Like many others, the Queensland town of Mackay is looking for ways to attract more grey nomads and other travellers … without upsetting local caravan park operators.
The Mackay Regional Council says it has recognised the potential economic benefits of bringing in more caravanners and motorhomers, but is also aware it has to tread carefully.
“The RV tourism market is estimated to be worth $2.5 billion annually, so we want the Mackay region to be well positioned to access this lucrative tourism market,” the council’s development services director, Gerard Carlyon, told the Daily Mercury newspaper. “We have been working with caravan park operators over the past year, as well as clubs representing owners, to look at new options for RVs.”
Mr Carlyon said these new options could include new RV parks, new short-stay locations and changes within current commercial facilities to take advantage of the opportunity that growing the RV market offers the region.
“That is why council last year amended fees at its Mirani Caravan Park to provide affordable options aimed at the RV market,” he said.
While the council insists it doesn’t in any way condone illegal camping, it is being pressured by caravan parks to do more to stop people staying overnight in car parks or lay-bys and in other places they shouldn’t.
“If council made camping illegal in areas which do not hold caravan park certification and this was policed, it would go a long way to giving the legitimate parks a boost,” said Ann Westwood, manager of The Park. “Councils allowing ‘free camping’ activities create an uneven playing field.”
Ms Westwood told the Daily Mercury that private investment in commercial camping and caravan parks was necessary to match the demands and changing expectations of travellers.
“With ever increasing compliance costs, rising costs in electricity, water, rates, insurances, rubbish removal, and so on, to remain viable as businesses, we need the support of council and the travelling public,” she said. “Our guests tell us there is an increasing number of travellers staying in ‘free camping’ sites, which may be only one kilometre from a registered, commercial caravan park but supply a toilet and running water.”
Ms Westwood said her park had always had a separate area designated for tourists even during the mining boom, and had never turned caravans away because they were full.
“At The Park here in Paget, we provide our guests with tourist information and encourage them to lengthen their stay in Mackay, hence spending more dollars in the town,” she said. “We recommend restaurants and point them towards the best retail outlets and service providers.”
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It depends on how much the Pk owners have to pay for council rates.Reduce the rates reduce the Pk prices to be suitable for Grey Nomads bringing in the dollars one way or the other. (fuel,food etc.) At the end of the day we go for the cheapest offer other than free camping but always like to spend dollars in the town someway as a THANKYOU!
I stayed at Mirani while in Mackay which was $25 a night. It’s a good central point for travelling into Mackay and going up to Eungella. Also, you don’t have to brave the city traffic while towing.
It was a clean park with good facitlities including slabs and the reasonable price encourages people to stay longer in Mackay.
A few decent rest stops between Mackay and Bowen wouldn’t go astray either.
What a lot of rubbish spoken by Caravan Park operators. Nothing is said by the Motel Owners when caravan parks fill there allotted spaces with cabins and charge motel rates. If you have a caravan park that caters for caravans or motor homes, fair enough. But if you then decide to be a pseudo-motel at the same time, keep quiet. East coast park owners are recalcitrant whiners to the detriment of anybody else in the town. Try stopping at Coffs Harbour in NSW or Portland in Victoria. Completely anti-tourism.
The less I spend in Parks, the more I spend in businesses
Why do councils only worry about caravan parks there are plenty of other businesses that we spend money at. I free camp and will not be told bff ave to go to a caravan park like probably 60% of other caravaners
Here we go again, free campers stealing the food out of poor C/P operators mouths. Done my own oil change last week still awaiting the backlash from local mechanics.
Caravan parks have to make money, and many recreational vehicles want to free camp. There has to be some common ground between them. If every caravan park allocated an area without facilities, to camp at a low cost, that was acceptable to both parties there wouldn’t be a problem. Caravan park proprietors, have no right to dictate to any council, because of free camping choices. Restaurants don’t dictate to council when an r/ver dines in his/her own van, so why should a park owner have more rights than any other relevant business in a town. I won’t be bullied into a caravan park – I will simply avoid that town, where everyone then misses out on my tourist dollar.
I laugh at the “Grey Nomads” or “Caravanners” who spend $60K-$80K + on their travelling package, and then they whinge about spending $25-$35 p.n. at a caravan park. I am convinced that this bunch of travelers are just plain whingers. The local bakery need not worry, as they are looking for stale bread as it may be cheaper.
wow I actually know a owner of a cv park and if you where to see what their council rates are as well as upkeep of the park and all the bells and whistles that go with that you would not be whining about paying 22 dollars for a nights accom. I also have travelled to mackay and stayed the night at Moana cv park for $6.00 per head for a night with use of toilets and a nice hot shower I also had the chance to do some washing and empty my toilet. If you cant afford that then maybe you shouldnt be on the road
most grey nomads have pets and most cp are not pet friendly in some areas so that should explain some of the problem