Unfortunately it's correct and may provide an incentive for them to try and close other sites?

https://www.australiancaravanclub.com.au/news-and-newsletters-mainmenu-62/latest-news-mainmenu-70/2116-court-rules-against-kershaw-gardens-rockhampton-as-an-overnight-stop-for-rv-travellers

https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/caravan-association-still-fighting-council-over-ke/3327520/

The message needs to get out for everyone to avoid Rockhampton, it's only one place in Australia. It will send a message to other towns.

I was lazy and didn't read the full article and thought free camping was going to stop.

We cannot stay in RV areas as we are not self contained so have no choice but to avoid towns anyway. We don't need external power, water, electricity or wifi & are not prepared to pay excessive rates when sleeping in the car. Try to look for toilets otherwise it is further out of towns and walk an additional 100 metres with a shovel!

I was lazy and hadn't read the article.

Thanks for the links, Mike and Peter D, they were appreciated

I went through Rockhampton around 2005, in a car, while staying in motels

As I live on the west coast, and may or may not visit Rockhampton again, it is probably something that does not concern me a great deal

But on the other hand
If I do go to Rockhampton, I shall not be staying in caravan parks, as I am self contained
No free camp, (to me), probably means that I shall be spending my money elsewhere

It is a sobering thought which Montie has picked up on, about the possibility of other free camps in the large town urban areas, being closed down

If this is the thin edge of the wedge, I do remember (Tasmania, I think), where they were forced to close free camps, and we start losing free camp sites

It may pay all of us to be a bit more diligent, in the free/donation/low cost camps we use, and clean up after ourselves, and spend money in that area
Hope that I am not preaching to the choir, but in my opinion, we should give some incentive to small towns, to keep their camps open

Not a lot of free camping spots near Rockhampton.

None on the nearby Capricorn Coast between Yepoon & Emu Park.

Plenty of shire enforcement officers around catching stealthy over night stayers, parked in foreshore car parks, mostly in motor homes.

We stayed in a caravan park at Kinka Beach for 2 months last winter.

brickies wrote:

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This court case has now set a President for the whole of Queensland .

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 Is that the President of the USA Donald Trump?

He's got more on his plate than free camping issues in Rocky. 

To me, Rockhampton Council, tried to keep KG open so that the RV's could support their shops and keep them open.

www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-18/retail-in-regional-cities-struggling-fighting-back/10503598

Approx. 7-8 years ago I sent a letter to the Mayors of all the major cities and towns along the east coast of Queensland. In the letter I went to lengths to give my view on the old S.W.O.T analysis.

S.W.O.T.  =   Strengths .. Weakness   .... Opportunity.... Threats.

The major point was, as has been reported here,:-

""That the Caravan Park owners, not only around Queensland, never approached any of the local hotels and motels owners and ask them if they would be upset if we take away a percentage of their revenue and income by installing cabins in their Caravan Parks.""

As my caravaning days are in the twilight years, I do feel for the thousand of current and of course the many thousand of new caravan owners who wish to enjoy the lifestyle of freedom camping and the revenue it will offer to the local communities.  

Here is a good point.

We prefer to go the local show grounds and support the shire which provides us with the facility and thus spend the dollars in their region.

And you are not always packed in like the old sardine can.

Jay&Dee

Jay&Dee

-- Edited by JayDee on Monday 19th of November 2018 08:32:30 AM

JayDee wrote:

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Approx. 7-8 years ago I sent a letter to the Mayors of all the major cities and towns along the east coast of Queensland. In the letter I went to lengths to give my view on the old S.W.O.T analysis.

S.W.O.T.  =   Strengths .. Weakness   .... Opportunity.... Threats.

The major point was, as has been reported here,:-

""That the Caravan Park owners, not only around Queensland, never approached any of the local hotels and motels owners and ask them if they would be upset if we take away a percentage of their revenue and income by installing cabins in their Caravan Parks.""

As my caravaning days are in the twilight years, I do feel for the thousand of current and of course the many thousand of new caravan owners who wish to enjoy the lifestyle of freedom camping and the revenue it will offer to the local communities.  

Here is a good point.

We prefer to go the local show grounds and support the shire which provides us with the facility and thus spend the dollars in their region.

And you are not always packed in like the old sardine can.

Jay&Dee

Jay&Dee

-- Edited by JayDee on Monday 19th of November 2018 08:32:30 AM

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 As a dealer I'm all in favour of free or low cost camping wherever possible.

However, in providing this service in urban cities you cannot simply ignore the regulations that must be complied with by all participants. If the local caravan park is required to spend $000's annually to be compliant and pay rates and taxes to the Council, then that same Council must adhere to it's own regulations and not expect ratepayers to contribute.

I just don't know how we can get around this issue to continue offering free or low cost camping in urban areas.

montie wrote:

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As a dealer I'm all in favour of free or low cost camping wherever possible.

~~~SNIP

I just don't know how we can get around this issue to continue offering free or low cost camping in urban areas.

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Gday...

I understand and agree with your sentiment, montie. However, in many ways why should travelling folk 'expect' towns to provide (or communities be "required" to provide) free (low-cost) areas where folk can 'camp' - ie stay for at least one night.

If this is so that travellers will park at the provided space and then spend their money in the town - eg groceries, fuel, haircut etc then why does it need to be a place to 'camp' when the municipality can (and often does) provide RV parking close to such facilities. 

If folk want to spend a day or two in a town to visit or view local attractions (or medical appointments which may take a day or two or organise/follow-up) then folk can easily stay in a van park and enjoy the provided 'luxuries' of power/water/amenities. This would be rather than spending their time crammed into a dusty/muddy/grassless plot with no amenities or facilities. OH - I forgot ... it is 'free'. 

I think the problem, and this is rife in almost all the towns up and down the east coast from SE NSW to FNQ, unless the area provided is able to cope with dozens of RVs discharging their water etc in the confined area, then the councils and locals (including van parks) all lose their tolerance of the travellers - particularly backpackers who are far from 'self-contained' in any definition of the word.

I think some of the problem could be alleviated by education of the travelling public that 'camping' in urban areas in largish towns is not in the interest of anyone and that a night or two in a van park when in these towns is not unaffordable - particularly when the next 'X' number of nights will be spent away from the largish town/s 'free' camping on quite probably much more aesthetic surroundings.

As you indicate - a difficult problem that doesn't have obvious answers.

Jest sayin' 

Cheers - happy travelling - John

I will point out, that I have no axe to grind, and have nothing against any person in any built up urban area

No free camp for me, means no incentive to spend my money in that town/area, while travelling

The town of Broken Hill comes to mind (no disrespect for this town is intended)
When I last passed through, there was no free/donation/low cost camp, that I knew of, and I spent no money, otherwise I would have no need to spend money at Little Topar

Little Topar, about 70 odd kilometres further up the highway, supplies a free camp
There is nothing at Little Topar except, one toilet in the free camp, and a very small servo/café/tavern

I purchased fuel at about 10 cpl more than I probably could have obtained at Broken Hill
I purchased 2 x steak burgers with chips, and 2 x coffee, at I assume higher prices than Broken Hill
I also gladly cleaned up the camp area, and in front of the servo/café/tavern

I did the above, in appreciation that someone had supplied me with a free camp, and hopefully the profit from my spending, will give incentive to keep the free camp open

I also agree, that a precedent has now been set, in Queensland, in regards to closing the free camps, especially as the council, has to pay the bulk of the legal cost
I also do not know the answer, on how to stop the free camps closing

It will come to and it already has if you want to stay in a large town or city you stay in a caravan park or showgrounds , If you want to free camp you can do so at aproved rest areas or small towns , If you pay more for your fuel in a small town and buy Buggers and coffee you could pay for a caravan park and make your , Just because you buy something in a town doesn't give you the right to be provided camping for free, If you can't afford to pay you way stay home .