I've just rang the Receptiinist of one of the Hervey Bay Beachfront Caravan Parks re an Un-Powered site. We got to chatting about how it's unfair that Solo Travellers, in reality, have to pay Double in site fees as they're for two people but only one motor vehicle. She said that their policy is you can have as many motor vehicles as can reasonably fit onto a site. Eg. Two campervans, two people paying for one site.
This is a massive change from when I last booked. As I normally stay in a Caravan Park when competing in Outrigging or Dragon boat Regatta's. Usually each of us have to pay for individual sites for each motor vehicle (camper vans). Now we can share sites and only pay the same site fees as a couple with a motor vehicle and caravan would.
Whilst I'll always freedom camp on my way to events, I'll probably organise to share a caravan site with mate who has his own camper-van.
I can see Solo Travellers doing their own thing then catching up and sharing a site in a tourist destination for a week or so. Or, Solo Travellers travelling in convoy sharing sites.
Does anyone here know if this is a isolated caravan park operator trying to do the right thing or is it a change of Policy from all caravan operators?
Because my van is quite small and fits in a parking space, I always seem to get a small allotment in a caravan park that they can't fit a caravan and car on. But they still charge me fool tote odds. WA has the best deal for solo campers. Mostly they charge by person.
Depends on where you go but as a Solo I always ask for a Solo rate, they can only say no.
I remember 3 years ago I had booked a CVP in Kiama NSW and when I got there I asked about a Solo rate and I also had a discount voucher for any park in that area. I ended up with a Solo rate, Senior discount, Voucher discount and not only that but as well even 7th day free cos I stayed 14 days so got 2 days free. At the end of the discussion I paid $17 per day. Had a choice of sites and picked a nice one and was a very happy camper.
Well worth asking at any CVP. If you have to stay in one of course.
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Thanks Nelly, can i ask what sort of discount you get? In the past I've only got a few dollars off. This new system, if it's a new standard, would give me half price If I booked in with a mate! Thanks msg, seems like W.A. Is similar to our National Parks charging by the person. Seems fairer to me.....but I am a Solo Traveller. đ
Hello Krusty - Just from memory -(mmmm!! that is a bit of worry isn't it!!! Lol) - and as I haven't got the paper work in front of me I think it was about $5 a night at Cooryong but it was an overall rate at Bright and I am not sure but at least it was something.
Some give discount, some only offer discount if you ask and some definately don't and get seriously 'miffed' that you have asked!
But when you think about it, a campervan or motorhome, if the owners are taking a look around the area, are only using a fraction of the power for the period they are paying for as they have to take their vehicle with them....whereas caravans can be left on site for the entire period....
annie
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Yep that was my point, which makes me wonder if things have changed. I remember some years ago I was travelling South to visit my daughter and ran into a mate in Byron. We decided to catch a few waves and stay a couple of days. We asked in the Caravan park if we could share a site. They said we could only have one motor vehicle in each site and the other one would have to stay in the visitors park. I asked if I could sleep in that one, they said no. I said that they're campers we sleep in them, he said we'd need to book two sites. Coincidently a motor home was there towing a small 4WD and the couple were given a single site. I "looked" at him and he said "that's different."
I thanked him for his time, told him we're going to "free camp" in the area and next time the issue comes up he shouldn't take the high ground as as this policy is wrong and he knows it.
I've pretty well been free camping ever since.
I'm wondering with all this stink about Freedom Camping in the press that Caravan Operators have had to make sure their policies are beyond reproach. I mean, they can hardly take the moral high ground when they so obviously discriminate against Solo Travellers, effectively charging them Double for no extra service.
Just rang up my local caravan park, pretending to be coming from Hervey Bay caravan park and asked him the question, he said each caravan park sets their own policies but he is happy to have two motor vehicles sharing one "powered" as long as they fit. He gave the example of backpackers wanting to set up six tent on a single site which obviously wouldn't fit
