A council in Western Australia is pulling out all the stops in order to be able to offer free overnight parking for self-contained travellers.
Harvey Shire Council wants to offer travellers the facility at a number of towns within its jurisdiction … but, it says, it has ‘issues’ to resolve first.
The council wants initially to provide ‘day’ caravan parking facilities at Yarloop, Harvey, Brunswick Junction, Binningup and Australind … and then to look at the ‘overnight’ possibilities.
It  must install directional signs and tourist information signs to enable caravan owners to park up for short stays, and then it needs to overcome other constraints before 24-hour parking can be made available.
The West Australian newspaper reports that the shire is determined to bring itself into line with what it says is a national trend towards providing touring van facilities.
The council has set aside $20,000 in its budget for the infrastructure, while $40,000 is to be considered in the council’s 2013-14 draft budget to build a bitumen parking area at Harvey.
It will further investigate the possible provision of dump points at these locations and the issues surrounding overnight camping.
According to the West Australian, the locations of the soon-to-be caravan parking sites are:
Yarloop – the caravan bay on Railway Road.
Harvey – the railway reserve on Hayward Street on the western side of the railway line.
Brunswick Junction – the Mooseum parking area on Ommaney Road.
Binningup – the Binningup Water Sports Centre.Australind – the Ridley Place parking area.
Would you use these new facilities if – and when – they are provided? Do you think 24-hour free parking is long enough … or is it the perfect amount of time to be fair to everybody? Comment below.
When traveling, 24hr park ups are more than adequate, & would be well received by most & would I think be well used. The Harvey Shire Council is to be congratulated.
I think 24 hours is no enough to allow to park, rest and spend some money [IE get provisions etc.]
I think 24 hours would be fantastic well done …Harvey Shire this should be well received by all travellers
great work some one is very forward thinking
Fantastic! WA needs it. 24hrs is enough for me
A great big ” Pat on the back” for Harvey Shire,
Lets hope all the other Shires here in the West will follow Harveys “get up and go”
We could sure do with a lot more rest areas
Especially up the Indian Ocean Drive, where stopping is a “No No ”
24hrs will be long enough for us.
Pity we can’t get the rest of Australia on side. 24 hours is quite long enough even to go and shop and have a look around.
hi bill just a query i am related to a bill riches who was living in albany many years ago .he was aplumber by trade .hope to here from you .
I would like to see up to 48hrs but well done W A
24hrs good but 48 hrs fantastic Good council thinking
Yes we would certainly use for at least 24 hour, lovely place Harvey. Well done to council
Well done to the Harvey Shire hope they get it up and running soon, maybe more shires should follow suite it would certainly bring more revenue into their towns we all have eat and have fuel etc.
Well done Harvey! 24 hrs is good but 48 hrs is better. Why – because we mostly arrive in mid arvo. of the 1st day, set up, have a cuppa and then it’s nearly too late to shop for fuel and/or supplies or see anything of significance, 48 hrs. gives you all the 2nd day to do this more extensively and you are not rushing about trying too do it all in a couple of hrs. on the 1st.
Great stuff. We will certainly patronize those places and spend as well. 48 hrs gives us time to rest and shop.The income boost to the area will be significant.
Well Done Harvey 48 hours would be great I have to agree you arrive mid arvo settle in too late to shop so another 24 hrs means more spending $’s in the area