A lot of them don't want the jumping castles and slippery slides, Kipping says. For smaller towns, if you become RV friendly then you're on the go-to list.
We certainly don't and the park we are in now has gone from a pool and small playground to a large water slide, vastly extended playground, jumping pillow (boing boing boing) since we were last here two years ago. Loved this quiet place, but not sure if we will be back again now due to the noise.
-- Edited by Legendts on Saturday 29th of June 2013 05:42:47 PM
briche said
08:28 PM Jun 29, 2013
Beinging a ex Tassy boy I was very interested when the state government was holding a enquiry into the whole free camping ground / caravan park debate. I decieded to put in a submission from my point of view, being a traveller and all and amongst a number of things made the statement that if they did not do this right then the problem was only going to get worse for the park owners. There wre two issues that I made as major aspects in my submission.
1. They needed to reduce the cost of getting there and back as it was a major blockage to travellers. If they reduced the cost by say up to 50% they would reap the benefits big time. If they did not it would spell the end for many people to travel to Tasmania.
2. The second point that I made and has been made here already was that it the travellers don't come then the caravan park onwers will have even bigger problems not just dealing with those who want to free camp in many of the places they visited.
Well guess what, I actually got a reply and it said in part that my comments were noted but they did not see those points as important as the outcome will sort them out.
Well guess what, " they were wrong" and now Tassy is suffering the result. Not just the parks but everyone else.
Don't know if it wI'll ever get sorted, may take a change of state government to bring that about, will just have to wait and see.
Just added my bit to this topic.
Brian
-- Edited by briche on Saturday 29th of June 2013 08:29:53 PM
tonyd said
11:51 PM Jun 29, 2013
From today's Sydney Morning Herald:
They live in a caravan more than a house, spend months at a time travelling around Australia and know more camping sites than most Australians have had cold beers on a summer's evening.
But don't call John and Elaine Tickner grey nomads. They say they're part of a splinter group Mr Tickner likes to call the geriatric gypsies or the real adventurers.
There is a distinction between the grey nomad and what I call the geriatric gypsy, says Mr Tickner, explaining there's more to earning a title than pouring your retirement savings into a new four-wheel-drive and a caravan with the works.
A lot of grey nomads don't get off-road we're geriatric gypsies, because we go bush.
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We probably started off as grey nomads. Nine years ago we were novices.
But Mr Tickner says their travels have evolved and now involve little planning and lots of relaxing.
People say 'you're going on another holiday'; we're not on a holiday, we're travellers and we're travelling. Life's one big holiday for us now that we're retired.
The pair have circled Australia twice and criss-crossed it dozens of times for up to 11 months at a time.
The only time they visit capital cities is to catch up with friends or family and they almost always fly because they don't want to deal with city traffic.
While they have a flat in Perth, for most of the year it's empty. They have mail sent to their son who looks after bills and urgent matters.
He says the holiday bustle of the east coast is too much for them, they prefer more remote locations.
One of the directors of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia, which has 65,000 members, agrees there is a difference between the growing grey nomads and the adventurers.
Some people pack up altogether and basically wander where the weather goes, Ken Kipping says.
He says there is a battle brewing for the caravan dollar and it's getting ugly, with caravan parks lobbying governments to restrict freedom camping forcing more people into the parks.
Mr Kipping says it has backfired in Tasmania, with caravaners heading to other states and bypassing the Apple Isle, taking its toll on the caravan parks in the process.
Tasmania has pretty well shot itself in the foot, they've closed a lot of their freedom camping. People are now voting with their wheels.
Mr Kipping says Australian states and territories are now realising the economic worth of grey nomads, with some investing in dump points for grey and black water of increasingly popular self-contained vans.
Most young people are going to Bali and places like that. Grey nomads are the low fruit . . . I'm sure the tourist bodies should chase the overseas potential but look at the local opportunities as well," he says.
But the caravan and motorhome scene is changing.
A lot of them don't want the jumping castles and slippery slides, Kipping says. For smaller towns, if you become RV friendly then you're on the go-to list.
GaryKelly said
01:55 AM Jun 30, 2013
Interesting article, Tony, and especially the reference to Tasmania shooting itself in the foot.
herbie said
02:28 AM Jun 30, 2013
After reading the report below,regarding Tasmania closing more and more free camping spots,it sure as hell will hurt the other businesses over there.I also was surprised that they were the only state not to take part in promoting their state via the tourist advertising campaign (the six over seas young people getting the $100.000 per year )
jules47 said
03:06 AM Jun 30, 2013
We were in Tasmania for four months from last November until March this year - in that time we paid only four nights in caravan parks - and three of those were in Hobart at the showgrounds, when we were getting stuff done to the motorhome. Some of the free camps request a donation - very nominal, the one we spent Christmas and New Year in was populated by 99% locals! Imagine the stink if they had to start paying for some place they had been coming to for over 30 years!!!!!!
Duh said
12:12 PM Jun 30, 2013
Good article Tony, I don't really like labels and don't care what I am called, although at the older end of the scale and have been travelling more than three times longer on the road than those in the article.
However to me it doesn't matter how long one has been travelling on the road as long as there is a love of the lifestyle, even more so for those living on the road full time.
Watching those caravanning shows on TV, one channel shows Big4 etc parks while the other shows Top Tourist. While they are very nice parks with all the bling and kids facilities (and prices to boot) they are obviously targeting those with children and that market. How young families afford these place is beyond me, especially with a per head cost for each child as well, but I suppose if it is only an annual event and the kids are happy then these have a place. The big park groups of course fund these shows so you are not going to see the low cost independent parks having TV shows they could never afford it.
If we do use a park, give me the low cost independent or council parks with basic but clean facilities every time.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 30th of June 2013 12:13:38 PM
Dougwe said
04:30 PM Jun 30, 2013
Hi, I was going to keep out of this and just sit on the side interested but me being me can't help myself.
1. The cost brings to mind my recent trip over to Magnetic Island here in North Queensland and how a $32.00 return journey for one adult was reduced to $16.00 return for one with a senior discount. Maybe the powers to be should look at something like that, ok maybe not 50% but a good discount would encourage a few more to head to a lovely place. They must keep in mind we are tourists (sort off) not truck drivers and companies earning a living.
2. I call myself a part time grey nomad because I still have my home base in Sth West Gippsland, Vic and only travel part time. My youngest daughter reckons I am a geriatric now so maybe I should change what I say to being a part time geriatric gypsy.
3. 'Bohemian Gypsy' , Michelle, is a gypsy but not geriatric (Far from) so I wonder what that makes her?
Happywanderer said
05:51 PM Jun 30, 2013
I like the term Geriatric Gypsies, but I like the term Recycled Teenagers even better. I'm certainly not Geriatric by any means.
johnq said
06:43 PM Jun 30, 2013
In days of sensationalism and kicking the 'oldies' and 'Boomers' (intergenerational jealousy), it was a pleasure to come across Toby Hagon's balanced article.
We have few friends in the media. I will write something short and sweet to Toby Hagon to thank him for a factual, well-balanced report. Hoping for more of the same.
Here is the link to the story and his email address is given,
We certainly don't and the park we are in now has gone from a pool and small playground to a large water slide, vastly extended playground, jumping pillow (boing boing boing
) since we were last here two years ago. Loved this quiet place, but not sure if we will be back again now due to the noise.
-- Edited by Legendts on Saturday 29th of June 2013 05:42:47 PM
Beinging a ex Tassy boy I was very interested when the state government was holding a enquiry into the whole free camping ground / caravan park debate. I decieded to put in a submission from my point of view, being a traveller and all and amongst a number of things made the statement that if they did not do this right then the problem was only going to get worse for the park owners. There wre two issues that I made as major aspects in my submission.
1. They needed to reduce the cost of getting there and back as it was a major blockage to travellers. If they reduced the cost by say up to 50% they would reap the benefits big time. If they did not it would spell the end for many people to travel to Tasmania.
2. The second point that I made and has been made here already was that it the travellers don't come then the caravan park onwers will have even bigger problems not just dealing with those who want to free camp in many of the places they visited.
Well guess what, I actually got a reply and it said in part that my comments were noted but they did not see those points as important as the outcome will sort them out.
Well guess what, " they were wrong" and now Tassy is suffering the result. Not just the parks but everyone else.
Don't know if it wI'll ever get sorted, may take a change of state government to bring that about, will just have to wait and see.
Just added my bit to this topic.
Brian
-- Edited by briche on Saturday 29th of June 2013 08:29:53 PM
From today's Sydney Morning Herald:
They live in a caravan more than a house, spend months at a time travelling around Australia and know more camping sites than most Australians have had cold beers on a summer's evening.
But don't call John and Elaine Tickner grey nomads. They say they're part of a splinter group Mr Tickner likes to call the geriatric gypsies or the real adventurers.
There is a distinction between the grey nomad and what I call the geriatric gypsy, says Mr Tickner, explaining there's more to earning a title than pouring your retirement savings into a new four-wheel-drive and a caravan with the works.
A lot of grey nomads don't get off-road we're geriatric gypsies, because we go bush.
We probably started off as grey nomads. Nine years ago we were novices.
But Mr Tickner says their travels have evolved and now involve little planning and lots of relaxing.
People say 'you're going on another holiday'; we're not on a holiday, we're travellers and we're travelling. Life's one big holiday for us now that we're retired.
The pair have circled Australia twice and criss-crossed it dozens of times for up to 11 months at a time.
The only time they visit capital cities is to catch up with friends or family and they almost always fly because they don't want to deal with city traffic.
While they have a flat in Perth, for most of the year it's empty. They have mail sent to their son who looks after bills and urgent matters.
He says the holiday bustle of the east coast is too much for them, they prefer more remote locations.
One of the directors of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia, which has 65,000 members, agrees there is a difference between the growing grey nomads and the adventurers.
Some people pack up altogether and basically wander where the weather goes, Ken Kipping says.
He says there is a battle brewing for the caravan dollar and it's getting ugly, with caravan parks lobbying governments to restrict freedom camping forcing more people into the parks.
Mr Kipping says it has backfired in Tasmania, with caravaners heading to other states and bypassing the Apple Isle, taking its toll on the caravan parks in the process.
Tasmania has pretty well shot itself in the foot, they've closed a lot of their freedom camping. People are now voting with their wheels.
Mr Kipping says Australian states and territories are now realising the economic worth of grey nomads, with some investing in dump points for grey and black water of increasingly popular self-contained vans.
Most young people are going to Bali and places like that. Grey nomads are the low fruit . . . I'm sure the tourist bodies should chase the overseas potential but look at the local opportunities as well," he says.
But the caravan and motorhome scene is changing.
A lot of them don't want the jumping castles and slippery slides, Kipping says. For smaller towns, if you become RV friendly then you're on the go-to list.
After reading the report below,regarding Tasmania closing more and more free camping spots,it sure as hell will hurt the other businesses over there.I also was surprised that they were the only state not to take part in promoting their state via the tourist advertising campaign (the six over seas young people getting the $100.000 per year )
Good article Tony, I don't really like labels and don't care what I am called, although at the older end of the scale and have been travelling more than three times longer on the road than those in the article.
However to me it doesn't matter how long one has been travelling on the road as long as there is a love of the lifestyle, even more so for those living on the road full time.
Watching those caravanning shows on TV, one channel shows Big4 etc parks while the other shows Top Tourist. While they are very nice parks with all the bling and kids facilities (and prices to boot) they are obviously targeting those with children and that market. How young families afford these place is beyond me, especially with a per head cost for each child as well, but I suppose if it is only an annual event and the kids are happy then these have a place. The big park groups of course fund these shows so you are not going to see the low cost independent parks having TV shows they could never afford it.
If we do use a park, give me the low cost independent or council parks with basic but clean facilities every time.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 30th of June 2013 12:13:38 PM
1. The cost brings to mind my recent trip over to Magnetic Island here in North Queensland and how a $32.00 return journey for one adult was reduced to $16.00 return for one with a senior discount. Maybe the powers to be should look at something like that, ok maybe not 50% but a good discount would encourage a few more to head to a lovely place. They must keep in mind we are tourists (sort off) not truck drivers and companies earning a living.
2. I call myself a part time grey nomad because I still have my home base in Sth West Gippsland, Vic and only travel part time. My youngest daughter reckons I am a geriatric now so maybe I should change what I say to being a part time geriatric gypsy.
3. 'Bohemian Gypsy' , Michelle, is a gypsy but not geriatric (Far from) so I wonder what that makes her?
In days of sensationalism and kicking the 'oldies' and 'Boomers' (intergenerational jealousy), it was a pleasure to come across Toby Hagon's balanced article.
We have few friends in the media. I will write something short and sweet to Toby Hagon to thank him for a factual, well-balanced report. Hoping for more of the same.
Here is the link to the story and his email address is given,
http://www.smh.com.au/national/geriatric-gypsies-leave-grey-nomads-in-their-wake-20130628-2p35p.html