This is a letter to the editor in our local paper Riverine Herald, or as the locals say The Riv.
Shame, Shame, Shame, Echuca. We are not a very RV and caravan-friendly town. There is no free dump-point in Echuca, and really not many places to park vehicles. Not to mention where you can leave rubbish. No wonder the Grey Nomads move on to the next town. We have such a great town, why don't we embrace the Grey Nomads and keep the money here. They are the people with the money to spend, and boy, do our businesses need them.
With more tourists coming into town we may not have so many shops lying empty. We stayed on the Edwards River near Mathoura on the Australia Day weekend. What great facilities. Spotless drop toilets with running tap water, free gas BBQ - and rubbish bins - along with Australian arts of animals, made from rusty metal.
If NSW can offer this why can't Echuca? A free dump point would be perfect at the Tourist Information Centre, there is plenty of room. Don't think just because we have the river that the money will also keep flowing in. We need to be more forward thinking and proactive, then everybody would get a slice of the pie.
We are also in magazines as not being a RV and caravan friendly town. So let's bite the bullet and do something about it.
Signed: Judy M. Echuca.
Once again Echuca getting a great warning and no doubt won't take any notice at all.
A few years ago thought I would have a few days there. Parked the car & van, went to organise a paddle wheel cruise etc. They wanted $10.00 to walk on the wharf to get to cruise offices etc. Figured that was going to be too expensive for me. Had a walk around the town & left after about only 3 hours.
I have probably missed out but have had paddle wheel cruises and other touristy offerings from less greedy, stuck up towns.
Well Judy I am here for the last 39 yrs and I love it !!! and frankly anyone that does not want to stay can well.......I am not permitted to say what I think on this forum .Suffice to say that there ain,t another place like it in OZ so their !! Jeeze try staying at Warnambool for a night and look at the fees they ask .All our parks have dump points . So as usual the freeloaders want to bitch cause they they prefer to bludge and and then moan ! I .free camp too ..however when a town does not have a dump point I wait till the next one comes up .It is after a free country and thats what I love about us ! Now .. if you are in Echuca and you are filling up your water tank from a park tank etc without asking and a little bald headed fella starts giving you a payout well ... that will be me OK !However if its water from the Murray I am very happy for you cause the next day is gonna be a real bummer for you .Cheers John
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Westy. Some people I know are like slinkies. They look really funny when you push them downstairs !
Hehehe funny to see others with the same opinion as us.
We used to stay at Rochester and drive THROUGH Echuca and spend a lot of time at the golf resorts getting piles of free stuff
for just playing a the pokies for a few minutes.
Then after winning our expenses we head back to camp and not buy so much as petrol on that town.
... Echuca will no doubt be a better place when the power of love overcomes the love of power.......Jimi Hendrix......
Watch out for bald headed little men with 'attitude' if you are taking a 'dump' , filling your Jerry or correctly depositing your rubbish.......they no doubt monitor your every 'movement'......in Echuca....can't imagine why so many shops lie empty according to Judy...... ready to give a serv...er.. service......consider for one moment if Judy is right..and the issues she raises were 'righted'....imagine how much more welcoming the Town would be for Grey Nomads/Travellers/Human Beings........Hoo Roo
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My Avatar photo: How my youngest granddaughter Brydie 8 sees her Pa through the lens of her 'Barbie' Camera......
'Without Going You Get No Where'....written across the rear of my Jayco Caravan.
Gee, if our tiny little town (pop: over 4,255) can do it and we have a free dump point and free 24 hour camping, surely Echuca (pop: over 13,000) can do it!
and.... we are not charged $10 to walk down the street to see heritage buildings!
Lynne
-- Edited by Delta18 on Friday 13th of February 2015 04:36:48 PM
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
We free camped near Echuca for 12 days in November, great spot, loved going into Echuca, walking around and exploring. Only draw back was no dump point, got our drinking water from a tap in the street just before the Information Centre, was able to put rubbish in bins out the front of the Information Centre. If they had a public dump point we would have stayed longer. We spent lots of our money in town, Bakery, Super Market, Stores for momentos and fuel for our ute.
