Travelling the Eyre Peninsula

Drifters · Veteran Member

Travelling the Eyre Peninsula

Kebbin · Guru

As has been said many times by people on forums someone has to pay, the ratepayer or the user, user pays is my preferred solution.

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Great idea.
Much prefer the idea that we promote the concept of low cost camping.
There is no such thing as free camping as someone pays for that facility in the long run.
My dad always told me " there is no such thing as a free lunch"

Cupie · Guru

Kebbin wrote:
As has been said many times by people on forums someone has to pay, the ratepayer or the user, user pays is my preferred solution.

As I have mentioned many times .. I am not a 'free' camper although my van is now set up to do so, but I agree with Kebbin.

$10 a day for a safe parking bay seems OK.

I think that the inclination to close free camps might abate a bit if all users, not just Grey Nomads, were to respect the facility a bit more & 'left no trace'. eg. We pulled over for a coffee break at a roadside stop area on the way back from a tour via Winton recently & were disgusted with the litter lying about, including an unbelievable amount of toilet paper hooked up on the bushes et. al. for 100m or so downwind from the stop.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

For those who travel to Paradise in the southern winter, the Townsville Council is considering a fee at the Saunders Beach free park too.
They have experienced vanners & backpackers overstaying the 48 hour limit as well as fires being lit.

Streaky Bay would have to be one of the best parks on Eyre Peninsula as far as access to the beach is concerned.

People have a free choice - camp in the bush or at an isolated beach for free or pay to use basic facilities at most of these holiday destinations. Remember at this time of the year they are in their peak season when every man & his dog wants to enjoy the beach & go fishing.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Kebbin wrote:
As has been said many times by people on forums someone has to pay, the ratepayer or the user, user pays is my preferred solution.

Someone has to pay only if services are provided.

If free campers do the right thing, leave no trace and obey any rules imposed, there is no reason to charge a fee except to make money.

Problem is those who don't accept that the rules apply to them and who overstay or leave a mess and force authorities to provide services.

Cheers,

Peter

Teo · Senior Member

Phil. Are you suggesting $10 per day is too much to pay to camp in these areas?
Just how much should you have to pay?

Drifters · Veteran Member

Thank you all for your input.
Teo. I am not sure about the fee as the site is dusty with no facilities at all not even a bin. Across other states there is no fee and the community wants visitors to spend their money in town as they find they make a lot of money out of travellers. Where I live there are many free camps and the local businesses profit from travellers stopping over. some locations in SA charge $5 others $10 In Port Augusta it was $7 with a dump point, bin and a hose to fill up the water which was very reasonable. I have noticed that the nomads appear to have deserted the area which must be hurting their economy.
The council is doing a survey asking both locals and visitors to work out how they can attract visitors.
I put up this post to get a feel for what people think of the approach as I have had a few tell me on my travels this year that they won't be back as the councils are charging $10 fees but providing nothing other than a parking spot.

Teo · Senior Member

I agree with you Phil. $10 for dust bowl is a rip off. No way would I stay there. And yes, there are more and more low cost sites popping up all round the country, which is great. But, We have all heard the stories of folk who want it all for nothing.
If van parks want to cater for the younger ones and their kids, surely they do so at their own peril. With about 10 or 12 weeks school holidays per year, there will be a lot of empty sites for the resr of the year.
With us oldies, news of a good park is spread fairly quickly. The same applies to the opposite.
I hope if you fill in the survey form, the right people listen. Good luck.

Cupie · Guru

Despite my previous comment, I suppose that $10 for nothing but a dusty car park is a bit rich.

For that one might be forgiven for being tempted to just leave rubbish where a bin aught to be.

(Not me of course ... I'd be up at the CP in the pool or playing mini golf after an hour or so on the jumping pillow .... LOL)

Kebbin · Guru

Can you share the name of this dust bowl Phillip, so I can make a informed comment.

TheHeaths · Guru

Be thankful for goodness sake.

Streaky Bay is a lovely little town with much to see and do, and like many at present is struggling with the drought and subsequent downturn with the agriculture.

It has 2 caravan parks, that pay rates and employ locals and yes, dare to try and make a profit. Still the council decided to provide this RV parking area for minimal cost for those who claim they are happy to be self contained and need no services because they are self contained, and don't want to pay for "luxuries" they don't need. That's what you have got, reasonably close to the town centre and the beach.

What happens? In the middle of the driest year for many years, the site is "too dusty", there are no bins, it's too dear and "a rip off", and people warn others not to stay there.

What do people really expect to make them happy to stay at a town site such as this? A little bit of rain over winter will fix the grass problem, but then what. So many times I have read that people would be happy to pay around $10 for a safe place to park up in a town. Here it is, and look what happens.

Surely people can just be happy that this town is trying to meet them half way.

PS on another aspect, I doubt very many Grey Nomads would return to many places they visit anyway. Many do the lap, and then stick close to home, so return visitors would come mainly from local SA campers.

Kebbin, the site is on Wiki as Streaky Bay RV Camping site, Alec Baldock Drive.

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Friday 18th of January 2019 08:59:49 PM

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

and thereby lies the condundrum TheHeaths.

You have pretty much described the travelling public - with all its foibles and inconsistent needs/wants.

The operative keyword should be CHOICE. We all have the ability to make a choice.

Being a traveller, in a van or any other conveyance, does not infer a right to 'free access' to anywhere.

If one place is not to one's liking then one can move on ... if one finds a place to one's liking, then one can (within any stipulated confines) stay and enjoy the place. It is our CHOICE.

And it does amuse me the attitude that if a place does not bestow the 'freedom of the city' on one, then that place is ostracised and the ensuing gossip will spell the death knell to that place.

A survey of 100 travellers will provide 90 different opinions on what they see as their preferred outcome. hmm

Cheers - John

Hewy54 · Senior Member

Many thanks to TheHeaths and Rockylizard for some well informed and logical comments.

Dickodownunder · Guru

Drifters wrote:
We are on the Eyre Peninsula at the moment and have been shocked how they have shut down so many free camps and put a $10 per day fee on them.
Does anyone still come down hear any more?
I have a survey that I was given at Streaky Bay about how they can improve their tourism and they appear to be chasing the Grey Nomads away and focusing on mum, dad and the kids only.
I would appreciate any comments so I can include them in the survey.
Phil

Not withstanding you may have found the Streaky Bay Council charging a fee to Nomads and all others with extremely long pockets and very short arms, could you please offer us all a list of the quoted many free camps that have been closed and or, a fee has now been imposed on the Eyre Peninsula.

I have lived, worked and toured the EP extensively and have found the area to have available some of the best free and off grid camping spots in Aus.

Unfortunately the heading of your topic does not represent the truth but rather just intends to lead to sensationalism.

The post is more about one council deciding to charge for their services to clean up after the entitled ones have departed.

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Saturday 19th of January 2019 09:30:51 AM

Goldfinger · Senior Member

Dickodownunder wrote:

Dickodownunder wrote: Unfortunately the heading of your topic does not represent the truth but rather just intends to lead to sensationalism.

The heading of the topic is 'Travelling the Eyre Peninsula'.....I fail to see what is untruthful in that heading......hardly as sensation seeking as your post.
Phil/Drifters, I thought your post seeking any comments before you complete your survey is quite reasonable request.....so please don't be put off by negative attacks which unfortunately appears the new norm here, by a few.....
I have lived 8 years at Pt Lincoln, Coffin Bay etc and my work involved a lot of travel to Streaky Bay etc..I previously sold the lease of the Streaky Bay Roadhouse for the owners and also sold the Port Lincoln Caravan Park/North Shields..... I was therefor interested in your question, knowing the areas fairly well... my tip for completing your survey is to put your own honest thoughts on what you have found as a tourist ""Travelling the Eyre Peninsula".....
Good luck with your trip, its a fantastic area to visit with much sealife/wildlife as well..with the best varied seafood in Australia IMO....the Information Centres are very pro-active as well I have found....
Hoo Roo

Umpie1 · Senior Member

Isn't it about time that we stopped expecting "free" camping in or near towns. Perhaps we should look at low cost camping. After all $5-10 for a spot is reasonable. I am on a pension and don't mind a small fee for an overnight stop. If you really want "free" camping then head into the bush and make sure you either bury your messes deeply or take it with you.

Cupie · Guru

Goldfinger wrote:
Dickodownunder wrote:

Dickodownunder wrote: Unfortunately the heading of your topic does not represent the truth but rather just intends to lead to sensationalism.

The heading of the topic is 'Travelling the Eyre Peninsula'.....I fail to see what is untruthful in that heading......hardly as sensation seeking as your post.
Phil/Drifters, I thought your post seeking any comments before you complete your survey is quite reasonable request.....so please don't be put off by negative attacks which unfortunately appears the new norm here, by a few.....
I have lived 8 years at Pt Lincoln, Coffin Bay etc and my work involved a lot of travel to Streaky Bay etc..I previously sold the lease of the Streaky Bay Roadhouse for the owners and also sold the Port Lincoln Caravan Park/North Shields..... I was therefor interested in your question, knowing the areas fairly well... my tip for completing your survey is to put your own honest thoughts on what you have found as a tourist ""Travelling the Eyre Peninsula".....
Good luck with your trip, its a fantastic area to visit with much sealife/wildlife as well..with the best varied seafood in Australia IMO....the Information Centres are very pro-active as well I have found....
Hoo Roo

A great post Goldfinger . I couldn't agree more, particularly the bit that I have highlighted.

Personal experience comments deleted .. C

I do agree too that both the Eyre & York Peninsulas are fantastic parts of Au. They are always near the top of the list when we reminisce about places that we have visited.

Oh well off now, before it gets too hot, to uncover the van ready to take it to a spring specialist to replace all the 20YO shackle rubbers & springs ready for the next tour. Before the Southern winter! Oops off topic again.

-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 19th of January 2019 11:03:50 AM

Dickodownunder · Guru

Take my post how you want.

The OPs comment of how shocked he is that so many free camps are no longer free camps.
The Streaky Bay Council is but one of many jurisdictions on the EP.

He actually asked for comments and as a member of this forum I have given mine.

It appears with regular monotony on here about how some penny pincher will boycott a town or council area because they have to pay a fee to camp.
Since when is anyone entitled to be subsidised for their endeavour of living off other taxpayers in any area let alone the Eyre Peninsula
as appears in the title.
But this has been said many times in the past.

What I would like to see is a detailed list of just how many camps have actually been closed or altered on the Eyre Peninsula.
Use the Wiki Camps list as a reference if you want.

Apart from his topic title his second sentence really says what he was intending and that was an underhanded effort to raise support for the cause of campers and caravanners using council land for their own purposes free of charge.

To state that Streaky Bay is deliberately discouraging grey nomads is rediculous when only in the recent couple of years have approved for use, a second caravan park to supplement the many visitors the the region receives each year.
The OP decides that he does not want to use the facilities provided because he has to pay so I suggest go find somewhere that you can camp free of charge but dont ridicule any council for supporting their ratepayers by charging a small fee to camp in or near a regional town.

My final suggestion to the OP is that if he is going to suggest on the survey that the council should provide free camping subsidised by ratepayers, to some who feel that they are entitled then really, dont bother, just throw the survey in the bin.

TheHeaths · Guru

It is unfortunate when the expression of an opposite opinion is considered a "negative attack". Unfortunately the issue of low cost camping is one that generates strong opinions.

I lived in Streaky Bay as a child, and spent 10 years as an adult working in the region based at Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Port Pirie. The whole area is one that embraces the tourist, and provides a variety of free, low cost and higher cost accommodation and travel experiences. It has always been popular for families through to older people, and remains a great place to visit.

I have nothing against low cost camping, and we use low cost camps as we travel around. I must say I do not expect to find one in the centre of each location we stay in, and feel fortunate when we do find a spot on our travels.

What I do have a fundamental issue with is the expectation by some that all towns will provide a free or low cost camp, otherwise they are RV Unfriendly, and the town is named as one to bypass and teach a lesson by spending money elsewhere. I can't think of any place that the council would have taken a vote and said "lets scare off the travelling public as we don't want them to visit us."

Yet here is a town that is trying to balance the needs of all, ratepayers. travellers and caravan park owners, provides a service and site, and still cannot win approval because they have the temerity to charge a fee.

All I see is a very sad attitude that does the entire caravan traveller community no favours at all.

Ron-D · Guru

We spent some time a couple of years ago touring the York peninsula ,just wondering how it compares with the Eyre peninsula Were giving serious thought to haveing a trip down that way sometime this year ,we were told by a camper a few years ago to do the York,and forget about the Eyre as its barren country and not much there ?...

PeterInSa · Guru

York peninsula has some great bush camps (19?) at $10 a night or less for more nights, I understand fees and new toilets were introduced after some long term stayers left rubbish and a clean up bill for the council. So can appreciate Eyre Councils doing similar if they have to do clean ups.

yorke.sa.gov.au/discover/maps/camping-locations/

TheHeaths · Guru

Eyre Peninsula is certainly different to the Yorke Peninsula, but still well worth a visit.

The area along the eastern side of the peninsula along Spencer Gulf is very nice with interesting spots at Whyalla (steel works tour and HMAS Whyalla museum on main highway), and nice coastal towns such as Cowell, Arno Bay, Tumby Bay (good motorhome low cost camp) and then into Port Lincoln.

Port Lincoln has swimming with the Great Whites, dear but supposedly very good, the Tuna pens tour, Lincoln NP (camping available), Whalers Way coastal drive, Coffin Bay (CP and camping in Coffin Bay NP), as well as Koppio Museum inland. Well worth a number of days in the area. Great seafood available at the Coffin Bay Oyster farm on the way into Coffin Bay

The drive from there along the west side to Ceduna has some great coastal drives at Elliston and Streaky Bay, swimming with the dolphins and seals at Bairds Bay, the Point Labatt sealion colony, Murphy's Haystacks and just a generally nice area. There are oysters at Ceduna, Denial and Smoky bays. You can then come back inland and along the Eyre Highway to Port Augusta (great donation camp at Pildapa Rock (smaller version of Wave Rock) near Minnipa), or continue to the west to see the Whales at the Head of the Bight (about 300 km west) during June to October. Whale cruises are available out ot Fowlers Bay (about 150 kms east of HoB) during the Whale season if you don't want to go all the way to HoB.

If you spend a week or two there, I think you will enjoy it. Give it a go Ron, I think you will have fun, and can revisit Yorke Peninsula on the way back east.

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Saturday 19th of January 2019 07:43:39 PM

PeterInSa · Guru

Ian, we really like Point Lowly, its out from Whyalla, I think the locals like it as well.

www.freecampingaustralia.com.au/free-camps/south-australia/point-lowly.html

Dickodownunder · Guru

Before anyone who is considering not visiting the Eyre Peninsula due to comments from some with a warped agenda I suggest that you access Wiki Camps and actually look and note how many free camps are on the EP.
Just in 44 kilometers from Port Neil to Tumby Bay there are three camps listed.
One at Lipson Cove that is 10 bucks a night with a long drop and two others that are FREE..
The one listed closer to Port Neil is actually probably more like 4 or 5 different areas along the coast adjacent to the beach and the one at Cape Hardy or Cowleys Beach could easily accomodate a dozen or more vans without even being able to hear a neighbors generator unless you decided to camp on tip of each other.

This situation may be duplicated all around the coast of the EP.

Just do some research to eliminate some negative reports above. These pics are at Cowley Beach which is absolutely free.

I hope this may help to dispel the myth created above.

Stretch60 · Senior Member

All good opinions and discussions, it has provided us with some likely camping spots when we tour the EP on our way home to Perth during February. Personally for us the rest area's and Bush camps between towns are reasonably good, however don't mind paying a fee at a caravan park to use power, water, ablutions and laundry facilities just as we are currently doing at Pomona show grounds.

Ron-D · Guru

Thanks Ian sounds like its a good place to check out.

Plain Truth · Guru

Eyre Peninsular is a fantastic place,get a key and go to Memorial Cove and Whalers Way,sorry free loaders you have to pay.

Heaps of cheap and free camps.

-- Edited by Plain Truth on Sunday 20th of January 2019 08:02:06 PM

Farmhat · Senior Member

Ron-D wrote:
We spent some time a couple of years ago touring the York peninsula ,just wondering how it compares with the Eyre peninsula Were giving serious thought to haveing a trip down that way sometime this year ,we were told by a camper a few years ago to do the York,and forget about the Eyre as its barren country and not much there ?...

Well, yes Eyre is barren, but Yorkes is covered in crops - same but different!

Was talking to a couple at Streaky Bay a few months ago. They were on the way back to Adelaide. They had towed their van all the way from Adelaide, across the Nullabor. They thought it was so boring, they got to Esperance WA turned around and drove straight back, just stopping at Streaky for the night. You gotto feel sorry for some people.

There is plenty to see and do on both peninsulas Ron_D. Plenty of free/low cost camps all over too. (and caravan parks) :)

Joe.

Ron-D · Guru

Thanks Joe