While many parts of the country are enjoying an influx of caravanners and campers, that is not true everywhere … and a lack of travellers can have – and is having – a devastating effect on local economies and local communities.
For example, the Adelaide Advertiser reports that the residents of the South Australian community of Blanchetown – located on the banks of the Murray River, 130 kilometres northeast of Adelaide – fear their town is doomed to ‘die’ after suffering from devastating floods and the subsequent loss of two caravan parks.
Back in December, 2022, floodwaters inundated homes and wrecked the Blanchetown Caravan Park, with one resident recalling watching caravans ‘float away’.
Caravans are still on the road ... but not so many stop at Blanchetown any more. PIC: Cizza
Although the BIG4 Blanchetown Riverside Holiday Park was saved from the floods, it has been closed for nearly a year after a planned rebuild was stalled due to a legal dispute between family members.
Mid Murray Council mayor, Simone Bailey, told the Adelaide Advertiser that the two van parks being closed had had a ruinous impact on the local community.
“The BIG4 Blanchetown Riverside Holiday Park plays a vital role in supporting the local economy and providing much needed accommodation for visitors and contractors,” Ms Bailey told The Advertiser. “The closure of this park has impacted tourism and local businesses … the reduction in visitors, combined with the loss of many properties to the flood, has been a significant challenge.”
Ms Bailey said the council would like to see the caravan park reopen to ‘help the community recover and thrive’ once more.
Resident Trevor Doecke told the Advertiser that, when he moved into Blanchetown only a few months before the floods, the place was beautiful.
“When we moved here, we knew Blanchetown had a lot to offer, the river and lock, and – in the beginning – this place was buzzing with life,” Mr Doecke said. “There were people in the caravan parks, people holidaying in a shack, people on boats, fishing, jet skiing, but now, you don’t see nothing – it’s just dead.”
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Maybe the council could open a temporary donation park until the Big 4 family dispute is resolved.
Just goes to show if they had free or low cost camping in the area the numbers would come back up and help everyone out not just the caravan parks .its a good time to look into this situation for everyone’s benefit
So true there are so many free camping grounds now people just cannot afford the high rates these parks are charging if you want campers into your park make it affordable and they come back simple
Spot on Mark. Free/low cost/donation overnight stays certainly brings the travellers. Surely someone in the council understands that
Set up a free camp and advertise it on wikkicamps
People would come for short stays if the council had enough oomph to open a freecamp somewhere. Put a notice out on the highway. The whole town benefits then rather than the vanparks only.