The long-established tradition of camping at the Albury Showgrounds has been granted a temporary reprieve … but with greater restrictions imposed.
Following complaints from the adjoining caravan park about how its business was being negatively affected by caravans and motorhomes staying at the showground, Albury Council has been under pressure to make changes.
However, the Showground Trust which manages the sites has argued that ‘existing use rights’ were in play due to the fact camping had been occurring on the site since 1965.
Now, a compromise of sorts has been agreed. The council’s planning and development committee has just voted 4-1 to defer any compliance action for up to 12 months on campers using the site.
However, the proviso is that a maximum of five sites will be used at any time. The Border Mail newspaper reports that, due to the efforts of Cr David Thurley, the length of time grey nomads and others can stay has been increased from a maximum two to four nights.
Cr Thurley described the committee decision, which needs ratification by council next week, as a ‘good interim measure’ and hoped a pending master-plan of the site would resolve any long-standing issues.
However, the Border Mail reports that Cr Graham Docksey questioned how the conditions would be policed, including the turning away of campers when the area had reached its capacity of five camp sites being used.
Planning and environment director Michael Keys said the showgrounds would be the subject of ‘regular patrols’ by council compliance staff. And, he said, ultimately the Showgrounds Trust would be responsible for managing the number of campsites being used and they would have the responsibility to enforce the new camper number limit.
Providing the campsites are clearly marked out then any-one not camped on one of these sites would be clearly in breach of the rules. It might be best to spread out on your site though in order to stop someone parking along side & claiming they were there first. lol
No problem with policing the 5 camp site limit, the problem will be 4 day stay. As seen through out Australia, nomads DO NOT obey the time limits applied to short stops. For example BLUEWATER in FNQ has a limit but every year we see vans pull up for the hole of winter. Parham in SA has a 14 day limit however we see vans/buses stay much longer. Time limits are the problem and need the policing
Why are caravan parks a protected species? If people don’t want to stay in a caravan park they will simply keep driving through the town and then all the other business’s will lose out. So I ask again, why do these caravan parks have the right to call for the closure of their competition?
Agree. They need to think outside the square & offer some incentive or activity to make people want to stay instead of whinging!
Where is the protection offered to us? we are fighting to keep our businesses afloat, we are registered and licensed to carry out this business. Councils need to police according to their Local Laws. Free campers are becoming a national disgrace. If you have earned your holiday then you are prepared to pay for it. and stop dumping on other’s grounds at someone elses expense
lets look at why nomads free camp as there are a lot of pensioners out there who free camp as they cant afford house rentals now a days so when they come to a town its free camping or cheaper camping i am one of those pensioners and if i cant free camp i just dont spend anything in that town and move on to the next we are not a disgrace and travel to our means we have our own power and showers and toilets so dont need caravan parks with their exorbitent pricing
Greedy selfish and not thinking of other town businesses, get real guys think of others not just yourselves. I free camp but also use caravan parks,but not high priced parks , we do not need kids attractions or toys just power water and decent amenities. Think about it folks.
Cheers
I have never seen a CP in difficulties, unless your park is so overpriced or unattractive or restrictive that folks wont come. We are not on holiday, we are permanent retirees who house and farm sit, allowing others to get a break on a win win deal. We are FULLY self contained and dont like being forced into a sardine site and paying exorbitant prices or denied because we have well behaved dogs. CP crying poor is utter BS.
Charley, next time you pass through check out the caravan park next door. I wouldn’t let my dog stay in there it is awful. Showgrounds is clean and has beautiful grassy spots. Lovely.
Grey Nomads will continue to flaunt the rules especially if they are fighting to get something cheap or for free. Never met a tighter bunch.
Guess what, it’s NOT always grey nomads!
You need to do some research as to how much they do spend in towns, which gives other businesses a share, not just caravan parks. Many parks are a rip-off. People, especially on fixed incomes only have so much money to spend and they have to eat & buy fuel!
Stay limit easily fixed-campers need to obtain ticket with dates clearly marked & dislayed on windscreen. If council want these restrictions, then they need to provide appropriate checks & tickets!
If caravan offered a cheaper version for nomads they may choose to use it as most are not interested in all the bells and whistles also are caravan parks going to remove cabins as these are in competition with motels make it a fair playing field not just about cash
Took some friends to that park some years ago, the toilets had no catches let alone locks, same with the showers, a big puddle of water in the doorway entrance to the blocks. The sights were all potholes a terrible place. Would recommend off road sights rather than pay there. I have not been back. The Showgrounds are much better and will fit the bigger Vans
I worked out the other day at a small CP at wardell nsw their take would be a minimum 1.5 million pa. That is big bikkies and they have an all yr round occupancy rate of 95%. These CP have too much say in councils, and the counselors have too little regard for other businesses in town. Pity. Well said ailsa.
Hmmm.I know a town with several mens barbers. Charged around $20 for a No 3 zip cut. Was like that for years then a fairly big shopping centre popped up, another barber!! But hey then some Chinese operater opened a pop up shop in middle of shopping centre walk through area. $10 a hair cut, bingo everyone struggled but the $10 shop seems to be thriving. Where is their protection. Kodak went broke when digital photography arrived because they didn’t adapt quick enough. ADAPT OR GET OVER YOURSELF Caravan Parks.
I think caravan park fees at peak school holiday times and in tourist areas
For all traveller’s is extremely expensive. To stay in a showground is more affordable as well as helps families have the opportunity to get a site for their holiday. Gone is the time when we need a lot of children friendly park facilities. The money we save goes into shops and attractions. Many times we have made decisions based on accommodation costs. Eg $60 per night at xmas. If caravan parks want to be full in the off season try dropping your rates. What you loose each site you will make up in volume.
A four day stay is very fair. Sad that it has come to this point as towns need to encourage travellers rather than close Showgrounds.
Another multi million dollar business that wont cater for my size bus and fur babies, pressures council fir greed and greed alone. Cest la vie, as a permanent retired traveler this is now another short sighted town council that I will add to my blacklist. On avg we spend 500 plus in towns, being fuel, groceries, mementoes, tourist activities. Multiply that by the number of showground and low cost travelers and your towns other businesses lose out over the greed of one. Stupid and short sighted.
Free stays should be limited to one night! 4:00 pm to 10:00 am.
Van traveler’s need more, no cost, safe overnight rest stops, given truck stops are now a no no. $35 for a quick sleep in your own accomodation is unreasonable. Longer free stays are penny pinching. Holiday makers should be in the Van parks, using the fulll ammenities, and so getting their money’s worth, and they can then actually safely leave Van to do sightseeing, maximising real benefit to local economy. Cheers
We just pulled into Inverell Showgrounds. 6 sites only allowed! So we will buy our fuel and groceries somewhere else. We drove back out to Tingha to stay. Inverell is now off our list.
I agree with the other comments made by the grey nomads. Or freedom campers. We only stay in caravan parks in big cities. If a country town has free camping we stay in town and spend money in that town. We don’t need caravan parks because we are fully self contained. Most people who caravan are either free campers or caravan parkers in the country. So having free camping in town and caravan parks inp town people will use both.
We are heading off a trip to Act, Vic and S A in February. Friends that are travelling with us have done the itinenary. Most are rest areas, recreation reserves, hotels and a few caravan parks. We love to sit around a campfire maybe have a drink or two and enjoy and meet lots of other travellers. We shop for groceries, fuel, touristy things like museums, art galleries, souve iers of the town and any other attractions in town. See Ausfralia first. There will be 4 caravans travelling together. If a site is too crowded we move to the next one. Water is important. If we have to pay for it we will. We like to pay less then $30 for a powered site and like room to park the vehicle too.
If we don’t want to shop at Coles, we move on. And so it is with CP, after being on the road last year for nearly 5 months, we choose to stay twice at a CP by choice. And so be it Albury, you will not be on our list even for a stop over. There are more then enough friendly RV towns then we poke a stick at.
My husband and I are pensioners. Unfortunately we are not super funded.
The cost of fuel various from town to town. On a overnight stay if
we were to go to a CP arrive late afternoon or early evening. Leave early the next day between 6-8am. Pay $35/40 for night. We would not use pools, fancy playgrounds. Camp kitchens. We would not use.
As most pensioners travel off peak and CP who are not full. They could do the same and charge $20/25 with power to pensioners at least $20 is better getting than having an empty spot. As well if successful among campers word of mouth travels is a good advertisement. We are in a caravan club with 3000 or more members australia wide and we pick up word of mouth good and reasonable fees camping site advice. So wake up CP a vacant site and $20/25 in your pocket is better than an empty site and nothing in your pocket. Camping is very big in this country and not everyone is financial secure.