WAGIN Showgrounds (Western Aust) to close?

Dunmowin · Guru

WAGIN Showgrounds (Western Aust) to close?

herbie · Guru

I can understand the situation this council is faced with,seeing they own the caravan park, It probable isn't viable for them to try and keep both operating as the caravan park fees are so cheap anyway.

Dunmowin · Guru

Tell me this Herbie, why should we pay for a caravan park, and use our own shower and toilet - that is what the difference is. If we have the choice, we would rather pay the lesser, and use our own facilities. We paid for this caravan with shower & toilet, so given the choice, we will free or low cost camp wherever possible.

Too many of these small towns are closing down low cost facilities. They will then loose the RV dollars.

herbie · Guru

I understand what you are saying,but in the economic situation some or I should say a lot of councils are just so cash strapped it is not viable to maintain a caravan park and a low cost camp.

I own a van with all the bits and bobs also to free camp,but just because I own all this it dosnt give me any more rights to expect other people to prop my way of life up.

I love to free/low cost camp but if an area where I choose to visit hasn't got that I just head to the van park if that is what I want to do.

In saying that NO CARAVAN PARK OWNER WILL EVER DICTATE TO ME I MUST STAY IN HIS/HER PARK.

It is a fact of life that free/ low cost camping is getting less by the day and I guess it will only get worse.

Dunmowin · Guru

herbie wrote:
I understand what you are saying,but in the economic situation some or I should say a lot of councils are just so cash strapped it is not viable to maintain a caravan park and a low cost camp.
I own a van with all the bits and bobs also to free camp,but just because I own all this it dosnt give me any more rights to expect other people to prop my way of life up.
I love to free/low cost camp but if an area where I choose to visit hasn't got that I just head to the van park if that is what I want to do.
In saying that NO CARAVAN PARK OWNER WILL EVER DICTATE TO ME I MUST STAY IN HIS/HER PARK.
It is a fact of life that free/ low cost camping is getting less by the day and I guess it will only get worse.

and the more we let it happen, the less free/low cost camps we will have.

herbie · Guru

Even caravan park owned by some councils are starting to get sold off, was just reading about the cash strapped council in Broken Hill about to sell the caravan park they own.

Oxley · Veteran Member

I'm waiting to see whats going to happen with the camping at the showgrounds in Wingham NSW.

The showground trust is evicting all the permanents, as council has noted that none of the improvements listed in the 2005 DA have been done, and as such the permanents are illegally there, as the maximum stay is 180 days in 365 day period.

The showground trust believes they will lose money, but as the people who's office's are on the opposite side of the road will tell, if half the amount of travelers that slow down, look and then take off again (as sometimes it looks like a shanty town) , would stop there once its presentable again, would more than cover any loses.

As some of the permanents have already moved on, we have had a few campers stop there for 2 nights to 2 weeks already.

Bugsy · Veteran Member

I am not in a position to divulge my sources but I think it would be advisable to wait until after the council meeting before going off too much on this particular subject. The opinion of one particular councillor may not be the majority opinion.

Could be an "interesting" meeting tonight.

brickies · Guru

You may have your own shower and toilet but some one has to take care of your waste , Some travelers drop into caravan once a week to use dump point and washing machines . I also like to free camp but if caravan park don't get enough trade they wont be around to supply our needs . I was talking to an owner of a caravan park in Bowen who said they do great for 5 months of the year and struggle for the rest of the year , The park are there for southern visitors so they is always 2 side to every story the old saying if you don't use it you lose it , And the other if you abuse it you lose it

Bugsy · Veteran Member

brickies, that may well be true if that is what the CP owner tells you but in all seriousness would you invest millions in a park without doing your due diligence and know exactly what the situation was and being sure you could make a reasonable return on your investment. I doubt it very much. I don't believe you can take the circumstance of any one particular park and use that as an example, it's like taking one particular house in a large town and then saying they all must be struggling.

The ABS figures for the industry seems to tell a very different story for the industry as a whole.

Revenue figures

2006 $848m

2007 $918m

2008 $ 1b

2009 $ 1.06b

2010 $1.135b

I don't have the figures for 2011/12/13 but the industry says itself it is growing at 10% per year.

brickies · Guru

That is true Bugsy but the most of the growth is in tourist area where the cashed up tourist want to visit with all bells and whistles and theme park are and flash eateries are , No body want to be in north Queensland in the summer to hot can't swim in the ocean

gwb · Senior Member

Part of the problem is that costs continually go up as well, power, water and wages spring to mind.
Geoff and Bev

ParamountCruiser · Senior Member

Dunmowin wrote:
We have just had two nights at Wagin Showgrounds ($8.00 for powered site, $5.00 unpowered) this morning before we left, we were greeted by a councillor for the area who is trying to get many more RVs into town. He advised us that council is planning to close down the low cost site.

Any idea when this will come into effect. We were planning on stopping there in next 7 - 10 days

Dunmowin · Guru

Paramount Cruiser, I doubt if this will take effect that quickly, the meeting with council is tonight, signage is down already, but I think if you arrive, you should be OK. Go to the Wagin Historical Village - that is where you pay for camping at the sportsground. (Ballagin Street)

ParamountCruiser · Senior Member

Thanks for that info Dunmowin.

Dunmowin · Guru

make sure you spend some time in the historical village. well worth the few dollars they charge.

Dunmowin · Guru

Dunmowin wrote:
We have just had two nights at Wagin Showgrounds ($8.00 for powered site, $5.00 unpowered) this morning before we left, we were greeted by a councillor for the area who is trying to get many more RVs into town. He advised us that council is planning to close down the low cost site.
The council also owns the local caravan park ($20.00 for powered site, $15.00 unpowered). They have extended the caravan park to get more caravans into the park. We have sent an email to the CEO of the council to complain about this happening. If you are interested in complaining, here is an email address: ceo@wagin.wa.gov.au They are having a council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) night to discuss the issue.

Update. We have been toking to the councillor again this morning, after spending two weeks in town house sitting. The Wagin Showgrounds is still open for freedom camping, after an inundation of emails from fellow grey nomads. The 72 hour limit has been raised to four weeks, the sites are now $10.00 per night or $50.00 per week. (The caravan park is apparently only $20.00 per night) Shire is looking at (not yet confirmed) caravan park discount to CMCA and RAC members of 50%

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Sunday 26th of January 2014 02:57:47 PM

Vic41 · Guru

Dunmowin wrote:
Dunmowin wrote:
We have just had two nights at Wagin Showgrounds ($8.00 for powered site, $5.00 unpowered) this morning before we left, we were greeted by a councillor for the area who is trying to get many more RVs into town. He advised us that council is planning to close down the low cost site.
The council also owns the local caravan park ($20.00 for powered site, $15.00 unpowered). They have extended the caravan park to get more caravans into the park. We have sent an email to the CEO of the council to complain about this happening. If you are interested in complaining, here is an email address: ceo@wagin.wa.gov.au They are having a council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) night to discuss the issue.
Update. We have been toking to the councillor again this morning, after spending two weeks in town house sitting. The Wagin Showgrounds is still open for freedom camping, after an inundation of emails from fellow grey nomads. The 72 hour limit has been raised to four weeks, the sites are now $10.00 per night or $50.00 per week. (The caravan park is apparently only $20.00 per night) Shire is looking at (not yet confirmed) caravan park discount to CMCA and RAC members of 50%

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Sunday 26th of January 2014 02:57:47 PM

I must have been asleep at the wheel (or is that desktop), seemed to have missed this thread, thanks for that info, glad you were on hand to give a Grey Nomad point of view. I had a friend bought one of those little railway houses years ago, I helped them move back to Perth, I do remember Wagin had a nice little café in town....