Kershaw Gardens Reopens Council Backflips

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

Kershaw Gardens Reopens Council Backflips

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I stay in CVP's, Free Camps, Low Cost Camps, Showgrounds, so spread it around and enjoy myself, and I say well done Rockhampton Council. About time a Council realised there are more businesses that CVP's. I am 100% sure that other businesses around Rocky will benefit as would other Councils if they did the same.

It would be good to see all Councils stand up to CVP's that complain free camps take business from them. What about the cabins they have taking business from motels. Nah! They don't care about that.

The Travelling Dillberries · Guru

Iva Biggen wrote:
I Just note that this free camp has reopened.. 48 hour allowable time.

https://indefiniteleave.com.au/kershaw-gardens-free-camp-rockhampton-qld/

Their Website states it is still closed, nothing in your reference to suggest it has re-opened?? Think its an old post.

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

The Travelling Dillberries wrote:
Iva Biggen wrote:
I Just note that this free camp has reopened.. 48 hour allowable time.

https://indefiniteleave.com.au/kershaw-gardens-free-camp-rockhampton-qld/
Their Website states it is still closed, nothing in your reference to suggest it has re-opened?? Think its an old post.

I hope I havent given a bum steer on the forum.

There was a story linked to the re opening on my news feed.

This is what was on Our own news just recently.

http://www.thegreynomads.com.au/kershaw-2/

After reading this I just took the news link I read to be true.....so maybe we should not believe all we read from

indefiniteleave.com

if in fact the council in Rocky has not re opened the the free camp.

My apology if I have mislead you all.

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Tuesday 3rd of December 2019 07:29:13 PM

the rocket · Guru

Iva Biggen wrote:
The Travelling Dillberries wrote:
Iva Biggen wrote:
I Just note that this free camp has reopened.. 48 hour allowable time.

https://indefiniteleave.com.au/kershaw-gardens-free-camp-rockhampton-qld/
Their Website states it is still closed, nothing in your reference to suggest it has re-opened?? Think its an old post.
I hope I havent given a bum steer on the forum.
There was a story linked to the re opening on my news feed.
This is what was on Our own news just recently.
http://www.thegreynomads.com.au/kershaw-2/
After reading this I just took the news link I read to be true.....so maybe we should not believe all we read from
indefiniteleave.com
if in fact the council in Rocky has not re opened the the free camp.
My apology if I have mislead you all.

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Tuesday 3rd of December 2019 07:29:13 PM

hi iv, i saw that on fb group.It shows a newspaper article. If you would like name of group please pm me. I am sure it will open shortly. We have stayed there before and spent money but since closing have only been as far as gladstone. Be good to see it reopen.

-- Edited by the rocket on Tuesday 3rd of December 2019 08:21:21 PM

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

Thank you Rocket, it would be great if the council does re open it.
A very popular place that has been sadly missed as a great camp.
I am sure that it will all come out shortly if the council does reopen the site.

I was hoping I was not having a Senior Moment with what I read. biggrin

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Tuesday 3rd of December 2019 08:26:03 PM

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

This is what was on my news feed earlier..

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

Clipping..

montie · Guru

Why would any ratepayer congratulate a Council who just spent hundreds of thousands of their hard earned money fighting a losing court battle when all that was required was a change in the Planning Scheme.

I don't think we have heard the last of this!

Kebbin · Guru

Iva, just for the record the Council did not close the camp in the first place, they were quite happy to let people stay without containment so "backflip" didn't come into it.
As Montie pointed out the Council wasted hundreds of thousands on the Court case which could and should have been spent elsewhere, like flood levies.
Now we wait for round two of "Rocky wastes more Ratepayers hard earned to satisfy the Self Righteous"

diggerop · Senior Member

Or they (council) could just roll over and let business's dictate what the council should do.

montie · Guru

Kebbin wrote:

Now we wait for round two of "Rocky wastes more Ratepayers hard earned to satisfy the Self Righteous"

Or their own arrogant egos! blankstare

-- Edited by montie on Friday 6th of December 2019 08:49:41 AM

Brodie Allen · Guru

Maybe the money spent by the Council was in consideration of the lost revenue suffered

by the retailers when the nomadic hoardes overnighted elsewhere?

For my part, I congratulate the Council for having the intestinals to fight the sort

of anti-competitive behavour exhibited here by the holiday parks.

To extend the principle expounded by the Parks Association, there should be no competition -

shut the library because the bookshops can't cope, shut the charity stores and so-on.

Parks are welcomed by families and short-stay camps by others. Both can co-exist.

montie · Guru

Brodie Allen wrote:
Maybe the money spent by the Council was in consideration of the lost revenue suffered
by the retailers when the nomadic hoardes overnighted elsewhere?

For my part, I congratulate the Council for having the intestinals to fight the sort
of anti-competitive behavour exhibited here by the holiday parks.

To extend the principle expounded by the Parks Association, there should be no competition -
shut the library because the bookshops can't cope, shut the charity stores and so-on.

Parks are welcomed by families and short-stay camps by others. Both can co-exist.

Brodie,

I have no problem with free or low cost camping facilities even if they are almost in the Rockhampton CBD, but I do have a problem with a Council who wastes $200/300k of ratepayers money, especially when some of it was mine. If retaining the free camp facility at Kershaw Gardens were as simple as changing the Planning Scheme then why did they spend all that money fighting an unwinnable court case in the first instance. That money could have been used to assist drought affected farmers in the area, a much more useful cause.

Now they are off on another expensive crusade to open the free camp where there are likely to be more legal challenges. Maybe time to give this one a rest!

HandyWalter · Senior Member

The Caravan park Association is quick to complain/ remove competition, but one only has to look at say the Big 4 park in Queenscliff (Vic) to see the two faced attitude Caravan park owners have. This park has cabins (competition to Hotels, motels, and people who rent out holiday units/houses), it provides cooked meals and brewed coffee( competition to local takeaways, restaurants, hotels, eateries, coffee shops) yet none of them have complained (or I have not heard anything). This offering is only for 2 days (48hrs). If caravan parks were true to their name, then only caravans should be allowed to park there. If it says Caravan and Camping ground then add tents as well. (Not sure how they can include campertrailers and RV's but they need to change their name if they are offering more than a camp site for the above vehicles. They are just greedy and I for one have made a mental note not to visit Rocky for longer than time free camping is available,. The same goes for those towns in Tassie, no more visits by me. Given I am self contained and only require water top up and toilet dump every 4-5 days, I find that staying at a Caravan park and paying $30+ for nothing they offer as i dont want it or use it, is an impost I will avoid wherever possible, except for when I need to dispose of waste and top up my water tanks. In reality I think I am paying a surcharge on my site fees to cover the capital and on going costs of all these "services" and "infrastructure" that I do not use.

montie · Guru

HandyWalter wrote:
The Caravan park Association is quick to complain/ remove competition, but one only has to look at say the Big 4 park in Queenscliff (Vic) to see the two faced attitude Caravan park owners have. This park has cabins (competition to Hotels, motels, and people who rent out holiday units/houses), it provides cooked meals and brewed coffee( competition to local takeaways, restaurants, hotels, eateries, coffee shops) yet none of them have complained (or I have not heard anything). This offering is only for 2 days (48hrs). If caravan parks were true to their name, then only caravans should be allowed to park there. If it says Caravan and Camping ground then add tents as well. (Not sure how they can include campertrailers and RV's but they need to change their name if they are offering more than a camp site for the above vehicles. They are just greedy and I for one have made a mental note not to visit Rocky for longer than time free camping is available,. The same goes for those towns in Tassie, no more visits by me. Given I am self contained and only require water top up and toilet dump every 4-5 days, I find that staying at a Caravan park and paying $30+ for nothing they offer as i dont want it or use it, is an impost I will avoid wherever possible, except for when I need to dispose of waste and top up my water tanks. In reality I think I am paying a surcharge on my site fees to cover the capital and on going costs of all these "services" and "infrastructure" that I do not use.

Caravan Parks are fully funded by the owners and so they should be.

Free Camps are funded by the rate payers. Rockhampton will have the most expensive free camp in the Southern Hemisphere already at around $300k and still not open!

No such thing as a free lunch! blankstare

HandyWalter · Senior Member

montie wrote:

Caravan Parks are fully funded by the owners and so they should be.
Free Camps are funded by the rate payers. Rockhampton will have the most expensive free camp in the Southern Hemisphere already at around $300k and still not open!
No such thing as a free lunch!

I dont want a free lunch but I dont want to pay 5 star michelin price when I at best only use a caravan park dump point and some water! I understand tCP are fully owner funded, but I am sure that part of my site fee is to cover cost of items I do not use. In any case if Rocky CC wants to charge a small fee like Kingston SE in (SA) I would happily pay, but not $30+ for nothing!

citylimits · Member

Please contact the council before you intend to stay there. I spoke to the council last week and Kershaw Gardens is not open for overnight camping. Please do the right thing and don't believe everything that you hear as if we just assume and start using it, then we could destroy any chance of getting this site reopened.

jade46 · Senior Member

citylimits wrote:
Please contact the council before you intend to stay there. I spoke to the council last week and Kershaw Gardens is not open for overnight camping. Please do the right thing and don't believe everything that you hear as if we just assume and start using it, then we could destroy any chance of getting this site reopened.

It clearly says in the press release it is anticipated the park will reopen in the new year not at this point in time