There are more vans on the road than ever, but it seems there's less and less place for them to stop.
Up and down the country, pressure is growing for caravan parks to be sold to developers, or to become cabin parks, or to become places offering long-term housing.
It’s a trend that seems to be gathering momentum and one that has caused some concern among grey nomads, particularly when they see their favourite parks transformed beyond recognition.
But it seems some local authorities are prepared to say ‘enough is enough’
A developer last September asked Gympie Regional Council for permission to give Kybong’s Cooloola Cabins and Caravan Park a facelift by replacing 12 overnight caravan sites with relocatable homes
However, the council is expected to refuse the application on the grounds it would take the park even further away from its primary function.
The 57-site park is already home to a number of permanent residents and council staff maintain that, as a tourist park, it should primarily provide short-term accommodation … not be turned into long-term housing.
According to the Gympie Times, a report to be tabled for councillors at next Wednesday’s meeting states that replacing the sites with permanent homes would only make the development worse.
The fact it was already home to some permanent residents did not mean it should continue down the path of becoming home to more, the report says. Especially given its isolation from services and facilities.
It said changing it to permanent residential living is inconsistent with the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Plan, which aims to prevent permanent residential developments from popping up in rural production areas.
The Gympie Times reports that Gympie’s main caravan park was shut down by the council in February after it won a court case against the managers for breach of lease.
And so it goes, showgrounds take away from caravan parks and those same parks take away from motels.
People usually use Showgrounds when there is no caravan parks & most caravans don’t want to say in motels
Agree. They should be developed into better equiped caravan parks, not pseudo cheap trailer park accommodation.
That’s outrageous! I happen to live in such a park as a permanent resident – I am an age pensioner and would never get a mortgage, nor would I want to at age 70. My relocateable home is 2 bedrooms with combined laundry/bathroom; kitchen/dining and loungeroom. I could never afford to pay the market rentals in my area and there is no social/emergency/public housing where I live either. We need more of these places NOT less for the benefit of the less fortunate NOT those who can afford a motor home and can go travelling around the country.
The caravan park or holiday resort would have to change its name and type of business, change some of its regulations. The insurance and tax regulations would change and probably increase. Your rent would go up. You need to give more thought to where a new Caravan Park or Permenants Park could be built. Unless you have a lifetime rental agreement, Be careful what you wish for.
Not outrageous at all. If developers wish to cater for people such as yourself, then they should develop a dedicated retirement village with those same facilities you now enjoy. Not take away space from caravanners
Yes I agree but also need space for vans
There are some other issues to consider in the Gympie area. I grew up in the street where the only caravan park is situated ( closed down now).
Staying in my van at the park last year. It was pretty badly managed and needed an upgrade.
Gympie township will be bypassed in near future. My thoughts are to turn existing old park into low cost permanent sites. Then council study a new caravan park situated east of town near the bypass for traveling and short term public. This helps with 1 night stops to battle fatigue and 2-3 nights stop to encourage local business in the town. It will need to have easy diversion from the bypass and far enough to reduce traffic noise and ease to town. Gympie has so much to offer and council must use its resources to ensure maximum success for everyone. Not to forget a free camp location as well. (Smarten up councilors it’s your job).
Sounds like a sensible solution – well said
Trevor has said what a lot of us think. and I totally agree with his thoughts.
BTW people who comment on council funding! Remember Gympie is a city not a town. Population 2019 was 52.5k estimated to grow at 1.7 per year. So go sit in on council meetings and see why funding is so important and what project planning is undertaken. Housing growth has boomed.
Also meant to say that Grey Nomads have been known to look for a new life and new places to retire. One I found a couple of Nomads from Darwin found a place in Monto! While in caravan park found and bought a house in town and we’re moving once traveling home.
Yes it gives people who are thinking of moving away from the big smoke, a chance to see the many beautiful places Australia has to offer. I think if I was planning to move out for a sea change (as they call it), I’d head out in a van etc and check the area(s) out fully beforehand, also.
The Oasis Caravan park at Windang on the south coast has been bought by a chinese company, they gave all the permanent residents 3 months to vacate, another van park at Warilla has been bought by the chinese as well. They are obviously converting them into an expensive resort for rich chinese visitors, lock out the permanent residents, not doing maintenance etc is part of their strategy. Then when empty knock it down and rebuild.
All about the dollar.
Selling to the Chinese. Obviously money is more important than community. It should not be allowed.
In 2018 I booked into a park on the coast in NSW. I was lucky to get in and parking on the site was difficult. I found out talking to a local the park only had two sites available the rest were permanent. They had to have two sites available to maintain their status as a ‘Caravan Park’