Is the Aussie tradition of affordable coastal camping dying out?
Opposition is growing to the plans that the NSW government has for 26 coastal holiday parks it runs on the north and south coasts, along with eight inland parks.
Various development proposals have sprung up around parks in places such as Brunswick Heads, Hawks Nest, Seal Rocks, Nambucca Headland, Wategos and Lake Ainsworth.
The NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust was set up “to provide co-ordinated management of some of the state’s most iconic coastal and inland caravan parks and reserves”.
The thinking is that changes in management and governance are needed to ensure the parks are sustainable for decades to come.
However, many residents of nearby areas and protest groups claims some of the plans now being bandied about amount to theft of public land and rivers from the community for commercial use
In Brunswick Heads north of Byron Bay, for example, a playground looks set to be removed and a riverfront park decked. Opponents say the public would be denied access to foreshore parklands, walkways, swimming holes and boat ramps used for generations.
Sean O’Meara, convener of the Foreshore Protection Group, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Brunswick Heads was the first town to be confronted by the Crown Holiday Parks Trust.
“’It is trying to fleece communities across New South Wales of their best public spaces so they can be turned into private, fenced and gated tourist enclaves,” he said. ”It is clear from the composition of the board that it will be nothing more than a development company intent on commercially leasing these new developments to the highest bidder.”
The local mayor, Simon Richardson, agrees.
”If caravan parks are controlled by the local council, which is accountable to the local community, it will ideally reflect the local community,” he told the SMH. “Once you get away from that model, and start to have a commercial enterprise involved, they will simply see that real estate as something that requires profitability.”
However, a government spokesperson said creation of the trust had provided operational efficiencies for the administration of 34 holiday parks with combined assets of $82 million.
”A number of false claims continue to be circulated within the community,” he said. ”The truth is the draft plans do not remove any foreshore land from public use and the parks are not being privatised.”
Is it sensible for government to look at all options to preserve the long-term future of these parks, or does this simply sound like another nail in the coffin of the great Aussie tradition of affordable coastal van parks? Comment below.
Rumour! That the Government and State is looking at selling the whole Coastal and National parks to Privatization and ending all Free Camp sites…Can this happen ? I know we are being sold off without a shot being fired But this sounds terrible
Have they killed the goose that laid the golden egg? I am over 60 and own a caravan. I like to travel, but everyone seems to want a piece of the grey nomads. My caravan has only been out of the shed once in 18 months, where we used to travel at least once every three months. There are lots of places in Australia that I haven’t yet seen and lots of places I loved and would like to return too. But travelling costs are too high along with the cost of living in general. So we stay home instead. Are other grey nomads changing their travelling lifestyle?
Sure have Charlie…..I am finding it way too expensive to even go a couple of Hundred Klms
We live in the Gold Coast Hinterland and our last trip was over to the coast. Camp fees are hellish, but on the plus side petrol is cheap. It is only 50ks.
Nothing wrong with operational efficiencies, most government department’s could do with a decent shakeup. My problem is that if the purpose of the trust is to improve efficiency why waste money on plans, draft or otherwise, if you have no intension of execution them.
Send the government a message ring your local members remind them that you can still vote and they be on the outer next election it is about time we the people stand up tell them what we think tell your friends to do the same people power
I have been saying that for years Andrew…..No body really can be fagged…To Hard to much of a hassle
I understand the concern about CHPT. However the facts are that if Mayor Simon Richardson and Sean O’Meara have their way there will be a lot less van sites in Brunswick Heads. One park alone, Terrace Reserve Holiday Park, will lose 20 riverfront van and camp sites, with another 14 sites lost within the park when the permanent residents are moved off the riverbank, a total of 34 sites lost if Simon and Sean get their way. This will surely increase the hire fees of the remaining sites.
The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested to see if it can survive a thirty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!