Another article on Grey Nomads in the Sunshine Coast Times
Duh said
01:31 PM Nov 4, 2012
Years ago John, I belonged to a caravan club who had a National Rally in a WA town (Busselton), about 50 caravans (mostly couples so say approx 100 people) from all over Oz attended, some working it in with their around Oz trip.
The rally was for 7 days in a local caravan park. The treasurer asked everyone to keep their receipts and hand them into him before they departed. Bear in mind that as well as the park fees the club members were having haircuts, buying camera film, chemist supplies, caravan/car repairs/fuel and servicing while there, newspapers/books, clothing, food and drinks including cafe's/pub meals, local tourist attractions which incur a fee etc and the list goes on. The treasurer presented the local council with a breakdown of what was spent in the town during that period and they were very grateful to receive it.
At the end of the 7 days, the treasurer tallied up the receipts that had been handed in and they came to a total of over $75,000 had been spent in the town in that 7 day period (that did not include those who may not have handed in receipts or didn't worry about a receipt for minor purchases (coffee etc) Not a bad boost to their local economy! All of the club members from what I saw would have been on a pension or possibly part or fully funded retirees.
Of course in general, those travelling around would not all spend that amount of time in the one town, and they would have different spending habits, eg; backpackers or pensioners may spend a lot less than cashed up people still working etc and the length and time of their trip.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 4th of November 2012 01:32:59 PM
A good article and good to see there are those who are at least considering the needs of the traveller - no matter what age we may be.
However, I wish I could spend $700 a week, let alone in any one town. My budget means I only have $450 available for EVERY week - and that is to pay for ALL my bills as well as travelling costs.
I still cringe when I hear or see "They are a constant stream of travelling bank accounts."
Did you read some of the comments made allegedly by residents ? Obviously has no idea of the RV lifestyle!
Can you imagine say if you were doing a long trip around Oz and stocking up at home before you left with food etc for the duration of the trip? Where would you put it all? Attitudes like some of those in the comments are just unreal!
rockylizard said
07:25 PM Nov 4, 2012
Gday...
Ya on the ball Vic. It is because of the ingrained(?) attitude of those who aren't travellers/retired yet that it is so difficult for Councils to accede to the needs (wishes?) of the "travelling bank accounts".
However, one comment on the site - "They shop at woollies or Coles and buy their fuel at woollies or Coles servos. They cook their own meals and brag about how little they live on." is fairly accurate - not much stays in the community from our spending there. About the only thing it achieves is to help maintain some local employment opportunities - in itself valuable.
Cheers - John
mr glassies said
09:26 PM Nov 4, 2012
Sh)(t it makes laugh this van park stuff . Last xmas i had to do a couple of days emergency work at cotton tree cpark and y o y would anyone want to stay there aludes me . I had to clean out a blocked grey water pipe and it had a nappy shoved down it we even saw a 5ish yr old doing his business on the road kids yelling bikes bashing into your car aand van yada yada yada the older folk mite not want to hear that any more .were called grey nomads (we have done or bit for australia worked paid taxes raised kids and even some have raised grand kids som e like us will be living just above our means but sort of comafortable ) we will own our home a new colorado and a 5y old van but we will be happy . No one talked about the 1dayers that come and use the free barbys and loos or emptying out the bins of there crap o no they didnt tow a van and i recon most nomads probably come from coast towns and dont realy need to se the coast to me its al the same sand rocks salt water rude people younget my drift
Well ive had my say lol Dibs
justcruisin01 said
10:27 PM Nov 4, 2012
While ever we do not have a foot on the property of a caravan park they have no athourity to dictate where we go or stop.
The more these people mouth off & complain the more I refuse to use them. We have even given up going to our local park at xmas that we have supported for the last 30+ yrs, due to lack of management & OH&S problems. This park is in the control of council who contract it to other interests.
In the last ten years have never seen the same managers twice, so nothing gets done, I took the issue to the council in early 1/11, same problems were still there last xmas so I photographed them & emailed to the council again, six weeks later no response , returned the email again with a bit more added & again no response. I then handed it to the local member who forwarded it to council, after many weeks we get a reply.
In their own words they didn't have the money to do the repairs, so does that mean if you can't afford things then you are exempt of OH&S.Try that with another business & see how long you last.Rules for some & none for others.
These people think we have an attitude as grey nomads,
JC.
Plendo said
11:47 PM Nov 4, 2012
I was encouraged to read the positive tone of the article, but the ignorance expressed in some of the comments is astounding. These people just don't seem to understand that there is a significant number of dollars being poured into the economy each year by the motor touring tourists, and that like all groups note everyone wants to do the same thing (live in caravan parks). Thus to pander to the commercial interests of a small group of people they are penalising the other businesses in the region.
While the "constant steam of travelling bank accounts" may offend some people it at least tries to make understand that the nomads (regardless of shade) are a valuable source of funds, and while the cashed up areas like the Sunshine Coast (used to be and still thinks it is) may not need these dollars, many smaller communities welcome them.
The key is how do we get this message heard against the commercial might of the CP owners and association(s).
jimricho said
03:01 AM Nov 5, 2012
Some of those negative comments are not unexpected given that many locals (even recent locals sometimes) resent tourism and tourists of any kind regardless of the money they bring to their communities. Mind you, in some of the overdeveloped and overcrowded resorts one could hardly blame them.
jimricho said
03:26 AM Nov 5, 2012
I go away for three months every year and if I were spending $700 per week that would cost me $9,000 for the trip. I spend nothing like that (including fuel, food and beer) even though I spend 85% of my time in caravan parks costing between $25 - $40 per night. This year I spent eight weeks in a $95 per week camping reserve so my expenses were even less this time.
sandsmere said
04:26 PM Nov 5, 2012
We have been travelling for just on 10 months . We spend $1,100 per fortnight , which includes insurance .
There is very little left in the kitty at the end of most fortnights . If there is some left , we spend it at a restaurant
in whatever town we happen to be .
Other costs , ie. regos , rates comes out of savings accounts .
We do not seek out woolworths or coles , but spend money in whatever supermarkets or shops that happen to be close .
In that 10 months , 29 nights have been spent in CPs . The rest at free or lower cost ( $10 - $15 per night ) campsites .
We are completely self-contained , and the reason for using CPs is so we can leave the van and tour around the area .
That can't always be done at some other campsites . The important thing is . . . . . . The choice is ours .
We refuse to be forced into caravan parks if we don't need them .
ozjohn said
05:32 PM Nov 5, 2012
On the other side of the coin is the amount spent by RVer's, Grey Nomads, middle aged tourers, families etc. At any one time there are 80,000 - 100,000 Rv on the road, and more in peak periods. This does not include tents and cabins. Official Federal Government figures have established that each RV spends and average of $115 per day in park fees, food, fuel, tourist attractions, dining out, clothing, vehicle and RV servicing and repairs, books, movies etc. You do the maths. Ozjohn.
PS> The CMCA estimates that it's members spend and average of $700 a week, which is pretty close to the Official Government figure.
Nicholstones said
11:37 PM Nov 5, 2012
$115 a day on travel expenses? That's around $42,000 a year. I find it hard to believe that many full time nomads are spending that, given on top they have insurances, medical, communications (internet and mobile phone plans), items bought over the internet. Non-full time nomads would presumably have an average spend of much less, given big ticket items like vehicle servicing and set up of the rig would presumably be predominantly done at their home base, not while they are travelling (as well, of course, as having all their house expenses).
Gerty Dancer said
06:05 AM Nov 6, 2012
I agree Nicholstones, however there are a some people travelling with a caravan on short trips where they spend up, then go home to work and save for the next trip. Its very difficult to generalise about the RV-ers just as with caravan parks, we/they are all different.
sarg said
10:50 PM Nov 6, 2012
I will be heading off late Jan. 2013 into the big paddock. Full time free camping or cheap as at times. I only have a 2001 4x4 and a '85 viscount pop-top van. Good enough for me and all I can afford. For interest sake I will be keeping a detailed account of how much I spend and the cost per month/ year it takes to explore the paddock. Some people don't have it as good as me and some have it a lot better.........yes we are all different.
Years ago John, I belonged to a caravan club who had a National Rally in a WA town (Busselton), about 50 caravans (mostly couples so say approx 100 people) from all over Oz attended, some working it in with their around Oz trip.
The rally was for 7 days in a local caravan park. The treasurer asked everyone to keep their receipts and hand them into him before they departed. Bear in mind that as well as the park fees the club members were having haircuts, buying camera film, chemist supplies, caravan/car repairs/fuel and servicing while there, newspapers/books, clothing, food and drinks including cafe's/pub meals, local tourist attractions which incur a fee etc and the list goes on. The treasurer presented the local council with a breakdown of what was spent in the town during that period and they were very grateful to receive it.
At the end of the 7 days, the treasurer tallied up the receipts that had been handed in and they came to a total of over $75,000 had been spent in the town in that 7 day period (that did not include those who may not have handed in receipts or didn't worry about a receipt for minor purchases (coffee etc) Not a bad boost to their local economy! All of the club members from what I saw would have been on a pension or possibly part or fully funded retirees.
Of course in general, those travelling around would not all spend that amount of time in the one town, and they would have different spending habits, eg; backpackers or pensioners may spend a lot less than cashed up people still working etc and the length and time of their trip.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 4th of November 2012 01:32:59 PM
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/nomads-caravan-just-moves-on/1608332/
Gday...
A good article and good to see there are those who are at least considering the needs of the traveller - no matter what age we may be.
However, I wish I could spend $700 a week, let alone in any one town. My budget means I only have $450 available for EVERY week - and that is to pay for ALL my bills as well as travelling costs.
I still cringe when I hear or see "They are a constant stream of travelling bank accounts."
Cheers - John
Did you read some of the comments made allegedly by residents ? Obviously has no idea of the RV lifestyle!
Can you imagine say if you were doing a long trip around Oz and stocking up at home before you left with food etc for the duration of the trip? Where would you put it all? Attitudes like some of those in the comments are just unreal!
Gday...
Ya on the ball Vic. It is because of the ingrained(?) attitude of those who aren't travellers/retired yet that it is so difficult for Councils to accede to the needs (wishes?) of the "travelling bank accounts".
However, one comment on the site - "They shop at woollies or Coles and buy their fuel at woollies or Coles servos. They cook their own meals and brag about how little they live on." is fairly accurate - not much stays in the community from our spending there. About the only thing it achieves is to help maintain some local employment opportunities - in itself valuable.
Cheers - John
.were called grey nomads (we have done or bit for australia worked paid taxes raised kids and even some have raised grand kids som e like us will be living just above our means but sort of comafortable ) we will own our home a new colorado and a 5y old van but we will be happy . No one talked about the 1dayers that come and use the free barbys and loos or emptying out the bins of there crap o no they didnt tow a van and i recon most nomads probably come from coast towns and dont realy need to se the coast to me its al the same sand rocks salt water rude people younget my drift
Well ive had my say lol
Dibs
While ever we do not have a foot on the property of a caravan park they have no athourity to dictate where we go or stop.
The more these people mouth off & complain the more I refuse to use them. We have even given up going to our local park at xmas that we have supported for the last 30+ yrs, due to lack of management & OH&S problems. This park is in the control of council who contract it to other interests.
In the last ten years have never seen the same managers twice, so nothing gets done, I took the issue to the council in early 1/11, same problems were still there last xmas so I photographed them & emailed to the council again, six weeks later no response , returned the email again with a bit more added & again no response. I then handed it to the local member who forwarded it to council, after many weeks we get a reply.
In their own words they didn't have the money to do the repairs, so does that mean if you can't afford things then you are exempt of OH&S.Try that with another business & see how long you last.Rules for some & none for others.
These people think we have an attitude as grey nomads,
JC.
Thus to pander to the commercial interests of a small group of people they are penalising the other businesses in the region.
While the "constant steam of travelling bank accounts" may offend some people it at least tries to make understand that the nomads (regardless of shade) are a valuable source of funds, and while the cashed up areas like the Sunshine Coast (used to be and still thinks it is) may not need these dollars, many smaller communities welcome them.
The key is how do we get this message heard against the commercial might of the CP owners and association(s).
We have been travelling for just on 10 months . We spend $1,100 per fortnight , which includes insurance .
There is very little left in the kitty at the end of most fortnights . If there is some left , we spend it at a restaurant
in whatever town we happen to be .
Other costs , ie. regos , rates comes out of savings accounts .
We do not seek out woolworths or coles , but spend money in whatever supermarkets or shops that happen to be close .
In that 10 months , 29 nights have been spent in CPs . The rest at free or lower cost ( $10 - $15 per night ) campsites .
We are completely self-contained , and the reason for using CPs is so we can leave the van and tour around the area .
That can't always be done at some other campsites . The important thing is . . . . . . The choice is ours .
We refuse to be forced into caravan parks if we don't need them .
On the other side of the coin is the amount spent by RVer's, Grey Nomads, middle aged tourers, families etc.
At any one time there are 80,000 - 100,000 Rv on the road, and more in peak periods. This does not include tents and cabins.
Official Federal Government figures have established that each RV spends and average of $115 per day in park fees, food, fuel, tourist attractions, dining out, clothing, vehicle and RV servicing and repairs, books, movies etc.
You do the maths.
Ozjohn.
PS> The CMCA estimates that it's members spend and average of $700 a week, which is pretty close to the Official Government figure.
Its very difficult to generalise about the RV-ers just as with caravan parks, we/they are all different.