WIN News - Townsville

pauline · Guru

WIN News - Townsville

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Just saw a report on WIN here in TV regarding caravan parks, and how badly they are doing because of the "free camps" taking their business away!!

What rot!! Just had 2 nights in a park and paid $33 a night - now back in free camp - only thing missing???? Electricity - so why should I pay that much, for electricity?????????????? There is no way I could use that much in one night, so why stay there?

The caravan park was pretty full, by the way, as are most of the ones we have seen along the way - there is room for everyone and their preferences.

And as for ratepayers "footing the bill for free camps" - what about the money that is spent in the towns where there is a free camp - Home Hill for example, and even here, at Balgal Beach - at least half the people int he free camp here are having fish and chips from the little shop - pretty nice too.

justcruisin01 · Guru

jules47 wrote:
Just saw a report on WIN here in TV regarding caravan parks, and how badly they are doing because of the "free camps" taking their business away!!
What rot!! Just had 2 nights in a park and paid $33 a night - now back in free camp - only thing missing???? Electricity - so why should I pay that much, for electricity?????????????? There is no way I could use that much in one night, so why stay there?
The caravan park was pretty full, by the way, as are most of the ones we have seen along the way - there is room for everyone and their preferences.
And as for ratepayers "footing the bill for free camps" - what about the money that is spent in the towns where there is a free camp - Home Hill for example, and even here, at Balgal Beach - at least half the people int he free camp here are having fish and chips from the little shop - pretty nice too.

DITTO DITTO!!

JC.

Beth54 · Guru

And another DITTO!

barrie · Guru

I'm surprised there not blaming the carbon tax LOL

jandas fun · Guru

And yet another DITTO!!!

Johnw

milo · Guru

I doubt the over night caravaner/ motor home would use much at all.
I think the dearest we paid was $40 in Adelaide ,
most places its only just a patch of grass or dirt!
I don't mind paying bait if the place is nice...

bill12 · Guru

I try to free camp as much as I can , and in my last trip south, in 9 weeks, I didn,t stay one night in a cvan park.They have priced themselves out of my market.In Townsville they charge like wounded bulls, and winge when gns prefer free or nat pks sites.I would only go to a cvan park if I really had to.I think the cvan parks are cutting their own throuts and should be giving people such as us big discounts, cause there can only be more of us in years to come.Anyway, free camps are great. Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 3rd of July 2012 10:20:15 AM

brickies · Guru

CMCA Rally has been on in Townsville and the members have been in the media pushing for more free camps in north Queensland , So last night it was the Caravan owners chance to have a say they are worried they will have no business if they make more free camps , But at the moment most caravan park are full and very expensive and we still whine , My take is Park owner would do away with camping sites if they could rent out more cabins

rocan · Veteran Member

we live in townsville and find the main problem is that there are not enough free camps along the coast.the ones available are small and usually full early.when i get time off being a shift worker we head west where park prices are more reasonable and free camps are more available and we find more relaxed.

still can't beat free camping.

beiffe · Guru

I free camp and only spend money where i free camp.

I have removed QLD from my itinerary and prefer to stay south where I am welcome.

I do voluntary work as I travel and cant see why I should work for free and then pay to stop in the area whilst I do it.

Had a town in Vic that tried the same thing and then wondered why all the volunteers moved on to the next base.

I have tried Caravan jails but they are not for me as I do a lot of photography and I need to be in the bush to follow my hobbies so that's where I go.

To tell me to go to a park is the same as saying please move to another town.

Regards
Brian

Rip and Rosie · Guru

We paid for a site in Narrandera on our way up the Newell last time. They gave us an "overnighter" drive through.

We used electricity . Showers were clean and hot. There was a small pool and the camp kitchen (which we didn't use), and that was about it in regards to facilities.

Our main gripe was the size of the site- so narrow you couldn't roll out an awning or sit beside your van without touching the next unit. The attached photo shows how close you are expected to park.

Although I can't remember what we paid, (about $33 ) the residual feeling of being cheated remains with me.

Now, why would we pay $33 again for a shower and use of their toilet, and the privilige of parking on their drive strips for a little over 14 hours?

Rosie

jimbo · Guru

It is with a saddened heart Me thinks that the way things are heading there will soon be no free Camps at all...I believe the Caravan/Motor Home makers and any that have an invested interest in their Product should be up in arms with the way Campers are treated in ,as far the Minority of cases are concerned....I believe paying $250 a week to stay in a park is ridiculous A pension wouldn't last long at that rate. I may only go as far as The Murray River and Greens lake...Things are changing to fast for my liking....It seems to me that there are too many people out to empty my wallet

Beth54 · Guru

I just don't see the value in staying in a CP. Other than to do the washing, which can be done at laudromats anyway.

I also don't like to be packed in next to others. I prefer the wide open spaces, with some shady trees.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Seems we all have the same feelings about caravan parks, the other thing about them is no matter what time you go in, say four or five pm - you still have to be out by 10am the next day - so $33 for 15 or so hours - bad value indeed! Currently in Balgal Beach, north of Townsville - vans are lining up this morning at 8am trying to get in - (very small area) - so far we haven't had any trouble getting in to a free camp anywhere. What some of the people - i.e townspeople, ratepayers etc., don't seem to reallise is that we will spend money in a town that supports free camps - and boycott those that don't - i.e. Dorrigo, so the town can prosper, because a lot of us are on the road full time, and will pass on a good spot to other travellers - word of mouth is good advertising.

Beth54 · Guru

I'm also lucky that I have lots of rellies all over the country, who I love to visit, and they're usually quite happy for me to park in their backyard.

Well, the Qld rellies anyway. biggrin

Happywanderer · The Master

No way will they get me to go into Caravan Parks. I haven't been in one yet and have no intention. There will always be somewhere to park free, so thats where we will go. The towns who stop allowing free camping will be the ones to suffer when we stop spending money in their town.
I hope some of them know about and read this forum, for their own sake.

pauline · Guru

I agree that free camping is great if you are lucky enough to be just a traveller but if you are combining work with travel then c/p are a necessity I'm afraid, during the working times......

Gerty Dancer · Guru

We have often stayed in Caravan Parks, and I think you have to be careful to make sure you dont tar them all with the same brush. Theres been caravan parks we loved and stayed longer, theres been others we didnt like, cheap ones, expensive one. Theres comeraderie with fellow travellers, in sharing our delight or complaints. Most often the reason to stay in a caravan park is that theres nowhere else safe to stay while we visit certain places. Its nice to know which are the nicer caravan parks though, through this forum and others, so we can choose them if we need power.
Stopping free-camping really wont make a huge difference to the towns overall income as there are such huge numbers of nomads on the roads nowadays the caravan parks will always end up full and thats all they care about. In some areas such as Emerald the caravan parks and free-camps in the area are already full to bursting, they dont care about tourist any more.... or cant.

sandsmere · Guru

Gerty Dancer , that is no doubt right with some towns . They couldn't care whether we go there or not .

Try telling businesses in towns such as Blackall , Isisford , Longreach in Qld. ( and many others ) , businesses in the small towns of the Wimmera and Mallee in Victoria , and many , many others throughout Australia , and they want us . They love us .

We.ve been on the road for a little over 2 months this trip , and have only spent 5 nights in CPs .

And that's the way we will continue .

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

FREE CAMP ONLY

the rocket · Guru

ditto

Beth54 · Guru

From personal experience, I wouldn't set foot in Longreach again, other than visit my cousins. Very nomad unfriendly.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Wombat - that should become our "mantra" - take it to the streets!!!!!!

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

jules47 wrote:
Wombat - that should become our "mantra" - take it to the streets!!!!!!

grab it if you want it biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin

jetj · Guru

Stealth Parking in a quiet street beats paying $30 for a few hours and a shower. I can spend $30 better.

Beth54 · Guru

jetj wrote:
Stealth Parking in a quiet street beats paying $30 for a few hours and a shower. I can spend $30 better.

Stealth parking...I like that. Not so easy to do with a caravan though. confuse

Plodnalong · Senior Member

$30 per night in a CP is bad enough for a couple but still having to pay $30 as a solo is an utter rip off. Stealth Parking .... great phrase!

Beth54 · Guru

Plodnalong wrote:
$30 per night in a CP is bad enough for a couple but still having to pay $30 as a solo is an utter rip off. Stealth Parking .... great phrase!

Ditto. Another good reason for we solos to not use them.

beiffe · Guru

I use "Independent Camping".

The last time I stayed in a caravan jail was for a caravan forum get together in 2011 and was ready to leave on the second day. Never again as I like my space out in the bush and I hate sitting outside my bus and cant cook my meals and RULEEES by the dozen and stepping on Doggee Pooo etc.

I have my own washing machine and shower etc and all I need is my food, fuel and water and a dump point now and again.

I spend my money where I stop and only where I am welcome. If I get told I can't stop in a area I go to the local store and buy a small item and advise I was right out and needed it but will get all my other supplies at the next town as I will be camping there. Then I go to the fuel depot and get $10 of fuel and tell them I need that fuel to get to the next town and tell them all that I can only give that amount as I was told I was not welcome and I don't spend money where I am not welcome.

Sometimes throw in that I am the forward scout for a group and many need to spend hundreds of dollars on fuel and need food and my task is to find a friendly town so we can all fill up. LOL

Any town that closes their rest areas wont get any money from me and also will not get any voluntary work done either.

After the floods in QLD many volunteer people I knew refused to go north to help out and preferred to stay in VIC as we knew we were welcome there before the disasters and would be welcome after as well.

We will always find some where to camp but it wont be close to towns and it will have to be out of sight. Many small towns people will give you a nice spot to stay if you ask the right ones.

Regards
Brian