ABC/msn News - Caravanners 'stealing water' from footy clubs in South Australian tourist towns

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

ABC/msn News - Caravanners 'stealing water' from footy clubs in South Australian tourist towns

BarneyBDB · Senior Member

1$ for 10 liters sounds like theft to me....

Gundog · Guru

Rainwater is a valuable resource in area's that have bore water like the west coast of SA and many other parts of outback Australia, for caravaners to go to footy grounds and steal water are the lowest self entitled scumbags, belonging to a community.

We see it happen in the caravan park we live in, the parasites pull up to the parks rain water tap and hook to fill their tanks some times yhe rainwater tanks get low near the end of the dry season, these people dont care about anyone othe than themselves.

BarneyBDB · Senior Member

I am not condoning stealing water, I have paid for water in many outback places, 1$ for 10 liters is a new high.

msg · Guru

Buy it in the supermarket its about 4.50 for 10 ltrs and a lot lot dearer if you by the 600ml bottles. so to me $1 is a bargain. But, I don't like rainwater. so I'll make do with supermarket spring water which is probably tap water.

Brenda and Alan · Guru

Barney the sign I saw on ABC news was $5 for up to 500 Lt $10 for up to 1000 Lt plus a $ 2 service fee. I find these fees acceptable to me.

Alan

Possum3 · Guru

Having been raised on a Bore property, I am well away of the precious nature of potable water but, I agree with Barney 10 cents/liter is extorsion.

I don't condone water theft. If water is free for public to use in Parks, Visitor Centres, Rest Areas, or Cemetaries the filling a caravan tank may be selfish (dependent on circumstances), but is not theft.

The article regarding the taking of tank water at a Sporting Facility didn't give full disclosure of signage nor offer other than assumption of who left tap running.

It is an "easy" culprit to blame - Out of towners and Nomads, never locals and kids in particular. Most Nomads seek advice as to where caravans may be filled with potable water, from locals, apps or Visitor Centres. We often ask service stations can we fill tanks or such, after all, filling the tug up with sometimes over $200 of fuel, most managers want us back again.

Cassie63 · Senior Member

Currently at Kalgoorlie RV park, dump point and water supplied. Wife and I would have spent over $400 in the last 3 days plus fuel. Would have driven past to another town if not welcome. Also a coffee van here.

Long Weekend · Guru

BarneyBDB wrote:
1$ for 10 liters sounds like theft to me....

Water was for sale at C*cklebiddy in WA at $2 for 10 litres in November 2019. They had a coin in the slot dispenser at the front - I took a photo of the sign so am not relying on memory!

I quote from the sign: "Water on the Nullarbor is a precious commodity and scarce. Please use it wisely."

So for $10 you would get 50 litres - enough to tide you over until reaching civilisation.

Murray

Edit: Included quote

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Thursday 11th of May 2023 09:25:36 AM

dorian · Guru

Where do people normally fill their tanks?

BTW, if you've ever paid for a burial plot at a cemetery, you'll be asking who is stealing from whom?

-- Edited by dorian on Thursday 11th of May 2023 12:11:30 PM

Cassie63 · Senior Member

Currently on the Nullarbor, filled up at RV park in Kalgoorlie. There is a sign just outside of Norseman indicating limited water on the Nullarbor fill up in Norseman. When full our van carries 400 ltrs. We have no issues with water.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

We lived at Ceduna prior to moving to Townsville & yes water was scarce - even more so during a mouse plague when the critters could destroy a tank full very quickly. And it didn't rain much either - certainly not like North Qld.

There was water supplied - it came from the Todd Reservoir at Pt Lincoln. It was ok to wash in (not your car if it was a dark colour) - was high in calcium. Rain water was collected to drink, wash clothes in, if you had enough. I'm not certain but I think the Todd system is no longer in use. The pipeline was above ground & got very hot in summer. We had to turn the hot tap on for a few moments to get cold water water.

We saw a couple of "oldies" a few years ago - they were filling up drums from storage tanks on the Carpentaria Highway in the NT so they could do their washing at a free camp further on. They saw nothing wrong with taking the water & nothing wrong with putting the drums on their rear bumper of their van!!

We stayed in the Carmilla CP last night - they had a special key that they gave to paying campers to access the taps - they had problems with water thieves in the past too. Apparently toilet paper is high on the "borrow" list too! One park owner heard of a couple of ladies boasting about having nearly 60 rolls stashed in their motorhome, so locks went on the toilet blocks.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Cassie, 400L = 400kg.

What is your van? A great big truck or bus based MH?

My van can carry 190L - weight is the reason why I don't carry much unless I'm going into remote areas.

yobarr · Guru

dorian wrote:
Where do people normally fill their tanks?
BTW, if you've ever paid for a burial plot at a cemetery, you'll be asking who is stealing from whom?

For those heading East there is a dump point and a fresh water tap at the Coolgardie Railway Station. Vibe servo, last eatery heading East out of Coolgardie does excellent sit down meal at low prices. Also showers and toilets for patrons.

Good meals at Denver City Hotel, the only one left in Coolgardie, where there once were 26 pubs. Cheers

Cassie63 · Senior Member

There used to be a free water tap over the road from the Camilla van park for public access for those camping down at the beach. We have 5x80 ltr tanks, van has been over the scales, weights all good.

Long Weekend · Guru

I have to confess that we did not free camp going across to the west or on the way back so water was not a problem. We stopped at the caravan parks attached to the roadhouses and used their showers and toilets while there. Also mostly had meals and drinks at their cafes. Such as having a beer on the porch at C*cklbiddy in late afternoon watching the traffic go by. Or a beer at Eucla and walking the short distance to the caravan park.

We only carried enough water in the tanks to use the on board toilet at night. As far as drinking water went we bought two slabs of bottled water from Aldi and that did us until we reached civilisation.

Not overly worried about the cost of everything made the trip there and back more enjoyable.

Murray

Edit: deleted a duplicated word

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Thursday 11th of May 2023 09:23:58 PM

-- Edited by Long Weekend on Thursday 11th of May 2023 09:25:06 PM

Possum3 · Guru

I just read a linked article to this story on Grey Nomads Website wherein a caravan Park Manager stated "It is more backpackers than Nomads".

IMHO that makes sense - most Nomads plan their travelling and carry enough water for each planned section of travel - they invariably use apps such as Wikicamps, to pre-plan water fill and dump points.