Grey Nomads not welcome in Robe during Coronavirus.

Santa · Guru

Grey Nomads not welcome in Robe during Coronavirus.

Bagmaker · Senior Member

absolutely disgusting attitude Ms Nunan

the rocket · Guru

Santa wrote:
Robe SA has expressed concerns re Grey Nomads visiting Robe to self isolate, other towns have similar concerns.
"While a popular destination for grey nomads without a permanent base, the Mayor warned them to stay elsewhere given the current climate.
"The impact on us [if someone does have coronavirus] is going to be far greater than if they turn up to a place like Mount Gambier, which has a large hospital and can deal with these problems in comparison to us," Ms Nunan said.
Concerning for the high number of older locals
Ms Nunan was especially concerned for the town's older residents.
"Somebody [visiting] will bring that virus with them. It won't be intentional, but chances are it will happen," she said.
She said a positive case in the community would put a serious strain on Robe's already limited health services.
"Where that may take us may cause us no end of personal grief," Ms Nunan.
"We have a significant number of older people in our community and we just feel as though the economic pain that we're going to experience will be short-lived [in comparison to health threats]."

If other towns take this attitude, where do us grey nomads go? I will b taking note of towns that turn us away n they will never see my dollars again

rocket

yobarr · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Santa wrote:
Robe SA has expressed concerns re Grey Nomads visiting Robe to self isolate, other towns have similar concerns.
"While a popular destination for grey nomads without a permanent base, the Mayor warned them to stay elsewhere given the current climate.
"The impact on us [if someone does have coronavirus] is going to be far greater than if they turn up to a place like Mount Gambier, which has a large hospital and can deal with these problems in comparison to us," Ms Nunan said.
Concerning for the high number of older locals
Ms Nunan was especially concerned for the town's older residents.
"Somebody [visiting] will bring that virus with them. It won't be intentional, but chances are it will happen," she said.
She said a positive case in the community would put a serious strain on Robe's already limited health services.
"Where that may take us may cause us no end of personal grief," Ms Nunan.
"We have a significant number of older people in our community and we just feel as though the economic pain that we're going to experience will be short-lived [in comparison to health threats]."
If other towns take this attitude, where do us grey nomads go? I will b taking note of towns that turn us away n they will never see my dollars again
rocket

You could always become self-sufficient and live anywhere you want,for as long as you want? My water lasts well over a month,with normal showers, dishwashing,cooking and drinking etc. And I have a couple of 12 volt pumps so I can pump out of rivers,dams etc if required. Cheers.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi smile

I have not been to Robe but the story as reported makes sense to me. Small towns have limited resources and possibly a higher proportion of of older people. I have no problem with that and would not consider banning them from my list for trying to protect themselves. Good luck to the people there who have a proactive Mayor.
Jaahn

the rocket · Guru

yobarr wrote:
the rocket wrote:
Santa wrote:
Robe SA has expressed concerns re Grey Nomads visiting Robe to self isolate, other towns have similar concerns.
"While a popular destination for grey nomads without a permanent base, the Mayor warned them to stay elsewhere given the current climate.
"The impact on us [if someone does have coronavirus] is going to be far greater than if they turn up to a place like Mount Gambier, which has a large hospital and can deal with these problems in comparison to us," Ms Nunan said.
Concerning for the high number of older locals
Ms Nunan was especially concerned for the town's older residents.
"Somebody [visiting] will bring that virus with them. It won't be intentional, but chances are it will happen," she said.
She said a positive case in the community would put a serious strain on Robe's already limited health services.
"Where that may take us may cause us no end of personal grief," Ms Nunan.
"We have a significant number of older people in our community and we just feel as though the economic pain that we're going to experience will be short-lived [in comparison to health threats]."
If other towns take this attitude, where do us grey nomads go? I will b taking note of towns that turn us away n they will never see my dollars again
rocket
You could always become self-sufficient and live anywhere you want,for as long as you want? My water lasts well over a month,with normal showers, dishwashing,cooking and drinking etc. And I have a couple of 12 volt pumps so I can pump out of rivers,dams etc if required. Cheers.

Thanks yobarr, might need to get back to you if showgrounds close down n we are forced to free camp long term. We do free camp but never a long time in one place. We have solar and r pretty much self sufficient. Do not have any pumps and how much water do u carry? Thanks rocket

yobarr · Guru

Hi Rocket....I have 420 litres under the van,and another 120 litres behind the cab on the ute,but I haven't needed to access that yet.On the roof of the canopy I have a 70 litre black poly tank,with a hose down to a shower head if I am travelling without the van.Nice warm shower at tge end of tge day,and all free! The pump helps me fill that without lugging buckets up the ladder.Diesel heater for air and water,which takes about 20 mins to heat to 60 degrees for shower and uses such a small amount of diesel that the level in the 30 litre diesel tank has dropped only 6" in 6 weeks.No doubt it will use a lot more diesel if I have to use it to heat the van when the temperature drops below about 4 degrees,which is when the split system becomes ineffective,but I plan to stay away from colder areas,if possible.All cooking is electric,with microwave,electric frypan,slowcooker,airfryer, toaset,jug,plus a camp oven and a hotplate....covered the options,I think? The plan is to never haveto use van parks etc,a saving of at least $10,000 per year.Gotta go....the beer has just arrived! Cheers

TheHeaths · Guru

As with Jaahn, I agree with the Mayor taking a stand for the residents of Robe. It is a small town, has limited medical resources and she has asked that people respect that, and look elsewhere if they need long term accommodation during this time. She is standing by community. That is what she is paid for. That is what she should do. I do not think it is her attitude that is disgusting.

It is sad to see her and the town being condemned for looking out for themselves, and trying to stay safe.

The best thing those who live on the road can and should do is to find a location that allows long term camping and stay put. That is what the Government is asking everyone to do, limit non essential travel and limit the possible spread of this virus. That is what they want homeowners to do, stay put, that is what they want nomads to do. That is how we will beat this virus.

Not being able to travel freely is not a situation any of us want, full timers or once a year travellers, but that is what we have, and the sooner we limit the spread of the virus, the sooner we will be free to travel again.

Santa · Guru

Jaahn wrote:
Hi
I have not been to Robe but the story as reported makes sense to me. Small towns have limited resources and possibly a higher proportion of of older people. I have no problem with that and would not consider banning them from my list for trying to protect themselves. Good luck to the people there who have a proactive Mayor.
Jaahn

Makes sense to me as well Jaahn, nice to see someone using a little logic combined with common sense. smile

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

Great advice from Jaahn, The Heaths and Santa.

Only 10 minutes ago a friend of mine who is a Police Sargeant in SA sent me this.

It is really better for all to just comply with current expectations.

Mike Harding · Guru

Iva Biggen wrote:
Great advice from Jaahn, The Heaths and Santa.

Only 10 minutes ago a friend of mine who is a Police Sargeant in SA sent me this.
It is really better for all to just comply with current expectations.

Verifiable source please.

Santa · Guru

The final warning doc whilst interesting reads like a hoax.

Some form of rationing could be on the cards if people don't come to their senses.

Martial law (note spelling, not marshall) not likely, though some form of policing may well be called for.

"Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civilian functions by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency such as invasion or major disaster, or in an occupied territory."

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

It came to me from a friend who actually cares about how people are reacting in the negative.

Sorry, I will refrain from comment.

Only time will tell but carry on folks..

Cheers

Ivan

Santa · Guru

Iva Biggen wrote:
It came to me from a friend who actually cares about how people are reacting in the negative.

Sorry, I will refrain from comment.

Only time will tell but carry on folks..

Cheers

Ivan

No reason you shouldn't comment Ivan, just bear in mind there is a lot of misinformation being bandied about online. smile

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

There is a guy on another forum that insists he is travelling to NQ with total disregard to all other people.

Anyone travelling north may want to keep a closer eye on the weather.
Lets hope it remains a tropical low.

This is a prediction as of 1/2/20

cheers

Ivan

Izabarack · Guru

Santa wrote:
She said a positive case in the community would put a serious strain on Robe's already limited health services.

Reads like a Mayor looking out for her townspeople as well as alerting out-of-towners of the implications of getting sick where limited hospital care exists. I do wish the selfish people would stop complaining about those getting with the program of care for fellow citizens and community effort to stop the spread of the virus.

Iza

dorian · Guru

This document is just someone's personal opinion/observation. There are too many grammatical and spelling errors for it to have come from an official source.

That said, I agree with the author's sentiments.

Rob Driver · Guru

I here on the news that England is now in a lockdown that apparently can be enforced by the police and other authorities.
That could be our next step here in our country.

Ivans warning certainly does no harm and if we all just keep moving around and not complying with requests from authorities it will no doubt, be the same here.

I find it extremely hard to believe that there appears to be a group of Nomads that think they should be permitted to just keep travelling.
Stay home, stay away from others where possible and heed all the hygiene requirements and we will all be over this a lot quicker.

The mayor in Robe has only reflected very similar views from most who would be a responsible representative in any smaller town in Australia.

Regards

Angie

Gundog · Guru

Ever thought just how much government rules and restriction will the populace stand for before they rebel, and social disobedience starts to rise.

Santa · Guru

There will always be a knucklehead element who feel the rules don't apply to them.

Bagmaker · Senior Member

What a lot of people cannot get into their long-trained thinking is that many "nomads" do not have a home base. They shouldnt move due to the virus. But these ill-informed councils want to "move them on". There is no where to "move them on" to -and doing so would go against the thrust of isolation.
Councils need to adopt a policy for those registered as itinerant so they can remain in a campground, at a reasonable distance from others -and not risk the community by kicking them out.
There is always a valid requirement to ammend rules.
I would simply not comply with the order if directed. Stay put

shanem · Veteran Member

for heavens sake folks, we do not yet live in an overt police state, tho' some might think we live in a covert one. declaring martial law in Aussie due to the present COVID19 'crisis' is a tad over the top. remember the death rate is nothing like the seasonal flu, and Aussies are dying like flies from a variety of other causes, including domestic violence which is way ahead of the COVID19 problem. we need to keep things in perspective, eh? Just do the sensible thing, pay close attention to the news and the restrictions now being asked of us and we'll get by, no worries.

shanem · Veteran Member

as a separate issue re the current thread, I agree re the nomads who have no other place to go on to. the councils demanding this need to be very careful that they don't get 'isolated' for the future. I for one will be watching for their names and keeping a list for my future travels when all is well again - hopefully next year - and I will steer clear of those uncharitable, un-mateship guys and their towns.

shanem · Veteran Member

another point. I believe the current restrictions including border closures means that grey nomads need now to stay put where they are and the townships that were happy to have them before the 'crisis' should be happy enough to count them as 'honoured guests' or one of their own. the last thing we want to see is a grey nomad being hounded out of one town and then another - that would not be a good look, eh? poor buggers, they can come and stay at our place and we'll make do somehow shifting our vehicle to the street and allowing their caravan to set up alongside ours (which must now stay put instead of doing the WA trip we had planned for next week). hey, lets spread some good cheer out there ... and keep safe.

TheHeaths · Guru

This medical emergency has shown me one thing I hadn't expected.

Perhaps nomads with "no place to go" need to consider the development of a workable emergency plan, much like a bush fire plan, because if nothing else, the comments I have seen on this forum, others and Facebook suggest the one and only plan of those who live on the road is to keep moving, expecting communities to make room and share often low resources with them. Quite frankly, that is not workable in this case, as people moving is the ONLY way the virus moves, and is irresponsible. So I have been surprised how few seem prepared for any surprise that may happen.

Most of the supposedly uncharitable and unwelcoming places, often touted as RV Unfriendly towns, have little medical infrastructure, aging populations, and are reasonable isolated. They are not unfriendly, they are like many, including the nomads, uncertain about what is going to happen to them, and how they and their towns will cope. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask people to bypass them and locate themselves closer to centres that have better access to services.

As for other things, yes, flu does kill a large number of people each year. At this stage we have no idea what the final outcome of this pandemic will be. Flu has a vaccine, this virus doesn't, and may not for some time. Other things do kill many Australians, but I reiterate this is not over yet. I hope it is a lot less, but we don't know.

At the end of the day, looking to punish the towns for looking after their community, is no better than some people complain about. Un-Australian, unfriendly, and uncharitable.

shanem · Veteran Member

just found this on another grey nomad thread. seems a reasonable strategy:
AN UPDATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY

The NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, The Hon. Brad Hazzard, MP, has now confirmed the NSW position and made an Order under the Public Health Act 2010 which now bans mass gatherings, places restrictions on other gatherings and requires the closure of caravan parks and camping grounds.

Please read the excerpts from the Public Health (COVID-19 Gatherings) Order (No 2) 2020 below that applies to all our parks:

1. The Minister directs that the following must not be open to members of the public except as provided in this clause
(n) caravan parks and camping grounds, except for purposes of
(i) accommodating permanent residents of the caravan park or camping ground or other persons who have no other place of permanent residence, and
(ii) allowing visitors to visit persons referred to in subparagraph

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Travellers already in a Reflections Holiday Park with no other permanent address will be allowed to stay.
Travellers who have no permanent address who plan to stay in a park will be allowed to do so unless impacted by travel bans and state closures. You will need to complete the Exceptional Travel Booking Enquiry form on our website.
Travellers who are holidaying or have a permanent address elsewhere will not be allowed to check into the park after midnight tonight.
DO YOU HAVE A CURRENT BOOKING?

At this time, we understand that you may have questions relating to your future booking with Reflections Holiday Parks. At the moment we have a high volume of enquiries and appreciate your patience. Our cancellation policy can be found on our website.

Please stay safe and continue to hold close the idea of the great Australian holiday.

shanem · Veteran Member

I disagree with the comment that somehow people who were once welcome no longer are and that's OK because the town needs to look after their own - that's not what I have always understood to by true blue Aussie mateship - we are all Aussies for heavens sake, not aliens or invaders or whatever - so, if an old codger and his good wife are already in a town why should they be 'moved on' to some other place that will also move them on, until they reach a border and told to go back? come on guys, I would have been dead by the time I got to the border if I had been in Albany or nearby in a little town (the sort I like) wanting to get back to Melbourne. btw, as a veteran, I would never had been left where I dropped in my army days, even if I wasn't in the same platoon as the guy picking me up - and that's what mateship is all about.

Mariner30 · Senior Member

Shanem The various State Premiers are closing their borders as well as some towns asking people not to visit, Are you not going to visit those States either in the future? You do realise these small towns have very limited medical facilities, even before this virus started, Why would you want to wait weeks for a doctors appointment in some one horse town ( like we do now ) the nearest hospital is an hour and half away and then the wait can be hours...think about it...is that what you really need right now?

Bryan · Guru

Jaahn wrote:
Hi
I have not been to Robe but the story as reported makes sense to me. Small towns have limited resources and possibly a higher proportion of of older people. I have no problem with that and would not consider banning them from my list for trying to protect themselves. Good luck to the people there who have a proactive Mayor.
Jaahn

I totally agree.

shanem · Veteran Member

do please read my comments carefully. then respond to the issues I raise accurately. just a broadside isn't good enough. think carefully about your fellow Aussie travellers. I wish the best to all, including the stranded grey nomads out there.