Free Camps in SE QLD now attract fees...

Krusty · Senior Member

RE: Free Camps in SE QLD now attract fees...

NeilandRaine · Guru

Bloody hell it is $5 a day. Just because someone buys a caravan it does not give them a God given right to have everything handed to them for nothing.
I have stayed there twice, nice little place with clean toilets and water. Just the security of the place is worth $5 a day. Then again they can have no restrictions and finish up like the rest stop at Home Hill

Explorer · Guru

4 or 5 years ago I was camped at Minnipa SA. Met a guy who had a contract with the local council cleaning roadside toilets. Not sure of His complete round of toilet blocks but know that Minnipa, Streaky Bay, Poochera & Wudinna were included. His payment was $18,000.00 per toilet block. Rubbish removal was extra.

With that sort of cost's not hard too see why council's try & lessen the burden on ratepayers. Worth thinking about.

Mike.

Krusty · Senior Member

Agreed. I don't think $10 per person per day (like National Parks) is too much to pay for a comfortable nights sleep.

brickies · Guru

I think it's better to put a charge on camping and have someone look after the place than just close it down then everyone loses

Swoffer · Senior Member

Well I'm going to be the odd one out here clearly , but my view is a little different .

When I hit the road full time I plan on being entirly self contained . I get that I will need to use dump points regularly , but I figure if I am going to spend my hard earned in a town then a no charge roadside stopover where I could rest up for a couple of days while buying what I need at local businesses should be enough .

But then again I'm from WA where you get tarred and feathered for free camping so who am I to say .

-- Edited by Swoffer on Monday 7th of December 2015 05:48:33 PM

brickies · Guru

Swoffer there are plenty of free camps out there and you will have no trouble finding places to camp , But if you want to free camp in town you will find this is getting much harder , I free camp out of towns and visit them in daylight hours and move onto to next free camp , If I want to stay in a town I use basic caravan park or Show-grounds , When you buy your goods in a town you are only supporting the business house but it the ratepayer it is paying for us to free camp, And they are the ones who are saying why should we pay for someone travel when they can't afford to travel themselves , St Lawrence north of Rockhampton last year the local put pressure on the local council to stop the RV putting a strain on their resources , So the local council instead of stoping camp put a fee on camping which I think is better than a ban on camping , We have lots of places to free camp but just can't do it everywhere like Sydney or outside your house .

Swoffer · Senior Member

Ah yeh , fair enough on the rate payer thing . Maybe the local businesses could contributed then , say dollar for dollar of collected fees or some such .

Desert Dweller · Guru

It beats me why all these people with en-suite caravans always want to stay at places with toilets. Are they afraid to pooh in their own loo or just worried about emptying the cassette? They can camp anywhere they like for nothing.
We stayed at the RMS Rest Area (no toilets) West of Goolgowi on the Mid Western Hwy NSW a while back. Another van twice as long as ours with an en-suite also stayed the night. The next morning the bloke grabbed a shovel & crapped about 10 metres away from the only picnic table. WHAT THE!

Grey fox · Veteran Member

Something you forgot to mention the new rule states all must be self contained , (that will help him keep the numbers down).

currently most of the c/parks in Hervey Bay would be less than 1/4 full may change with school holidays and so will the fees.

he chased the back packers out of town along with their dollars. but on a recent visit to the new RV stop at the back of the info center early am two wis-bangs discharging waste water on the hard stand. (must be self contained) this council owns 3 of the parks and is most likely pressured by the others. they have copped a lot of flak about the Rvs that bypass the Fraser coast but is easy to see why. good to see the support for the Torbanlea race course.

brickies · Guru

Yes backpacker seem to cause a lot of problems in lots of towns Home Hill is one , They come with a spare pair of underpants and $5 note and don't change either and leave a mess .

Desert Dweller · Guru

Still haven't got a sensible answer why people dragging en-suite vans around flock to places with toilets? We've met a few people that use their en-suite as an extra wardrobe & nothing else.

kiwijims · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Still haven't got a sensible answer why people dragging en-suite vans around flock to places with toilets? We've met a few people that use their en-suite as an extra wardrobe & nothing else.

Desert Dweller, This is only my guess so here goes,

From what we've seen in our travels, it seems that a lot of it is for show, "My vans bigger than yours" type of attitude,

A number of people we have met don't even know how to light the gas HWS, wouldn't have a clue how much water they could carry in anything up to 4 massive water tanks that have been hanging empty under their vans since new, can't fill them because they either don't know how or, they are afraid the extra weight might strain their brand new 4x4.

As for using their toilet in the van, " Heaven forbid" the old bloke would have to try and back it into a dump point or worse, get his" Pinkies "dirty,

"Nup" we'll pull into a free camp site, use that toilet, show off our new caravan, then get up real early, make all the noise in the world pulling out, while others are still asleep, "OH ALFRED" get some Pet Food out of that big bag in the shower recess and feed the Poodles before we leave, Sweetie !!!

As I said, my observations only. confuse confuse confuse

brickies · Guru

You blokes are bitches , En-suite are great place to store Golf Clubs .

Young Simmo · Guru

Yes brickies, there is a variety of uses, being pensioners we store all our spare cash in the shower. Now we have a problem, we need a bigger shower.
Simmo.

brickies · Guru

Simmo you have a business laundry-in money , Great use of an En-suite

Desert Dweller · Guru

kiwijims wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
Still haven't got a sensible answer why people dragging en-suite vans around flock to places with toilets? We've met a few people that use their en-suite as an extra wardrobe & nothing else.
Desert Dweller, This is only my guess so here goes,
From what we've seen in our travels, it seems that a lot of it is for show, "My vans bigger than yours" type of attitude,
A number of people we have met don't even know how to light the gas HWS, wouldn't have a clue how much water they could carry in anything up to 4 massive water tanks that have been hanging empty under their vans since new, can't fill them because they either don't know how or, they are afraid the extra weight might strain their brand new 4x4.
As for using their toilet in the van, " Heaven forbid" the old bloke would have to try and back it into a dump point or worse, get his" Pinkies "dirty,
"Nup" we'll pull into a free camp site, use that toilet, show off our new caravan, then get up real early, make all the noise in the world pulling out, while others are still asleep, "OH ALFRED" get some Pet Food out of that big bag in the shower recess and feed the Poodles before we leave, Sweetie !!!
As I said, my observations only.

That's more like it, a bit of common sense! When you see people walking their white fluffy dogs around camp they always tell everyone ''our van's got an en-suite''. They always say ''never buy a van without an en-suite because no-one will buy it when you want to sell it because no-one wants a van without an en-suite''. We must be the exception, we deliberately bought a new van without an en-suite. So all these glampers with vans with dunnies in them constantly look for camps with public dunnies to all cluster around.

Happywanderer · The Master

Grey Fox, I have also been at the Hervey Bay info centre and watched a large, flash caravan with it's grey water hose out on the ground with grey water flowing.
It beats me why large caravans with en suites use it for storage and camp near public toilets. I like to camp well away from amenities and couldn't be without my tethford toilet.

JayDee · Guru

Jamjar - that's bloody cheap for a Sydney CP - is it a dump full of feral permanents??

Bruce and Bev made the above quote.

Guys, what a shocking comment to make.
You should hang your heads in shame.
Unfortunately there are some people through no fault of their own ( or yes maybe ) -- that have to endure the lifestyle of living in a Caravan Park. But to call them "Feral Permanent" is not your given right.
After all I am guessing that you also stay in Caravan Parks, like we do from time to time.
Anyway what is the difference from living permanently in a Caravan Park as to living permanently in your rig on the road????
**********************************************************************************************************
As for free camps. Yes we also like to bush camp where we can and have no issues paying for that right.
More and more our lifestyle is becoming a user pays system. After all we all want these camps to be there for the many decades to follow.
Jay&Dee

-- Edited by JayDee on Wednesday 9th of December 2015 10:03:03 AM

KFT · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote "So all these glampers with vans with dunnies in them constantly look for camps with public dunnies to all cluster around. confuse.gif"

you are spot on there. We have often noticed the rest areas with toilets always fill first. We look for one without toilets and have a nice quiet night with only a couple of other vans around us if any.

Frank

sandsmere · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Still haven't got a sensible answer why people dragging en-suite vans around flock to places with toilets? We've met a few people that use their en-suite as an extra wardrobe & nothing else.

We have an ensuite in our van, and we do use it.

We don't DRAG the van though, we tow it.

aussietraveller · Guru

I don't have a problem paying $10 for a nights rest in a location provided by local council as the site has to be maintained and that does cost money even if there are no toilets and showers and just maybe if there is a cost for staying people may be less likely to trash the area.
Yes I hear you I am a dreamer and I do believe in Santa.

Bryan · Guru

Desert Dweller wrote:
Still haven't got a sensible answer why people dragging en-suite vans around flock to places with toilets? We've met a few people that use their en-suite as an extra wardrobe & nothing else.

Who cares.

Some use them others don't for whatever reason, its their choice.

Young Simmo · Guru

Bruce and Bev, you wrote, " is it a dump full of feral permanents"??

Can you clarify whether you think all permanents are feral, or just a small percentage.

Yes we have been permanents since Feb 1999, and we don't make anywhere near the mess the casual overnighters leave behind.

Simmo

brickies · Guru

What great post this has been everybody putting their views forward without attacking one another , Except little brush about Ferals , And anybody could find ferals anywhere not just in a caravan Park , Some would call Free campers Feral but has long has we are good to other it does not matter where we choose to live .

Dunmowin · Guru

This all brings to a head the definition of "free camping". I always refer to it as FREEDOM camping, and not free camping. It is our freedom of choice to choose where we camp, be it in a caravan park, a rest area, or an approval RV overnight stop over with/without fee/donation.

Many people see grey nomads as Free Loaders, because of a lot of the attitude discussed in this thread. If we can make it seen that we are not freeloaders, looking for a free bed site, rather than travellers who have limited funds to share through out the neighbourhood as we travel.

As an example, we recently drove into a small town on the east coast of Tasmania, in search of a Laundromat (potential spend $20.00). No Laundromat, so asked at the only caravan park it we could use theirs. "NO! you grey nomads break our machines!" was the reply. We then asked, if we stayed at the park ($30.00 per night) could we use the machines ($20.00). Oh, yes, not a problem.

Instead, we went to a "free camp" behind the local pub, who asked for nothing more than a donation in a box which was divided amongst three or four local charities. Using our generator, did a load of urgent washing.

Total spent in town:

$10.00 donation

$140 at IGA

$40.00 at butcher

$130 fuel

$40 drinks at pub

$40.00 fish and chips

$32 bottleshop

$70 for ferry to close by island.

TOTAL $502 - and none of it at the caravan park.

-- Edited by Dunmowin on Wednesday 9th of December 2015 10:19:30 PM

JayDee · Guru

Hi Dunmowin

I have to completely agree with your comments. Yes Freedom camping is the correct wording.
The freedom of choice as to where we wish to spent the days whilst on the road.

We do use Caravan Parks if and when we have to.
We just want the freedom to have that choice.

The costs are not a factor, the choice is.
Jay&Dee

Gypsy Duo · Member

I was pretty upset to read what the Fraser coast council had done so I thought I best give them a call and find out what you get for the $10 they were very helpful they have showers toilets and fresh water for the $10 if you want a cheaper stay you only need to spend $10 in town and keep the receipt and show the people at the visitors center for a voucher.

the website for more information is www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/camping

Cheers Kerrie and Paul

brickies · Guru

I don't think it is about the money it's about having control of who stays and for how long

Bill B · Guru

Gypsy Duo wrote:

I was pretty upset to read what the Fraser coast council had done so I thought I best give them a call and find out what you get for the $10 they were very helpful they have showers toilets and fresh water for the $10 if you want a cheaper stay you only need to spend $10 in town and keep the receipt and show the people at the visitors center for a voucher.

the website for more information is www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/camping

Cheers Kerrie and Paul

According to the Council's website the Stop & Shop (spend $10 in local shops) only applies to 3 sites at Hervey Bay and 4 in Maryborough. Maximum stay is 20 hrs.

All other sites are $10 for a permit which allows a stay of up to 48 hrs.

-- Edited by Bill B on Thursday 10th of December 2015 04:46:24 PM