A new year may have dawned but, for budget-conscious grey nomads, some familiar concerns remain … including a feared erosion in the number of free camping areas.
As we move into 2026, travellers are already having to adjust to the new reality that several formerly free campsites in northwestern Tasmania now command a nightly fee of $15.
The Central Coast Council says it is introducing a new permit system for all Council-managed freedom camping sites.
It says the fees will enable the council to maintain and improve facilities, protect the natural environment, and make sure the sites are safe and fair for everyone.
Fees are be introduced at some 'free' campsites. PIC: Central Coast Council
Affected camping spots include Forth Recreation Ground; Midway Point – Sulphur Creek; and Bannons Park – Gunns Plains.
The new system will see charges of 15 per night, per site which it says will be reinvested into upgrades and maintenance. The site will operate on a first in, best dressed basis with no bookings required.
A maximum stay of three nights per site will be allowed and they will be for self-contained vehicles only (no tents, no fires). Permits available through the council’s website, or at the Ulverstone and Penguin Visitor Information Centres
Central Coast Council says dump points are located at Victoria Street (Ulverstone) and Stubbs Point (Penguin).
The Forth Recreation Ground is a peaceful retreat with facilities including toilets, picnic tables, and a playground; Midway Point, near Penguin, doesn’t have any facilities but is located on a large, grassed area overlooking the ocean; and Bannons Park offers stunning views over the Leven River, and offers drop toilets and picnic tables.
The council’s Caravans and Camping By-law regulates the responsible use of caravan and camping areas within the Central Coast municipal area. Its stated aim is to balance the enjoyment of natural spaces for residents and visitors while protecting the environment with strict rules governing things like rubbish disposal.
The council also pledged to work with those experiencing homelessness, along with other community organisations, to address these issues with compassion and understanding.
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer.
I think $15 is a bit rich for what you get considering some Showgrounds supply power and water with toilets and showers for $20 a night. It’s simple if you want tourists to stop in your towns give them a place to stay. People won’t spend money in your towns they will just move onto the next best alternative.
Not far off the point where there are no “next best alternatives” especially given the extra campers that the new ferries are going to dump on the north west campgrounds.
15 dollars – – two cups of coffee.
Who do people think pays for “Free camping” if you don’t? The ratepayers. I bet if you lived in a LGA which had free camping and council started charging a nominal fee, which when you consider I got a quote for a caravan park at Warrnambool for one night for a 12 foot poptop, all I wanted was a bit of power and a shower, they quoted me the family rate of $100 for December 27th, they said that was their standard rate, Adelaide one night 14th January same van $70 and people compkain about $15 a night?
Still way over 1000 totally free campsites across Australia so the situation isn’t dire just yet
Maybe $10 PER NIGHT These freecamp grounds still have to be maintained and rubbish taken away
If you are fully self contained you should be able to park anywhere over night.
Why doesn’t the “grey nomads” loby for this?
Why “should” you?
Councils and National Parks are getting greedy like some caravan parks that are starting to charge $5 per night for dogs which use nothing, it’s just another revenue generating business, some people just have got nothing between their ears called brains when it come to small towns surviving from travellers that use these free camps.
We all have to buy fuel, food, water, alcohol and much more when we are travelling, fair enough toilets have to be serviced and rubbish has to be emptied. If you allowed one person two hours to clean a toilet block say 2 x $100 = $200 and the garbage truck is driving past and can pick up a couple of bins at the rest stop, allow $500 all up.
One traveller can spend that amount of money in one stop in one town, so council open your eyes and ears and think about what these charges will do to your towns business.
We are caravaners and enjoy free camping and spending money in the town where you stop.
I feel that Midway point is to exe at 15 dollars, 10 dollars would be fair as there is only couple of rubbish bins and no other facilities. Where there are toilets and bins that’s different, but remember, once we have to start paying money everywhere these wee towns miss out on spending revenue. Some will pay happily others will go elsewhere where.
Ridiculous money grab! No consideration for what is spent by campers at local businesses. Those businesses will see less cash flow. After the high cost of the crossing from the mainland who would want to visit Tasmania and pay $15 to free camp. Other councils will latch onto this money grab. Tasmania needs to think of incentives to lure visitors and not discourage them with revenue raising ideas.
Fair enough. If the councils maintain these sites correctly, why not pay to stay. We are so lucky to have places like that in Tassie.
It’s a little rich for virtually no or very few facilities, we are paying $15 for a site in VIC that has hot showers, flushing toilets and a great playground along with fire pits.
Don’t mind paying about $10 a night so they are maintained but $15 is starting to stretch it a little.
Once again we see greedy councils fleecing people for camping in a “so called free camp” this is not the way to encourage tourists. The towns will suffer from these dicissions as caravaners will just keep going until they find somewhere to camp that doesn’t hit their pockets. It all comes down to more of our freedom being eroded, by greedy councils, caravan park owners and the Government.