BILLIONS of dollars are driving through the region each year, and a Shoalhaven City Councillor says it is time to devise a plan to capture some of it.
While many councillors recently attended a conference in Mandurah, Western Australia, leading to calls to limit the number of conferences councillors could attend, ward three representative Mark Kitchener was in Coffs Harbour looking at issues including the number of campervans travelling to Queensland each year.
The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia conference covered many issues, but discussions on campervans and motorhomes, otherwise known as RVs, really peaked Cr Kitcheners interest.
The conference revealed $6 billion goes to Queensland every year, and they use NSW as a transit zone, Cr Kitchener.
While many travelled through the Shoalhaven and stayed an occasional night or two here on the way north, I would think Shoalhaven City would like these RVs to stay a lot longer in our towns, and for the owners to spend more money here, Cr Kitchener said.
We have lots of RVs that come to our community, but it would be good to make things nice for them so they come back more often.
A key was meeting the criteria to be recognised as an RV-friendly town, and Cr Kitchener said he would like to see Ulladulla take the steps necessary to be declared RV-friendly.
That would bring free publicity through a magazine sent to all 66,000 members of RV and camping peak organisation, the CCMA, according to Cr Kitchener.
All those members will be notified if we become RV-friendly, and as far as I understand it, it will be a fairly simple and inexpensive exercise to meet the criteria, he said it will bring an economic boost through more RVs visiting the area and the owners spending money, which has got to be a benefit for the region.
The key need was parking and effluent dump points close to the central business district, Cr Kitchener said.
At the moment we have RVs coming into Ulladulla but if they cant find a place to park, and there really arent many places suitable for them to park, then they just keep going to the next town, he added.
aussietraveller said
11:02 AM Nov 22, 2013
I totally agree with Gerty Dancer, we have for the last 25 years gone regularly to the south coast for weekends or up to a month with a group of friends all in caravans and always staying in Council owned Caravan parks. I am aware that these parks are on prime real estate and council wants a good return on capital invested but the standard of some parks has slipped in recent years and we have moved on to White Sands Caravan Park at Huskisson which is always in outstanding condition with very friendly helpful staff we only go outside peak season.
If councils really want more people to stop and spend more time and money in their towns they could consider giving discounts to seniors or copy central coast council and charge realistic prices in the Caravan Parks and offer deals like pay for two nights stay for three, this will attract additional dollars into the local businesses through tourism.
Councils also need to keep a more watchful eye on parks they have leased out to ensure that they are being maintained well and are maintaining a high standard of cleanliness. I think its terrific that the Shoalhaven council is considering what it can do to attract tourists as it is an absolutely beautiful area
-- Edited by aussietraveller on Friday 22nd of November 2013 11:05:02 AM
Gerty Dancer said
04:35 PM Nov 22, 2013
We are in this area too... there's hardly any places to camp, free or paid. Also the caravan parks are all almost full of permanents.
It is tourism that keeps our little town alive and yet they expect everybody to stay in motels or apartments.
Much could be done to improve this!!!
GaryKelly said
07:22 PM Nov 22, 2013
The penny is dropping! Let's hope many more councils get the message right across Oz.
Dougwe said
04:28 AM Nov 23, 2013
As an outsider looking in and having just recently enjoyed that coast it would be a great improvement and I agree that it would be good if all towns were 'Traveller' friendly and not just for motor home owners either.
sandyr said
03:33 PM Nov 25, 2013
well done shoalhaven council ,we have been through that area a lot we would like to stay as its beautiful BUTtttt its too expensive for us or nothing available especially in the peak seasons.
Oz Gypsy said
10:40 PM Nov 26, 2013
It's good to see some pro-active thinking happening, BUT, just putting in a dump point and street parking near the CBD is not going to entice people to spend their money in the town. There also needs to be somewhere free or low cost to stay a night or 2.
New facilities drive
BILLIONS of dollars are driving through the region each year, and a Shoalhaven City Councillor says it is time to devise a plan to capture some of it.
While many councillors recently attended a conference in Mandurah, Western Australia, leading to calls to limit the number of conferences councillors could attend, ward three representative Mark Kitchener was in Coffs Harbour looking at issues including the number of campervans travelling to Queensland each year.
The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia conference covered many issues, but discussions on campervans and motorhomes, otherwise known as RVs, really peaked Cr Kitcheners interest.
The conference revealed $6 billion goes to Queensland every year, and they use NSW as a transit zone, Cr Kitchener.
While many travelled through the Shoalhaven and stayed an occasional night or two here on the way north, I would think Shoalhaven City would like these RVs to stay a lot longer in our towns, and for the owners to spend more money here, Cr Kitchener said.
We have lots of RVs that come to our community, but it would be good to make things nice for them so they come back more often.
A key was meeting the criteria to be recognised as an RV-friendly town, and Cr Kitchener said he would like to see Ulladulla take the steps necessary to be declared RV-friendly.
That would bring free publicity through a magazine sent to all 66,000 members of RV and camping peak organisation, the CCMA, according to Cr Kitchener.
All those members will be notified if we become RV-friendly, and as far as I understand it, it will be a fairly simple and inexpensive exercise to meet the criteria, he said it will bring an economic boost through more RVs visiting the area and the owners spending money, which has got to be a benefit for the region.
The key need was parking and effluent dump points close to the central business district, Cr Kitchener said.
At the moment we have RVs coming into Ulladulla but if they cant find a place to park, and there really arent many places suitable for them to park, then they just keep going to the next town, he added.
If councils really want more people to stop and spend more time and money in their towns they could consider giving discounts to seniors or copy central coast council and charge realistic prices in the Caravan Parks and offer deals like pay for two nights stay for three, this will attract additional dollars into the local businesses through tourism.
Councils also need to keep a more watchful eye on parks they have leased out to ensure that they are being maintained well and are maintaining a high standard of cleanliness. I think its terrific that the Shoalhaven council is considering what it can do to attract tourists as it is an absolutely beautiful area
-- Edited by aussietraveller on Friday 22nd of November 2013 11:05:02 AM
It is tourism that keeps our little town alive and yet they expect everybody to stay in motels or apartments.
Much could be done to improve this!!!
It's good to see some pro-active thinking happening, BUT, just putting in a dump point and street parking near the CBD is not going to entice people to spend their money in the town. There also needs to be somewhere free or low cost to stay a night or 2.