After 16 years of informal use, an RV rest stop in Tasmania is set to be given the official tick of approval.
The Meander Valley Council is planning to formalise the Deloraine RV rest stop, and to allow up to 20 self-contained vehicles to use the area off Racecourse Drive.
The Examiner newspaper reports that, under the plan, visitors can stay up to four nights at the site but a nightly fee is yet to be determined by the council.
Council’s town planner Justin Simmons said after a temporary permit was issued in 2003, the site had been used informally by RV users.
He told the Examiner that the council did not have a record of any complaints from nearby residents over the 16-year period but measures, including limiting generator use hours, were proposed to reduce any impact.
The nearest residential properties are about 100 metres away from the 6 Racecourse Drive site.
“At this time council will not require formal permits to stay at the site… the site will be monitored while staff are undertaking rubbish collection,” he said. “Regulating the use is considered to enhance the amenity of the land for passive recreation by creating a distinct zone for visitor accommodation and establishing clear rules around the use of the site by overnight visitors.”
The Examiner reports that a traffic impact assessment was conducted and found no adverse environmental impact was anticipated, including no detrimental noise effects from the estimated 60 extra vehicles movement per day.
The assessment recommended the council considered widening Meander Valley Road near the Racecourse Drive junction as through traffic would not be able to pass RVs waiting to turning right due to the road’s width.
The site is not suitable for tent camping and is for self-contained RVs only, which will contain all waste water within the vehicle, and a public waste dump station is already in place.
I’ve stayed at this site. It is a great little welcoming town and I’m pleased they are formally recognising it as an RV stop. Really pleased it is for self contained only because it is usually the tents and wiz bangs (not all but the majority) which degrade an area and it is impossible to police individual vehicles. I will certainly return to Deloraine and utilise this site. I have found that most grey nomads are respectful and considerate people. It’d also be ideal to have an area set aside for generators furthest from the residential buildings which will also allow non generator campers to escape the noise and fumes. Well done Meander Valley council
Have stayed there once and loved it, great little town , we were disappointed that it closed . Glad it is open again as we are doing 3 months in tassie this summer in our van , Cruizin in the 50s diner will appreciate it i am sure :-). Thank you Deloraine 🙂