"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Recoup · Guru

Story on front pages of website

brickies · Guru

Darwin Mayor says if you can't afford to pay camping fee stay home

Gerty Dancer · Guru

The "backpackers" who hire campervans/station wagons will pull up anywhere, I wouldn't like our to see residential streets and public car-parks being used in that way in my home town. But those caravan parks are expensive.

Like a lot of places that are expensive, Darwin is worth a visit if you haven't been there. Next time I think we'll turn left at Katherine.

GaryKelly · Guru

Or go elsewhere, which is what I'll do.

Duh · Guru

brickies wrote:
Darwin Mayor says if you can't afford to pay camping fee stay home

I agree with the parking issue in streets and town carparks etc, however I think a lot of RV owners will be offended by her remarks as stated in the article. I have sent her an email and invited her to respond on this forum.

bill12 · Guru

Darwin has always been expensive, and I only stay as long as it takes to get needed provisions. Some of the c/van parks are run like prison camps, and as they have a inexhaustible supply of patrons, They charge and do what they like. Pity, Its an interesting place, if you have time. Bill

Recoup · Guru

I just checked some of the parks and the price is not to bad ,it's around $40 a night.I don't know why the backpackers don't camp near the rivers and creeks ? biggrin biggrin That would be one way to get them out of town.

Hans

Grams · Guru

I like the idea of the backpackers playing nicely by the lakes...they might even get to play fetch with the lovely wildlife in the lakes

jules47 · The Happy Helper

wink wink wink wink wink wink wink wink wink wink

brickies · Guru

The problem the Grey nomads have with staying close to towns is you can't let the Grey nomads free camp and not the back packers . Home Hill in North Queensland have a great free camp near the Railway Station in town will hot showers , power points for recharging computers and mobile phone and free electric BBQ and the back packers have become a problem to the local

spida · Guru

Recoup wrote:
I just checked some of the parks and the price is not to bad ,it's around $40 a night.I don't know why the backpackers don't camp near the rivers and creeks ? That would be one way to get them out of town.
Hans

NO NO - please not beside rivers and lakes. In NZ we have had a problem with Giardia getting in to the water supply through people relieving themselves beside lakes and rivers. And think of all their rubbish that will get blown in to the water unless there are rubbish bins there for them cry

Maybe Bunnings and those other big carparks would be a better place for them?

Mike C · Senior Member

I think having them camp by the rivers in the NT will certainly thin out their ranks.. (crunch Munch )

kandagal · Guru

A cheaper place to stay in Darwin is the polo club grounds. On the way into town somewhere near the airport turn left down road pointing to local jail Take the first right & you will come to a closed gate with the caretakers phonenumber on it. Not sure of price now but last time we were there it was about $20/powered site

herbie · Guru

Darwin , has an ever ending suuply of visitors, so that is why the Mayor can say that kind of statement.The place is over run at also with heaps of Oil and gas and mine workers flocking there,due to all the new projects going on up there.It will only get worse ,Some of my workers are to be sent up there in the next few weeks,on a project and rentals have gone up $100 per week in the last few months, so it will in turn only push the c/ park fees up.As they will see an easy $600per week per site fee going into their kitty .They will have full sites tentented all year ,not just in the dry season.

nomadic1 · Senior Member

Have to say that Darwin is not on my list of places I intend to go. Just don't go to places that don't really want Grey Nomads and don't really care what their excuse is.

Duh · Guru

Duh wrote:
brickies wrote:
Darwin Mayor says if you can't afford to pay camping fee stay home
I agree with the parking issue in streets and town carparks etc, however I think a lot of RV owners will be offended by her remarks as stated in the article. I have sent her an email and invited her to respond on this forum.

I received a very nice email from the Mayor, she says she will respond on the forum here, so expect she will either on here on on the comments below the story on the main page (I sent her both links).

vk6tnc · Guru

Duh wrote:

I received a very nice email from the Mayor, she says she will respond on the forum here, so expect she will either on here on on the comments below the story on the main page (I sent her both links).

Looking forward to that......

beiffe · Guru

I have no problems with towns publicly stating they don't want us grey nomads as this gives us the option to divert around their area.

Much prefer that to planning to stay in an area and then find we are not welcome and have to move on.

I put a red ring around an area that I know is not friendly and then it is easy to plan around it. I also exclude that area from any of my voluntary work.

One of the reasons I will not go to QLD to do voluntary work as they don't want us a tourist so i will not go there to work for free. I prefer to stay in Victoria and NSW.

Regards
Brian

johnq · Guru

Just wondering if Lord Mayor Katrina Fong Lim is referring to indigenous campers as well.

Duh · Guru

I've reposted this under a clearer title so the Mayor can find it herbie, so would keep an eye on this link;

http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t53463819/darwin-clamps-down-on-illegal-campers-gn-nomads-website-stor/

Apologies to brickies, but the title did not refer to a particular story in the subject line and I wanted her to be able to find it...

-- Edited by Duh on Wednesday 24th of April 2013 10:02:56 PM

Duh · Guru

Hi All,

The Mayor of Darwin, Katrina Fong Lim, has registered and is waiting for approval from the Webmaster.

In the meantime she has asked me to post these comments;

"I am concerned that my remarks might have been misinterpreted in that we were talking particularly about the people who are illegally parking on our foreshore and in our parks, breaking into our power boxes and so on.

I would very rarely see any Grey Nomads perpetrating such crimes. The City of Darwin would like to maintain its reputation as a city that welcomes travellers however we also have to be sensitive to our residents sentiments.

I would love to see some innovative solutions to our current problems but I can also say, that the Council currently doesnt view it as our core business to provide alternative camping sites. I am hoping that there may be a community response to the problem in the long term."

KATRINA FONG LIM
LORD MAYOR

herbie · Guru

Duh wrote:
Hi All,
The Mayor of Darwin, Katrina Fong Lim, has registered and is waiting for approval from the Webmaster.
In the meantime she has asked me to post these comments;
"I am concerned that my remarks might have been misinterpreted in that we were talking particularly about the people who are illegally parking on our foreshore and in our parks, breaking into our power boxes and so on.
I would very rarely see any Grey Nomads perpetrating such crimes. The City of Darwin would like to maintain its reputation as a city that welcomes travellers however we also have to be sensitive to our residents sentiments.
I would love to see some innovative solutions to our current problems but I can also say, that the Council currently doesnt view it as our core business to provide alternative camping sites. I am hoping that there may be a community response to the problem in the long term."
KATRINA FONG LIM
LORD MAYOR

So in other words ,use the parks that are in Darwin ,