Free camping and the law!

Santa · Guru

Free camping and the law!

TheHeaths · Guru

Unfortunately Santa, human nature being what it is, we will always have those people who delight in the cut and thrust of getting something for nothing or as little as possible. Or who consider they have a right to ignore those rules they disagree with, whatever the consequence to others.

I think part of the problem is also that many travel to a place, knowing they will not be back, so have little concern if their actions cost the rest of the travelling public the right to use an area. I see many businesses in popular areas seem to have a similar thought, as they charge outrageous prices, knowing the chances of the traveller returning are minimal.

It is called the "I'm alright" syndrome.

All we can do is make sure we do the right thing, and hope the numbers doing the right thing outweigh those who don't care.

Colin Penrose · Senior Member

Hi. Only just started free camping and I reckon we do the right thing. Off again next week to SA. We even pick up other free campers rubbish. Always spend money in the local town where possible. Bought the best Porterhouse in Meeniyen a little while ago for $26-50 a kilo. What value ! Col P

Papou · Senior Member

Maybe just like those who feel its their right to live off the public purse strings and not ever having had to do a days labour!!???...

Retiredatlast · Veteran Member

Hey Santa

Your a good guy.

You obviously have plenty of $. Your thoughts are very one sided.

Have you ever considered that others do not have much on a pension. They have to watch what they spend right down to the last 10 cents. Some Grey Nomads don't have a house to go back to so their RV is their home.

Just try to think out of the box and of others in need.

Tony Bev · Guru

I like to believe that most of us on this forum, appreciate that there are free camps, and when/if we visit them, we do our bit to clean up after others
With the main aim being to ensure that the free camps stay open

I realise that it only takes a few irresponsible travellers, to give everyone a bad name
I believe that if we let these people get us down, then they have won

I am also of the impression that the irresponsible travellers seldom go to the same place twice
I do not have the answer, for the original poster, except to say that there are different types of travellers, and:-

But for the grace of god, there go I

Or words to that effect

msg · Guru

I do feel that councils are becoming a little paranoid about someone getting something for nothing and this also seems to be the attitude of some of the better off travellers. The councils often charge large fees for a spot to camp overnight for supplying services that they must supply to their ratepayers anyway and have already collected the rates for this. This is greedy.

The councils could try to think outside the square and consider their attitudes. They think its about getting every dollar they can out of the travelling public rather than accepting that the travellers spend more money if they don't have to pay for a spot of ground to park. $10 a night seems to be the price for just parking in QLD. No services. Not even toilets in some places. Yeah, I'm getting paranoid too.

I am getting sick of staying in out of the way places where there is nothing to do. They are dirty, dusty and its usually a round 60km trip to town to access dump points, shops and water.

I came home two months earlier than planned because it was costing me too much. On average spend per week ($400) they lost about $3200. Not a lot I suppose. I soon won't be able to afford to travel at all and I'll just have to be content to stay at home and watch TV.

I have a hate on councils at the moment. Since I have been home, I have been inundated with developers trying to buy my land. (of course they are not offering me enough to build/buy the same thing elsewhere) added to the fact, I would have to leave my home of 30yrs and have just got it how I like it(lol).

The council recently rezoned so that multi storey apartments can be built. The council is are just rubbing their hands together for all the extra rates ten apartments would pay rather than one. They keep putting up the rates so that eventually I won't be able to afford them either.

I'll just have to be a good little pensioner and move to a one bedroom apartment and make room for the next generation. Watch out when they add your residence to the assets test. Everyone's out to get me and put me in my place. Leave me alone I'll die soon enough and then they can do what they like.

Bushpie · Guru

Gee Mel & Molly ......you make my impending retirement sound so bleak........should I re consider?

I was so looking forward to exploring The playground".............

macka17 · Guru

There's "free Camping" IE "Freeloading".

Taking everything. whenever you can.
Regardless.
They are basically bums....And I'll say to to your face if the hat fits..

then there's normal so called "free camping" (I hate that word)

Where people stay overnight at such spots avail, one night a time when travelling.
Not abusing and cleaning up as you go.
And maybe a bit longer if it's avail.
But not hogging. and not, not moving so others can appreciate it too.

They;re just the normal people. (Most of us) and not a problem.

Too many of these new. AND some of the others too.Travellers. Take it as a given.
that once you get your van. the rest is free.

NOT SO.

Pay your way. And ALWAYS leave it as you find it. or better if possible.

Even when you on pension only and no home base. You should have enough to pay your way.
with a mix of free/??/? camping and some parks.
Or you shouldn't be travelling.
The public aren't here to keep you/me/us.
Park van up and live in a static van park. Rather than bumming your way around.

Wanda · Guru

Blah blah blah blah, I love free camping, actually I love almost anything free. FREE IS GOOD!
Hence me must be a"bum"

Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Friday 4th of November 2016 04:32:12 PM

msg · Guru

Bushpie wrote:
Gee Mel & Molly ......you make my impending retirement sound so bleak........should I re consider?

I was so looking forward to exploring The playground".............

No, retire.

Just be prepared to pay through the nose for everything. Even in the last five years I have been travelling I have noticed the difference. Mainly attitudes towards travellers. Just redid my first trip from 2011 (up to Cooktown) and things have sure changed. Might be a bit jaded though. I just came back this year really p****d off that's all.

aussie_paul · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Blah blah blah blah, I love free camping, actually I love almost anything free. FREE IS GOOD!
Hence me must be a"bum"
Ian

-- Edited by Wanda on Friday 4th of November 2016 04:32:12 PM

lol,when our 4 kids were smaller they reckoned my two favourite words were "NO & FREE"and they have turned out to be great adults so far biggrin biggrin

Aussie Paul. smile

Bushpie · Guru

msg wrote:
Bushpie wrote:
Gee Mel & Molly ......you make my impending retirement sound so bleak........should I re consider?

I was so looking forward to exploring The playground".............
No, retire.
Just be prepared to pay through the nose for everything. Even in the last five years I have been travelling I have noticed the difference. Mainly attitudes towards travellers. Just redid my first trip from 2011 (up to Cooktown) and things have sure changed. Might be a bit jaded though. I just came back this year really p****d off that's all.

Ok I will......... must confess that the past year at work I get a little peeved easier than ever before.......cant wait

Yuglamron · Guru

I would like to point out quite an important Fact.

Australia is a country and we supposedly employ people to help run the country on behalf of the PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA.

We are a diverse people made up of all sorts of people with different ideas/tastes/ incomes. Huge Diversity..

I will now pose a question based on my own experience.

Warnambool Vic. An area that has a large tourism industry.

Lots of CP's or Holiday Camps. It also appears that the owners of quite a few of these sites are the Council.

Now as I was made aware Freecamping or more correctly low cost camping has been outlawed by Council in their area.

I pose the question.

How can a council with a huge financial vested interest make any Law against freecamping if they have a financial interest in CP's.

Smacks of illegality in my view.

If you have a financial interest you should recuse yourself as a council.

It appears that they are protecting a vested interest.

In Qld One CP owner complained to Council about people staying in the area in designated stopover areas.

All closed. A little questioning of local business unofficially showed that the rest of the businesses did not support the closure of these sites because of loss of income from stopover Caravan and Motor Homers staying overnight

One business stopping other businesses from benefitting.

We all have different ideas about where we stay and why. But to call people Bums is not on.

-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 4th of November 2016 05:59:55 PM

-- Edited by Yuglamron on Friday 4th of November 2016 06:01:18 PM

msg · Guru

Deleted

-- Edited by msg on Friday 4th of November 2016 06:54:05 PM

Santa · Guru

Retiredatlast wrote:
Hey Santa

Your a good guy.

You obviously have plenty of $. Your thoughts are very one sided.

Have you ever considered that others do not have much on a pension. They have to watch what they spend right down to the last 10 cents. Some Grey Nomads don't have a house to go back to so their RV is their home.

Just try to think out of the box and of others in need.

Been there and done it, never found it necessary to resort to theft or squatting.

brickies · Guru

We will always have people pushing the boundaries , Camp at Waverley creek the other night there are 2 section one for RV and one for the truckies , And guess what 3 motor home park in the truck section well we are truck they would say but they are not B doubles

TheHeaths · Guru

Maybe it was me, but I felt Santa's post originally wasn't against the concept or practice of free camping. It wasn't against those on tight budgets using legitimate free/low cost camps to stay at when on the road.

As I saw it, he was commenting on the practice of some campers to ignore local rules, and either stay beyond the allowed time, or stay in areas clearly marked as no camping, or avoid paying the small fee, or making a donation, if the site was set up like that. I think that his post was reasonable and the point he raises is valid.

Travelling on a pension or tight budget does not entitle people to ignore the local rules or avoid paying applicable fees. It is not a matter of having money or not. It is a matter of honesty or not.

Santa · Guru

TheHeaths wrote:
Maybe it was me, but I felt Santa's post originally wasn't against the concept or practice of free camping. It wasn't against those on tight budgets using legitimate free/low cost camps to stay at when on the road.

As I saw it, he was commenting on the practice of some campers to ignore local rules, and either stay beyond the allowed time, or stay in areas clearly marked as no camping, or avoid paying the small fee, or making a donation, if the site was set up like that. I think that his post was reasonable and the point he raises is valid.

Travelling on a pension or tight budget does not entitle people to ignore the local rules or avoid paying applicable fees. It is not a matter of having money or not. It is a matter of honesty or not.

Exactly. smile

yogi · Veteran Member

who , as i have seen a swanky 5th wheeler in a free camp or in a c/v park using the camp kitchen , if you cant run it diont buy it ?

Santa · Guru

yogi wrote:
who , as i have seen a swanky 5th wheeler in a free camp or in a c/v park using the camp kitchen , if you cant run it diont buy it ?

Nothing to do with my original post, another subject entirely. smile

Hewy54 · Senior Member

TheHeaths wrote:
Maybe it was me, but I felt Santa's post originally wasn't against the concept or practice of free camping. It wasn't against those on tight budgets using legitimate free/low cost camps to stay at when on the road.

As I saw it, he was commenting on the practice of some campers to ignore local rules, and either stay beyond the allowed time, or stay in areas clearly marked as no camping, or avoid paying the small fee, or making a donation, if the site was set up like that. I think that his post was reasonable and the point he raises is valid.

Travelling on a pension or tight budget does not entitle people to ignore the local rules or avoid paying applicable fees. It is not a matter of having money or not. It is a matter of honesty or not.

Agree completely

macka17 · Guru

Yuglamron.

A lot of that did go on. not so much now. thank god.
Ownership linked with council membership (Conflicts of interest???)

Going on from your other points. Yes. we employ governments and councils to run this big "Company"...
Which is all a country is. Financially.

Certain Assets. which are managed to give best returns from what they are.
By whoever we Appoint at that time.

Also. MOST of Australia is privately owned.
The rest tend to be abbo lands and Nat Parks.
Which we tend to get access to. At a differing price range, Depending.

It's a demand/supply system. The more people want.
the more you charge.

We'd all, With very few exceptions. If actually in that position
do it.

The travellers that do the right thing. Travelling. Stopping. travelling on.
Paying their way. AT WHATEVER FINANCIAL LEVEL they capable of.

Are fine.
That's most of us in general.

It's the users.....That get hackles up.

Unfortunately. some haven't done as much with their lives as others.
For differing reasons and circumstances. Ce-La-vie.
But, if careful. MOST Can manage to do their thing.

SOme just whinge. SOme. as said. Abuse.
They the ones causing problems.

Stiffen the laws. Issue SERIOUS Parking, and overstaying tickets.
AND follow them up Countrywide.
Maybe through licencing points for non payment of.
Heavy fines for littering etc.
THAT'D make then sit up and take notice hey... YEP.

It's mainly "responsibility for your actions".
Which in this Big Brother country the last few decades.
IS Sadly lacking.

But after all of that.
It boils down to. ALL things have a price.
ALL things and areas, HAVE to be maintained.
ALL maint cost dollars. Yours or somebody elses.

Try NOT to cause too many bills basically.
then we'll all get along. (Maybe)
Me. I'm just too much of a happy stirrer to sit still and not say things.
Chuckle......

Nave fun.

Radar · Guru

Hewy54 wrote:
TheHeaths wrote:
Maybe it was me, but I felt Santa's post originally wasn't against the concept or practice of free camping. It wasn't against those on tight budgets using legitimate free/low cost camps to stay at when on the road.

As I saw it, he was commenting on the practice of some campers to ignore local rules, and either stay beyond the allowed time, or stay in areas clearly marked as no camping, or avoid paying the small fee, or making a donation, if the site was set up like that. I think that his post was reasonable and the point he raises is valid.

Travelling on a pension or tight budget does not entitle people to ignore the local rules or avoid paying applicable fees. It is not a matter of having money or not. It is a matter of honesty or not.
Agree completely
__________________________
And I also agree completely.

brickies · Guru

It's really about nobody tell me what I can and can't do , Pushing boundaries but remember the local council enforce of there rate payers , So kept pushing the boundaries and the ratepayer will push us out .

Ron-D · Guru

I was talking to the guy parked next to me about these grubs that leave there mess all over the place at camp sites,and what he said was he was at a camp where the sign said self contained rvs only, when the ranger came around to check things out he was a bit worried as his van had everything required but a grey water tank so he just used a bucket .

The Rangers reply was mate that's ok we never have trouble here with the nomads and there caravans,it's the backpackers there the ones that that make the mess and with the self contained sign,we can and do use that signage to move them on and keep things tidy around here..

Hey Jim · Guru

We vote with Santa.

The smaller towns advertise now days that they are welcoming of the Rv's. If they supply areas for over night stops with a hot shower, then drop a fiver in the box to keep it there. $35 a week ain't going to kill off those on a full pension. Even $3 to cover their cleaner and power cost.

I'm the first to say that I'm a tight ass. However I never drive off with out paying our dues. If you don't want to pay. Then camp free camp 20km away, and don't fill your water tanks in the town either. or use their dump points as well.

I have always asked first about filling our water tanks. Its just plain manners.

We are going to buy 2 rubbish picker uppers to clean up some of the sites we have visited.

On this trip we saw so many coffee cups been throwen out windows.

Jim & Lambie

Santa · Guru

Hey Jim wrote:
We vote with Santa.
The smaller towns advertise now days that they are welcoming of the Rv's. If they supply areas for over night stops with a hot shower, then drop a fiver in the box to keep it there. $35 a week ain't going to kill off those on a full pension. Even $3 to cover their cleaner and power cost.
I'm the first to say that I'm a tight ass. However I never drive off with out paying our dues. If you don't want to pay. Then camp free camp 20km away, and don't fill your water tanks in the town either. or use their dump points as well.
I have always asked first about filling our water tanks. Its just plain manners.
We are going to buy 2 rubbish picker uppers to clean up some of the sites we have visited.
On this trip we saw so many coffee cups been throwen out windows.
Jim & Lambie

Well said Jim.

Nice to know others share my views.

Guess there will always be the dodgy element that reflect badly on all of us.

Cupie · Guru

Santa wrote:
Hey Jim wrote:
We vote with Santa.
The smaller towns advertise now days that they are welcoming of the Rv's. If they supply areas for over night stops with a hot shower, then drop a fiver in the box to keep it there. $35 a week ain't going to kill off those on a full pension. Even $3 to cover their cleaner and power cost.
I'm the first to say that I'm a tight ass. However I never drive off with out paying our dues. If you don't want to pay. Then camp free camp 20km away, and don't fill your water tanks in the town either. or use their dump points as well.
I have always asked first about filling our water tanks. Its just plain manners.
We are going to buy 2 rubbish picker uppers to clean up some of the sites we have visited.
On this trip we saw so many coffee cups been throwen out windows.
Jim & Lambie
Well said Jim.
Nice to know others share my views.
Guess there will always be the dodgy element that reflect badly on all of us.

We don't free camp (by choice) but my views co-incide with yours 100%

aussie_paul · Guru

Hey Jim wrote:
We vote with Santa.
The smaller towns advertise now days that they are welcoming of the Rv's. If they supply areas for over night stops with a hot shower, then drop a fiver in the box to keep it there. $35 a week ain't going to kill off those on a full pension. Even $3 to cover their cleaner and power cost.
I'm the first to say that I'm a tight ass. However I never drive off with out paying our dues. If you don't want to pay. Then camp free camp 20km away, and don't fill your water tanks in the town either. or use their dump points as well.
I have always asked first about filling our water tanks. Its just plain manners.
We are going to buy 2 rubbish picker uppers to clean up some of the sites we have visited.
On this trip we saw so many coffee cups been throwen out windows.
Jim & Lambie

Agree wholeheartedly Jim.

Aussie Paul. smile