Gday...

I have copied this quote from the article -

"Regional caravan parks packed with mining workers, dangerous road conditions and a shortage of roadside rest areas are among the factors forcing motorhome and caravan park owners to bypass some regions, or travel interstate." I have highlighted in red the incorrect word that needs deleting  - just for accuracy.

As I have stated previously, I do have an issue with the very militant, almost threatening, stance being taken by CMCA - who have taken it upon themselves, to include, by inference, all motorhome/van owners. I have asked on this forum previously for any members of this forum who are CMCA members AND who attended the Boonah rally, to give us some feedback, please. I have not seen a response as yet. Is this "CMCA" campaign truly the stance being exposed by CMCA members? Was a vote taken at Boonah and if so what was the result?

Perhaps if a strong majority of CMCA members feel this way, then we (non-CMCA members) may just have to sit back, bite our collective lips and be prepared to ride the criticism from those offended by what is being proposed.

Is this agressive stance being taken by CMCA the genuine attitude of CMCA members, the attitude of the President or a policy stance developed within CMCA. In essence, who is the real instigator of this campaign.

I base my feelings of the militant, or threatening, or agressive stance being publicly pushed by CMCA not only from this quote from the Courier Mail article regarding the publication of a list of 'favoured towns/areas' but also from three radio interviewes I have listened to by Ken Kipping -

"The towns that are on [the list] are going to get rich," CMCA director Ken Kipping said.

"These are people that are literally travelling bank accounts. Either these small regional towns want them to stop and shop or they don't. If they (RV owners) think there is nowhere for them to stop, they won't come."

I, too, take umbrage to being described as being a "travelling bank account". Those on pensions (including self-funded), obviously have a bank account, but we are definitely not overally flush, as implied.

My biggest frustration in this, is the feeling of helplessness it creates as the CMCA is going to expend considerable resource, physcial and financial, to further their campaign while I have no 'voice' to counter the tone of their campaign.

Cheers - John

[edit: added the words 'the tone of' to the concluding sentence.]

-- Edited by rockylizard on Sunday 28th of October 2012 12:44:53 PM

Oh brother, here we go again.

I am a member of CMCA but do not attend the rallies or meetings. I have read a lot about these complaints both in the magazine and online. My MotorHome is not as big as many but i do tow a Suzuki behind it. I have found it difficult to find places in some towns to park so you can shop so I just move on to the next town. Some RV Friendly towns have special areas for Motorhome and caravan parking, usually quite near to the main shopping area, As I understand it this is one of the situations CMCA is trying to promote, along with public dump points and comumity or free camping. Have read and heard first hand reports where people with big rigs were refused entry to caravan parks because of their size and the same parks are the ones campaining against open free parks. I know which towns I will go to.

Roving-Dutchy wrote:

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---SNIPPED---

What they are saying to country towns is, in effect, if you help us we will help you.

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Gday...

Thanks for the response Dutchy & Scotty. I can agree to, and accept, the things you have highlighted in your post Dutchy - and those things - if provided willingly by 'country towns' will be beneficial to all travellers.

My issue with the current "CMCA stance" is that Mr Ken Kipping, in his media interviews, is NOT saying "if you help us we will help you". Particularlly in the radio interviews I have heard, he is threatening, agressive and his overall tone draws the conclusion this is "a war" against those who, at their own peril, fail to provide "travelling bank accounts" with what "they deserve".

Interestingly, (and maybe thankfully) from what I have listened to, he (CMCA) are focussing particularly on the north East Coast of QLD, with some concern with 'mining towns'. Perhaps if CMCA (and its members) got the Australian Map out of the cupboard and marked on that map the places that are "so unwelcoming" it would become very apparent, that it is only a very small percentage of this wondrous land that "travelling bank accounts" have trouble with.

Again, my only concern is that if others accept his comments as what the general "old travelling public" think of their towns, we are going to build a considerable wall between the traveller and those who are still part of the tax, and rate, paying public.

Cheers - John

This will become more interesting as time goes on, I just had a catchup phone call with GN's BriVee, who are camped beside a CMCA member , who informed them that the caravan assoc of Aust is trying to have a federal closure of ALL free, budget,showgrounds & roadside rest areas in Aus closed , so every one has to go to their parks. Just where are they going to park every one IF it was affordable to go to a park?

I have asked BriVee to obtain more details & figures from this CMCA member if possibile & post on here. Awaiting their posting.

JC.

I do hope the CMCA release the report on friendly towns , So I will know which towns to stay away from , I did see first hand a RV friendly town this winter it is called Mareeba , if you could see all these rigs packed into the Mareeba Rodeo grounds and Rocky Creek , If this is the result of RV friendly town I will go to were I can enjoy my life style

hahahaha what a joke did anyone read the comments cause i did and i left one to but i recon it will be edited but hey who gives a rats

dibs

rockylizard there is another group called 'Australian Caravan Club Limited' (the Club for all RV'ers) that also has a lobby group and hopefully they are doing the same thing for those of us who own caravans.
www.australiancaravanclub.com.au
It states that 'one of our main aims is to represent it's members through advocacy. We aim to represent the interests of our members to Governments, industry bodies and other stakeholders in a wide range of issues....
* overnight and rest areas and facilities
* low cost camping
* Technical Advisory Group ......etc
Membership is open to all RV'ers including caravans, camper trailers, motorhomes and fifth wheelers.