Your opinion is sought NOW

rockylizard · Guru

Your opinion is sought NOW

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

This is my 'transcript' of the "free camping" topic aired on ABC 774 this morning -

CMCA President, Richard Barwick , rang in supporting travelling consumers.

He talked about how many camp in actual camping spots rivers, lakes, stock routes etc. They are fully self-contained and dont require any extra resources to camp.

GNs get a bad name because they get lumped in with backpackers and attract criticism unfairly.

Many cannot afford caravan parks which provide more amenities than GNs require.

GNs spend in the areas they free camp in.

These $200,000 motorhomes and vans/vehicles etc are very often the GNs home ... and they should be able to use it wherever they want ... any place of their choice ... and not have to pay necessarily.

Many councils are very supportive and are RV Friendly towns. GNs tourist dollar should be seen as important.

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Heaps of SMS messages to the radio, he read most out ... many stated they travel regularly and should be allowed camp wherever they want. Most also say that they spend money in areas diesel, tourist attractions, food etc.

One said, Yes, we do have quite a lot of money tied up in our vehicles and vans, but we dont have any disposable income left. Hence we need to stay at no cost places.

Its not the GNs its the backpackers leave GNs alone.

A resident on the Great Ocean Road said that they are sick and tired of toilet messes left in parking areas that are being used as camping spots.

It is more expensive to hire a van park site than a motel room.

Torquay is not coping with campers rubbish.

Truckie we have to stop by law ... they just stop anywhere and expect to do it for nothing.

I camp in my Kombi and always will. The problem is the hire companies are not telling backpackers how to act and how to clean up their mess.

From Echuca we free camp regularly and we clean up when we get there and clean up before we leave. Usually council clean these places so we are saving councils from cleaning up the sites we stay at.

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They only took three callers apart from CMCA President, Richard Barwick.

Jamie Ocean Grove. The smaller campervans dont have shower/toilet they are tarnishing CMCA members because of the mess they always leave behind. I travelled in QLD a couple of years ago in my 7 berth van and pulled into a spot to make a cuppa and next thing there was a knock on my door, a park ranger and a police officer asked me to move on because he was camping. If I was in a car only surely I could just stop and rest without being told to move on.

Elizabeth Red Hill CEO Vic Caravan Park Association - is against free camping in parking areas. Camping under the stars in the bush ... no problem. But when camped within the town for free is just an affront. Council (ratepayers) has to pay for all the cleaning up etc. People expect to move around and stay where they want. There have been many occasions where residents have complained they cannot park and access the beach because of the vans and campervans. Van parks have to pay rates and safety regulations and many other ongoing, recurring expenses therefore they are not expensive.

Ray Buckland Valley. Do we live in a democracy? Why should camping only be the preserve of the rich. Many people come to the Buckland Valley and stay in bush sites because they want a family camping holiday but dont have the money to stay in van parks.

Cheers - John

Maybell · Member

We free camp as much as possible to save money, we can also afford to spend money in the towns we visit if where not paying park fees. We had a van that had no toilet / shower and you wouldn't know we had camped there as we clean up before we leave. Backpackers are the ones who leave the mess behind, if you checked every backpackers cars, whiz bangers ect you wouldn't find one shovel/spade in them. We now have a van with toilet and shower.
Give us a break
Cheers

Phillipn · Guru

Under what law do councils impose these fines? Their is no provision in the Australian constitution for local government.

The road rules state that if you are tied you must rest. The van and vehicle in which you are traveling are registered, they can go and get stuffed.

Bugsy · Veteran Member

Not being pedantic but Richard Barwick is the CEO of the CMCA, Garry Lee is the Chairman of the Board.

If you want to listen to Ms White's interview it is available here audioboom.com/boos/2783505-victorian-caravan-parks-association-on-the-illegal-camping-issue

Interesting comment to the story!

dazren · Guru

The Mrs just came and and said she heard one of the callers to that program, say she has been a Grey Nomad for years, and she got a ''MINERS LICENCE which only cost her $15 [ a few years back ] and being the holder of that license, ? she is entitled to camp on Any Public Land ? as long as it is Not Leased to a Mining Company ?/

That's all I know, ! does anyone else know any more !!