Grey nomads who regularly argue that free camps are justified by the associated economic benefits they bring to a wider area will feel somewhat vindicated by the release of new data from a Queensland council.
Two free campsites in the South Burnett region have reportedly added an estimated $2.43 million to the economy in the last five years.
The impressive numbers from the camps at Wooroolin and Wondai were presented recently to South Burnett Regional Council’s Infrastructure, Environment and Compliance Standing Committee.
Cr Kathy Duff told councillors that the associated from the free camps income was ‘quite significant’.
It was calculated using a 2008 Darling Downs Study which estimated knock-on economic benefits from free campers at $88/night.
The report to councillors shows that in 2022, 4996 overnight stays were recorded at the Wondai site, up from 2943 in 2019.
It said that the highest monthly stay total there – 545 in August – was ‘especially pleasing’.
The growth of visitor numbers staying at the Wooroolin site have been less impressive. There were just under 3,000 visitor nights there in 2022, pretty much exactly the same as in 2018.
Of course, the pandemic played havoc with the data. In Wooroolin, for example, there were just 1525 stays in 2020.
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Please tell me why the councils don’t put a collection box to collect ALL DOCKETS so they can tell reasonably how much the free campers spend in the small struggling towns =most of us visit – as we are the ones that keep small towns floating ??
Totally agree Len we purchase fuel, groceries, pub meals & drinks coffee at cafes
I think they do this at Howard free camp on the Fraser coast
I would assume, many, if not most people like me after using a free camp, buy fuel and supplies at the nearest retailers (the town/village supplying the free camp) and wouldn’t drive back to the free camp to deposit receipts.
Cheers,
Roy.
The retailer should keep records by asking if you are free camping.
For us, my wife and I prefer free camps as it allows us to stay longer near small communities and spend our pension on supplies and sight seeing etc. With the price of a caravan parks for a spot on either grass or dirt and all we really need is power and water is just too much when also including the price of fuel.
Every one must eat and fuel up. Free camping allows you to spend in restaurants and other businesses. High van park fees drastically reduce the amount of free cash you can spend and all the profits go to the van park operators. Its simple economics if you spend in various businesses then all benefit and the van parks lose out
Don How many other bushiness’s in a town get council or government protection?
I free camp in my 36 foot RV, Free park every 10 kays or so on every road I travel on, I park in tite so that trucks are not obstructed by me, I face the paddocks and dont notice the traffic going past on the road, I am fully self contained, so what do I need from a Caravan park, Absolutely nothing, I just spent ten days travelling from Melbourne to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island and back thru the Barrosa and Mildura, I still need to eat and have entertainment in towns, So I park in the next street away from the main street, I go shopping, Go to the pub for dinner, Get fuel if I need it, Check out the local Museums, Etc,Etc, Check out the town, Two nights in a Caravan park parked on a peice of grass, is equal to a Large Crayfish and a Kilo of prawns, Fresh water and Dump points are at Information shops in most towns, The amount I spend in towns is the same as If I was still sitting at home, Excluding fuel, And I am seeing the country as well,
Councils just need to look at Bingara where for many, many years they have been collecting receipts from campers at a number of locations, 5 years or so ago when I spoke to the Information Office they were attributing over $20,000 a month was brought into the town by free campers so I imagine that has increased by now, Manilla has also seen an increase since they opened their great free camp, the caravan parks are well patronized so no loss of business for them ……. towns that have nearby free camps always seem to have a good variety of shops that are doing well …. Texas is a good example, COVID made a hit on the town but now with campers back things seem to be looking up again…….. Wondai is a great town.
From what I have read a lot of French country towns have free camps on their outskirts and reap an economic benefit from them,
Totally agree with all the previous comments. We find that when we’re staying in a free camp we spend more money in the town, whether it be dinner at a pub or a sightseeing tour or visiting other paid attractions. We’ve been travelling full-time for seven years but are now looking to settle because van parks, showgrounds and fuel have become too expensive so all of those small communities and businesses will no longer see the $650+ per week we were injecting into them. Very sad.
We are avid free campers especially around the small towns when ever we are caravanning..
We enjoy the local hospitality Like @ Bingara Game of golf $5.00 then the rest in the clubhouse Plus food & fuel. There for a week just fabulous area Made some good acquaintences
In our local area of Gippsland the free camp @ Rosedale is a prime example of money going back into the local community.That site would average 15 various RVs each night. The locals pushed to have a new toilet block installed & there is a walking track / bridge into town, Great bakery Butchers
Op shop Hairdresser etc Soon the local pub will be reopening after a face lift. Looking forward to supporting that as wellas well as we support the other small businesses. A 20 km drive isnt an issue. Its just a pity that a percentage of campers in free camps with their big flash rigs cant put their hand in pocket to donate.
Genoa is a prime example along with a few I’ve witnessed in NSW. AND they are the biggest complainers..
Happy travels to all the good persons out there
Gary & Lyn
Where some of these parks charge 50 dollars plus a night yes we need more free parks to show them we are not prepared to pay the equivalent of 350 plus a week for a few square metres of dirt.