19 were a problem among Grey Nomads. I’d be more inclined to see the caravan parks as being the problem where people are all so close. Hopefully Gladstone Council will reopen these camp sites as soon as possible.
Fair point.
typical caravan park owner “sour grapes”. People are not going to go to caravan parks because he had the free camp closed down – people want free because they can’t afford to pay the excessive cost of parks. Also there is more chance of catching covid in caravan parks where there is shared amenities.
Quote “He said that if there was going to be an outbreak in the Central Queensland region, it was going to be at the free camping areas”. Wow, a corona virus expert who runs a caravan park who’d have thought. I thought more likely in a Gladstone nightclub but I’m no expert.
Looks like caravan parks will have a monopoly and be able to charge what they like. Taking all the available money for themselves.
This is ridiculous, the council does not charge for those parks so therefore it is the user’s responsibility. Most people are responsible and there is no reason random checks could not be done by the police. This is just sour grapes.
Kin Kora Village Caravan Park owner Monte Olsen is so caring to put the welfare of his fellow Australians above self interest and even more noble is the local council to support him in this great humanitarian gesture. I think the Central Queensland region has been saved from a catastrophe by this single handed brave and unselfish human being. SPARE ME PLEASE. How much can a Koala Bear
What a goose himself
A caravan park is not immune from covid or any other virus. If anything
It is more likely to be transmitted in the c.p with people squeezed in small
Areas and common areas like amenities block and front
Reception area.
What does the virus expert have to say about bunnings?? Why are they allowed to have hundreds and hundreds of people in a store ??
(haha) People who go camping don’t get sick and also know how to look after themselves usually. I can understand stupid decisions have to be made when the public is involved though :p
Having recently stayed at Kin Kora perhaps the extra revenue the park receives could be used in the maintenance of the park. Over priced,located under a flight path. I will not be back.
Poor Calliope will now miss out on the tourist dollars. Free campers spend in the local towns so I hope he is proud of himself for denying them this revenue because people will now bypass the area.
You dont spend in the small towns , you stock up at Aldi and Dan Murphys in the big towns .
And of course being an expert you would know. You know what an expert is don’t you.
Kev,thats simply not true,we don’t have the capacity for huge storage and we like to eat fresh when we can and we love the smaller family eateries.
I admit to the odd Aldi shop to buy my protien bars-only at Aldis. We love any roadside stall,leg stretch top up have a chat and its all cash!
We are shareholders in Australia-All Australia.
So Calliope joins the list of towns to miss out on our dollars as well. One of the best free camps bites the dust. We’ve always stayed there on our travels and we also stay at caravan parks. Old mate can be assured we won’t be staying at his. Surely free camping meets the criteria for Covid more than caravan parks with people so close together.
Iam sure if caravan park prices were lower many more people would stop there.
But far to expensive for grey nomads who do buy petrol and food from small towns
I know we do support the small guys.
Caravan parks and free camps are serving two completely different markets, The.caravan park owner is kidding himself if he thinks the two are transferable by closing the free camps. What is transferable is the free campers ability to move to another council area.