Grey Nomad's by the Thousands!

As "Grey Nomads" for the past four years, travelling widely throughout this great country of ours, we have experienced good and bad things about facilities that interest this growing band of travellers who are spending their hard earned retirement and life savings earned over a 40 year +period. And guess what, we want to spend that money in your town!

We spend money daily on the following sort of things:

(1)                     Fuel

(2)                    Food

(3)                    Drink

(4)                    Papers & Books

(5)                    Computer & Phone Supplies

(6)                    Tyres

(7)                    Car services

(8)                    Coffee shop Breaks

(9)                    Chemists

(10)                  Doctors

(11)                  Caravan Parks

(12)                  Entertainment

(13)                  Tours

(14)                  Fishing Gear

(15)                  Post Office

(16)                  Real Estate

(17)                  Bike Hire

(18)                  Boat Hire

(19)                  Fishing Charters

(20)                  Sky Diving

 The list could go on and would vary depending on the needs of the individual. But guess what? None of our money stays in your town or your community if we drive straight through without stopping in your area. And from experience by us and others that we meet on our travels it happens, quite a lot.

So what can you do to encourage us to stop in your area, not just in your main town but all beach areas along the coastal area of your shire council boundaries? And spend our money

Firstly let me tell you the average Grey Nomad has spent around $100-$180,000 for a car/caravan combination & up to $300-$500,000 on a mobile home and are very responsible people and treat camp sites with respect, but like in all walks of life there may be the odd irresponsible one which will ignore signs and directives. These people will do as they like irrespective of what the signs say anyway.

However the majority are tidy and respectful. So why penalise the majority for the actions of the minority?

Without exception all these combinations are solar powered, have their own showers and toilets these days, therefore fully self contained and have no need for toilets and have no reason to squat behind trees and bushes & leave paper everywhere. (Their arthritis, hip and knee replacements, restricts this activity also!!)

 So what are we respectfully asking of you.

We are asking for all "NO CAMPING" signs to be change to "CAMPING FOR SELF

CONTAINED UNITS ONLY" 20 hours limit All litter to be taken out with you.

For the very popular areas a composting type toilet would be useful but not essential.

A well signposted dump site, in the local town area, to empty waste tanks, and to top up with water.

Some easy long bay parking areas, to make it easier to stop and do shopping, well signposted.

 You are no doubt aware that most coastal town caravan parks are filling up with chalets at the expense of caravan bays and for the ones that require caravan park space, are finding it harder and harder to get a spot, therefore if our above request is acted upon it would make it easier for the people who need the services that caravan parks provide to get in.

Also us free campers spend the money they save on caravan park rent on other businesses in town anyway.

We and others by the hundreds just keep driving until we find more camper

friendly areas where we happily spend our budgeted daily dollars.

Many eastern state towns & some W.A. towns have woken up to the value of us "GREY NOMADS" and are providing these suggestions and benefiting every business in their towns. The more dollars left behind the more it circulates.

And guess what? A lot of us responsible campers clear up other less responsible campers rubbish too, to try and improve the image of the whole travelling community.

 I am hoping that this letter and it's suggestions does not fall on deaf ears and you miss out on this rapidly growing tourist industry section. If you doubt my word, just randomly interview a number of self contained travellers yourself, which will confirm the above suggestions.

We cannot tolerate being squeezed into smaller and smaller spaces as is the case these days in most coastal caravan parks.

We just drive on through.

Sincerely

J C

Nomad

We are trying to do a bit to help our local area see FREE CAMPING 17-08-11 Forum

JC