Free camping shut downs

Swampy42 · Member

Free camping shut downs

blaze · Guru

there certainly is
USE CV PARKS IN TOWN AND IF YA WANT FREE/CHEAP HEAD OUTA TOWN IN THE PEACE AND QUIET
Pisses me off when people keep winging about councils and cv parks
Just gey over it
cheers
blaze
this comes up nearly every week

brickies · Guru

Well said Blaze

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Agree.
Well said Blaze.

Swampy42 · Member

My apologies for going over old stories, you all have a great Christmas.

Goldfinger · Senior Member

I share your concern Swampy....freedom is all encompassing besides cost....you have to keep CP opening/closing times when travelling...not always practical....once Monopoly's gain hold....kiss good bye to Service and fee competitiveness.plus they will 'jam' you wherever they please....sites get smaller and more costly....you will do what THEY dictate and they will try to cut off any alternatives you have.....its Australia today....greed and 'it's all about me', and obtaining power through local Councils to stymie alternatives........bugger you Jack I'm doing alright....the good news is that every day we see inroads into Monopoly situations...unequal fight as they have the finances to fight to shut down alternatives....look how Council's are fighting against farm stays...they must adhere to existing CP regulations....ablution blocks/Insurances..even though most now self contained...which gives Insurance Co's every chance to gouge....ABC Landline had recent interesting story on Farm stays and the opposition they face from the ""powerful vested interests""....

Australia is a big place Swampy and small leaks will continue to develop in the dykes walls....despite the worst of intentions by vested interests pursuing their Accountants Agendas.....

Take heart they are not all miserable petty greedy folk out there.....good luck in your travels mate... and have a great Xmas/New Year...Hoo Roo

-- Edited by Goldfinger on Thursday 20th of December 2018 12:21:19 PM

-- Edited by Goldfinger on Friday 21st of December 2018 09:45:40 AM

LLD · Guru

Well said Blaze.

As one well known politician said once "There's no such thing as a free lunch". Someone must pay.

A freebie where I live was closed down after a short period as the mess left by the campers was costing the council a lot more to clean up that any monetary advantage coming into the town.

As a retiree/nomad/pensioner I don't mind paying for a small number of conveniences but I'm not keen on paying big money for things I don'r really want - stuff mainly aimed at young families who stay for many days, use it all, and enjoy it.

Also a lot of parks that are on the water (river, dams, ocean) have replaced their water-side spots with cabins.

There are still plenty of good freebies and low cost parks to satisfy my touring.

brickies · Guru

Stayed in lots of free camp but not in towns , If i want to stay in towns I look at whats around and go for the best deal .

Desert Dweller · Guru

Free, free, free that's all we hear these days.

Anyone whose travels rely on everything being for free obviously shouldn't have retired from the workforce in the first place.

How come a lot of them can still afford to feed three dogs & enjoy their grog & smokes though?

montie · Guru

Swampy42 wrote:
Hi everyone and a merry Christmas to you all
i hope this doesnt come across as political, but it now appears that the caravan parks are lobbying their respective councils, with success, to close down the free camping areas, forcing the caravaners to stay at the parks at ridiculous prices. This has started in Rockhampton and in Tasmania. The caravan industry brings in a lot of cash flow to towns.

Is there anything that us, as a collective group can do to stop this evil behaviour of the caravan parks?

-- Edited by Swampy42 on Thursday 20th of December 2018 11:26:56 AM

If "Free Camps" are compliant with Urban regulations then there is little the parks can do about it. Unfortunately the cost of compliancing will make it extremely difficult for them to be free or even low cost. In Rockhampton the parks did not lobby to close Kershaw Gardens but they did insist that they meet the same regulations that the parks did.

-- Edited by montie on Thursday 20th of December 2018 03:37:37 PM

Tony Bev · Guru

Swampy42 wrote:
Hi everyone and a merry Christmas to you all
i hope this doesnt come across as political, but it now appears that the caravan parks are lobbying their respective councils, with success, to close down the free camping areas, forcing the caravaners to stay at the parks at ridiculous prices. This has started in Rockhampton and in Tasmania. The caravan industry brings in a lot of cash flow to towns.

Is there anything that us, as a collective group can do to stop this evil behaviour of the caravan parks?

-- Edited by Swampy42 on Thursday 20th of December 2018 11:26:56 AM

I shall try and answer the below part of your question Swampy42, from the angle I am looking at it

Is there anything that us, as a collective group can do to stop this evil behaviour of the caravan parks?

To the best of my knowledge, no, there is nothing we can do, as the legal precedent has been set

For those of us who (for whatever reason), would like to keep the free camps open, in the rural areas

I can only say, do as I do, etc

I really have no idea if the below will work, but I do know, it will be better than doing nothing

Keep the free camp clean
Spend money in the area
Let the local shopkeeper know, that you have spent, or planning to spend some time in their free camp, while/after spending your money

In other words, let the locals see the benifit, of having free camps in their area

wombat50 · Veteran Member

fully agree with DD and Blaze. a couple of Goldfingers quotes really do apply to the whinging free campers, 'it's all about me', ........bugger you Jack I'm doing alright.

Wanda · Guru

Swampy42
Looks like you've hit a nerve, you are entitled to ask and yes this has been and will continue to be a topic of discussion.

"Some" of the others need to lie down and take a bex

and as it is the season to be jolly and goodwill, to all

Happy Xmas

cheers
Ian

Baz421 · Guru

Spent 4 months in Tassie in 2016, mostly camping in approved areas or bush.

MANY, REPEAT MANY residents told us to disregard signs saying 24 or 48 hour stays, as councils put them up as they feel obliged to, or words to that effect.

Not once was any site policed nor were we asked to move on, bearing in mind we didn't publicize/brag about freedom camping.

The message was clear stay with us, we need you.

Some will disagree obviously,,, I'm just stating FACTS.

Whenarewethere · Guru

We're in a car only. Everything is running off 12 volts. Just need a toilet.

Sometimes caravan parks only have powered sites.

We can't stay in RV friendly towns as you need to be self contained.

So we have to leave town after buying fuel & food.

montie · Guru

So where do you sleep?

Swampy42 · Member

For those that responded with good remarks, have a very merry Christmas. For those that responded with not so good remarks, have a good Christmas but dont complain when all the out of town free or donation only camps have all gone.
Everyone else, have great Travels.
Swampy

Whenarewethere · Guru

Chuck everything in the front & there is plenty of room in the back! 1 in 10 times we set up the enclosure if we are not too lazy!

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I make our own lunch. Have my own contained toilet shower and grey tanks . I dont need to pay $50 or so a night . I try to be smart and a little stealth where and when we stop over for the night. I see many stop over in camping grounds and stay there like its a resort . We park a little out of the way if we go to the beach etc . Nice part of motorhome life We use camping grounds too . But dont travel camping ground to camping ground

Desert Dweller · Guru

Swampy42 wrote:
For those that responded with good remarks, have a very merry Christmas. For those that responded with not so good remarks, have a good Christmas but dont complain when all the out of town free or donation only camps have all gone.
Everyone else, have great Travels.
Swampy

There's a million square kilometers of bush out there, get away from the throng, go camp in it, or are you scared of being attacked by a killer Possum?

As for free & donation camps, we certainly won't be complaining when they're all closed down.

-- Edited by Desert Dweller on Friday 21st of December 2018 07:16:27 AM

Izabarack · Guru

Free Camping is far to broad a term for meaningful discussion of the availability of to stop and park overnight in a self-contained vehicle. "Camping" is a term that needs to be defined. Pretty hard to argue that parking up and having a sleep in the vehicle is camping.

If I pull up beside the local park and put the awning out while using the council supplied BBQ, I am not camping.

Half the problem with council supplied opportunities to stop overnight and rubbish and poo in the bushes, is that time and self-contained requirements are not policed. A quick night time run through the lines of backpackers vans doing the wrong thing, and some wheel clamping until fines are paid, would do a lot.

Leaving rubbish is also not a problem only to do with campers. The clean up bill following the local Carols by Candlelight event may lead to the event being cancelled next year.

Iza

Whenarewethere · Guru

When in the bush or a gravel pit walk a 100 metres & bury your number twos. Ground can be hard sometimes but it is not that difficult to dig a hole so there is no evidence, instead of leaving white roses everywhere.

Wanda · Guru

DD

Pull ya head in mate and give the guy a break. disbelief
You can have difference of opinion, this is a democracy, but you don't need to chastise him like you have.
Moderator must be asleep?? confuse
Ian

Swampy42 · Member

Its ok Wanda, water off a ducks back.

beiffe · Guru

I think some people should be a bit more thoughtful to other people in society. We are all not cashed up bank accounts or just on the fortnight a year holiday where we can spend a couple of grand and then go back to work.
These councils that cave to the caravan parks take the risk that they drive many people away from the town as many will not stay in these jails.
They do not suit every one as many do not want to be crammed into a tight environment which does not suit their live style eg walking in the bush and enjoying the serenity of the bush etc and being away from the noisy weekend warriors and the dregs of society. (have a walk around most CP and look at the vans etc in the back rows).
Many just can not afford to stay in parks as they are restricted in their ready cash and often travel as they have no other abode and need to keep a strict control on their expenditure.
Many groups I met had some CP users etc when they needed power or washing or doctors appointments etc and the others bush camped or independent camped waiting for them to continue their travels.
Close the bush camps then they all may move on and have done this.
We went to Agnes Waters as a group and several big rigs involved, and we were looking to stay in the area over night and we all needed fuel, about 900 litres combined and need to stock up on food and had planned a night out. Went to the information bay and was told that the likes of us belonged in the CP and that was that. When I told them of our requirements they mentioned the servo next door and the supermarket up the road but got very uppee when I told them that there was no worries we would move on to another town. They lost up to 2K in one group in one night.
I have had this response a few times. Have had to cancel dinner appointments etc where we had planned to stop and have a meal in the local restaurant. Sometimes just get enough fuel to enable us to get to another town that was more responsive.
I always let the local business owners know that I was camped in their area and that I was buying my supplies etc in their shop as a thank you and that if I had not been able to stay there they would have got nothing from me.
Once when I went to do some volunteer work in a small town the regular volunteers etc had cabins and rooms on site where they stayed but the CP owner insisted that no vans or MH's could park on their grounds. Organisation was not happy when I refused to pay full price to stay in a very sub standard park while I worked every day for nothing. I moved on and they did not even get the usual tourist dollar as I left before the days activities started. They also badly require my skills as a signwriter.
I am/was involved in a group that help farmers etc after disasters and was involved in the organisation of proposed areas relief camps and was many times advised that any volunteers coming to give their time for free would be required to stay in the caravan park and pay full price. It was a bit of bad luck that their area did not get the proposed base and therefore the farmers got no help in their area. Also some councils were that mean that they would not release any of their disaster money to assists with meals etc. This money was for local groups to supply food and help their organisations.
If all the full timers were forced in to these jails then there would be no places for the week end warriors and the once a year travellers so what do they do. Give up travelling because there are no places left.
It was strange when being involved in my volunteer work that nearly all the volunteers helping out around the country are bush campers . Wonder why the people that are so keen to run us down as free loaders dont seem to offer their time doing charity work.
Thats just my side to the argument and you will find thousands of other as well. So shoot away.

Kebbin · Guru

That was magnanimous of you, Not.

Wanda · Guru

Well said beiffe, in particular the last couple of lines, exactly, if parks are all full where does one stop then!!

Most travellers at some stage do stop in c/parks, other times its just not convenient or want to enjoy some peace and quiet away from the sheep!
There should be another name for free camping

I think a lot of these "free camp knockers" are would be's if they could be's.

Its funny how you see the same names come up regularly on this site knocking others because they dissagree with others opinions. Its the same few all the time.

regards
Ian

Dickodownunder · Guru

beiffe

Charity is not charity if the provider of assistance or contributions offer it only under certain conditions.

I would not be using that approach to support the provision of "Free Camp Facilities" in any area.

There was another topic that I read and contributed to just recently where this same discussion was raised.

I can't find it now and I don't have the time today to search it out but it was indicated on that topic by some posters that nothing is free.

The basis of this is that if a council provides a a free camp to people then there are costs to that council for maintenance insurance, and other ongoings.

These costs are supported by The regions' ratepayers and while some expect or think that a free camp is their rite others have to pay.

As others have said if you don't want to camp adjacent to beaches supermarkets and the other facilities that are common to most coastal cities and regional towns without putting your miserable hand in your very long pocket then seek what is generally free camping by camping in more remote areas or maybe just sell your equipment and stay at home.

If I were placed in a situation whereby after a disaster I needed help and some selfish individual was "happy" to offer assistance as long as they were given something in return then I personally would not want their assistance.

While I am on the subject of assistance many volunteers in many areas during times of bush fires were able to camp in areas like Showgrounds etc and their help was very much appreciated.

I will sign off this topic now as the more I consider the selfish post above the more it upsets me.

Merry Xmas to all and please travel safely

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Friday 21st of December 2018 11:42:01 AM

blaze · Guru

Hot Damm
You see, I am set up for free/cheap camps, full solar (and a gennie) and do a lot of mainly cheaper camping (about to head away boxing day ). I also do gravel pits etc for over night stops. If I stay in towns I support low cost cv parks if possible. Always resupply and refuel in smaller towns if possible to support locals. I am on a disability pension but share the little I have
cheers
blaze

Santa · Guru

Wanda wrote:
Well said beiffe, in particular the last couple of lines, exactly, if parks are all full where does one stop then!!

Most travellers at some stage do stop in c/parks, other times its just not convenient or want to enjoy some peace and quiet away from the sheep!
There should be another name for free camping

I think a lot of these "free camp knockers" are would be's if they could be's.

Its funny how you see the same names come up regularly on this site knocking others because they dissagree with others opinions. Its the same few all the time.

regards
Ian

So I guess the message here is, If you agree with me your a good guy, if you disagree your wrong.

Opinions Ian, most of us have one and we're all entitled to respectfully express our own. wink

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