Tourism authorities are taking a long, hard look at free camping on the north coast of New South Wales … and how it can be better managed.
The area’s peak tourism body, the North Coast Destination Network, is to begin discussions with a string of local councils in order to develop a more consistent strategy for dealing with the growing number of recreational vehicles travelling the Pacific Highway.
A report on the ABC says caravan parks have been expressing concerns about losing business as caravans and motorhomes use free public facilities.
The Executive Officer of the Network, Belinda Novicky, told the ABC she was keen to strike a balance.
“We want to make sure that we have the right facilities and that we’re able to promote our holiday parks, and what they have to offer, as well as making sure that we’re providing free camping that is of interest to the RV market,” she said.
Ms Novicky acknowledged it was a ‘tricky’ problem but said a policy could be found to satisfy both travellers and businesses.
“There are a number of councils at the moment who are looking at things like a limit of two days or 24 hours’ free camping,” she said. “That allows those travellers to get a hold of where they’re travelling to, and look at it as a stop-over destination on to their final point.”
* Do you think a time limit at all free camps is the right way to strike a a ‘better balance’? Comment below.
Time limits of 1-2 days is rubbish. These sort of ideas is just a sneaky way of stopping free camping and forcing people who want to stay in that particular area to stay in Caravan Parks
Your are absolutely right! Most of us are in no hurry and want to explore the area before we move on…makes sense…
I think time limits are good as some people abuse these areas and in the end it looks like a rubbish dump.
A time limit is a fair thing but just as important is to differentiate between RVs that are self contained and those that are not.
Small rental vehicles like those “Juicy” vans which are manifestly not self contained need restrction to sites that have toilets. It is unavoidable that they will leave a mess wherever they stay if there are no facilities provided for them.
That is manifestly not the case for those of us in self contained RVs, especially those of us who have gone to the trouble to join schemes like the CMCA’s “Leave No Trace”.
We totally agree with you Robert. The NW of WA roadsides and “parking areas” are literally covered with dried up “paper daisies” from vans/vehicles that do not have a toilet supplied with them. Personally we believe that ALL hire vans should be made to supply a small porta-potty tucked away in a cupboard somewhere. “Leave No Trace” vehicles should be allowed to stay in areas like that for an extended amount of time, not just 24 hrs, although even that would be better than not being allowed at all. We pay a lot of money for our vehicles that are self contained, because we do not like the caravan park lifestyle, so we shouldn’t be MADE to use them.
Well said!
Very true.
There is an apparent and continuing gripe from some Caravan Parks proprietors that Camper vans and camper trailers members like to be “free” spirits. It is a pity that the Caravan Parks owners don’t concentrate on providing the facilities that we need at a reasonable price – such as security, water and maybe power – instead of whingeing and whining that we don’t use the facilities that they provide, which most of us don’t need.
I was always taught that the way to succeed in business was to firstly identify a “need for a potential customer” and then to offer a better service than the bloke next door, just like the proverbial “butcher, baker and candlestick maker”.
I also don’t understand how authorities can insist that self contained and independent travellers can be expected to book into caravan parks or motels, that they don’t need, any more than vegetarians can be forced to deal with butchers or atheists forced to go to church. A free country, or the avariciousness of another minority group.
Not suitable for us takes a while for us oldies to set up camper trailer
24 to 48 hours is plenty if you are going to travel from A to B, if you planning to stay for longer then go to a park, as we do, parks need to provide the items that the Grey Nomads want, it does not include Jumping pillows and the like, a bit of power some water & clean shower is fine. They say it cost heaps to set up a park, I agree but when you price at a level that is pure greed, Remember we invest from $60,000 to up to a $1 Mil as well, in our case about 150 K, learn to get along.
It seems it’s getting to the stage where you will see many more RV’s and other forms similar going up for sale or being left in the yard. The money received will be spent on overseas travel.That’s how I will go. This is no longer a place to be free. Caravan parks are going to be much worse off. I for one don’t mind paying a fair price but they are out pricing themselves out of my life. It’s much cheaper to go overseas.
WE (Greynomads) are just important to the economy as as any other groups….councils need to embrace(and I think they are getting the message) us and work to get this sorted in a positive way…this is a great and open country and we don’t need to be treated as we’re a nuisence…
24-48 hours is fine for self contained Motorhomes. If you want to stay in a town long go to the camping grounds. If we use them enough we may be able to get them to gives us a cheaper rate if we only use water power .
We travel with a pet and most caravan park state proudly that “no pets allowed”. They are not losing out by us free camping because they don’t want our business anyway.
Same thing here. I have been trying to plan a trip back home from Brisbane to Melbourne via the coast and as we have two well behaved dogs who have been travelling with us for a few years I am having great trouble finding any free camps or even caravan parks that we can stay in. It looks like we will have to visit the coast then unnecessarily drive inland for the night, we have a Winnebago Longreach so am fully self comtained.
Whats a Caravan park ? I thought they were Holiday parks or even Cabin parks Definitely not Caravan parks
I have a M/H, I am fully self contained, The only thing I leave behind is tyre marks,
You start charging for free camps, Its simple, I sell the M/h, and go overseas to travel,
$100-000-00 will get me a lot of overseas trips at a miniscule amount of money, I have travelled overseas, I know what its worth over there,
Australia will then get none of my money,
So charge away, You will be the losers, Not me,
I would be very happy if more farm satys were developed providing only basic facility of water and dump point for a small fee. This would provide a small additional income for the Farmer and provide the enviroment required by self contained RVers. Councils could assist farmers establishing their camp sites. This in turn could reduce the pressure on council run free camps sites. With regards to CP’s let them continue to try take away business from motels with their focus on cabins and bouncy castles that I dont need or want to pay for.
I feel there already started to close off the area you free camp, we travel a bit from Qld to the Hunter Valley and used to stop overnight somewhere between Taree / Newcastle but can’t any-more because all the rest area know have No Camping signs erected. These area used to be a good place to pull up and rest once fatigue set in but no more, you just have to push on, I wonder when they close off the rest of them along the Pacific Hwy.
These imbeciles in government should realise that the Grey Group are in the majority in regards to percentage of population, AND we VOTE. They need to get with the program, shut up the arrogant caravan park owners who want it all their own way, or they will realise that they themselves WILL be out of a job come the next election, and may not be able to afford to stay in these wonderful kiddy resorts that they are pandering to.
We have worked, we have paid our taxes, we have purchased our travelling accommodation, and some of us will not EVER be pushed Into staying where we do not want!!!! Furthermore, if the other businesses in the towns where these idiotic ideas are being mooted do not also take a stand against selfish, greedy, money hungry caravan park owners, they themselves will find that they will no longer have viable businesses as we WILL NOT be stopping and spending our hard earned dollars at their shops.
Stevo here. Its a wonder these van park owners don’t know how big word of mouth is.Surely they must wonder around at happy hour and see how many groups are sitting together. What do they think we are all talking about, Yes it might be the price of eggs. But it also the best park to stay at, the best price, the rip offs Yes the rip offs.We all discuss where to stay where not to stay, who was the niciest, the best service,the value for money and yes which councils move you on.I don’t know about the rest of you but I plan my route around this.By passing any towns or parks that I have heard that are RV unfriendly or over priced.I also make sure I tell anyone I come in contact with about these bad experiences.Proberly more so than the good ones which is not good. So all you park owners you are shooting yourself in the foot. Like I have said before am now too old ,wise and cranky now for there crap. Cheers Stevo.
Having only stayed in free parks once, that was for three days in North Queensland we found it was great, and never at any stage was there any litter. I think it is a great idea and great for pensioners as we have found that the caravan parks are getting dearer and dearer, making free camping a good option.
I agree with most of what has been said I have spent a lot of good money making our c/van suitable for free camping with solar and a portaloo the only time we would use a caravan park is to doo some washing and a hot shower or twothen we are off again, if I have to use c,van parks we will sell the van and that is not fair if parks can find a competitive price for showers washing [which everyone pays for anyway and maybe power just too top up the batteries
We are great supporters of “Bush/independent/free Camping” Call it what you may.
We have written to many government authorities expressing our support of this style of camping. Some have replied and say that the relevant department will get back to us. Only a couple have but with no solution, other than wanting the good old level playing field.
We use C.Parks when and if we want to. Obviously C.Parks get our business in the major populated towns and cities.
We would average expenditure all up of somewhere around $500 to $600 a week. So naturally we support the towns and people who support our cause.
Anyway C.Parks are now more tourist/recreational cabin parks.
Ok, one must now feel for the Motel/hotel owners in the towns where the C.Parks have taken away their core business via the introduction of Cabins.
The C.Parks just need to change and instigate a far better business model if they want to survive. There is a huge customer base out there for them to target. So leave us Grey Nomads and Retirees do what we want to do.
FREE/ BUSH/ INDEPENDENT CAMP
John
Perhaps I should have added that when Caravan Park owners receive an squillion dollars offer by a developer to buy the park for house or resort development, that the C.Park owner says
” We are terribly sorry but when have to reject your offer, as it would not be right for us to walk away from all the caravan and touring public, who have supported us well over the years.
Sorry, but no thanks.. we can’t do that to our clients”
Want to lay odds on the outcome of the offer.
John
You will find a large number of caravan park managers are council members, think about it.
and how many caravan parks have the space to tale a fully fully self contained mobile home anymore, at 36ft I am getting more knockbacks than ever before
Hi to all you Grey nomads, yes i am one too. Making use of our roads and highways to see this beautiful country of ours, which we have inherited from our forebears. I have been reading all the letters sent in on this profile, and what i see is very concerning to me. The majority of comments include the words, ” greedy, arogant, selfish, money hungry” and many other adjectices, and all these are making reference to the front person of the facility. Realising that most carevan parks are there for the convience of people who want to get away from their everyday way of life.”Take the kids for a fun holiday with all the bells an whistles”, which when you take into concideration that there are only 13 weeks of School holidays per year. That leaves 39 weeks for the caravan park proprieters to make a viable decision on how to make enough money to sustain and cover the costs on running their businesses . What we have to remember is , that most of the parks now are owned by “BIG BUSINESS, CONSORTIUMS” etc., and with this comes Proffit. Your’s and my hard earned retirement funds, superanuations, and many years of self struggle to have enough funds to see us through, what time we have left to enjoy the fruits of those tough years. Cast your eyes back to the words i mentioned that seem to pop up in most comments, and think who we are refering to. Of course it is the Managers of the parks, or the receptionist, who in these laener 39 weeks, are getting SCREWED by the Big Corporations. They are not worried what these people endure in trying to keep up to their projected budget, Pressure, stress, anxiety, all lead to uncontrollable urges for some people to control, and BE NICE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. If we want to have an effect on the resorts and parks, we must address the actual owners. Point taken in most comments, parks in these times are ( some ) ridiculously over priced , for a one night stop over, or longer. I have been caravaning since 1975, and ,as many of you , have seen many changes to the parks and their fecilities. Regulations set down by local , state and federal laws, have forced these costs onto us. The upgrading requirements dont come cheap but there should be an area for the NOMADS to camp in a non intrusive section of the parks. Reduce the costs for greater number of nights, or , as i barter for , 7 night for cost of 4-5. You hit the soft spot on the management , 9.90 percent of the time , we walk away with a good deal. As for the ignition of this topic, FREE CAMPING, again Big Brother is trying to take hold here. Agree with the JUICIES VANS, i have seen some number of attrocious site where they have stayed. They park in a street in town , and cant be moved on by police or other authorities. They are not breaking the law. If you are parked safely off the main traffic thorough fare, you ARE allowed to take refuge to RECOVER. Its like the people trying to make a living selling their fruits and veg in the pullover areas, the councils and state laws forbid and fine them for IMPEEDING THE TRAFFIC FLOW. ” WHAT,” !!!!!!????? Word of mouth is definately the best way to spread what is the best parks and towns to visit. There are MANY.and if you notice, they are the prosperous towns, and will bend over backwards for you. It is a pitty that the bad ones dont get out or listen to what we have to say, and comment on . You stop for fuel, grocerices, clothing, vehicle and van maintinance, and , sometimes a needy repair. Attitudes are usualy first noticed at the bowser on payment. They are what is generaly the entry to the towns personality.
Lets fight to keep our rights to camp where we wish, and LEAVE NO TRACE.