The volume of traffic has dropped off significantly in the last few weeks. We are in Central Qld and travellers are few and far between. Do you think the price of diesel has much to do with it?
Joda said
05:17 PM Nov 14, 2022
That plus the weather, maybe people heading home to prepare for xmas as well.
Roger Roger said
06:45 PM Nov 14, 2022
Last year by middle of November there was very few travellers, the temperature can very quickly start being over 40 degrees and too hot to travel.
Meredith said
10:55 AM Nov 16, 2022
Its always a lot lot quieter at this time of year, nothing to do with the price of fuel, much more the weather.
Ivan 01 said
11:07 AM Nov 16, 2022
The common saying before Covid closures was that the majority of the Southerners travelled to and from Qld between Mothers Day and Fathers Day.
My observations generally found this pretty accurate with those stragglers usually being from those who had gone further north into remote areas to find their way *home*
Since Covid many travellers including a lot of Queenslanders are caravanning and RV ing rather than the overseas trip and this has changed the dynamics slightly.
In any case most travellers are out of Qld or at least further south by the middle of November.
Many from the south like the dry heat of winter but cant seem to cope when the humidity builds during summer.
The Belmont Bear said
08:24 PM Nov 16, 2022
We got home yesterday after 10 weeks and 10,000 kms travelling around Queensland from Stanthorpe to Charleville, Charleville to Clonncurry, Clonncurry to Karumba, Karumba to Cairns, Cairns to Maryborough, Maryborough to St George, St George to Cunnamulla. From there we headed back into NSW via Bourke, Cobar, Dubbo, Mudgee, Lake Macquarie. The only time I saw any reduction in RV traffic was in the Gulf probably because when we arrived up there tourist operations were shutting down for the wet season. The RV traffic back down the coast from Cairns to Maryborough still seemed to be pretty busy in both directions but it became almost non existent when we headed back inland and got to Saint George, the roads south to Gundiwindi and Ligtning Ridge were closed due to the flooding so no one was going in either direction. When we eventually crossed into NSW there were hardly any RVs at all as lots of roads were closed and towns were cut off. The road surfaces in NSW are pretty badly damaged and are not good for travelling in RVs so i dont blame people for wanting to stay put.. We try and stay away from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane areas due to the traffic and the cost to stay anywhere on the coast so I cant comment on those areas. The price of Diesel is painful so is the price of food and everything else that has sky rocketed over the last few months but if that is stopping people from travelling they may be sitting at home for a long time. Joda is correct the only reason we headed home was to spend xmas with our family hopefully after the school holidays are over we will be heading west.
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 17th of November 2022 09:21:39 AM
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 17th of November 2022 09:22:07 AM
RickJ said
11:46 AM Nov 17, 2022
During travels about three months ago I was up in Bowen NQ and it was reported that for the first time in many years the local Showgrounds was host to a number of overflow caravans and RV s that could not find accomodation in the several local caravan parks.
It was commonly known that the council would not permit camping at the Showgrounds unless all the tourist parks were full.
I spoke to the manager of the park where we were booked and he was saying that this winter just gone has been the busiest for quite a few years. He apparently attends meetings involving other park owners and managers and he was saying that the current trend is for people to see Australia than to want to go overseas.
That may be a good thing for our economy.
I spoke to a couple that moved onto the site next to us in Bowen and they were saying that they had to move from the showground due to a function being on, which caused the sites at the grounds not to be available. This coupled with other sites becoming available at the tourist parks and the fact that the honour system for paying the $10 being asked was being ignored by many vanners was apparently reported as a problem as well.
Talking with two people from down south just yesterday and they were staying put until they were sure of the roads not being flooded. That maybe just an excuse but I think many roads are closed in NSW and Victoria as the flood waters move down the Murray and its tributaries. My thoughts were that if they wait too long then Qld roads might be closed as the wet comes in.
The extra travellers probably balanced the shortfall in numbers during the Covid closures.
The Belmont Bear said
02:35 PM Nov 17, 2022
Stayed at the CP in South Bowen near the Big Mango for a few days probably 3 or 4 weeks ago it was only about half full. From what we saw there seems to be a lot of long term residents living in caravan parks and plenty of intinerant workers staying in cabins right around Queensland and NSW. We ran into a group of young Spanish people staying in the Valley park at Mudgee last weekend had only arrived in the country a couple of weeks ago and where out there to pick cherrys. Workers wanted signs everywhere we went especially in the agricultultural and hospitality industries they are crying out for people to come and fill vacant positions.
BB
Ivan 01 said
05:40 PM Nov 17, 2022
There are lots of fruit pickers and casual farm workers in Bowen at many times throughout the year.
It is only some of the farms that have accomodation so that really only leaves the caravan parks as all housing rentals are at a premium in many parts of NQ.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Thursday 17th of November 2022 05:41:32 PM
shakey55 said
07:58 AM Nov 18, 2022
Perhaps its the high cost of fuel.
$3:80 per litre (see picture of docket below)
-- Edited by shakey55 on Friday 18th of November 2022 07:59:57 AM
The volume of traffic has dropped off significantly in the last few weeks. We are in Central Qld and travellers are few and far between. Do you think the price of diesel has much to do with it?
My observations generally found this pretty accurate with those stragglers usually being from those who had gone further north into remote areas to find their way *home*
Since Covid many travellers including a lot of Queenslanders are caravanning and RV ing rather than the overseas trip and this has changed the dynamics slightly.
In any case most travellers are out of Qld or at least further south by the middle of November.
Many from the south like the dry heat of winter but cant seem to cope when the humidity builds during summer.
We got home yesterday after 10 weeks and 10,000 kms travelling around Queensland from Stanthorpe to Charleville, Charleville to Clonncurry, Clonncurry to Karumba, Karumba to Cairns, Cairns to Maryborough, Maryborough to St George, St George to Cunnamulla. From there we headed back into NSW via Bourke, Cobar, Dubbo, Mudgee, Lake Macquarie. The only time I saw any reduction in RV traffic was in the Gulf probably because when we arrived up there tourist operations were shutting down for the wet season. The RV traffic back down the coast from Cairns to Maryborough still seemed to be pretty busy in both directions but it became almost non existent when we headed back inland and got to Saint George, the roads south to Gundiwindi and Ligtning Ridge were closed due to the flooding so no one was going in either direction. When we eventually crossed into NSW there were hardly any RVs at all as lots of roads were closed and towns were cut off. The road surfaces in NSW are pretty badly damaged and are not good for travelling in RVs so i dont blame people for wanting to stay put.. We try and stay away from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane areas due to the traffic and the cost to stay anywhere on the coast so I cant comment on those areas. The price of Diesel is painful so is the price of food and everything else that has sky rocketed over the last few months but if that is stopping people from travelling they may be sitting at home for a long time. Joda is correct the only reason we headed home was to spend xmas with our family hopefully after the school holidays are over we will be heading west.
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 17th of November 2022 09:21:39 AM
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 17th of November 2022 09:22:07 AM
It was commonly known that the council would not permit camping at the Showgrounds unless all the tourist parks were full.
I spoke to the manager of the park where we were booked and he was saying that this winter just gone has been the busiest for quite a few years. He apparently attends meetings involving other park owners and managers and he was saying that the current trend is for people to see Australia than to want to go overseas.
That may be a good thing for our economy.
I spoke to a couple that moved onto the site next to us in Bowen and they were saying that they had to move from the showground due to a function being on, which caused the sites at the grounds not to be available. This coupled with other sites becoming available at the tourist parks and the fact that the honour system for paying the $10 being asked was being ignored by many vanners was apparently reported as a problem as well.
Talking with two people from down south just yesterday and they were staying put until they were sure of the roads not being flooded. That maybe just an excuse but I think many roads are closed in NSW and Victoria as the flood waters move down the Murray and its tributaries. My thoughts were that if they wait too long then Qld roads might be closed as the wet comes in.
The extra travellers probably balanced the shortfall in numbers during the Covid closures.
Stayed at the CP in South Bowen near the Big Mango for a few days probably 3 or 4 weeks ago it was only about half full. From what we saw there seems to be a lot of long term residents living in caravan parks and plenty of intinerant workers staying in cabins right around Queensland and NSW. We ran into a group of young Spanish people staying in the Valley park at Mudgee last weekend had only arrived in the country a couple of weeks ago and where out there to pick cherrys. Workers wanted signs everywhere we went especially in the agricultultural and hospitality industries they are crying out for people to come and fill vacant positions.
BB
There are lots of fruit pickers and casual farm workers in Bowen at many times throughout the year.
It is only some of the farms that have accomodation so that really only leaves the caravan parks as all housing rentals are at a premium in many parts of NQ.
-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Thursday 17th of November 2022 05:41:32 PM
Perhaps its the high cost of fuel.
$3:80 per litre (see picture of docket below)
-- Edited by shakey55 on Friday 18th of November 2022 07:59:57 AM