Welcome to the forum Bugsy ... it's a great place to air, and receive, varying opinions.
Fully understand your comments and I do realise how the CMCA have achieved many good things for the travelling public through their initiatives and at the cost of the members.
But the ABC Radio interviews I listened to over three weeks involving two different 'officials' from CMCA were very agressive and both of these 'officials' suggested that CMCA was developing a "sister publication" to their RV Friendly towns that would list those towns that refused to provide RV Services - eg free camps, RV parking within towns near shopping centres, etc. The CMCA Officials were regularly calling we GN Travellers "travelling bank accounts" and that the councils ignored us at their peril. There was an article printed in the Cairns newspaper containing further interviews and quotes from these people.
The radio interviews were followed by the usual ABC talkback - I did not actually count but for every 10 callers, only one would be supportive of the position being pushed by, and the attitude of, the CMCA 'official' and the remainder were stating how they did not want these "free loaders" on their front door.
The CMCA campaign was focussed on the Cairns/Townsville region in particular - as Cairns council apparently is very anti-free-camping. It is interesting that I have heard nothing further since leaving FNQ and NQ. My issue is not that CMCA are striving to have rest spots and parking spots created, provided or maintained within areas, my issue it the very agressive attitude displayed by these 'officials' that bordered on belligerant, actually demanding councils provide facilities, at the council's cost, to "travelling bank accounts" because "GNs spent so much money in their area".
I certainly concede the action by the CRVA and individula van parks in many areas pushing the opposing barrow - "close free camps as they are taking our business" etc. I find their attitude equally obnoxious and self-serving.
To conclude, it does appear the main, if only, problem with keeping free-camping sites open is along the east coast (predominantly) within, or close to, tourist areas that attract large numbers of travellers. Inland towns, particularly in QLD and NSW, that I pass through and camp in/near welcome travellers. There are always exceptions such as Barcaldine but there are always a few exceptions.
Anyway, good to have you on the forum and hope we meet up somewhere at a camp that is not besmirched with controversary
Cheers - John
jules47 said
03:51 PM May 9, 2013
Well said John, RL - attitude is everything!
biggles said
04:14 PM May 9, 2013
The CMCA is having numerous problems at the moment .. the former director who was the instigator of the RV Friendly Town scheme gave it away after the CMCA chose to depreciate the initial standards that were chosen ..
.. apparently some "members" classed it as an overkill and too restrictive .. so it was an internal problem, it seems !
jetj said
01:19 AM May 10, 2013
I believe those interviews have done more harm than good for the CMCA. I wouldn't like to see the value of the club and it's members judged on an interview of one or two people.
turbopete said
03:00 AM May 10, 2013
i,m a free spirit camping independantly
herbie said
04:19 AM May 10, 2013
After reading about the inhouse bickering going on inside the organisation that is supposed to represent their members,one can understand why they are doing a big recrutment drive for new members with a discount of $20...Just reading where a while back the recieved a grant from thr Queensland Main Roads for $100.000 for the installation of dump point facilities across the state. It goes on to say for the past 4 years the club in conjunction with KEA Campers Australia has placed 102 Dump Eazy Dump point units throughout Oz., and has given financial assistance to a further seven councils for the construction of these facilities. Under this subsidy scheme. Selected councils are given one of these units free of charge , the only cost to council being for installation. The units are then conected to local sewage systems and placed in Parks/ and camping areas, where it goes on to say where travellers can access them free of charge.The QldGoverment would be over a two year period , which will allow the CMCA to expand this initiative.Under this funding , not only will the Dump Point units be provided , but up to $3000 will be reimbursed to councils for the installation costs.The reason i am writting this is i was understood that these Dump Points were put in different locations from the members fees to the CMCA. Could some one please explain other than swanky new offices and infighting what does the members money go into.For a lay person like me who is not into clubs as such ,would be really interested in peoples answers to my question.
Regards Herbie.
liddle said
07:09 AM May 10, 2013
Hello Herbie You said <<Could some one please explain other than swanky new offices and infighting what does the members money go into.For a lay person like me who is not into clubs as such ,would be really interested in peoples answers to my question.>> I will try to answer your question. As one of the members of CMCA I can safely say that I well and truly get my moneys worth. I go to rallies because I choose to go ( it is not compulsory <G> ).I love the rallies and when you have a very large number of motorhomes , sometimes over 1000, attending a rally for a week it takes a tremendous amount of organising . It would be impossible to run such a rally without strict rules. These rules make for a workable situation with such a huge volume of motorhomes. I get a beautiful coloured magazine every month. I have access to a wonderful website with all the information I need about the happenings within the club plus interesting articles about motorhomes. I also belong to 3 forums where I can follow the comings and goings of my CMCA friends ( this is one of them ) I meet up with members of the sub-group I belong to ( The Solos ) and get regular emails from members of that group. We also have a special solos rally twice a year with approximately 200 motorhomes. The rallies have a full program of entertainment plus plenty of social and educating items . We also meet at other times besides the rallies. The rules only apply when the rally is organized by the club as an official rally. If a group of us decide to have a meet for a private rally then we can make our own rules and do as we like. I have my motorhome insured at the most competitive rate through the CMCA and am very happy with that service. For all this I pay $44 per year. I am a happy CMCA member
herbie said
09:42 PM May 10, 2013
liddle wrote:
Hello Herbie You said <<Could some one please explain other than swanky new offices and infighting what does the members money go into.For a lay person like me who is not into clubs as such ,would be really interested in peoples answers to my question.>> I will try to answer your question. As one of the members of CMCA I can safely say that I well and truly get my moneys worth. I go to rallies because I choose to go ( it is not compulsory <G> ).I love the rallies and when you have a very large number of motorhomes , sometimes over 1000, attending a rally for a week it takes a tremendous amount of organising . It would be impossible to run such a rally without strict rules. These rules make for a workable situation with such a huge volume of motorhomes. I get a beautiful coloured magazine every month. I have access to a wonderful website with all the information I need about the happenings within the club plus interesting articles about motorhomes. I also belong to 3 forums where I can follow the comings and goings of my CMCA friends ( this is one of them ) I meet up with members of the sub-group I belong to ( The Solos ) and get regular emails from members of that group. We also have a special solos rally twice a year with approximately 200 motorhomes. The rallies have a full program of entertainment plus plenty of social and educating items . We also meet at other times besides the rallies. The rules only apply when the rally is organized by the club as an official rally. If a group of us decide to have a meet for a private rally then we can make our own rules and do as we like. I have my motorhome insured at the most competitive rate through the CMCA and am very happy with that service. For all this I pay $44 per year. I am a happy CMCA member
Thanks for all that info, i guess if that is what you want from being a member it serves you ok.I could not get any thing out of it through being a member,as i could not think of any thing worse than being some where with so many RVs at the same time and then being under rules and refulations.I read on here in a thread that someone said ...next time you use a dump point remember where it came from(refering i my understanding that CMCA payed for these Dump Points,but after reading and talking to people regarding this subject, they do not pay for them ,they come from different types of Goverment department funding.My insurance is lower than a guy's insurance who was a member of this said club. So just wondering if this lower insurance thing is really what it is cracked up to be now, with so much competition out in the play ground.
Regards Herbie.
Bugsy said
02:54 AM May 11, 2013
jules47 wrote:
Imagine the hullaballoo if these places were to become a paid (at the same or close to the caravan park rate) - these locals would be up in arms - there would be a heck of a stink.
jules47, I understand what you are saying I also spent 3 months over there a couple of years back and free camped for much of the time. However you just need to go to the Tasmania section on http://www.freechoicecamps.com.au/tas.html and read what is going on. The regulator has spoken and camps have been closed and fees installed in others. If somebody doesn't speak up for us this will happen all over the country, the CRVA is already is already espousing the Tasmania situation as an example for the rest of the country. The thin edge of the wedge guys, the thin edge. You may not like the style of one man from the CMCA, so be it, but I don't see anybody singing his praises for the success at Murray Bridge where you now have a low cost camp that never existed before against strong opposition from the CP lobby, all done quietly and nobody notices.
poodles1950 said
02:28 PM May 9, 2014
You're so right! Of course the cost of paying to camp comes into it, but for us it's about being surrounded by bush and nature, not caravans.
Perhaps we need to rethink the term by calling it wild camping as they do in Europe. Being able to camp for no cost allows us to spend money locally to where we're staying. The caravan park may miss out, but the economy of the town doesn't. In fact, our money is spent in various businesses, benefitting many.
Oh, the joy of the campfire, billy boiling and birds singing............
neilnruth said
04:33 PM May 9, 2014
I've just realised this is a very old thread. Over a year since it was first started. Ah well, I re-read some of the comments. (until I realised what the date was!)
Gday...
Welcome to the forum Bugsy ... it's a great place to air, and receive, varying opinions.
Fully understand your comments and I do realise how the CMCA have achieved many good things for the travelling public through their initiatives and at the cost of the members.
But the ABC Radio interviews I listened to over three weeks involving two different 'officials' from CMCA were very agressive and both of these 'officials' suggested that CMCA was developing a "sister publication" to their RV Friendly towns that would list those towns that refused to provide RV Services - eg free camps, RV parking within towns near shopping centres, etc. The CMCA Officials were regularly calling we GN Travellers "travelling bank accounts" and that the councils ignored us at their peril. There was an article printed in the Cairns newspaper containing further interviews and quotes from these people.
The radio interviews were followed by the usual ABC talkback - I did not actually count but for every 10 callers, only one would be supportive of the position being pushed by, and the attitude of, the CMCA 'official' and the remainder were stating how they did not want these "free loaders" on their front door.
The CMCA campaign was focussed on the Cairns/Townsville region in particular - as Cairns council apparently is very anti-free-camping. It is interesting that I have heard nothing further since leaving FNQ and NQ. My issue is not that CMCA are striving to have rest spots and parking spots created, provided or maintained within areas, my issue it the very agressive attitude displayed by these 'officials' that bordered on belligerant, actually demanding councils provide facilities, at the council's cost, to "travelling bank accounts" because "GNs spent so much money in their area".
I certainly concede the action by the CRVA and individula van parks in many areas pushing the opposing barrow - "close free camps as they are taking our business" etc. I find their attitude equally obnoxious and self-serving.
To conclude, it does appear the main, if only, problem with keeping free-camping sites open is along the east coast (predominantly) within, or close to, tourist areas that attract large numbers of travellers. Inland towns, particularly in QLD and NSW, that I pass through and camp in/near welcome travellers. There are always exceptions such as Barcaldine but there are always a few exceptions.
Anyway, good to have you on the forum and hope we meet up somewhere at a camp that is not besmirched with controversary
Cheers - John
The CMCA is having numerous problems at the moment .. the former director who was the instigator of the RV Friendly Town scheme gave it away after the CMCA chose to depreciate the initial standards that were chosen ..
.. apparently some "members" classed it as an overkill and too restrictive .. so it was an internal problem, it seems !
I believe those interviews have done more harm than good for the CMCA. I wouldn't like to see the value of the club and it's members judged on an interview of one or two people.
After reading about the inhouse bickering going on inside the organisation that is supposed to represent their members,one can understand why they are doing a big recrutment drive for new members with a discount of $20...Just reading where a while back the recieved a grant from thr Queensland Main Roads for $100.000 for the installation of dump point facilities across the state. It goes on to say for the past 4 years the club in conjunction with KEA Campers Australia has placed 102 Dump Eazy Dump point units throughout Oz., and has given financial assistance to a further seven councils for the construction of these facilities. Under this subsidy scheme. Selected councils are given one of these units free of charge , the only cost to council being for installation. The units are then conected to local sewage systems and placed in Parks/ and camping areas, where it goes on to say where travellers can access them free of charge.The QldGoverment would be over a two year period , which will allow the CMCA to expand this initiative.Under this funding , not only will the Dump Point units be provided , but up to $3000 will be reimbursed to councils for the installation costs.The reason i am writting this is i was understood that these Dump Points were put in different locations from the members fees to the CMCA. Could some one please explain other than swanky new offices and infighting what does the members money go into.For a lay person like me who is not into clubs as such ,would be really interested in peoples answers to my question.
Regards Herbie.
Hello Herbie
You said
<<Could some one please explain other than swanky new offices and infighting what does the members money go into.For a lay person like me who is not into clubs as such ,would be really interested in peoples answers to my question.>>
I will try to answer your question.
As one of the members of CMCA I can safely say that I well and truly get my moneys worth.
I go to rallies because I choose to go ( it is not compulsory <G> ).I love the rallies and when you have a very large number of motorhomes , sometimes over 1000, attending a rally for a week it takes a tremendous amount of organising . It would be impossible to run such a rally without strict rules. These rules make for a workable situation with such a huge volume of motorhomes.
I get a beautiful coloured magazine every month.
I have access to a wonderful website with all the information I need about the happenings within the club plus interesting articles about motorhomes.
I also belong to 3 forums where I can follow the comings and goings of my CMCA friends ( this is one of them )
I meet up with members of the sub-group I belong to ( The Solos ) and get regular emails from members of that group. We also have a special solos rally twice a year with approximately 200 motorhomes.
The rallies have a full program of entertainment plus plenty of social and educating items .
We also meet at other times besides the rallies.
The rules only apply when the rally is organized by the club as an official rally.
If a group of us decide to have a meet for a private rally then we can make our own rules and do as we like.
I have my motorhome insured at the most competitive rate through the CMCA and am very happy with that service.
For all this I pay $44 per year.
I am a happy CMCA member
Thanks for all that info, i guess if that is what you want from being a member it serves you ok.I could not get any thing out of it through being a member,as i could not think of any thing worse than being some where with so many RVs at the same time and then being under rules and refulations.I read on here in a thread that someone said ...next time you use a dump point remember where it came from(refering i my understanding that CMCA payed for these Dump Points,but after reading and talking to people regarding this subject, they do not pay for them ,they come from different types of Goverment department funding.My insurance is lower than a guy's insurance who was a member of this said club. So just wondering if this lower insurance thing is really what it is cracked up to be now, with so much competition out in the play ground.
Regards Herbie.
jules47, I understand what you are saying I also spent 3 months over there a couple of years back and free camped for much of the time. However you just need to go to the Tasmania section on http://www.freechoicecamps.com.au/tas.html and read what is going on. The regulator has spoken and camps have been closed and fees installed in others. If somebody doesn't speak up for us this will happen all over the country, the CRVA is already is already espousing the Tasmania situation as an example for the rest of the country. The thin edge of the wedge guys, the thin edge. You may not like the style of one man from the CMCA, so be it, but I don't see anybody singing his praises for the success at Murray Bridge where you now have a low cost camp that never existed before against strong opposition from the CP lobby, all done quietly and nobody notices.
You're so right! Of course the cost of paying to camp comes into it, but for us it's about being surrounded by bush and nature, not caravans.
Perhaps we need to rethink the term by calling it wild camping as they do in Europe. Being able to camp for no cost allows us to spend money locally to where we're staying. The caravan park may miss out, but the economy of the town doesn't. In fact, our money is spent in various businesses, benefitting many.
Oh, the joy of the campfire, billy boiling and birds singing............