When caravan parks are full

christop · Member

When caravan parks are full

Hetho · Senior Member

Maybe you could/should book ahead.

Regards.

Hetho

Eaglemax · Guru

With due respect shifting responsibility is commonplace now and it confuses me. If you were visiting a popular coastal town like Harvey Bay or Apollo Bay in the holiday seasons and wanted a hotel room you'd try to book yes?. If booked out you'd make other plans. With CP there is many quiet times. Much quieter if more CP's are provided. It's not a problem easily rectified Tony

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

When a park or any venue of accomodation is full, then it is full.

It is not the owners or managers problem if for some reason a traveller has not planned his trip or booked ahead to ensure accomodation on a particular night.
In Qld and northern NSW many coastal parks are booked out for months during winter and the same is in many parts of WA and NT.
Most travellers know this but it doesn't hurt to phone just in case there is a cancellation.
A park I stayed in before Covid was booked out and they had a list of people that were camped out of town in another less attractive park on the main highway who were waiting and hoping they will get a spot in the park in town and closer to the beach.
Unless there are special functions on in town the parks out of the big regional centres almost always have a spot or two for travellers, you just need to plan.

The duty of care remains with the traveller and has nothing to do with any owner or manager of an accomodation business.

bgt · Guru

Unless over seas travel starts up soon the RV industry will face real problems. Caravan parks replaced many sites with cabins. No new parks are being built. There will be more pressure on "free" camps. Something has to give. So the ratio of RVs to sites is broken. What's the answer? Who will invest in a new park?

Gaylehere · Guru

We stay in CPs, Showgrounds, donation/free camps (powered/unpowered doesn't really matter) and don't book ahead as we don't know where we will be at days end and have not really had a problem anywhere and we've travelled a fair bit of Australia over the years. Haven't had this year's trip yet so will see how it goes as everyone is saying there is more people on the road. Cheers.

Are We Lost · Guru

I thought it was interesting question to pose.

In 2019 we tried to get a June booking at Ayres Rocks Resort about 2 weeks ahead. There was only a single site available for a single night in about a 10 day windows and that was unworkable. It was very hard to reach them on the phone. Then someone told us about their overflow area, not listed on the website. So we went there on spec and fortunately there was plenty of availability.

But what would we have done if there had not been space? There is no other option that we could find within any sort of reasonable commute. Park in a clearing and be woken by someone with fine book in hand? There are other places where we have done a long drive and hoped there would be room in the freecamp. The Devil's Marbles (National Park) could not be pre-booked but filled up each day in peak season. What if you miss out?

Parking anywhere and freecamping would not be a concern to me, but would probably be breaking the local laws.

-- Edited by Are We Lost on Wednesday 21st of April 2021 12:27:40 AM

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

We head to nearest show ground . Wikicamps is King !

peter67 · Guru

bgt wrote:
Unless over seas travel starts up soon the RV industry will face real problems. Caravan parks replaced many sites with cabins. No new parks are being built. There will be more pressure on "free" camps. Something has to give. So the ratio of RVs to sites is broken. What's the answer? Who will invest in a new park?

Over here in Perth a lot of beautiful old CP's close to the beach got bulldozed by developers.

Rob Driver · Guru

peter67 wrote:
bgt wrote:
Unless over seas travel starts up soon the RV industry will face real problems. Caravan parks replaced many sites with cabins. No new parks are being built. There will be more pressure on "free" camps. Something has to give. So the ratio of RVs to sites is broken. What's the answer? Who will invest in a new park?
Over here in Perth a lot of beautiful old CP's close to the beach got bulldozed by developers.

Unfortunately, the power of the $ dollar.

It is a shame that caravan parks are slowly being bought up and redeveloped.

The return obviously is far better for a developed holding of land but I think the fact that a caravan park actually still remains a parcel of land that is basically undeveloped and actually still an open strip of land.

Some parks however may as well be bulldozed as the owners provide virtually no room to move due to greed.

Regards

Rob

-- Edited by bentaxlebabe on Thursday 22nd of April 2021 09:27:46 AM

bgt · Guru

A large proportion of coastal parks are council owned. So blame the local council.

There are answers. But the solutions always get knobbled by self interest folks. We lived for about 8 years in the USA, mostly in an RV. We stayed in resorts, boondocked in big truck stops and the middle of deserts. We also spent a lot of time in public parks such as National parks, State parks, BLM and forestry areas. Most of these park are run by one or two workers and a lot of volunteers. Many parks required an online booking but they would only allow 70-80% of sites to be booked. The rest were for first come first served. Most have 3-4 or 5 day limits. Volunteers ran the parks in exchange for their site. Rangers weren't often seen. And the system works. Yet here in Australia we ban camping in many public parks. Or have silly seasons that preclude much of the year.

Years ago I gave evidence at a federal senate committee re retiree employment. I presented a large case for opening up public land and volunteers. The senators loved the idea and said they would follow it up. In the end it was killed off by the ATO. They wanted to deem that the value of the volunteer site be included as income for pensions qualification purposes. So next time you blame someone for the demise of camping spots remember to include the ATO in your prayers!!!

dogbox · Guru

if you travel ,most people book a head to avoid disappointment, same as buying tickets to some event if you just rock up an it is sold out ,who do you blame for missing out ?

bgt · Guru

dogbox I doubt 'most' folks book ahead. But it would be interesting to see how many actually do. For health reasons I never book ahead because I don't know if I can travel everyday. But even so we like to take a left or right turn when it suits us and often end up in places we never planed on.

Possum3 · Guru

Major problem with pre-booking is that most "booking" is actually owned by companies other than resort or motel - credit card info must be given - your accounts are debited immediately for the full cost of äccommodation and in the event of cancellation regardless of reasons - these overseas companies refuse refunds. It is about time these overseas owned booking agencies were banned from operating in Australia.

Mike196 · Senior Member

All the booking Co's are owned by only 2 or 3 Company's. (same as Inse Co's) I stopped using them some years ago and anywhere I want to go I book direct with the Resort/Park/Hotel etc.

Tony LEE · Guru

Much ado about nothing! Remember all the threats and promises made by grey nomads when the news got out about competitive neutrality closing all the free campgrounds in Tasmania. Funny that nothing has changed that I can see. Free places are mostly still free and a few that used to charge a few dollars are still charging a few dollars. Yes, as someone rightly pointed out, Wikicamps is still king

bgt · Guru

Tony Competative Neutrality laws worked the opposite way. They worked to keep free sites, low cost sites etc open. Not the other way.

dogbox · Guru

bgt wrote:

dogbox I doubt 'most' folks book ahead. But it would be interesting to see how many actually do. For health reasons I never book ahead because I don't know if I can travel everyday. But even so we like to take a left or right turn when it suits us and often end up in places we never planed on.

good for you ! but if i'm heading for some place in particular, an it happens to be a busy time of the year or a known busy place i will try and see what is available . i like to have some idea what to expect

Wanda · Guru

The reality is later on this year with all southerners heading north to, WA, NT and FNQ, will experience fullhouses in caravan parks. Its going to be bedlam out there and on the roads north.
It is NOT practical when travelling over long distances and long time frames, 1, 2 or 3mths, to book every nights accomodation in RV parks, just not possible!
This year I have no doubt you will see more Showgrounds, Football clubs, Golf clubs and farmers opening up for RVs, caravan parks will not be able to cope with the extra traffic.
This year is going to be very interesting for those on the road, but, whats the choice, stay home in the cold and wet. NO WAY!
good luck
Ian
PS, can the last person please turn out the lights!

bgt · Guru

Wanda we agree on something. This winter will sort out more than a few camping issues.

Wanda · Guru

bgt wrote:
Wanda we agree on something. This winter will sort out more than a few camping issues.

Yeah well don't get tooo excited! biggrin

Yes travelling this year is going to be very interesting, just what caravan parks do in regards to overloads.

Still the option of staying home this winter is just NOT ON, especially after last years restrictions and cancellations

cheers

Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Friday 23rd of April 2021 01:16:03 PM

Cupie · Guru

But what about all those who clamored to tell us that they would 'never again' travel to Qld. because of our Covid related border closing actions? Surely that will reduce the numbers. Or were they just blowing smoke up that fundamental orifice? LOL

When planning a touring trip we book ahead at places where we want to stay for extended periods, like a week or so, & try to reserve the actual site that we prefer .. we value sites with a view & away from noise & others where possible. We also like to vary the types of facilities (eg. CPs/Showgrounds/Sporting Clubs/Pubs/freedom camps) although SWMBO doesn't like Freedom Camping.

We always book on trips where we intend staying at a single location or perhaps only a few places. eg. Costal holidays.

Never use the on line booking services owned by the O'seas mobs, preferring to talk to the facility manager. On occasion we may use the facility's own on line booking service but that is a rare event. Often discussions with the CP or whatever reveal that bookings are not necessary and in some cases our name is 'penciled in' and we confirm a few days before if we want to go ahead with the stop over. Rarely have to pay a deposit with the smaller places.

BTW we have just become one of that (annual year on year rebooking) group that we traditionally critised, and booked our preferred annual spot for Feb 2022. That's after the ankle biters have left & before the Mexicans flood in for their 3 month or so getaway. We might even be accepted by the 'regulars' in 10 years or so, if I live that long. (At the Noosa River CP .. one of the best in the Country) From now on we get first option on that site & date.

msg · Guru

SWMBO is patronising and offensive

-- Edited by msg on Saturday 24th of April 2021 03:02:36 AM

gdayjr · Senior Member

msg wrote:
SWMBO is patronising and offensive

-- Edited by msg on Saturday 24th of April 2021 03:02:36 AM

To who?

I dont even know what it means?

Possum3 · Guru

gdayjr wrote:
msg wrote:
SWMBO is patronising and offensive

-- Edited by msg on Saturday 24th of April 2021 03:02:36 AM

To who?

I dont even know what it means?

To she who must be obeyed - build a bridge and get over it.

yobarr · Guru

gdayjr wrote:
msg wrote:
SWMBO is patronising and offensive
-- Edited by msg on Saturday 24th of April 2021 03:02:36 AM
To who?
I dont even know what it means?

Agreed...to who? FYI SWMBO means "She who must be obeyed" and is generally used in an endearing way when a man refers to his wife etc.Cheers

Oops...Possum posted the meaning while I was writing!

-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 24th of April 2021 08:14:51 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

SWMBO is a term of endearment for one's GLW.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

To continue a little further toward that red sign, I have seen people referring to their lovely wife as 'the minister of finance', 'the CEO', 'the teenage bride' and on it goes.

My late wife referred to me as 'George' and I have no idea why but there ya go. She often called me other names as well wink It never bothered me one bit. I used to call her 'the boss'. Mainly cos she was smile RIP Boss.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Saturday 24th of April 2021 08:28:48 AM

Whenarewethere · Guru

We manage to find places to stay overnight. Often long disused gravel pits which have nice regrowth & we don't have to put up with the riff-raff.

montie · Guru

Whenarewethere wrote:
SWMBO is a term of endearment for one's GLW.

Inherited from the tv show "Rumpole of the Bailey" starring Leo McKern.