Does anyone know of some good showgrounds to stay at between south Brisbane to northern NSW to stay at. We have a bigger van and sometime find it hard to get into the small spots in Caravan Parks.

We stayed a night at Glenreagh showground for the princely sum of $8 a night. Lovely and quiet, miles of space to choose a site  from, and shady too. On the downside, you'd need your own shower in the van, as the toilet facilities were fine but the showers unusable. Enjoy!

If travelling inland I understand Showground camping is available at Inverell, check with the visitor centre there before assuming this however. The Inverell Caravan Park is an excellent small park, reasonably priced, and I think has space for larger rigs. Also I believe Bingara, south west of Inverell is reputed to be very "RV friendly". This area of the NSW North West is very pretty and worth more than just an overnight stay.

Thank you for your reply to the showgrounds.
I wil try to get a phone number to see if we can arrange to go there in the next few weeks we are on our way down south from Caboolture at the moment.

Much appreciated.

jimricho wrote:

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If travelling inland I understand Showground camping is available at Inverell, check with the visitor centre there before assuming this however. The Inverell Caravan Park is an excellent small park, reasonably priced, and I think has space for larger rigs. Also I believe Bingara, south west of Inverell is reputed to be very "RV friendly". This area of the NSW North West is very pretty and worth more than just an overnight stay.

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You are right on the Inverell c/p .Friends of ours stayed there for a period of time with a 23ft b/tracker & f250 .

 

Murwilumbah showground

Tenterfield

If the towns have a caravan park or two, does the local authority allow "camping" on showgrounds? What facilities are provided there? Power, amenities? What fees? Is it all about cost or do travellers choose showgrounds in places there aren't van parks, and because it's a cheaper option with amenities and power? I don't free camp with the van. Parks can be costly, so a cheaper alternative would be ok, but is it as safe and secure as a van park? Are there always other campers there? Who manages these facilities? Is it the local Council eg? I have factored van park fees into my lifestyle budget, but an economical alternative would be good if it was as secure as van parks, stretching my travel budget a bit further when I'm travelling from point A to point B. Do they allow long stays? I always feel "at home" in parks. It's the lifestyle I'm used to, having lived in a park in Broome for 9 years, and now here for 16mths, and years ago in the Bolivar Park in Adelaide and Pt. Lincoln. Camping and vanning a two very separate things for me. Vanning is "living" and a means to live and enjoy the community in which I'm parked. Camping is camping, usually in a nice place by a beach, river, lake, national park, forest etc, as a holiday with solitude and something different preferably with a friend or a small group of friends.

Granny i believe you get what you pay for regards showground , power and basic shower toilet and along way away from anything like shops for bread and milk . But i have spoken to 5th. wheeler owners who have trouble fitting into caravan parks then have to look else where ,and some people just like to get away from the rest of us and find showground less crowded

chris, showgrounds, like free or low cost camps, are aimed at a "certain breed" one who is constantly travelling and doesnt want a long term park, we use them all the time stopping one or two nights here and there but mostly just as a means of getting the night out the way so as to get the to the next point I think a long term stay in a showground would be a week but I cant see any reason why it couldnt be longer but the amenities are less than basic and they are usually a longish way from town

We stayed at s few earlier this year, prices varied between $10-15 pn powered.
I think it was bendigo showgrounds even had free washing machines available.

Interesting. Thanks everyone. It does seem to be a waste of community facilities between district shows which run over a day, weekend or week, and then sits bare for the rest of the year, unless there is a saleyard next door. The councils could rake up a bit more revenue if they let parkers in overnight. Basic amenities are better than a hole in the ground, and no shower. I guess they're only used during show time when the out of town folk come into town. I wouldn't want to stay for more than 1 or 2 nights - just a layover between destinations I suppose. I do prefer the comforts of van parks for a long stay.

show grounds are becoming more popular and as they do more amenities are put in place, as Gary states showers are now common and washing machines are coming to the forefront, I have never stayed in a show ground, but for no particular reason the one at quorn is very picturesque and most amenities are there I think a week would not be hard to pass in there with beautiful quorn about 5 k's down the road, one could easily travel very cheaply and picturesquely from show ground to show ground all around this great country of ours

Last general meeting of Queensland showground association, making more use of showgrounds for grey nomads was discussed

Mareeba uses the rodeo grounds, providing power and amenities across a huge paddock. It was packed during the rodeo, but it's also busy during the peak time when the van park is full. Sort of overflow I guess. I visited my Pt Lincoln friends there, and he was earning a coupla bucks keeping the portable facilities clean and the bins tidy. Work on site - good idea.