WE thought there should be page with a listing here of RV Un-friendly towns. Instead of single listings, really should be valid reasons too I suppose for example:
NSW. Port Macquaire reasons: Info Centre located in the very busy main street with no suitable parking with cooee of the place. No dump point, generally no RV parking or camping anywhere. Byron Bay reasons: No RV camping available, QLD. Hervey Bay, reason: They just hate free campers
KFT said
10:53 AM Jan 3, 2014
russhen it would probably take quite a few pages.
some of them are learning be-it ever so slowly.
how do you go getting your rig into a cp if you decide to use one?
frank
justcruisin01 said
01:03 PM Jan 3, 2014
russhenn wrote:
WE thought there should be page with a listing here of RV Un-friendly towns. Instead of single listings, really should be valid reasons too I suppose for example:
NSW. Port Macquaire reasons: Info Centre located in the very busy main street with no suitable parking with cooee of the place. No dump point, generally no RV parking or camping anywhere. Byron Bay reasons: No RV camping available, QLD. Hervey Bay, reason: They just hate free campers
Don't even think of stopping near Bowen, Qld.
As for Port, extremely hard to even park a car within walking distance as the info is in the Glass House building in centre of town/city.The entire council got sacked over that mess.
JC
blaze said
02:10 PM Jan 3, 2014
To me it dosnt matter wether people call it an unfriendly town or a friendly town, If I feel the need to visit I will. After being on the road for 3 years, moving slowly, ever so slowly I find that peoples opinions of places (towns, c/p and free camps) differ so much that the only opinion that matters is mine and my wifes. Many of the bad things that people tend to discuss on here we never find. We enter each town, c/p or free camp with open minds and zero expectations and mostly take away a positive experience of some sort.
cheers
blaze
hako said
02:41 PM Jan 3, 2014
I'd agree with Blaze - a friendly smile and a nod of the head goes a long way.
Re Bowen, our starter failed at Bowen when we refuelled the van so we completely blocked one row of pumps - Indian owner rang RACQ for us and was very helpful. However free camping in Bowen may well be a different kettle of fish with all the backpackers, some of which are complete yobbos.
Regards
freehazzas said
03:52 PM Jan 3, 2014
We also like to make up our own minds. We spent three weeks at Port and loved it. CP right on the river, fishing was fantastic, people we ok, but we had fun.
We combine free camping with CP though.
Vic41 said
04:45 PM Jan 3, 2014
blaze wrote:
To me it dosnt matter wether people call it an unfriendly town or a friendly town, If I feel the need to visit I will. After being on the road for 3 years, moving slowly, ever so slowly I find that peoples opinions of places (towns, c/p and free camps) differ so much that the only opinion that matters is mine and my wifes. Many of the bad things that people tend to discuss on here we never find. We enter each town, c/p or free camp with open minds and zero expectations and mostly take away a positive experience of some sort. cheers blaze
That is the way I look at things too blaze, I have had some fantastic experiences in places that are generally considered a no go zone, just use a bit of common sense and trust it will work out ok. I'm not saying that others experiences with certain places are not justified, that is based on their experience at the time.
Cruising Cruze said
04:47 PM Jan 3, 2014
JC knows a good free spot to camp in Hervey Bay they even supply Southern C......rt and power and water there I've been told
Cheers John
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Friday 3rd of January 2014 04:50:27 PM
exa41 said
05:26 PM Jan 3, 2014
Its a bit late now I realise but the good wife tells me there is a program on Channel 7 tonight 3/1/14 after the news on this very subject , be interesting to see what they have to say.
chopit said
05:33 PM Jan 3, 2014
Yes, we'll be watching that one tonight.
Seeing how even handed the story is will be interesting.
Cloak said
07:11 PM Jan 3, 2014
Well it was just on as as I suspected the story was weak, no new info at all.
Made GN's look like cheap and selfish users.
The financial issue was touched on ie. holiday parks are too expensive but they didn't go into any real stats. Seems no-one has
gathered any market info regarding the real breakdown of who who uses holiday parks, national parks, free camps etc.
I think the real problem is these CP's are not providing a product suitable for independent camping. Also, why single out GN's only. How many back packers and
tourists use free camps I reckon more than GN's.
If CP's would provide an area away from noisy children, jumping castles and swimming pools with just very basic facilities for a reasonable price I for one would
use them more. To use political force, and that's what it is, to try and force a section of the community to utilise a commercial enterprise is unconstitutional in my view.
I believe we should seek legal advice on this constant interfering by local govts into what is a basic human right - the right of free choice.
Until then they can bugger orf....
Cheers
justcruisin01 said
09:10 PM Jan 3, 2014
Cruising Cruze wrote:
JC knows a good free spot to camp in Hervey Bay they even supply Southern C......rt and power and water there I've been told
Cheers John
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Friday 3rd of January 2014 04:50:27 PM
I was keeping that on under my hat; But you know where to find one down this way as well.
AGREE WITH CLOAK, MY WIFE SAW THE PROGRAM AND SAID IT WAS A VERY POOR PIECE OF REPORTING. WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE CMCA AND GREY NOMADS, AND I DONT SEE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION FROM EITHER PARTY, MAYBE WE SHOULD GATHER SOME FACTS, IE NUMBERS VISITING TOWNS AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPEND IN THEM. I AM SURE THE SERVICE STATIONS, LAUNDROMATS AND HOTELS WOULD RATHER US DROP IN THEN DRIVE PAST BECAUSE THE COUNCIL DECIDE TO TREAT US LIKE OUTLAWS.
VIC
Vic41 said
01:15 PM Jan 4, 2014
Hi Vic,
Some RV Clubs do gather spending info at towns and present it to the local council, one I know of showed that a visit to Busselton by 50 vans for a week in a small town the club spent $75,000 dollars, this info was gathered by the club treasurer who asked members to give him the receipts or a list of what they had spent in town, tallied up and then presented to the council who were most appreciative.
I also read a Beverley (WA) Newsletter a little while back that had an article about what a chapter of the CMCA had spent in town during a rally there, I seem to recall the CMCA did the same for a National Rally at Kalgoorlie, so yes some clubs are doing this.
And lets not forget what the individual travellers spend as well. It would be interesting to know what GN's at Greens spent in that local area during their stay. You need to include everything, fuel, food, servicing, repairs, hair cuts, newspapers, plus many other items that were purchased during a stay, including any accommodation expenses if you stayed in a caravan park or other.
I may add that the towns mentioned here are RV friendly.....
-- Edited by Vic41 on Saturday 4th of January 2014 01:22:04 PM
CJC said
01:46 PM Jan 4, 2014
If you really want to keep abreast of this topic I suggest you look at this site on a regular basis. www.freechoicecamps.com.au/
If you really want to fight for your freedom of choice add their Facebook page to your daily viewing and participate in the Social Media debate when asked.
deverall11 said
04:31 PM Jan 4, 2014
We were in Port Macquarie when some over paid bureaucrat justfying his/her employement made the decision to put the information centre somewhere where caravans and the likes CANNOT get to easily. Prior to that they were in a more accessible place. Parking available, better than now but no adequate.
Why they did not put an information centre next to the big service station on the south end approach, affectionately know as 'the donut'
WE thought there should be page with a listing here of RV Un-friendly towns. Instead of single listings, really should be valid reasons too I suppose
for example:
NSW. Port Macquaire reasons: Info Centre located in the very busy main street with no suitable parking with cooee of the place. No dump point, generally no RV parking or camping anywhere.
Byron Bay reasons: No RV camping available,
QLD. Hervey Bay, reason: They just hate free campers
some of them are learning be-it ever so slowly.
how do you go getting your rig into a cp if you decide to use one?
frank
Don't even think of stopping near Bowen, Qld.
As for Port, extremely hard to even park a car within walking distance as the info is in the Glass House building in centre of town/city.The entire council got sacked over that mess.
JC
cheers
blaze
Re Bowen, our starter failed at Bowen when we refuelled the van so we completely blocked one row of pumps - Indian owner rang RACQ for us and was very helpful. However free camping in Bowen may well be a different kettle of fish with all the backpackers, some of which are complete yobbos.
Regards
We combine free camping with CP though.
That is the way I look at things too blaze, I have had some fantastic experiences in places that are generally considered a no go zone, just use a bit of common sense and trust it will work out ok. I'm not saying that others experiences with certain places are not justified, that is based on their experience at the time.
JC knows a good free spot to camp in Hervey Bay
they even supply Southern C......rt and power and water there I've been told
Cheers John
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Friday 3rd of January 2014 04:50:27 PM
Seeing how even handed the story is will be interesting.
Made GN's look like cheap and selfish users.
The financial issue was touched on ie. holiday parks are too expensive but they didn't go into any real stats. Seems no-one has
gathered any market info regarding the real breakdown of who who uses holiday parks, national parks, free camps etc.
I think the real problem is these CP's are not providing a product suitable for independent camping. Also, why single out GN's only. How many back packers and
tourists use free camps I reckon more than GN's.
If CP's would provide an area away from noisy children, jumping castles and swimming pools with just very basic facilities for a reasonable price I for one would
use them more. To use political force, and that's what it is, to try and force a section of the community to utilise a commercial enterprise is unconstitutional in my view.
I believe we should seek legal advice on this constant interfering by local govts into what is a basic human right - the right of free choice.
Until then they can bugger orf....
Cheers
I was keeping that on under my hat;
But you know where to find one down this way as well.
JC
VIC
Hi Vic,
Some RV Clubs do gather spending info at towns and present it to the local council, one I know of showed that a visit to Busselton by 50 vans for a week in a small town the club spent $75,000 dollars, this info was gathered by the club treasurer who asked members to give him the receipts or a list of what they had spent in town, tallied up and then presented to the council who were most appreciative.
I also read a Beverley (WA) Newsletter a little while back that had an article about what a chapter of the CMCA had spent in town during a rally there, I seem to recall the CMCA did the same for a National Rally at Kalgoorlie, so yes some clubs are doing this.
And lets not forget what the individual travellers spend as well. It would be interesting to know what GN's at Greens spent in that local area during their stay. You need to include everything, fuel, food, servicing, repairs, hair cuts, newspapers, plus many other items that were purchased during a stay, including any accommodation expenses if you stayed in a caravan park or other.
I may add that the towns mentioned here are RV friendly.....
-- Edited by Vic41 on Saturday 4th of January 2014 01:22:04 PM
www.freechoicecamps.com.au/
If you really want to fight for your freedom of choice add their Facebook page to your daily viewing and participate in the Social Media debate when asked.
We were in Port Macquarie when some over paid bureaucrat justfying his/her employement made the decision to put the information centre somewhere where caravans and the likes CANNOT get to easily. Prior to that they were in a more accessible place. Parking available, better than now but no adequate.
Why they did not put an information centre next to the big service station on the south end approach, affectionately know as 'the donut'
Larry