A new ‘budget’ campsite on the NSW South Coast is a step closer to becoming a reality after the local council agreed on what fees guests should be charged at the site.
The idea of camping at Moruya Showground already has ‘in principle’ support from Eurobodalla Shire councillors, and staff will now prepare a development application to ensure the campground complies with relevant legislation.
It is expected the campground will ultimately open mid to late next year.
The council says there will be two designated camping areas at the showground with 18 powered sites. Visitors will be allowed to stay there for up to seven nights.
Moruya Showground should be open to campers mid to late 2026. PIC: Moruya Shire Council
There are currently toilets and showers available at the showground and these will be upgraded and refurbished before the campsite opens, including an additional accessible toilet and shower, and a laundry.
The fees agreed to at the recent council meeting were:
A council spokesperson told the Grey Nomads that the thinking behind the new campsite was simple.
“Eurobodalla Council hopes to encourage travellers, including grey nomads, to stop and stay at Moruya and enjoy the dining, shopping and experiences on offer,” the spokesperson said. “Eurobodalla offers many activities including world-standard walking and mountain biking trails, art events and exhibitions, whale watching and ocean tours, extensive national parks and state forest, and several golf clubs.”
Moruya sits on the Princes Highway and is about 350 kilometers south of Sydney.
It is understood that showground camping will be restricted during large events, such as the annual show and rodeo.
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$30 with electricity? Water? Dump point?
Yes
Would a single adult be $30 too?
Glad you are enquiring. I also feel that solo travelers are disadvantaged by having to pay the same fee as a couple. I also approached Giday Parks about a Solo Travelers Club within their organisation but never got a response. No wonder so many solo travelers try to find free camping which can be a risk for women who like or have no option but to travel on their own.
Solo travellers take up the same amount of space in a caravan park as a couple does.
Therefore they should pay the same site fee as a couple
A travelling family of 4 takeup the same amount of space as a solo traveler does.
Therefore, they should pay the same site fee as a solo traveler.
We are a fulltime travelling family in a fully self contained truck and caravan, $35 is too expensive for us.
If it was $10 however, we would stay and buy coffee and cake at the bakery each day + plus a beer at the local.
Is the goal for the council to make money or for the local business to benefit?
We all understand that NSW NP are for self profit. We recently tried to stay a Green Patch camp ground on our way through, $180 per night ………
Yes but your family of 4 use the amenities 4 × more than a single traveller. Which in fairness should attract a higher rate. Single same price as two maybe $5 cheaper but $30 vs the local caravan park with most of the facilities that you are paying for Splash park, mini golf, peddle carts ect, l know where l would rather stay.
Yes but 6 people in a caravan take up same space as a couple
but only use half of the amenities… I reckon $20 for a solo traveler would suffice..
$30 p/n I’m assuming is in the scheme of things is maybe a bit steep but in real life $30 per nite for a single is actually a steal. .I’m sure I’ve paid more, before.
But this idea of Towns campgrounds being accommodation venues is not new. In fact its more like an old idea being revisited,as a few towns and cities have always offered this option to travellers.
Let’s hope with the impending death of the old system, the old world economic charms of Australia start to revive and further the development of community.
30 bucks is far too much for a couple to stay at a showground, especially if they are trying to increase the numbers of people staying in the area for a few days- these people would be supporting all of the local businesses in the area with their hard earned so the local community is benefiting from them anyway. Reduce the fees and you will be surprised at the numbers staying over
Exactly. Showgrounds need to be a bargain or just stay in a C P
I agree $30 to much for a couple per night considering what they will spend in town
Per others said ..pubs ,coffee houses, groceries all adds up to sometimes up to big $$$ over a max 7 days
Have you been to a caravan park in that area, $50 to $80 per night, $30 is great value.
Absolutely right I suggest you put a box there for people to put there receipts in from there purchaser’s in town I think it will surprise you how much travellers spend. I think $25 is a fare price
Agree wholeheartedly
Showgrounds have long been a good campsite even if some only had cold showers and fairly primitive/old/dilapidated facilities. I don’t think that $30. a night would encourage many campers but a smaller fee sat $20 would be acceptable.
Great idea
I think the $30 fee is a bit high for pensioner nomads. Would they consider $20 for solos and $25 for doubles?
That’s closer to the mark.
$3o is on the high side for showground sites, I am asumimg that is for a power and watered site.. we have used show ground camping all around OZ some are very good but lots are very run down and ill kept.. To charge $30 it would have to be well maintaned and with ample showers and toilets..
$30 is nothing compared to $300 in some other caravan parks.
Name me a caravan park that charges $300 please
As a comparison, in Gippsland, Victoria at Meeniyan there is a very nice recreation reserve which offers unpowered sites, toilet block- cold water and no showers, no dump point. They ask a donation of 10 a night. It is next to the South Gippsland rail trail and 2 minute walk to the town with quality bakery , cafes, pub, op shop, art craft, and service station. Wilsons Promontory is 1 hour away and Cowes at Phillip Island is 1 hr and 11 minutes.
Very popular location weekends, and in holiday seasons.
$30 for Moruya rec reserve compared to staying at a commercial caravan park seems a very affordable option.
25 power and water would be about the average. A dump point definitely. Access for big rigs would be a good magnet for the grey army. And an on-site caretaker.
Amazing forward thinking by a local council. More like this will make Australia great again.
At last a sensitive and positive approach by a council instead of the usual punitive approach .
Sounds very reasonable to me, should encourage more visitors to the area.
$20 per night with facilities great as that’s half the price of caravan parks and the revenue that will be spent in town is good for everyone
Maybe $30 for one night with a reduction for more nights. Stay for 4 pay for 3?
Moruya is a great town, $30 p/couple is more than fair if those facilities mentioned are available. The alternative in caravan parks is much dearer. Bonus is that its a simple, flat walk uptown to shops and clubs etc..
$30 is a reasonable charge for p&w,hot showers etc. and just like anywhere else,if you are not happy with the cost just go past. Cheers
Great work, Council should be congratulated. Thank you for providing another option for travellers. Keep it simple and suggest a focus to self contained RVs & vans so you can keep costs down and maintenance simpler.
$30 /nite might as well go to the caravan park most showgrounds charge $20 -$25 I know it’s only $5 but they add up
we are at Tarnagulla in Vic $10 no power $25/power hot showers flushing toots water and dump point
Yeah maybe $30 a night with a discounted weekly rate and DEFINITELY a cheaper single rate. I agree too that the cheaper basic showgrounds camping is good to attract people to a town and supporting businesses.
At last, the message is getting through to some towns! Although this is a step in the right direction I do believe $30 is still a little high for show ground accommodation. I would have thought $25 is ample. Having said that, other towns with show grounds need to take heed on what Moruya has done and follow suit.
$30 is very reasonable, you don’t get much for thirty bucks these day.
Way cheaper than a caravan park.
Great idea. I think $25 a couple is a fair fee.
Good on you Moruya, should be more progressive towns to open up their showgrounds .
The charge of $30 is very reasonable for power water and clean amenities.
Personally think $30 is a bit on the “high side”. A good option, but Showgrounds used to be very good value for around $20.
Do not need power. Is there a cheaper option?
I think $30 is a bit high. If you make it $20 you would get more people willing to stay. And single people would be most likely to be happy to pay $20.
I agree with the majority. Showgrounds should be a max of $10, otherwise stay in a caravan which has more/better amenities.
I think $25 per night is an acceptable cost for a Showground as some caravan parks are still charging about $30 per night subject to time of year
I don’t think the prices are for the “space”, i feel charges are for the use of amenities. A solo traveller will probably use less of the amenities (showers, power etc) than a family of lets say 4. Thats one shower v 4 showers per day along with power use, water fills etc. The showground has a set amount of spots, so 18 spots can be filled at any given time, no matter how many people on board. Would it be better to charge $15 per spot, then $5 per person up to a limit of say $35 per night??
cheers
$25 per couple is fair