While the Fraser Coast Council’s ‘Stop and Shop’ initiative was initially warmly received by some grey nomads, it seems that there are those who feel it sends out the wrong message.
The scheme requires RV travellers to spend a minimum of $10 at a local business and then show their receipt at the Hervey Bay or Maryborough visitor information centres to obtain a voucher so they can stay up to 20 hours in designated parking areas.
Some travellers have welcomed the opportunity to prove to decision makers just how much they do spend while free camping, but journalist Carlie Walker says it is something they should never have been asked to do. She has written a powerful opinion piece in the Fraser Coast Chronicle blasting the strategy as ‘a joke’.
“RV travellers are not children, needing to bring a note from the teacher to entitle them to stay here,” she writes. “The fact that the council is treating these people like infants who need to prove they are spending money here is unbelievable.”
She argues that by demanding proof of a measly $10, the area is probably costing itself millions of tourism dollars every year.
“There is no doubt as to the financial benefit of having these visitors come to our region,” writes Ms Walker. “These travellers would spend money at Maryborough stores and museums, travel to Hervey Bay to go whale watching and make time during their visit so they can catch a show at the Brolga Theatre.”
And she says any attempt to force RVs to use caravan parks, or RV sites managed by private caravan parks, was doomed.
“The region’s caravan parks are missing out on nothing if the council treats RV travellers as a completely separate market to the camping and caravan market, which is exactly what they are,” she said. “They will simply continue to do what they are already doing – they will bypass us completely.”
They could always provide a box and get nomads to put their receipts in and then council would see how much is being spent. We have stayed somewhere and put our receipts in the box.
Whilst it may seem like a bit of an imposition, most GN’s would probably spend much more than that amount anyway. I see it as a “filter” to prevent the unwanted from using and abusing an otherwise free site for the night.
Yes and I would not bother with making the journey out to Hervey Bay just to get 20 hrs of “free” parking. It is not free, it costs a minimum of $10. Give us a break!
I think it is actually a good initative form FCC and agree it helps filter out undesirables who don’t spend anything at all in the Councils area. We personally drive straight past destinations that do not offer “free” overnight stays and spend our money in the places that do. I don’t think most GN’s would see it as treating them as infants.
In Western aus ‘ you have the simular problem – In margaret River you can’t even park your motor home or caravan any where near the town –BUT they call themselves “tourist friendly ” — they put in the local paper that the old sale yards are an ideal spot to park over night for self contained vehicles –” then the RANGER comes around and tells you they will fine you $200 for staying over night — WTF double standards or what ,, I hope that when all those so called councilors retire where will they go ?? because they have Banned all free parking areas — just remember they have to get to this age — NOT HAPPY COUNCILORS
I’ve stayed there a few times. Sparse but like it. No problems finding $10 worth of receipts. I think it’s a good idea until people realise caravan park owners propaganda hurts every other business owner in the town.
What is this obsession with free parking? We are currently doing the small lap, four months touring Tasmania and we have stayed at caravan parks with all the bells and whistles and free parked in RV friendly towns that offered little but somewhere pleasant to park up with, perhaps, water or a dump point. We are currently staying in a small remote,in Tasmanian terms, town that has built a stopover with. Toilets,showers ,barbecues , laundry with free washers and dryer and we pay $28 per night, why, because to us it is worth it and we would not expect to have such facilities without cost. If all you want out of owning a caravan is free parking then I can only suggest you park it up,permanently in your front yard.
I have not stayed at this free camp but will most definitely do so when in the area.
What do travellers want !!!! This council has shown great courage by setting up this stop over as there are quite a number of van parks in Hervey Bay and I would imagine there has been a lot of lobbing against this endeavour.
Come on – are we getting over sensitive about proving we have spent money in a town ?
I think it keeps us honest and there is no room to shirk our responsibility to pay a donation.
We would be only too willing to spend some of our money in any town in order to stay there for free. In fact have done so on many occasions and have even stayed in the town’s caravan parks. It all depends on a traveller’s circumstances and/or financial status and has nothing to do with being treated like a child or being humiliated… In fact it’s quite childish to even contemplate the thought…!