While many regional communities understand the importance of having a dump point to attract grey nomads to visit and to stay, the politics of where they are positioned can be tricky.
In the small town of Boyanup near Bunbury in WA’s south west, council officers are going back to the drawing board after a proposal to install a dump point behind the Hugh Kilpatrick Memorial Centre was rejected.
Cr Keiran Noonan told a recent council meeting he was not a fan of the plan, partly because of a perceived lack of community consultation.
“Another concern is its location directly opposite the cattleyards (as) the dump point is the first impression that anyone gets of the community,” he said. “They stop to get out of the car and they’re immediately hit with the smell, the dust, the flies and that’s their first impression of Boyanup.”
Many councils now put dump points on the edge of town in an accessible spot. PIC: Cizza
The South Western Times reports that Councillor Noonan was also concerned about possible safety issues.
“Someone with an RV pulling out from behind the hall looking to the north is going to have difficulties seeing vehicles approaching because of the curve of (Bridge Road),” he said.
Deputy shire president Sebastian Schiano moved to have the consultation focus only on four locations identified by the council for a dump point, plus an additional option suggested by a community member on the corner of South Western Highway and Turner Street.
Cr Schiano said the move meant plans for the rest stop in the town would also not be impacted by the additional consultation.
Boyanup is certainly not the only place to wrestle with a dump point dilemma.
Last year, Bundaberg Regional Council relocated its facility due to accessibility issues with the previous dump point. It had been located near the bulk water fill station, which meant access was limited due to sharing the area with heavy vehicles.
And a few years ago, a dump point on James St in the Queensland town of Mareeba was removed, apparently over concerns over the environmental health implications and a perceived potential impact on property prices.
Among other issues, nearby residents said the dump point had been placed too close to a walking track used by children.
While it is perhaps understandable that people would prefer not to have a dump point located near to their house, many councils are finding suitable location on the edge of towns with good access … and there is a general acknowledgement that attracting grey nomads to stay near a town has significant economic benefits.
Some caravan parks, of course, are also prepared to have ‘non-guests’ use their dump point for a fee. Interestingly, while some caravanners and motorhomers apparently baulk at the idea of having to pay to use a dump point, they are normally happy to make a ‘contribution’ if the money is going to a charity or a worthwhile cause.
Some time back, the showground in the New South Wales town of Tenterfield handed over nearly $500 to the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, courtesy of travellers donating $4 every time they used the dump point.
Apparently, the same caravanners and motorhomers who had baulked at ‘paying’ a fee were more than happy to make a donation to a good cause.
And then the Collie River Valley Tourist Park in Western Australia donated $1,000 to the Shire of Collie Bushfire Brigades. The money came from visitors who were asked to make a $5 donation when using the RV dump point.
And beyond local councils and caravan parks, there has also been a growing trend towards new service centres recognising the needs of caravanners and motorhomers.
A $15m service station at Nuriootpa in South Australia’s Barossa Valley is a case in point. The facility, built in 2021, included a dump point, an electric vehicle charging station and a picnic area… as well as a car, truck and dog wash, fuel bowsers, and fast-food outlets.
And the previous year, a giant new Mobil-branded Highway Service Centre opened at Coolac in New South Wales and it also put RV users front and centre of its plans. It boasts a free dump point for travellers, as well as a public laundry, ample parking for caravans and trailers, and a dog walking park.
“There is a changing pattern to regional travel with more and more people taking to the roads with their caravans and motorhomes,” Developers’ Representative, Ian Farrar, said at the time. “What we knew as ‘truck stops’ are developing and need to cater for a broader customer base of recreational travellers.”
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Dump points are one of the things than make towns RV friendly and help us decide where we will stay
If we stay we spend so yes they are an asset to the community
why should you pay to use a public dump point and the public that use public toilets not pay .It’s much easier to clean a dump point than a toilet and noone pinches any paper as none is supplied
The public don’t usually dump a week’s worth in one go
Well, what about the daily toilet usage as opposed to the one dump, the end result is the same?
A real and growing issue is the number of dump points now being created alongside highways in isolated areas where no water is provided, and the blowflies love it.
I live in Tasmania. I’m currently motorhoming in France. When you see the abundance of free and often extremely nice aires (small areas usually with a 2-3 night limit) with full facilities, sometimes even free power it puts other countries to shame. They’re even in the smallest of villages, in fact they’re often the best as they’re so tranquil and well looked after.
They think about where they locate them with regards residents and visitors, so as to make everything nice for all. Admittedly closer to cities and big tourist attractions things are more likely to have a charge (€1 or 2 for using the service point) and the aires get more busy (particularly during peak periods).
One of the main drawbacks about traveling with a self contained RV is the horrific idea of using a chemical toilet which has to be emptied into a dumping point. Can’t we standardise a greener solution like the composting toilet which turns everything into a substance that can be safely burried in the ground and benefit the vegetation around it?
Not a “drawback” at all, in fact an improvement to that of dropping the black waste all over the surrounding ground. You produce the output so why do you consider it “HORRIFIC”?
EliF, there are composting toilets on the market but the vast majority of caravan & motor home manufacturers are not installing them, in a bid to reduce costs. However, they can be installed retrospectively & I understand need not be emptied for up to 40 days, with the waste, being dry, can legally be emptied into garbage bins.
Not dissagreeing but I don’t understand that if you use the toilet this morning how that can be legally emptied into a garbage bin ,much ofthe contents would still be very fresh
But where do you put the many litres of urine which you collect separately? Do you simply dump it near a tree when no one is watching? I hate the thought of composting toilets and having to separately collect the urine. The thought of having to remove the toilet to get rid of all the composted solids also puts me off. I much prefer removing a nice clean canister, emptying it into a dump point, and slotting the canister back in the caravan.
The planning, construction cleaning and maintenance of a dump point plus the additional sewage system load costs money and somebody needs to cover the costs. User pays is a fair enough cop users should be grateful for the convenience. Whingers, stay home.
Do you pay to use a public toilet, same same.
If you place a dump point on the outskirts of a small town, tourists will empty their cassette & then drive on through without stopping.
Do you suggest putting dump points in the main street in front of the council chambers or the supermarket ?
Free is always great, but we realise that everything costs in some fashion, so are happy to pay a small fee to help the maintenance etc. We are more inclined to spend dollars in a town that provide these services for us travellers .
Every council wants more gray nomads visiting there patch but very few are willing to provide enough bins and empty them often enough for the increased numbers. Most gray nomads have a home base on which they pay council rates. When they are travelling they are not using that service local to them but from another shire who also have grey nomads on the road and not using their local waste collection service. The same applys to water and sewerage services. “What comes around comes around”. Are councils not double dipping when complaining about suppling services to free campers.
More useful for travellers than EV recharging
I’ve used the ones in the caravan parks.
I live in Evandale, Tasmania.We were an RV friendly town with a dump point until the Northern Midlands council removed it about 18 months ago. Despite talking with them about alternative sites they still haven’t found a replacement site and I suspect don’t want to. It’s a shame local councils are not supporting tourism!
Councils that don’t provide services for a broad variety of tourists are short sited.
‘Wiki Camps’ and similar Apps list these council areas, they will miss out on our patronage and more importantly our dollars.
Evandale, short single mindedness by a council with tunnel vision. Shame on you !!!
I feel most of the discussion points in this article are quite valid. There is one that is clearly made by someone who has never used a dump point.
Cr Keiran Noonan told a recent council meeting he was not a fan of the plan, ….
“Another concern is its location directly opposite the cattleyards (as) the dump point is the first impression that anyone gets of the community,” he said. “They stop to get out of the car and they’re immediately hit with the smell, the dust, the flies and that’s their first impression of Boyanup.”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dump point that causes dust, most don’t have flies nor smell that bad.
I agree with the comments above from Graeme Anderson. Obviously, Cr Keiran Noonan has never used a dump point, or more importantly never seen, observed, smelt one.
‘Modern Dump Points’ are a clean, plastic/fiberglass enclosure that encapsulates the waste and most of the odours, once they are rinsed by the water, usually from a small hose adjacent.
Most Nomads aren’t filthy animals, we are appreciative of councils providing this service for us and reward the council by spending money in town.
The dump point in Childers Queensland is excellent. Situated in the street behind the main street and offers RV parking and a walking path through to the main street. Seems to work well.
As retired Grey Nomads who free camp as well as using caravan parks, Dump Points are always useful.
My wife and I like communities that advertise as ‘RV Friendly towns’, this means they usually have a dump point somewhere. ‘Wiki Camps App’ advertise them on their maps. The dump point could be out of the way, as long as there is water to rise your cassette, and sewer for the waste. We feel most grey nomads try to leave the dump point in good, clean condition. With the plastic airtight lid, I don’t think there are unpleasant odours penetrating from them. They are as ‘Asset’ to a community, not a detriment, all depends on your point of view, doesn’t it!!!
We ensure that we appreciate the council providing this service by spending money in their town. It is reciprocal.
Thanks, RV Friendly Towns
I think everybody has read the article wrong, it is not the dump point that is the problem, it is the fact that when Grey Nomads stop at the dump point, they are across the road from the cattle yards, which have flies, smells and dust, and that is the first impression they may have of the town. The council is not saying that the dump point is the issue, it is that people may get the wrong impression of town because of the environment around the dump point.