Wagga Wilks Park..

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

Wagga Wilks Park..

jimbo · Guru

End of the road for Wagga free camp? Will it ever End these threats from Park owners and councils

BarbandDaz · Senior Member

Where is Wilks park in Wagga?

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Wilks Park Camps6 NSW 801.

Wagga Council is considering restricting camping to 72hours for self-contained travellers.

The usual story, a minority spoiling it for everyone else plus giving the Caravan Park lobby ammunition.

Google, Wilks Park Wagga, will bring up some interesting local newspaper articles.

the rocket · Guru

Well, all I can say is if they shut down all the free places, I still won't pay for a caravan park if I don't want to and if it gets really serious I'll just sell the van and stay home. If we all did that, imagine the money lost from the caravan seller to coles country wide and every other business in between. sorry Jimbo, did not see this post until I had posted mine. Please forgive. rocket n strop.

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

Given the use of free or low cost fees is the only way many campers can afford their holiday. I must admit I do not know the park, nor have I ever used it. Chances are I never will if the charges mirror the local caravan parks. These areas were set aside many years ago as free or low cost camps Those who use them probably buy fuel , newspapers, bread ,milk and other groceries. Maybe even a bottle of wine or some beer . So local traders do benefit, maybe not caraparks . Wouldnt have anything to do with $30 dollars a night, unpowered for one person, would it?

Recently I stayed at Workmans Beach Camp, QLD for $5,50 per night. In the six days I was there, I spent over $120 on food, fuel including $20 for 2 historical books. In a cp I would have stayed maybe 2 nights, bought fuel and driven on.

Usual story, hungry cp owners wanting to exclude those low income earners from enjoying their rightful heritage. I hope the local councilors stand up and be counted on this one. Will watch with much interest

Patto44 · Senior Member

On a recent trip through Wagga Wagga I had reason to stay at the 'Horsebend C/park'. The owner really had a huge complain to me about the 'freeloaders' staying at the Wilks park stop over. He blamed the Council for allowing it and was doing his best to have it stopped.
His park was quiet nice and reasonable price but he was a bit over powering with his attitude.

Cheers
Patto

valnrob · Guru

We stayed at Wilks Park a couple of months ago. It had a large parking area and toilets, dump point, water. There were quite a few vans in for a couple of nights then moving on but there was a family living in their bus waiting the birth of their baby. Not sure how long they stayed. It would be a shame if free parks like this were closed down, A lot of travellers would not stay in the towns c.parks necessarily, we personally probably would go on and stay in a rest area along the way. Towns would miss out on quite a lot of money spent by campers. We spent money at Supermarket, Dick Smiths, Petrol Station Hotel etc.

the rocket · Guru

Bent Axle Bob wrote:
Given the use of free or low cost fees is the only way many campers can afford their holiday. I must admit I do not know the park, nor have I ever used it. Chances are I never will if the charges mirror the local caravan parks. These areas were set aside many years ago as free or low cost camps Those who use them probably buy fuel , newspapers, bread ,milk and other groceries. Maybe even a bottle of wine or some beer . So local traders do benefit, maybe not caraparks . Wouldnt have anything to do with $30 dollars a night, unpowered for one person, would it?
Recently I stayed at Workmans Beach Camp, QLD for $5,50 per night. In the six days I was there, I spent over $120 on food, fuel including $20 for 2 historical books. In a cp I would have stayed maybe 2 nights, bought fuel and driven on.
Usual story, hungry cp owners wanting to exclude those low income earners from enjoying their rightful heritage. I hope the local councilors stand up and be counted on this one. Will watch with much interest
I'm with you, bent axle bob. cheers. rocket n strop

rastas · Senior Member

When will other traders voice their concerns about the loss of trade which caraveners do in their towns. It would appear that the caravan park owners have all the say. Many caravaners like myself and many others cannot afford to pay $30 to $40 per night in a caravan park just to please the owners. These owners seem to think that by buying caravan you automatically become their client. If I have to stay in caravan parks all the time I will not be able to fullfill my dream.

Rastas

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

Patto44, out of curiosity, would you mind telling me his charges? Did he also have his little"convenience store" attached thereby cutting out the other local business owners. Seems to me a bit of poetic justice those staying at the free camp bypassing his park. I bet he doesn't give a rats tooth about the other business owners

Vic · Guru

Ron and Shirley wrote:
Wilks Park Camps6 NSW 801.
Wagga Council is considering restricting camping to 72hours for self-contained travellers.
The usual story, a minority spoiling it for everyone else plus giving the Caravan Park lobby ammunition.
Google, Wilks Park Wagga, will bring up some interesting local newspaper articles.

I think 72 hours is pretty good though, some restrict you to 24 hours or not at all. The 72 hours is probably to stop permanent squatters...

the rocket · Guru

Vic wrote:
Ron and Shirley wrote:
Wilks Park Camps6 NSW 801.
Wagga Council is considering restricting camping to 72hours for self-contained travellers.
The usual story, a minority spoiling it for everyone else plus giving the Caravan Park lobby ammunition.
Google, Wilks Park Wagga, will bring up some interesting local newspaper articles.
I think 72 hours is pretty good though, some restrict you to 24 hours or not at all. The 72 hours is probably to stop permanent squatters...
never been to wagga wagga it is on the 2 do list. is there muh to see and do there or can it all be done in 3 days. after I have travelled a rest is welcome, then touring the town and surrounds, shopping, movies,? car repairs, ?van repairs etc.etc.etc.

colsa · Senior Member

I think more people will be free camping in Perth, a couple of parks i rang for pricing when we got here in Nov were $280 per WEEK, i cant justify that expense they are the larger coastal ones but my hubby said " i only want to rent that patch of dirt not #### buy it".

-- Edited by colsa on Thursday 16th of February 2012 09:09:57 PM

Vic · Guru

Long time since I've been there Rocket, 1958 and 1964, so will let someone more current answer your queries...

the rocket · Guru

Vic wrote:
Long time since I've been there Rocket, 1958 and 1964, so will let someone more current answer your queries...
ok, rocket n strop

Patto44 · Senior Member

Bent Axle, The fee was about $27/n and yes, he did have a store.

We only stayed one night as we were on our way to S.A. and it was so cold in the morning (late Sep) that we left as soon as we were packed.

His main gripe was that 'all the big rigs that cost a fortune could afford to stay at his park but are to stingy'.

Had I not already paid, I would have moved on.

Cheers,

Patto

Patto44 · Senior Member

the rocket wrote:

I think 72 hours is pretty good though, some restrict you to 24 hours or not at all. The 72 hours is probably to stop permanent squatters...
never been to wagga wagga it is on the 2 do list. is there muh to see and do there or can it all be done in 3 days. after I have travelled a rest is welcome, then touring the town and surrounds, shopping, movies,? car repairs, ?van repairs etc.etc.etc.
Hi Rocket,
Wagga is the largest inland city in Australia (I think) and is mainly for the Army camp at Kapooka (about 15km's away).
Lousy climate, not much to do in town and overall uninteresting (to me) - otherwise a 'nice' town.
Cheers,
Patto

Ma · Guru

Hey......don't forget the RAAF Base out at Forest Hills.

I have family in Wagga and also out at The Rock. Apart from that Wagga doesn't hold anything for me either.