that's probably right. It sued to be full of retail staff who couldn't afford housing and none supplied and they lived in grotty vans jammed together.
And the grounds are just a paddock at best - mostly dust and floods out in winter.
If you go to Karratha stay in the CP in the industrial area - very grassy - off license, good hot food. Full of permanents (but no ferals) - only a couple of sites for casuals, but good sites to get onto. Cheapest in town. The other two down nearer the hospital are owned by the same outfit and one is closed to casuals - full of FIFOs
Boy that will all change when Chevron Gas leaves town in a few years from now. Suddenly they will love and go looking for us - lets see if they need to drop their prices to get their sites full
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Just back from a trip to Eyre peninsula and Broken Hill, All the parks we went in were about the $25 mark, with broken hill at $35 i think, arrived back home and read that the north of my State(WA) was wanting Grey nomads etc to go up because of the mining down turn, had a look at the CP prices and yes well guess who will be going east again.
If you head inland I recommend the CP at Paraburdoo $25. Night free washing machine and dryers, spotless amenities. only 10 sites, it's an overflow mining camp, pay in town at the accommodation centre
We too feel riped off by c/p's. Traveling home to Mildura and about 4 pm in the afternoon. Found a little caravan park for a overnight stay just west of Euhuca on the main road and heading to Swan Hill. Just acouple of kls down towards the river. Good spot and the park was clean and tidy, hot showers were a bonas. Only bad thing was @ $40 per night was a bit high.
Oh, and in May 2013 we traveled from home up to Darwin, did the usual thing on the way up, free camped a couple of nights and genualy had a fantastic time while we were away. Stayed at the c/p in Howard Springs for 10 nights, great park and very good showers/ toilets and the park was wall to wall grass. Only thing also we thought it was a bit high in cost and @ $50 per night, but was it worth it, for us their is only one answer.......A big YES an would go back in a heart beat.
While one does not have to pay these prices, one could just go else were and try to find a cheaper place. Don't get me wrong, but maybe I'm just getting grumpy in my old age.
we have stayed at some fantastic CP's across both sides of the country. Location (by the sea or Murray river), amenties (modern/clean/plenty of them/lots of hot water/decent toilet paper), and level grass or concrete pads have no relationship to the prices they charge.
In some large towns there maybe 5-6 CPs and all of them are run down and charge a bomb, and worse still their town has nothing to pull people for any length of time. When you drive past them - they have very few customers.
On the flip side the well run and presented CPs with prices that are reasonable ($25-30) are always full and its a struggle to get a site if you haven't pre-booked.
Like any other retail business!! Sell shonkey and over priced goods and you will eventually go out of business or struggle to survive. Sell good or reasonable goods at a realistic price and you will grow your business........pretty simple, but many CP owners don't get it
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I think these prices are over the top and whilst ever there are mining ventures in these areas the prices will stay high, for those of us who love exploring this beautiful country we need to be a bit more organised in selecting locations to stop especially where these rip off parks are, if there is not a free camp option is there somewhere nearby that you can stay and do a day trip to explore the area.
I have avoided the West coast to date mainly due to the costs involved especially in the Broome area and will continue to until costs are more reasonable I don't think any caravan site is worth any where near $50 per night, there are more than enough beautiful places to visit in Oz that are not solely committed to ripping off tourists
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Life was meant to be enjoyed Australia was meant to be explored
Happily doing both to the Max.
Life is like a camera, focus on what's important & you will capture it every Time
Often people come on this forum as new travellers and ask for advice. Now days I would say you don't have to travel to a time table but as well as free camp spots you should check out caravan park prices in the event you may have to stay in one, for whatever reason. If a few weeks in a park is not affordable you should reconsider your choice of life style, or at least your trip.
Caravan prices are sometimes driven by greed but more often than not by supply and demand and the costs to the park owner.
As was stated the bad will not survive
They say its the biggest port in the World regarding tonnes shipped, so its a good place to buy provisions then move on. If you have to stay there then you could try the Golf Club at South Hedland if open and you might have to have a dog. it will be a bit cheaper. But up in the north west most places will want $40+ for a powered site. As an example I have just booked a CP in Carnarvon @ $46/ night this would be regarded as a good price for a better CP this way. The CP s in Pilbara Iron ore region a bit further north are still going on as if the iron ore price was still $120/tonne!
