Dont Lock Up Australia!!!

[aussiegirl]

Some time ago I purchased a Thermal Cooker, and have been receiving a newsletter from the company from time to time.
I received a special newsletter today that I thought might be of interest to other travellers. Apparently someone is standing for the Senate and they are trying to stop the closure of many of the free camping spots.

link to the news letter is below
http://www.m2news.com.au/tools/View.php ... faa2437457

I have no connection to the company other than being a customer

regards
Jenny

[generdawg]

While I sympathise with much they have to say, I cannot accept the following;

"I can understand the stance that Caravan, Camping Parks are taking about the FREE CAMPING issue and I agree fully that within reasonable proximity to a township where caravan and camping facilities are provided by regulated authorised facilities there should not be FREE FACILITIES however that being said I firmly believe that outside of these limits there certainly should be FREE FACILITIES available....our campers still spend their money in the towns and they will not destroy facilities that are designated for them.

We seem to be destined to only be able to camp in an approved (and paid for) authorised facility...what is Australia coming to!!"

What is it coming to? EXACTLY!

And any time you come to our town where bottled water is sold you should not be able to take on town water at just any tap for nix. Don't even think of fishing within a 5km radius of a take-away either. How dare you park unmetered on the street next to a pay car park - really! etc etc etc.

dawg (it's not just the money, it's the life style and CP's are not for everybody. rant over)

[aussiegirl]

Some people don't see it the way others do. Personally, I think if there are free spots and caravan parks, then each individual should have the choice of where they stay for the night. Not everyone is into caravan parks, and not everyone likes camping at showgrounds or on the side of the road. It is when the choice is taken away, that the problem becomes apparent. The people who wrote the newsletter may enjoy staying at the caravan parks, or they may not camp on the road at all, I don't know.
Either way I sent a rather long email explaining about how many people are really angry about having to pay up to $30 or more to park for the night after they have paid out so much money for a fully self contained rig and that many are now boycotting entire towns if they are given no choice but to stay in caravan park due to councils shutting down the free parking areas. I also explained that the main group lobbying for this is the caravan lobby and that they are often involved with council, or the parks themselves are owned by council so they think that by shutting down free parks, it will bring more people to the caravan park and therefore make people spend money in the town. I explained that this is definitely NOT the situation, because they are driving right on through.

[Dot]

Shall be interesting to see if you get a reply Jenny.

[John M]

While I sympathise with much they have to say, I cannot accept the following;

"I can understand the stance that Caravan, Camping Parks are taking about the FREE CAMPING issue and I agree fully that within reasonable proximity to a township where caravan and camping facilities are provided by regulated authorised facilities there should not be FREE FACILITIES however that being said I firmly believe that outside of these limits there certainly should be FREE FACILITIES available....our campers still spend their money in the towns and they will not destroy facilities that are designated for them.

We seem to be destined to only be able to camp in an approved (and paid for) authorised facility...what is Australia coming to!!"

What is it coming to? EXACTLY!

And any time you come to our town where bottled water is sold you should not be able to take on town water at just any tap for nix. Don't even think of fishing within a 5km radius of a take-away either. How dare you park unmetered on the street next to a pay car park - really! etc etc etc.

dawg (it's not just the money, it's the life style and CP's are not for everybody. rant over)

While I agree that all Australian business deserves some form of protection, I also believe that if you wish to purchase a pair of shoes it is illogical to try and sell you a hat instead! However was a proper business plan and marketing strategy developed, then possibly you could be coerced into purchasing both.
I feel that largely those that frequent caravan parks, rarely use free camps and to a degree vise versa. I think that free camps and Caravan parks can exist side by side, particularly if there is a time limit on the free camp, and that is enforced, typically Cooktown where the free camp has a 48hr limit and is situated behind a caravan park. Since establishing the free camp the Caravan parks have been full! Spending two nights in the free camp for $5 and then two nights in the caravan park at $30 a night powered site, made a total cost of $70 for 4 nights $17.50, which is an affordable rate, or so the feelings appear to be.
What the Caravan Park lobby fails to understand is that by forcing the closure of free camps does not force travelers into their park, but in fact works inversely in that it drives them away from their area and thereby reduces the chance of them utilizing their facilities or spending money in the town. It would make more sense to try the Cooktown model and see what, if any difference it made to the caravan park occupancy rates, I think a lot of people would be surprised.

[Kelvin12]

That is a very good post John M. And that's the sort of message that councils and park operators should be noting.

Dirk

[Dot]

Hi John, I took it that you had a stuttering fit so I deleted one for you. Carry on Good post by the way.

[John M]

That is a very good post John M. And that's the sort of message that councils and park operators should be noting.

Dirk

Thank you for your response. While this is the message that Councils should look at, firstly they have to see it, we need some form of "PR" section or Action group, that will put this message out to all, so as to enable those those in power to make an educated decision looking at all sides, not just the scenario as presented by the Caravan Parks Lobby, or for that matter, just our side of the story, they need to have all relevant available. The CMCA some years back presented a flyer that laid out the projected growth of the Grey Nomad movement as affected by the "Baby Boomers" (I had a copy of it but cannot find it) that finished with a statement along the line, "that the numbers will be XYZ and ignore them at your peril."

[Kelvin12]

Hopefully the NEW elected board members will put a bunger under the old guard and get them moving. I know they are doing a bit toward this free camping issue but its obviously just not enough. PLUS you hear very little, probably only what they want us to hear exactly what's going on for different reasons but we need to be more forceful and WE need to hear exactly what's going on with the process, not the usual crap, such and such is working very hard to do this and that. WE don't know exactly what has transpired what sort of statement has been presented and to whom they are talking to and what their position is and what they have said in reply. WE need to do way more as WE are just plain not winning the battle, the runs aren't going on the score board. This stuff about ONLY authorized selected CMHC members are allowed to talk to councils or whatever, this is plain stupid and so secretive. People in small towns/communities are on first name basis with local councils, mayors and councilors. Its easy to talk with them and have a whisper in their ear over a beer or at a function. More good comes from a chat over a beer than all the the lobbying we are doing at the moment. Its just not making a difference, we are hearing of more and more closures than openings or re-openings.

My rant for the day.....

Dirk

[BruceS]

Thankyou for such wonderful posts!!
I'm sure most of us here are in full agreement.