Hi all,
A friend (builder) is planning a small budget caravan park (up to 12 sites) on his 20 acres near Darwin (approx 25km from the city centre on a bush block) and is looking for planning advice from the experts - you!
1:  For $10/night, what would you expect/need/love to have?
2:  He also is thinking to allow backpackers camping as well .. but I don't think that's a great idea (am I right?).
3: Would it be preferable to have all the caravan sites close together, or do you like your space if you can get it?
4: How long do you think an average stay for you would be at such a place?
5: Anything else?
All advice greatfully received.  Hopefully, next year you will have a comfortable budget option near Darwin.
Many thanks.

Enough room around your van is a must I think.  We always look for clean amenities.   A camp kitchen where we can all gather if we want would be good with the option of a fire pit for camp cooking might be a good idea as well.

We spent three weeks in Darwin a couple of months ago and if the park we were in didn't charge so much and had paid more attention to the cleanliness of the amenities we would have probably stayed longer.

I think it is a great idea and if the cost is what you say I think it would be a matter of queueing up at the gate.  There wouldn't be a vacant site for months.

Agree 100% with Ma and drive through sites would be a dream come true.

Sure would be JRH.  Forgot about the drive throughs

Shade would be great and a bit of grass for someone with a tent, not just red dirt and sticks underneath.

Agree about the backpackers, most don't really care about their surroundings and leave things a bit howdy doody.

Not tarring them all with the same brush though.

Late checkout.....midday would be nice, give you enough time to dry the canvas before you have to get it packed and get out. Room for those of us that have camper trailers of like myself who are new to the lifestyle who have an OzTent 4x and boat without encroaching on some elses guys ropes. But yeah Ma hit the nail on the head in her 1st responce.....what time do I need to be there... sounds like a great place to stay. Hoo Roo Happy Days Grumps

Well here is my two bob's worth

1/ NO BACKPACKERS

2/  Somewhere clean to go to the toilet

3/ Somewhere clean to have a hot shower

4/ Somewhere to do your washing

5/ A clean and tidy area

No doubt the local authorities will have a few rules as to what is allowed and what must be provided, then suddenly that $10 might be $15 or more. Heres a couple of thoughts... its desirable to have good quality water. Van/tent sites need to be as close to level as possible. We dont necessarily need 240 volts, although will use it if available. We especially like to be in uncrowded and quiet areas. Back packers can be nice people, but a lot seem to be uncaring about their neighbors and surroundings. Look forward to trying your new park! And, welcome to the forum Wotif.

1. We would need a reason to go there in the first place and you don't tell us where it is. 2. Quiet, and as private as possible with a pleasant outlook. 3. Dump point 4. Potable water. 5. Toilet. Question for Firefly.... What or who is a 'backpacker' and how can you discriminate in terms of who you let in and who you don't without breaking the laws of this country? Cheers, Peter

Gee I must have been the only one who mentioned the backpacker issue then, or was mine the only post you read Peter??

Would a 12 site park be viable

Backpackers are not all bad i work in hospitaly industry met lot of backpacker some are grey nomads like us ..suppose we can be call van or trailer packer ....but like all people you will get good and bad so lets not let the few bads one make it bad for all us good ones .. and it only A FEW YOUNGER ONES the are not as we like so lets not judge all bye them

Showers Dunnies Shade Power Camp kitchen Compacted/ Concreted Annex Site with permanent matting Access to billabong will Bara please Site Costs up to $20.00

I think if you read my post, it says I don't tar them all with the same brush.

what you want???...a caravan park or a bush camp??...I prefer bush camping...I know of several properties that have opened areas for camping.......one has flushing toilets and solar hot water showers for $7 per head per night.......another has only flushing toilets no shower for $10 a night...both have power if required....extra cost..as suggested local council will have their requirements. and yeh....what will attract ppl there??

Still thinking about "backpackers" . By definition they are often youngish travellers who dont have a vehicle, so how and why would they want to come so far out of Darwin? We might go there ourselves just for the peace and quiet. The kids we've met up with occasionally who called themseves backpackers stayed at youth hostels also camps near to fruit-picking, or other employment opportunities in bigger towns. I have to admit a bit of regret that I didnt do anything as adventurous when I was younger!

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

---

1. We would need a reason to go there in the first place and you don't tell us where it is.
2. Quiet, and as private as possible with a pleasant outlook.
3. Dump point
4. Potable water.
5. Toilet.

Question for Firefly.... What or who is a 'backpacker' and how can you discriminate in terms of who you let in and who you don't without breaking the laws of this country?

Cheers,
Peter

---

The answer to that is simple make the park for vans and RVs only no tents and thats not discrimination

 

It sounds good BUT only 12 sites, Mate I dont think I will live long enough to get in, The waiting list will be that long..
Try puting a zero on the end and that should half the waiting time..
Bloody good idea ..
Red tape will kill it, or a CP owner..
The old story ,dont step on the toes of the big end of town..
Hope it works out for you..
Bobnbev

-- Edited by BobnBev on Sunday 22nd of August 2010 10:39:32 AM

Thank you all for your thoughts. It's about having an alternative for caravaners who are retirees. The costs of caravan parks up here are outrageous, and usually full as well. Here is a bit of bush doing nothing, and won't take a lot to get going. With a caretaker house (rent free for the park manager) on site, and suitable amenities, it won't earn big bucks, but it doesn't need to. Costs could be kept low if park residents agree to clean up after themselves - and we think the grey nomads are the type who would do that if they can save a significant amount (up to $20/night). I reckon I would be more than happy to ensure that the communal kitchen, laundry and shower is left clean after I used it. Keep the ideas coming. Would like some more info on whether all sites would require power or not. A big installation cost there. Water is likely to be through a tank system at this stage. The bore is a bit salty - be OK for toilets, washing machines and showers. The location is 25km from Darwin city. What's there - bush and a caravan site for the budget consious! However it is close to Coolalinga Shopping Centre, where planning is underway to build a huge shopping centre directly across the road from the existing one. Still to run the gauntlet of the local Council, but it shouldn't be too bad.

Sounds a bit like the old youth hostels...everyone had a job to do to keep the whole thing running and cheap accommodation going. Hope it works out...if it's too big it will be major cleaning jobs for someone. smaller you can have expectations of folk contributing to the pleasant small bush camp, more personal, too big and CP will take notice and have council on side, more problems then...insurance will rear it's head. Really have to be just a bush camp, all care but no responsibility taken. Cold/solar shrs, bush toilets or is there flushing. At $120 per site per week take a long time to pay for slabs of cement need to keep it like a free/cheap camp....you can't get luxury for nothing, hot shower and loo and camp kitchen is the most you could expect for 10 bucks and park where you will. Every backpacker touring aus in a cheap campervan will be permanently there...not the same ones but there's a lot selling vans after their trip around aus, so as 1 goes the next will be there, more likely 10 out and 10 in. Too keep it for GN or retirees who desire quiet...ie no extremely loud music it could be like a club pay $10 a year to be a member...members only....just a suggestion. Or winter for members and summer for backpackers, how fair is that...I'm just thinking. I've never been to Darwin

Never been to Darwin!!  Don't know what you are missing.  Put it on your bucket list and bring the barra fishing gear.

Countryroad has some good points there and $10pa for club membership wouldn't sap the pension too much would it.  most of us have mats so we wouldn't need a slab either.  The more ideas the better I think

12 Sites @ $10 per night won't even cover his insurance costs, let alone Council fees, power, water, garbage dumping, toilet paper, cleaning chemicals and equipment,, etc.
This is after he's spent a large amount of funds to build it and pay all the planning and inspection fees etc.
After all that, he has to make a buck for mimself as well.
Tell him, he's dreamnig.
ozjohn.

Mate I was waiting for your response , done any costing a lot of cost under ground , I am sure Oz john would have a fair cost per site to set up .

the criteria was "budget on a bush block" and given that we would like shade.... drop or compost toilet is fine... dont need nor want a slab of concrete. access to potable water would be good but not really necessary if it was available in say a 15k drive, rough water for washing would do just fine for showering or washing clothes just so you dont have to go every day. a basic camp kitchen with a communal fire ring for sundowners would be excellent, but again not really neccessary. we would quite willingly pay 10 - 15 $ for those amenities in the general vicinity of darwin or any other place for that matter. as for backpackers - a point which seems to have raised a bit of ire here.... i have no problems with them, lots of them really good people with very interesting stories to tell some bad. just like gn's some i love to be around and chat about what we have done and seen, some i head the other way when i seem them coming. its called life and personalities

Wishing is for fools, never kill some ones dream. Thats how the big things get done. We live in the bush each year in the west for months at a time and no running water have a P pottie. and cart water some 70-90 ks.. And we love it SOOO quite. and some times we find a little gold.. You just keep the dream going and it will come true.good luck. BobnBev

Have to say, hope it's a success....I think a reason to go there would be much cheaper accommodation and no other reason. So you can add extra 50 km each day onto your traveling to see whatever everyone races up to Darwin to see. Would this still make it worthwhile......I've never been remember, I'm curious to go though now I've decided to become a traveler and see every country road and places I haven't seen.....something to look forward to.

The peace and tranquility of being away from the city would be a great reason to go.

Yes I have been waiting for the response regarding insurance and as I know the area he is talking about it would be basic bush camping with basic facilities - nothing wrong with that and it won't appeal to a lot but with only 12 sites - he is only looking at pocket money so he hasn't probably even considered the public liability aspect - power would be extremely expensive to connect if not already available so it would not be worth it for only 12 sites.