It’s no secret that many farmers do it pretty tough, and so it’s perhaps inevitable that many are increasingly turning to grey nomads and other campers as a way of adding an extra income stream.
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has just released a discussion paper titled Unlocking Queensland’s agritourism potential. In it, it estimates that agritourism could be worth up to $4.5 billion a year to the state by 2030.
However, it says that the lack of consistent local government planning guidelines continued to be a barrier to farmers wanting to diversify their businesses.
But, if landholders can negotiate the red tape, offering campsites on properties can make a huge difference to their bottom line.
In the grips of a terrible drought that forced her to sell 40 prime milkers to the meatworks, dairy farmer Libby Rough opened her property near Kenilworth in the Sunshine Coast hinterland up to campers.
Since August 2020, she told the ABC that just four camping sites at Hidden Pocket campsite, named for its private position on the Mary River at Moy Pocket, has earned the family more than $50,000.
“We pride ourselves on having a campground where thousands of people are not camping on top of each other,” Ms Rough said. “We provide fire pits, we provide kayaks — although I did lose six in the floods — we also provide tyre tubes and so people come here, and they get to relax … occasionally they might get phone reception.”
For the Rough family, the money has paid for infrastructure that they otherwise could not have afforded, including farm fencing and fixing the road that milk tankers use to access their dairy.
“Those kind of jobs are really essential to our business because you can’t have a milk truck driver saying I’m not coming in because the road’s not good enough,” Ms Rough told the ABC.
Hidden Pocket is booked out months in advance and has twice been nominated for awards.
With demand for camping sites soaring, there have been growing calls for the red tape around allowing camping on private land to be cut.
Back in December, Gympie Regional Council in Queensland agreed to double the number of caravans or tents allowed on private blocks without a development application approval.
fantastic idea.. should be allowed all over Australia
Love it when everyone downstream ends up with disentry.
I was wondering if the farmers would allow off grid tiny homes on their properties because I for one would be keen for that?
its about time councils looked at this ,there is a huge demographic that only wants campgrounds rather than caravan parks and the farmers need this.
Excellent idea! Australia needs more of these farm stays!
Those of us who own rural properties enjoy the solitude, peace and quiet that comes with it whilst we work and relax on our land/farms and don’t appreciate groups of campers literally next door!! Good idea to bring in extra income using an asset but it can come with a price. Upsetting neighbours and local residents. Not to mention the pollution and disturbance that comes with the entourage descending upon the environment. Discretion and appropriate locations is key to this being managed and avoided.