Buzz Lightbulb wrote:

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I thought caravanning around Australia would be cheaper than staying in hotels, etcetera, but does this article indicate that it's going to get too expensive? 

 

Camping and hiking fees at NT parks and walking trails to increase from July 1

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-03/nt-park-fees-to-increase-camping-hiking-explainer/13210190

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 Cant see this. Whats it all about?

It is most certainly more expensive than it was.

Like a lot of aspects of life in this new post covid world our freedoms have been eroded or the cost of access to those freedoms have become higher.

E.g. Free Camping. Lots of free camps have been closed or turned into donation camps or have new regulations that require greater investment like Leave No Trace or self contained, if you will.

Caravan Parks by an large have also increased prices and regulation. I expect there are a lot more NO...........restrictions.

To some extent it is warranted. Extra cleaning etc required during Covid.

I also doubt that once Covid is no longer the threat it is now, that costs will go back to normal. At least, not until overseas travel becomes the norm and the premiers can no longer lock down their state at will.

But the biggest issue for costs going back to normal will be as usual greed. Things will never go back to the town being happy having their attractions patronised by travellers for casual parking.

-- Edited by msg on Thursday 4th of March 2021 01:13:32 PM

the rocket wrote:

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Buzz Lightbulb wrote:

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I thought caravanning around Australia would be cheaper than staying in hotels, etcetera, but does this article indicate that it's going to get too expensive? 

 

Camping and hiking fees at NT parks and walking trails to increase from July 1

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-03/nt-park-fees-to-increase-camping-hiking-explainer/13210190

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 Cant see this. Whats it all about?

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 I don't know why you can't see the content. It's the ABC so it should be accessible to all. Have you tried to cut and paste the URL into your browser? 

Um ?? What does the price in national parks have to do with caravanning ? I hardly go to NP ?? Maybe over WA ? Tmk theres no charge ? Or I didnt pay ? Theres other free sights if that is your thing !

Thats 10 coke cans I have to take to recycling !! Lol

Everything has gone up in the 8 years that have passed since leaving work, my old job has doubled the hourly rate. Most here aren't taking into account that rates, insurances, medical, electricity, water and food bills have all gone up.

In my opinion

I think that although the cost of caravanning will increase, it should (all things considered), still be cheaper than using motel/hotel accommodation while travelling Australia

We can find on Wikicamps/Camping Books/Forums/Word of Mouth etc, where the expensive places are, and if we are self contained, then we can plan to go to the lower price areas, or pay the higher prices

One good thing about caravanning, is that we know what the fuel cost of travelling from "A" to "B" will be, but it is always up to us, if we cover that distance in 6 days, or 6 months

Not knowing what the future normal will be, if for whatever reason, we do not get world Covid-19 under control, or if the vaccine is not as good as we think it will be, or if there are mutant strains popping up everywhere, then perhaps the people who usually go for an overseas holiday, may go caravanning, and fill up the caravan parks.

This will not be good for the genuine OAP (Old Age Pensioner), as the price will go up

I believe that if most of us do the right thing, of keeping the free camps clean, and spending money in the nearby town, and not the city supermarkets, then the locals may have an incentive to keep the free camps open

Yep NP around my home have gone up from $7.50 to $15.00 pn. For this you get nothing. Other than being allowed to park legally.

Aus-Kiwi yes you can free camp. But you mostly have to stealth camp. Or be hidden away where if something happened nobody would find you. The whole tone of free camping has changed. The free camps are populated by bogans, who are loud, unfriendly and drug taking idiots.

Very rarely do you pull into a free camp and are welcomed by the inhabitants suggesting you join them for happy hour. They seem to be watching you for what you may do wrong and ready to point it out at the drop of a hat.

IMO Yes. If not yet it very close.

Don't forget to factor in the cost of the caravan and tug!

The value is not the room costs but the locations that a caravan can get to. Many places have great views that you would not get in a motel/hotel that are traditionally in towns or alongside major highways.

Murray

We are heading down to Kangaroo island next week from Lake Macquarie and decided not to take our van just in case the border is slammed shut while we are in transit. I have prepaid our accomodation in places like Balranald, Victor Harbour and KI and the cost of staying in hotels compared to caravan parks or free camping is still way more expensive. On the positive side we should halve our fuel costs and we wont have to pay to take the van over on the ferry, on the negative side we will have eat in restaurants etc. instead of preparing our own meals. The thing that we will miss the most on this trip will be the interaction with other people as that just doesn't seem to happen when staying in a hotel...

BB

No rate payers on Stuart hi way . Your not looking if theres bogans where you go . Mayb EF v I am one ? Lol I can spend weeks out there ! I spent the coin to free camp ! Not to pay to stay in CG ! So many Narks !

For $38 per night I want power and water.

Many National Parks have gone crazy in the fees department - with very few exceptions all camping on public land should be free, maintenance of such places (such as it is) is one of the reasons I pay taxes.

Gundog wrote:

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Do I think caravanning in AU has become too expensive, In word or 2 HELL NO !

For a couple who live on the road and dont bother free camping, we refitted our caravan, gone are the solar panels, extra batteries are going as they become less serviceable, next battery to go will be the sole remaining battery in the van and that will be replaced with a 50ah one. 

We choose to stay at paid facilities caravan parks, show grounds etc etc that have 240v power and water available, ho****er service is 240v only as is the fridge. Next to be repurposed is the 1 of the water tanks, it will become a sullage tank for grey water, we rarely travel with much more than a 1/3rd of 1 tank of water.

We rarely pay more than $25 per night, and thats not expensive.

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You make some very good points in that post.

Our first large van we started our retirement with was adequate, but I fitted solar, extra batteries and all the tricky chargers.

We then wanted to upgrade (note not me but anyway) so we went with all the new flash electrickery and all the upgrades that we could put on it.

We thought we were great travelling the land looking down on those in parks while we at times, hunted for a spot to park for *nothing*

Then the penny dropped and we found we could stay in budget parks and even parks along coastal strips can be around the $25 per night.

In hindsight I dont need all that extra stuff so as to stay somewhere for free. We hated those roadside stops for caravans and wizzbangers, they are not fun

Today I would be happy with a 12 240 fridge, a domestic air con, no solar or battery bank and chargers and even a small domestic washing machine. 

My old van without any electric mods would have been fine now with our changing views on freecamping. We are happy to stay in parks with power and water..if you stay for more than a few days they are generally quite social. We have met many good friends and that to us is more important that a couple of dollars we might save in a designated *free* carpark.

If you are happy where you are then the longer you stay put the cheaper is your fuel bill.

This all came to light for us during the lockdown covid period in Qld in early 2020.

If your stays are researched and planned and you dont stay in major tourist areas, and if you dont spend the kids inheritance setting up your van for free camping then caravanning has not become too expensive.

Regards

Rob