I am getting quite annoyed by all the letters posted in the newspaper here
By vested interests complaining about free camping so I wrote this and twas
Published last friday in the the Advocate
All the letters that condemn peoplewho like to free camp
Forget one thing tis a great Aussie tradition to camp by the
Beach,River Lake . And just because someonedecides to build
A caravan park does not give them the right to make people
Stay in it . I think its disgracefulthe words being bandied around
By these CP owners about people who follow tradition and free
Camp .They are not bludgersparasites and all the other nasty things
Said they are just normal people who are using their rights to camp
On public land. Most of these people come from a place where they also
Pay rates and taxes and contribute to society, they just dont like to
Contribute to the money grubbers who buy a caravan park and then
Wish to take away peoples long held rights to line their pockets
Old Crofter said
11:02 AM Mar 7, 2015
Read it in the paper, good onya.
lucky the sandwich shops and takeaways don't complain about us packing our own lunch!
-- Edited by Old Crofter on Saturday 7th of March 2015 11:03:44 AM
Cupie said
01:06 PM Mar 7, 2015
Old Crofter wrote:
Read it in the paper, good onya.
lucky the sandwich shops and takeaways don't complain about us packing our own lunch!
-- Edited by Old Crofter on Saturday 7th of March 2015 11:03:44 AM
They used to in cinemas, & I think that they still do at some big sporting events where you can't take in your own food & drink.
sandsmere said
01:19 PM Mar 7, 2015
Good on you dING! Well done.
Fastcoach said
01:30 PM Mar 7, 2015
Well done dING for taking the trouble to write to the paper. Unfortunately some C/P owners think they have purchased a little monopoly when they buy into their precious little park. The fact is they haven't.
There will always be a demand for caravan parks to exist and for some travellers, they will always support them. Not all travellers however need the services provided by C/P's and this is where free camping comes in.
Unfortunately, free/low cost camping is being attacked by some of the park owners who believe they are the only places where people should camp. They attempt to use their power and push councils to close free sites within their vicinity. Recently, National Parks in Victoria and SA have started to charge exorbitant rates to camp in the parks they control. In addition they have implemented an advance booking system. We now refuse to consider any of these places due to the ridiculous cost and inconvenience.
The good news is regardless of how much opposition there is to free camping, there are still and hopefully always will be many sites available to those who prefer this style of camping. Even if some areas around the coast and more popular spots are now off limits, you'll have little trouble finding perfectly ideal locations a bit further away. The drive is worth taking.
aussie_paul said
01:34 PM Mar 7, 2015
So true Fastcoach.
Good for you dING.
Aussie Paul.
Big Gorilla said
01:37 PM Mar 7, 2015
I looked back in the archives of the Advocate and found several articles on this subject dating back to 2011. Basically all the same stuff. complaints from Caravan Park Owners.
aussie_paul said
01:44 PM Mar 7, 2015
Big Gorilla wrote:
I looked back in the archives of the Advocate and found several articles on this subject dating back to 2011. Basically all the same stuff. complaints from Caravan Park Owners.
Interesting BG, I never thought of doing that, although I am soo time poor these days. Five minute jobs take several hours. I am cracking the sh**s a bit at the moment due pain and exhaustion. Eril need to give me a kick up the you know what!!
Aussie Paul.
-- Edited by aussie_paul on Saturday 7th of March 2015 01:45:13 PM
chopit said
02:47 PM Mar 7, 2015
All the carry-on from caravan parks in recent years has always got me wondering.
"Since when did caravan parks get put on the Endangered Species List ??"
We are currently bumming about the South Burnett ( Kingaroy Qld area ) and the locals have got it right.
We have found 3 good 2 day free camps within 50 Kms.
Councils are looking ahead & the locals are friendly.
Gundog said
05:57 AM Mar 8, 2015
Fastcoach wrote:
Unfortunately, free/low cost camping is being attacked by some of the park owners who believe they are the only places where people should camp. They attempt to use their power and push councils to close free sites within their vicinity. Recently, National Parks in Victoria and SA have started to charge exorbitant rates to camp in the parks they control. In addition they have implemented an advance booking system. We now refuse to consider any of these places due to the ridiculous cost and inconvenience.
The good news is regardless of how much opposition there is to free camping, there are still and hopefully always will be many sites available to those who prefer this style of camping. Even if some areas around the coast and more popular spots are now off limits, you'll have little trouble finding perfectly ideal locations a bit further away. The drive is worth taking.
Have a look here its not that expensive if you purchase an annual pass for South Australia (even though not all parks are included)
Funny how as Grey Nomads we hate it if all Grey Nomads are branded as dole bludgers and parasites (and there are some that are) but it is ok to brand all caravan park owners as thieves and despicable, etc
spida said
09:55 AM Mar 8, 2015
Wongan Hills CP (WA) run by a young couple who have NO problem with the free camp just over the road at the dump point. Their thing is as long as people come to town and spend money there will still be a town for them to live in and run their business. Very good prices - would stay there again rather than camp.
Maybe we should really try to support recommended CP's and then their owners could let other owners know why they are doing well inspite of free camps. Power of this forum!!!!
A vicious circle for these grumpy owners though. The less they get the grumpier they get so the less they get the higher the prices go!
NeilandRaine said
12:38 PM Mar 8, 2015
spida wrote:
Wongan Hills CP (WA) run by a young couple who have NO problem with the free camp just over the road at the dump point. Their thing is as long as people come to town and spend money there will still be a town for them to live in and run their business. Very good prices - would stay there again rather than camp. Maybe we should really try to support recommended CP's and then their owners could let other owners know why they are doing well inspite of free camps. Power of this forum!!!! A vicious circle for these grumpy owners though. The less they get the grumpier they get so the less they get the higher the prices go!
We stayed at a Park in Nanago Qld at $20 a night, same owners for over 20 years. They don't care about the free camp at the end of the street but they do take exception to the free campers who try to sneak in at night to use the amenities.
Fastcoach said
01:00 PM Mar 8, 2015
Gundog Wrote:
Have a look here its not that expensive if you purchase an annual pass for South Australia (even though not all parks are included).
Last year I used the Holiday pass which cost $72 for a two month pass and I agree it represented great value. As you pointed out, it doesn't include all parks, one of them being the Flinders Ranges. When I looked up the site for that park to find out what the go was, it mentioned that it was $10 per car to enter and $13/night to camp within the park. For us the major negative was that you needed to pre-book your site if you intended to camp in the park.
I don't know about most travellers but we really hate having to commit to a specific timetable when we're on holiday. Sometimes you might find a great spot and decide to stay an extra couple of days. When you pre-book that option goes out the window. Also there's the possibility that the weather turns foul and you don't want to stay in the area. There are no refund policies in both Victoria and SA.
Finally, I agree entirely that not all C/P owners are trying to rid the world of free camp sites. Those that offer reasonable rates without the absurd over capitalised properties and have a decent attitude, we have no problem supporting and recommending to our friends.
JayDee said
04:16 PM Mar 8, 2015
As you probably know we have been great supporters of bush camping. However we do also use C.Parks when it suits us. Just recently we spent 12 days at a C.Park along the Qld-NSW border. Yes not all C.Parks are campaigning against free camping. C.Park chains are probably the worst offenders.
But my view has and still is that the C.Park owners never took into account the business that they were taking away from motels and hotels when they installed cabins. So much so that the C.Parks spaces are shrinking making way for more cabins.
Let me tell you that the friendship at bush camps far out weigh the lack of socialising in C.Parks.
So... give us a home amongst the gum trees any day.
Jay&Dee
Krusty said
11:13 AM Mar 9, 2015
I'm going to an Outrigging Regatta later this month. Rang up Island Gateway Caravan Park to book a site for the weekend. Told them I've got a small campervans as does a mate and asked if we could share a site
Krusty said
11:15 AM Mar 9, 2015
(Dam these fat fingers) ... Anyway they have no problems with us sharing an unpowered site. Works out to $15 each per night. Maybe CP owners are starting to
Krusty said
11:17 AM Mar 9, 2015
Starting to get their act together.
(That was harder than I thought) Krusty out.
I am getting quite annoyed by all the letters posted in the newspaper here
By vested interests complaining about free camping so I wrote this and twas
Published last friday in the the Advocate
All the letters that condemn people who like to free camp
Forget one thing tis a great Aussie tradition to camp by the
Beach,River Lake . And just because someone decides to build
A caravan park does not give them the right to make people
Stay in it . I think its disgraceful the words being bandied around
By these CP owners about people who follow tradition and free
Camp .They are not bludgers parasites and all the other nasty things
Said they are just normal people who are using their rights to camp
On public land. Most of these people come from a place where they also
Pay rates and taxes and contribute to society, they just dont like to
Contribute to the money grubbers who buy a caravan park and then
Wish to take away peoples long held rights to line their pockets
Read it in the paper, good onya.
lucky the sandwich shops and takeaways don't complain about us packing our own lunch!
-- Edited by Old Crofter on Saturday 7th of March 2015 11:03:44 AM
They used to in cinemas, & I think that they still do at some big sporting events where you can't take in your own food & drink.
Good on you dING! Well done.
There will always be a demand for caravan parks to exist and for some travellers, they will always support them. Not all travellers however need the services provided by C/P's and this is where free camping comes in.
Unfortunately, free/low cost camping is being attacked by some of the park owners who believe they are the only places where people should camp. They attempt to use their power and push councils to close free sites within their vicinity. Recently, National Parks in Victoria and SA have started to charge exorbitant rates to camp in the parks they control. In addition they have implemented an advance booking system. We now refuse to consider any of these places due to the ridiculous cost and inconvenience.
The good news is regardless of how much opposition there is to free camping, there are still and hopefully always will be many sites available to those who prefer this style of camping. Even if some areas around the coast and more popular spots are now off limits, you'll have little trouble finding perfectly ideal locations a bit further away. The drive is worth taking.
So true Fastcoach.
Good for you dING.
Aussie Paul.
I looked back in the archives of the Advocate and found several articles on this subject dating back to 2011. Basically all the same stuff. complaints from Caravan Park Owners.
Interesting BG, I never thought of doing that, although I am soo time poor these days. Five minute jobs take several hours. I am cracking the sh**s a bit at the moment due pain and exhaustion. Eril need to give me a kick up the you know what!!
Aussie Paul.
-- Edited by aussie_paul on Saturday 7th of March 2015 01:45:13 PM
"Since when did caravan parks get put on the Endangered Species List ??"
We are currently bumming about the South Burnett ( Kingaroy Qld area ) and the locals have got it right.
We have found 3 good 2 day free camps within 50 Kms.
Councils are looking ahead & the locals are friendly.
Have a look here its not that expensive if you purchase an annual pass for South Australia (even though not all parks are included)
http://forms.bizgate.sa.gov.au/deh/parkspasses/parkspasses.htm
Maybe we should really try to support recommended CP's and then their owners could let other owners know why they are doing well inspite of free camps. Power of this forum!!!!
A vicious circle for these grumpy owners though. The less they get the grumpier they get so the less they get the higher the prices go!
We stayed at a Park in Nanago Qld at $20 a night, same owners for over 20 years. They don't care about the free camp at the end of the street but they do take exception to the free campers who try to sneak in at night to use the amenities.
Gundog Wrote:
Have a look here its not that expensive if you purchase an annual pass for South Australia (even though not all parks are included).
Last year I used the Holiday pass which cost $72 for a two month pass and I agree it represented great value. As you pointed out, it doesn't include all parks, one of them being the Flinders Ranges. When I looked up the site for that park to find out what the go was, it mentioned that it was $10 per car to enter and $13/night to camp within the park. For us the major negative was that you needed to pre-book your site if you intended to camp in the park.
I don't know about most travellers but we really hate having to commit to a specific timetable when we're on holiday. Sometimes you might find a great spot and decide to stay an extra couple of days. When you pre-book that option goes out the window. Also there's the possibility that the weather turns foul and you don't want to stay in the area. There are no refund policies in both Victoria and SA.
Finally, I agree entirely that not all C/P owners are trying to rid the world of free camp sites. Those that offer reasonable rates without the absurd over capitalised properties and have a decent attitude, we have no problem supporting and recommending to our friends.
But my view has and still is that the C.Park owners never took into account the business that they were taking away from motels and hotels when they installed cabins. So much so that the C.Parks spaces are shrinking making way for more cabins.
Let me tell you that the friendship at bush camps far out weigh the lack of socialising in C.Parks.
So... give us a home amongst the gum trees any day.
Jay&Dee