Budget Sites By-passed...

rockylizard · Guru

Budget Sites By-passed...

the rocket · Guru

hi, did these parks provide electricity? thanks.

jade46 · Member

There are 6 Kui Parks in QLD and 8 in NSW/ACT so you don't have a great choice of destination to plan a route to take advantage of these.Now if every Big 4 had a few budget sites I think the patronage would be much higher

deverall11 · Guru

jade46 wrote:
.........Now if every Big 4 had a few budget sites I think the patronage would be much higher

X2

dazren · Guru

confuse confuse Bad Marketing problem for sure, This is the first i have heard that they were available !! WHERE did they advertise that these sites were available !! The best place to have advertised, would have been on the major caravanning forum sites, or caravanning TV shows, !! However i have seen '' Nothing '' !!!!!!

OR !! Good Marketing Strategy !! - to suit their Agenda, Make these sites SECRETLY available !!! Tell no one, ! and 12 months later, cancel them and use the figures accrued,to de-bunk any future suggestion of Low Cost camping !! confuse

These caravan park organisations, have proved many times in the past, that they have their own agenda, can be very cunning, and have an ability to play with figures, !! That are a long way from truth and fact !! hmm

Pejay · Guru

Have to agree with Dazren, didn't even know they existed!

kesa32 · Senior Member

+ 1 , I'm sure if these were common knowledge it would have been on here big time

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I tend to agree with Dazren. Now that just proves I am unwell smile

I do agree though, little if any advertising or advertising in their favour.

Cloak · Guru

Never heard of them.

Sounds like a poorly promoted thing so lets blame lack of patronage.

But the group do have some interesting locations seem to be out of the way 2nd tier kind of parks.

A few I looked at had reasonable rates for powered sites so no problem.

KFT · Guru

I had heard about these and some others. Problem I saw was they were advertised as "self contained only" and there are so many definitions of that term it is difficult to ascertain just what they meant.

to some it means all facilities on board. To others it means contain all waste including grey water

frank

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

This thread is from our forum from December last year - http://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t59119156/new-caravan-park-chain-kui-parks/

I agree with the comments already in THIS thread - very little advertising/marketing to inform the 'travelling consumers' of the existence of these sites.

However, there has been 'some' exposure on a few caravanning forums and the Caravanning News website of these sites.

And despite constant reference to the 'definition' developed by CMCA for "self-contained" there is a considerable variance in the what is considered 'self-contained'.

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Wednesday 11th of February 2015 06:53:24 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

If no one is interested, as the Caravan Park lobby suggests, then the new scheme just getting underway by the CMCA will be a failure too.
But I don't think so.

The CMCA are going to buy and lease properties all over the country that will have potable water and a dump point. They will be free or low cost for accredited self contained CMCA Members only.

Watch the caravan park lobby squeal!

Cheers,
Peter

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Peter. If youre correct about the CMCA, it supports others past comments about that organization being only for motor homes that usually have grey water storage. My caravan is only 5 mnths old but has no grey water tanks (like most 'vans I suspect) so why would we want to join the CMCA? I port my grey water into a 30 lt ground tank which I them empty elsewhere and obviously my black water is down a dump point. But apparently this doesn't meet the CMCA's standards - they therefore keep themselves as a small organization representing only motor homes ( who can only be full members Im told) and miss out on the 1000's of 'vanners who would love to be part of them, but don't see the point.
I certainly wouldn't waste my money subscribing to the CMCA

dazren · Guru

smile Good reply Bruce and Bev, and if they are going to purchase, and Lease the land, they might have to reconsider their attitude to us second class vanners, !! As if the are going to enter this type of Field commercially, they are going to need more volume than what just the Motorhomers can supply, to make it viable, !! The CMCA do some fantastic work, however they need to lose that '' Greater than Thou'' Attitude they have always had against Vanners,? I too, would Not join there organisation, if my money does Not buy equal rights and Benefits,

madaboutled · Guru

CMCA should re-invent themselves to Caravan Motorhome & Campers Association but alas I'm dreaming. I own a motorhome but I'm not a member of the current CMCA nor do I want to be so that's gotta say something. I was told when I had a caravan that I could join BUT I'd have no voting rights and to attend rallies motorhomes etc had preference. Pay full price to become a second class citizen not likely!.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

I had heard about the Coffs Harbour low cost camp - but that was through a friend who lives in Coffs. We were just there (at Coffs) and there were a couple of vans still parking overnight in the area past the Jetty. The showgrounds, which was always a pretty reasonable price is now $32 a night, and separated fro the showgrounds by fences, walking to distance to shopping area.

The Kui park group have been approaching caravan parks that are around the $25 - $30 mark, and signing them up, as far as I can see they are not offering any area that is "self contained" in the parks that have signed up, but a discount for membership. Friend who owns a caravan park in Seymour, Vic., has joined, their regular price is $28, so you get $2.80 off. Kui have a brochure out offering 2 years membership for $24. (The one in Seymour is the Highlands - walk to the shopping centre, club pubs etc., good place to stay if you are ferrying over to Tassy - straight down the Hume, and follow the signs).

As for the CMCA - we are not members, and are not about to join. Read about their "park up" area in Ingham - good idea, but a bit exclusive if only for motorhome members - what about caravan members - the article I read said you had to be a FULL member, and caravan owners can only be "associate" members.

jetj · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
If no one is interested, as the Caravan Park lobby suggests, then the new scheme just getting underway by the CMCA will be a failure too.
But I don't think so.

The CMCA are going to buy and lease properties all over the country that will have potable water and a dump point. They will be free or low cost for accredited self contained CMCA Members only.

Watch the caravan park lobby squeal!

Cheers,
Peter

I don't think it will fail either Peter.

I don't think caravan owners are considered lesser than motorhomes/campervaners at all. It's a Motorhome club that allows caravanners to join and take advantage of most of the benefits. Most members don't bother voting anyway. I'm a happy member.

RosieW · Guru

I'd never heard of any of that - and I spent 12 months+ researching before we left!!! Hours a day looking at what/where/costs. Poor marketing is to blame here.

Also, Kui is very, very limited in the number of parks they have. Again, researching parks before we left, drive past one of theirs on the way to Tin Can; lousy signage at driveway, no prior warning.

IF they offered $10/night with power, we'd take it, power or no. At least for a couple of nights anyway. Powered, even longer.

-- Edited by RosieW on Thursday 12th of February 2015 11:01:52 AM

Bucko · Senior Member

Doesn't anybody see anything wrong with the CMCA using money from "all" it's membership to buy and lease land and then make it available to a minority of the membership, creating again a "them & us" within the club, an "Elite", Col himself has stated that the LNT certified scheme is only relevant to a small percentage of the membership, how do the majority of the membership fell about being restricted from taking advantage of what their membership fees have paid for, most of us are members with smaller campers without the room for all the bells and whistles but still live the creed of leaving a camper better than they found it, so I do resent the club using my money for an "advantage" for club membership and preventing me from accessing it, perhaps it's time for the majority of the membership to run the club for the benefit of all, not just a small group within.

Buck.

brickies · Guru

CMCA has done this before in Casino to supply cheap site for it's member . Now it is a Big 4 park what will be different this time .

johna56 · Member

Why join a club anyway, be independent and make up your own mind as to what you do on your holidays.

Had the 'A' van club set up around our site on Bribie and all they did was to sit in a circle and listen to some old sod dictate what they had to do each day, then a review at night again in a circle. Was hilarious to watch, half the van park was taking the .... Out of them, someone even came up with a sign that said " wife swappers club" and put it right in the middle of the meeting circle.

Herb · Veteran Member

The CMCA has a new site ( 9 weeks old) in Ballarat, from what i was told it is owned by council and run by the CMCA. it is more a " leave no trace park" than self contained. So no awnings, ground covers, fire pits, holes and of course don't **** in the bushes. It did allow dogs and generators though so may not be the most peaceful. Much better idea and easier one to rule. Great little site but yes when we were advised to join, the documentation stated we had little rights and wouldnt be full members YET had to pay full fees. When they decide all travelers are equal we may join in the meantime we will stay in our humble caravan and wave at the working class in their motorhomes. (tongue in cheek comment). mmmm what does that make backpackers in wikivans.
As for the cheap caravan parks we would definitely use even if only for the security in some areas. Nothing is more frustrating than spending day traveling and paying full price when you get in at 8 pm and leave at 7 am. Half time we don't even connect to services.

chris & terry · Senior Member

We stayed at the rugby leagues football club some time ago now. It was $10pn, hot showers and good clean toilets. It was in a very handy position and had a had a happy and helpful caretaker. Strangely, the council closed it to camping. It appeared to me that neither the council nor other lobbyists are all that friendly or interested. Can't speak of the latest arrangement being commented on here though, because as others have said I did not know it was being offered. Marketing seems nonexistent or maybe an exercise preordained to failure. Or am I reading too much into this?
Terry

03_Troopy · Guru

Herb wrote:
The CMCA has a new site ( 9 weeks old) in Ballarat, from what i was told it is owned by council and run by the CMCA. it is more a " leave no trace park" than self contained. So no awnings, ground covers, fire pits, holes and of course don't **** in the bushes. It did allow dogs and generators though so may not be the most peaceful. Much better idea and easier one to rule. Great little site but yes when we were advised to join, the documentation stated we had little rights and wouldnt be full members YET had to pay full fees. When they decide all travelers are equal we may join in the meantime we will stay in our humble caravan and wave at the working class in their motorhomes. (tongue in cheek comment). mmmm what does that make backpackers in wikivans.
As for the cheap caravan parks we would definitely use even if only for the security in some areas. Nothing is more frustrating than spending day traveling and paying full price when you get in at 8 pm and leave at 7 am. Half time we don't even connect to services.

So, if it's owned by the Ballarat council, how does the CMCA get to "run" it? do they pay anything to the council for the privelige? If it's council owned, then I can't see why non CMCA members couldn't use it unless it was being leased by the CMCA.

Edit: OK just read back a bit, they are leasing this site too I guess.

-- Edited by 03_Troopy on Wednesday 18th of February 2015 02:59:39 PM

Big Gorilla · Guru

Herb wrote:
The CMCA has a new site ( 9 weeks old) in Ballarat, from what i was told it is owned by council and run by the CMCA. it is more a " leave no trace park" than self contained. So no awnings, ground covers, fire pits, holes and of course don't **** in the bushes. It did allow dogs and generators though so may not be the most peaceful. Much better idea and easier one to rule. Great little site but yes when we were advised to join, the documentation stated we had little rights and wouldnt be full members YET had to pay full fees. When they decide all travelers are equal we may join in the meantime we will stay in our humble caravan and wave at the working class in their motorhomes. (tongue in cheek comment). mmmm what does that make backpackers in wikivans.
As for the cheap caravan parks we would definitely use even if only for the security in some areas. Nothing is more frustrating than spending day traveling and paying full price when you get in at 8 pm and leave at 7 am. Half time we don't even connect to services.

Correct me if I'm wrong but are you saying that if you pull into this site at Ballarat, you have to join CMCA to stay there ? I was planning to stay there a few days early April. If that's the case, I'll pass it by. I was previously a member of CMCA and I have a MH not a caravan. I let my membership lapse after an attempted rip off by their Insurance arm, Ken Tame & Assoc.

-- Edited by Big Gorilla on Wednesday 18th of February 2015 03:25:46 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

Big Gorilla wrote:
Herb wrote:
The CMCA has a new site ( 9 weeks old) in Ballarat, from what i was told it is owned by council and run by the CMCA. it is more a " leave no trace park" than self contained. So no awnings, ground covers, fire pits, holes and of course don't **** in the bushes. It did allow dogs and generators though so may not be the most peaceful. Much better idea and easier one to rule. Great little site but yes when we were advised to join, the documentation stated we had little rights and wouldnt be full members YET had to pay full fees. When they decide all travelers are equal we may join in the meantime we will stay in our humble caravan and wave at the working class in their motorhomes. (tongue in cheek comment). mmmm what does that make backpackers in wikivans.
As for the cheap caravan parks we would definitely use even if only for the security in some areas. Nothing is more frustrating than spending day traveling and paying full price when you get in at 8 pm and leave at 7 am. Half time we don't even connect to services.
Correct me if I'm wrong but are you saying that if you pull into this site at Ballarat, you have to join CMCA to stay there ? I was planning to stay there a few days early April. If that's the case, I'll pass it by. I was previously a member of CMCA and I have a MH not a caravan. I let my membership lapse after an attempted rip off by their Insurance arm, Ken Tame & Assoc.

-- Edited by Big Gorilla on Wednesday 18th of February 2015 03:25:46 PM

No you don't have to be a member to stay there. When I stayed there a cmca member came around with a questionnaire. He asked me if I was a member, I said no. He didn't ask me to leave.

He only asked in conversation, not in a confrontational manner.

-- Edited by Happywanderer on Wednesday 18th of February 2015 08:43:50 PM

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.