DISCRIMINATION IN RENMARK BY COUNCIL;

justcruisin01 · Guru

DISCRIMINATION IN RENMARK BY COUNCIL;

KFT · Guru

Saw that on one our trips down that way.

So we just kept going to a place that did not exclude caravanners.

JC did you let them know you would be posting this on a forum to spread the "word" so to speak?

take care mate

frank

justcruisin01 · Guru

JC did you let them know you would be posting this on a forum to spread the "word" so to speak?

take care mate

frank

Yep told them the nett would let the world know in seconds.

JC.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

CMCA might have got in their ear JC confuse I personally don't see what the difference is. We are all doing the same thing.

It's like waving as you go past, I wave to all not just CV's but I vary rarely get a wave back from a Motorhome or similar. Again, we are all doing the same thing.

We all have our choice of Den and should all be treated the same.

Oh dear, I better put the soap box away smile

Philw · Senior Member

Guys. To be fair it goes both ways. When we had caravans everyone in a caravan waved to us. Now we have a motorhome, I keep waving and only get a response from 1 in 4 or 5 caravans. But I keep trying. And with regard to the free camps, it is mostly to do with the grey water issue. I can store 80 litres but few vans have this capacity. When you look at place like the wetlands free camp at Ingham, you can see why they dont want soap and detergent water on the ground and into the waterways. It needs to be legislated tthat caravans also carry grey water tanks. And yes, we dispose of it away from catchment areas.

KFT · Guru

JC did the sign mention anything about being "Self Contained" at all

or did it just say NO Caravans?

Bruce and Bev · Guru

we stayed at a small CP just the eastern side of Renmark (which is a dump of a town shops wise - couldn't even find a coffee shop for goodness sakes and its full of CPs where trendies like me want their daily coffee shot).......anyway, the the CP owner asked that we direct our sullage onto his trees rather than down the sullage drains at each site.

I asked him why and he said its usually the only water they get and it makes them grow well - and they looked very healthy.

Unfortunately the CMCA promotes motor homes with grey water tanks and not caravans - most new ones don't have these tanks. In the process we are getting more and more free camps turned into "self-contained" RV's (motor homes) with the CMCA's push for RV friendly towns.

The CMCA are actually ruining free camping for those with a m/home !!

And Phil. My wife does the waving for me haha. She waves at all RV's, including m/homes and the biggest proportion of those who don't wave back are in m/homes.

D and D · Guru

Plush's Bend is just outside of Renmark. It's free and filled predominately with caravans (we stayed there for 5 weeks earlier this year). I don't understand the RV restrictions at other spots but Renmark isn't the only place to do this.

In respect to the CMCA, they are there to represent their membership and they don't hide the fact that their membership is owners of motorhomes and caravan owners only have associate membership. There are national caravan owner clubs around the place that are free to take up the challenge to represent caravan owners in the same way that the CMCA represents motorhome owners.

I don't know when you were in Renmark Bruce but if it was in the past two years and you couldn't find a coffee shop they you must have looking in the wrong areas. There aren't many but here's one for the next time you visit: www.arrostocoffee.com.au/

Regards

Dave

shekon · Guru

I have deleted my post.

-- Edited by shekon on Wednesday 23rd of September 2015 07:24:35 PM

exa41 · Guru

I did a post a while ago about this very subject ,and proved it on our recent trip around oz , basically 95% of RV`s waved and probably about 40% of caravans , Yvonne plays a game ( obviously she gets bored ) and waves like crazy to see who will respond . I must make a spread sheet for our next trip and tabulate our findings. Interesting though that farmers , trucks and jo blow mostly waved.

Woody n Sue · Guru

I must be strange as I wave at vans and motor homes from my farm ute farm truck and when in my car mostly because I'm jealous that I'm not on my van waving and you lot are.

justcruisin01 · Guru

KFT wrote:
JC did the sign mention anything about being "Self Contained" at all

or did it just say NO Caravans?

Im pretty sure it said no caravans.Today many vans have holding tanks so where is the difference.

As for all the waving has nothing to do with the post;that comes down to a personal gesture.

Does make one wonder who really runs some of these towns,cmca or caravan parks.

Baz421 · Guru

We wave to all,,, even farmers in Vic recently fencing on a one lane back road out in the mallee.

JohnR · Senior Member

JC

We had lunch at Renmark today. Pulled up down town at what appears a new parking bay (located in middle of the road) for caravans and motor homes with very upmarket trendy set of toilets. Very nice grass and covered seating and tables. We boiled the kettle had our lunch and stroll the streets before departing Renmark on our mission to secure a free camp spot at Psyche Bends Mildura. Also filled the Cruiser with diesel at Woolies @ $1.19 litre. Mind you we were not looking for a camp. At the end of the day it was a very positive stop for us in Renmark and yes we are parked up on the Murray at Psyche Bends. We are not alone but still plenty of sites available allowing for the school holidays.

We stop at Hay (Showground) $15- tomorrow night and Wagga Friday Wilks Park before arriving in the Nations Capital to start a house sit. We have started in Perth and "Free Camped" with a few "Donation" spots and odd Showground/Recreation ground. total cost $35-.

JC not trying to steal your post and we must have gone past you probably today. Would have loved to have caught up unfortunately commitments in Nations Capital where it all happens calls us by 26/9

JohnR

Bruce and Bev · Guru

Unfortunately for us in caravans who cant be full CMCA members and vote and take part in the decision making, this organization is directly damaging free camping for those not in motor homes and there are a bloody sight more 'vans on the road than m/homes.

There was no need on their part to wind in the part about grey water holding when towns already allowed anyone at all to free camp. I see it as a nasty and selfish attitude by CMCA management and its Board to benefit its members at the expense of others.

You can bang on at me for as long as you like - but the bottom line is this do gooder outfit has an agenda which only benefits the minority of RV users !!!

KFT · Guru

Bruce and Bev wrote:
Unfortunately for us in caravans who cant be full CMCA members and vote and take part in the decision making, this organization is directly damaging free camping for those not in motor homes and there are a bloody sight more 'vans on the road than m/homes.

There was no need on their part to wind in the part about grey water holding when towns already allowed anyone at all to free camp. I see it as a nasty and selfish attitude by CMCA management and its Board to benefit its members at the expense of others.

You can bang on at me for as long as you like - but the bottom line is this do gooder outfit has an agenda which only benefits the minority of RV users !!!

I will second the motion

it is quite obvious, especially now they are opening up "members only" camp grounds.

bugga everyone else

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I am not completely sure I agree with the way you have formulated your 'argument' ... but I agree with what you are trying to say

Although, the sort of places CMCA are fostering for their members to 'camp' I think the discharge of grey water (or any liquid for that matter) would be, to coin a technical phrase, yukky. hmm

Thankfully, I stop at such sites within towns extremely rarely.

Cheers - John

The Phantom · Guru

Perhaps this thread typifies the "Age of Entitlement" that our soon to be retired former Treasurer Joe Hockey was banging on about.

Old Mate buys a caravan and heads out for a drive and thinks the world needs to be at his beck and call. Sorry, the age of entitlement is over. You just can't park where you like for as long as you like because the other entitlements have stuffed the place and ruined the deal.

No discrimination at all is observed. Since when is the Renmark Council beholding to people passing through and leaving nothing but more mess?

The Phantom

jules47 · The Happy Helper

The Phantom strikes again!

Lorries · Veteran Member

KFT Wrote
it is quite obvious, especially now they are opening up "members only" camp grounds.
bugga everyone else

Yeah, Bugga everyone else I guess - Can I ask why should CMCA members provide for you - what is or have you or your Club done or provided for the RV fraternity? Guess you will have to start to open up your own campgrounds now - sheesh, ain't jealousy a curse!!!!!!

It is fascinating how people manage to read so much into a few words and blame one club. Ever ask Renmark why - you may just find it has nothing to do with CMCA and it is up to Council to make their rules

-- Edited by Lorries on Thursday 24th of September 2015 09:14:54 AM

justcruisin01 · Guru

The Phantom wrote:
Perhaps this thread typifies the "Age of Entitlement" that our soon to be retired former Treasurer Joe Hockey was banging on about.
Old Mate buys a caravan and heads out for a drive and thinks the world needs to be at his beck and call. Sorry, the age of entitlement is over. You just can't park where you like for as long as you like because the other entitlements have stuffed the place and ruined the deal.
No discrimination at all is observed. Since when is the Renmark Council beholding to people passing through and leaving nothing but more mess?

The Phantom

Who said any thing about leaving a mess apart from you??maybe you are the problem! I am talking about the right to park;be it for lunch or what ever.from what I see of CMCA members they are the biggest problem they claim to leave no trace. Many times we see them leave a camp a once they hit the road they partly open the tap of grey water a spread it for the next 25kl down the road.

Only just recently i saw a bus camped near us over night only to drop a tank of water right where he was camped on a blue metal surface; stunk the rest of the camp out then left like a dog shot in the arse.

Needless to say there were three dump points within 100mtrs of him.

Bloody hipacrits that give us all a bad name.

Ondabeach · Senior Member

I think Dougwe's on the money... as usual. If they allow motorhomes and not CV's then it has to be something to do with appeasing the local caravan parks or some other body.

Phantom, it's always a good idea to read the initial post in a thread... that way you know what's being discussed.

mjt57 · Senior Member

Wow, politics in RV'ing...

I just visited the CMCA site. And surprisingly, or perhaps not, there was no mention of caravans at all, other than the words "caravan park" where motorhomes are wont to frequent.

Why is it that this organisation has seen fit to exclude the largest segment of the RV market?

And the organisation is certainly, well, organised. And well funded too, by the looks of it.

I'm a motorcyclist and having been involved in the politics of motorcycling here in Victoria, it reminds me of the stoushes that used to go on (and still do) between rival clubs and associations.

I would be most disappointed that if I spent $60k on a van then to discover that I'm being progressively excluded from camping sites because of it.

mjt57 · Senior Member

Bruce and Bev wrote:
Unfortunately for us in caravans who cant be full CMCA members and vote and take part in the decision making, this organization is directly damaging free camping for those not in motor
it is quite obvious, especially now they are opening up "members only" camp grounds.
bugga everyone else

How are they doing this? Is the organisation buying its own land and setting up its own camps or something?

-- Edited by mjt57 on Thursday 24th of September 2015 10:55:29 AM

KFT · Guru

they sure are mjt57

lobbying councils to provide areas they can lease and turn into members only camping areas. If I can find a link to the article I will post it unless someone else can find it.

you would think that in the interest of their entire membership and drive tourism generally they would cooperate with other organisations to provide low cost areas for all to use.

just my view though.

frank

EDIT this is the news article I referred to

Herbert River Express
February 8 at 5:46pm ·

A NATIONAL not-for-profit RV enthusiast group have been conditionally approved a trustee lease by Hinchinbrook Shire Council to run a no frills site for $2,580 a year.
The Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA), which boasts about 66,000 members, will lease the 17,200 square metres of land on the corner of Davidson and Cooper streets at 15 cents a square metre or $2,580 a year on a 10-year lease, with the potential for another 10 years. The no frills park will not have any amenities, lighting, power or dumping and filling up facilities, and will only accommodate self-supported RVs. Councillor Lawrence Molachino said: "From past experience with the RV trial site at TYTO, council found that the community generally supported an RV site and a number of local businesses benefited from the RV visitors.
Sites such as these bring in those travellers with self contained RVs that would not normally stop in the town, he said.

-- Edited by KFT on Thursday 24th of September 2015 12:22:26 PM

mjt57 · Senior Member

If the caravanning community continues to allow this to happen and eventually sees itself shut out of most places without doing anything, then really, who's to blame?

I'm surprised that neither the caravan industry nor interested groups have done something similar to this motorhome club (which is now a company).

How many motorhomes are built here compared to caravans?

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Some other 'news' about the CMCA initiative/proposal...

http://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/content/news/2015/uproar-over-member-only-rv-parks-53839

Cheers - John

banjo · Senior Member

I think some here are being a little precious, it is the Renmark shires prerogative to share their rest areas as they choose surely. And yes it could be the local van parks pushing the barrow over this.

This silly "them and us" attitude with the cmca is a joke, we're all travelers one way of another, and yes I'm a cmca member and have been since we first had a caravan and now a 5'er, do I vote ? never and I don't go to rallies.

The good the cmca do for a measly $44 a year for us is worth it, plus all the other benefits like cheaper insurance, MSO's to name a few. Also the LNT scheme is simple to comply to even without proper onboard grey water tanks, if you want these benefits join ! if not don't whinge about it.

Baz421 · Guru

In 2006 when we were finalising the specs for our van, we wanted a grey water tank. Manufacturer resisted all the way and at the end of construction offered us $500 to drive to Gold Coast area where a mate would install one.

We insisted and it was fitted.

THE REASON WE WANTED IT - CMCA had started their campaign of RV friendly towns etc and the Western Shores of Lake Macquarie in NSW were the first I know of to install grey water tank signage and the signs stated Motorhomes Only,,, so we saw the writing on the wall.

Several people tried to start a Caravan Group (about 4 years ago I think) aka CMCA role for Motor Homes.

GUESS WHAT? We were too fragmented and bitched amongst ourselves so much the organisers gave it away. So here we are today bitching about the CMCA.

Ondabeach · Senior Member

If the CMCA were taking over existing caravan parks and converting them to member only parks, then there'd be something to whinge about.. in fact I'd join the raiding party to burn them to the ground. But since they are creating new parks, they have every right to make them for members only, and it's no one else's business.

Look at it this way... if they have their own parks, that just makes more room in the existing ones for the rest of us.