Quick thinking leads to arrest of alleged caravan thief

A SOUTH Australian woman's quick thinking led to the arrest of an alleged caravan thief. She heard noises at the front of her Northgate house yesterday and saw her campervan being towed away by a car. Noting down the car's registration number, she quickly phoned police who then swooped on the car owner’s home address and promptly arrested him. The 28-year-old was charged with stealing a motor vehicle, unlawful possession, unlawfully on premises and driving while unlicensed. The campervan has been returned to its owner. "This highlights the importance of recording details such as registration numbers, physical descriptions and other details which can help police solve crime," a police spokesperson said. Have your say

Kit yourself out for school holidays

Gramping about to hit camping scene

IN recent years Glamping has become a new phenomenon in Aussie camping, but now Gramping is about to hit the scene. The idea comes as Kids In Tow (KIT) celebrates its first anniversary. Run in conjunction with the Australian Caravan Club, KIT was founded by Gold Coast couple Colin and Natali Hopgood. Expensive caravan parks with all their bells and whistles are out for members, who believe the only requisite needed for children to make fun and have a good time is other kids. "We have had many mini musters with some families driving many hours just to meet up with people they have never met," Mr Hopgood told Caravanning News. "What has surfaced is the need for musters on the school holidays. It appears a lot of grandparents have their grandkids at this time because most parents have jobs. So we are working towards a program for 'Gramping' ... camping with grandparents. It will incorporate the club's FarmStay program, so there will be no cost for accommodation. This way grey nomads can still do their thing, while the kids will be doing theirs." KIT is very 'stranger danger' conscious, and has a closed Facebook and a 'KIT members only' section on its website. This way the location of musters and the whereabouts of members are protected. For more information, click here. Have your say

No management change expected

Super fund controls Discovery Parks

Mr Wilckens: milestone

By Dennis Amor
Have your say

SUNSUPER has taken control of Adelaide-based Discovery Holiday Parks, it has been disclosed.

The award-winning Australian superannuation fund was already a 28 percent shareholder but strong growth in the holiday park industry prompted the $240 million deal, pumping up it shareholding to 98 percent.

There will be no management change for Discovery Parks staff who will continue to be integrally involved in future growth.

Sunsuper is one of Australia's largest superannuation funds with more than a million members and $26 billion in funds under management.

Chief investment officer David Hartley said the move was a strong investment for Sunsuper's members.

"The holiday park industry is a strong and resilient sector and demand has continued to increase, even when there has been a decline in other forms of tourism accommodation," he said.

"This is a long term investment for Sunsuper and we plan to continue growing the business with the view to increase the number of parks."

Discovery Parks co-founder and chief executive Grant Wilckens described the ownership transition as an "important milestone" in the evolution of Discovery Holiday Parks.

"We continue to see excellent opportunities in the caravan and camping sector evidenced by the strong growth of our business which has delivered more than 21 percent compound growth in earnings over the last five years," he said.

Founded almost 10 years ago, Discovery Parks says it is now Australia's largest owner and operator of holiday park accommodation and a major provider of workforce and corporate accommodation.

It has 31 parks across all states of Australia.

Connecting job seekers with employers

Belinda's frustration leads to new park staff recruiting website

Belinda: 'glass half full' person

By Dennis Amor
Have your say

THE manager of a NSW holiday park has launched a new staff recruitment website designed specifically for caravan and tourist parks.

NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Park's Belinda Thomas hopes her new site will help do away with the "frustration" of having to wade through a mountain of job applications from people not really interested in finding work in the industry.

"I found that every time I posted a job vacancy I spent days reading through resumes of people who, in some cases, didn't even know what position they had applied for ... or even what industry it was in," she told Caravanning News.

Her Hire Me, Holiday Parks website aims to connect keen job seekers willing to pay a small fee with employers in the caravan and tourist park industry.

Belinda has worked at holiday parks for more than 13 years, mostly in management but also in frontline and operations positions.

"I am passionate about the people and experiences that holiday parks offer," she said.

"To me, finding the right staff for the right job is the most important step in building a profitable and productive business, but every process I tried just caused me to become more and more disillusioned with popular recruitment systems.

"I wanted to help fix this problem and being a 'glass half full' person that I am, I chose to put my money where my mouth is and build this website.

"I believe the holiday park industry is big enough and specialised enough that it requires its own industry-focused recruitment site."

Belinda said the most important step in building a better industry was finding, training and motivating passionate people.

The recruitment website can be accessed by clicking here.

CONCEPT CARAVANS GET BEHIND INGALL
IN V8 SUPERCARS

RUSSELL Ingall will return to V8 Supercar racing this year as driver for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport, sponsored by Victorian-based Concept Caravans. The 2005 V8 Supercars champion will race a VF Commodore built by category leaders Triple Eight Race Engineering, bearing number 23. Concept Caravans features prominently on the side wheel panels. The sponsorship gives Concept Caravans prominent exposure as well as numerous opportunities to increase its brand awareness with a huge audience. "We are excited to be a part of this team which has a long association with motorsport as well as the experience of 'The Enforcer'," a spokesperson said. Have your say

Thousands download free copies

BIG4 serves up recipes of success

BIG4 Holiday Parks' new crowd-sourced recipe book has been a hit, with thousands of Aussie holidaymakers downloading copies. It is packed with simple, delicious meals which can be easily replicated in the kitchens of all 180 BIG4 Holiday Parks across the country. To create the recipe book, BIG4 asked their fans and customers to submit tried and tested camp recipes ... and it turned out that Aussie campers have more than a few family favourites up their sleeves with more than 670 recipes submitted, 70 of which made the final cut. The recipe book is available for free download, and printed copies can be bought for $15.50 for BIG4 Loyalty Club members and $18.50 non-members (includes postage). BIG4 Holiday Parks chief executive Ray Schleibs said demand had been overwhelming with more than 24,000 people viewing it online. Click here to download. Have your say

Caravanning News photo of the suspected murder scene taken after Simone's body was found hidden nearby

Murder hunt continues

GERMAN COPS OFFER REWARD IN HUNT FOR SIMONE'S KILLER

GERMAN police have offered a $15,000 reward for information which helps solve the murder of a young woman at a NSW caravan park nine years ago. Bavarian backpacker Simone Strobel's body was found hidden under a pile of rotting palm fronds outside Lismore Tourist Caravan Park in February, 2005. Police alleged at an inquest that the 25-year-old victim was suffocated to death at the caravan park following a violent argument with her boyfriend and then unceremoniously dumped before he reported her missing. No one has ever been charged over the death. Bavararian police said it was hoped the reward might encourage Lismore residents with knowledge of the case to come forward. "The reward can be paid in Australia," a spokesman said. Have your say

Cell model riding crest of a wave
CELL Caravans' new model is riding on the crest of a wave, the Victorian caravan company reports. The Toy Hauler has attracted great interest from people wanting to take their 'man toys' away on holiday with them, marketing manager Amy Ryland told Caravanning News. "Others want office space, pop-up shops and have all sorts of creative ideas for using the model," she said. Meanwhile, Cell is seeking staff to join its team as sales of its extensive range of US-built 'vans continue to rise.

Free parks directory now available
THE 2014 Queensland Caravan Parks & Touring Accommodation Directory is being distributed to visitor information centres around Queensland. This free directory, colloquially known as The Caravanners Bible, lists all member parks in the state as well as a full listing of trades and services members. A must have to complement anyone's caravanning adventures, it can be obtained by emailing parks@caravanqld.com.au Have your say

Schools caned over tourist camp sites
The Caravan Parks Association of Queensland has expressed concern over some Sunshine Coast schools offering budget sites to campers to raise school funds. Operations manager Kristy Ponting told Caravanning News that travellers could be putting themselves in jeopardy. "Our concern is not that business is being taken away from the commercial caravan parks, but instead that by offering a caravan site on grounds that are not controlled or compliant to regulation, tourists are being put at risk," she said. It has been revealed that at least two state schools in the area are allowing recreational vehicles to use their ovals.

Spirit of Tasmania wins gold
TT-Line’s Spirit of Tasmania service has been recognised as Australia's best major tour and transport operator, ahead of some of Australia's biggest operators. It is the first time the service, which ferries thousands of caravans and motorhomes to the Apple Isle every year, has collected gold in the Australian Tourism Awards' category. With several other island tourist businesses also collecting gongs, Tourism Minister Scott Bacon said they capped off a record year in which more than a million people visited Tasmania, a first-time achievement. Have your say

Cairns park named Australia's best
BIG4 Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort has been named Australia's top caravan park. It scored gold in the tourist and caravan parks category at the recent Australian Tourism Awards in Sydney. South Australia's BIG4 Adelaide Shores Caravan Park took out the Silver gong while Nambucca River Tourist Park in NSW scored Bronze. Other finalists in the category were BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park (NT), BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park (TAS), RACV Cobram Resort (VIC) and BIG4 Peppermint Park (WA). Have your say

Push for improved safety at road works
FORMER Queensland grey nomad Colin Caudell is continuing his push for improved safety at road works. Mr Caudell's wife of 35 years Suzanne was killed last year while working as a traffic controller on the Bruce Highway north of Rockhampton in Queensland. He watched in horror as a giant B-double truck collided with her as she was holding a stop/slow sign at the Marlborough site. Members of the Southern Cross RV club, they were working as traffic controllers to earn extra cash for their trip around Australia in their Southern Cross fifth wheeler. The truckie has been charged and will appear in court this year. Meanwhile, the Caloundra branch of the Liberal National Party has passed a motion from Mr Caudell calling for better safety at road works. It wants an advertising and awareness campaign on road workers' safety, including traffic controllers, government policing of all traffic control sites to ensure correct signage, and policing and other enforcement of speed limits through road works. Mr Caudell says on his Facebook page: "The push for change is done in the memory of my wife." The motion will now go to the LNP's State Council meeting in Toowoomba, to be held from February 28 to March 2. Have your say

Strong support expected for CCIA's first show
ORGANISERS expect strong support for New South Wales' first major caravan and camping show of the season. The three-day Caravan and Camping Industry Association of NSW Expo will be open at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre and Showground on February 7. CCIA chief executive Lyndel Gray said the expo had become a "pivotal event" on the Hunter and Central Coast events calendar and she expected the attendance to exceed 24,000.

Slumped caravanner 'over seven times the alcohol limit'
A WOMAN allegedly found slumped in a vehicle towing caravan on Queensland's Bruce Hwy was more than seven times the legal alcohol limit. Police said the 47-year-old blew 0.367 when breath-tested on the major highway at Lethebrook, south of Proserpine. She allegedly admitted driving from Townsville earlier that day. She has been charged with drink-driving and driving an unregistered vehicle. Caravanner Christopher James Schmidt. 56, copped a nine-month jail sentence last year after being caught towing while nearly seven times over the legal blood-alcohol level. He was breath-tested as he refuelled his rig at a service station in Goondiwindi, near the Queensland-New South Wales border. Have your say

Minister welcomes new Apple Isle partnership
A NEW partnership between Tasmanian Tourist Parks and Family Parks has been welcomed by the Apple Isle's tourism minister, Scott Bacon. He said the new alliance would help boost Tasmania’s tourism potential and its contribution to the local economy, adding: "This new partnership will make the Tasmanian Tourist/Family Parks network the largest referral-based association in Tasmania." The Minister said caravan park guests had poured over $290m into Tasmania's economy in 2012-2013, on average spending 17 days on the island.

NP now offers specific sites for caravans
YALGORUP National Park south of Perth now has specific sites for caravans and camper trailers after a $1.3 million upgrade. Improvements include the addition of eight tent camp sites, four larger group camp sites, a camp kitchen, two communal fire pits and two toilets. And, Environment Minister Albert Jacob said, the park now offers specific sites for caravans and camper trailers, bringing the total number of campsites available to 34 ... double the number previously available. Mr Jacob said the upgrade was part of the state government's commitment to boost the number of affordable camping sites in WA's national parks and reserves. Have your say

Time to escape the rat-race
LIFE is too short to be stuck in the rat-race, according to Victoria's caravan and camping industry. And one of the first steps in escaping the frantic pace of city life is a visit to next month's Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow, which kicks off at Caulfield Racecourse on March 6. Organisers of the event, which will be celebrating its 60th anniversary, point out there are many breathtaking destinations to visit and memories to make when you own a recreational vehicle.

Annex permits to be scrapped
A VICTORIAN Government blitz on red tape will mean caravan owners will no longer have to apply for council planning permits to build annexes in caravan parks. The new rule is among a raft of changes following consultations with associations and businesses by Government Red Tape Commissioner John Lloyd. The reforms will also mean Segways (upright scooters) will be allowed at tourist spots in Melbourne. Most of the changes will be put in place to meet the government's 25 percent red tape reduction target by July. Have your say

Councillor's push for Branxton rest area
THE city of Branxton in the Hunter Region of New South Wales could be throwing down the welcome mat for grey nomads, if a local councillor has his way. The city will soon be bypassed by the 40km, $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway and Cr Jeff Maybury believes the old Branxton Oval would make an ideal overnight stopping place for travellers who would spend at local businesses. He points out that the Oval already has a dump point in its carpark and adjoining land could be turned into a $5-a-night facility for self-contained RVs, with a local charity collecting the fees. Have your say

BIG4 helps cancer rider achieve $1m target
BIG4 caravan and tourist parks raised $85,000 to help actor-turned unicycle rider Samuel Johnson reach his $1m target for cancer research. Johnson, best known for his roles on The Secret Life of Us, Crackerjack, Underbelly II and Network Ten’s Rush, set himself a lofty target after learning that his sister Connie had been diagnosed with terminal cancer more than two years ago.

400m move for Sunshine Coast RV
SUNSHINE Coast RV in Queensland has moved to new premises ... just 400m away! Agents for Coromal, Windsor and Nova caravans, the Caboolture company says the relocation in Lear Jet Drive offers improved frontage to the nearby busy Bruce Highway. "There's greater exposure and we will be able to serve our customers better," commented sales representative John Sills. Have your say

'Keen to add to success'

Carol 'over moon' at joining VicParks

CAROL Ward, who admits to having an "unwavering passion and commitment" for the caravan and camping industry, has joined the Victorian Caravan Parks Association. With an extensive background in the Australian hospitality sales and marketing arena spanning more than two decades, Ms Ward has taken up the newly-created position of membership development manager. VicParks said the new position had a wide and varied portfolio with the view to strengthening the association's membership offering. Having held positions with both BIG4 and Pathfinder Outdoor Destinations, Ms Ward is well known in the caravan park industry. "I am over the moon to be able to work alongside our CEO, Elizabeth White, as well as the entire team at VicParks," she said. "The work that has been done over the past three years is outstanding and I am very keen to add to its continued success." Have your say

Caravan parks support $4000 trial

Council defers dump point decision

A VICTORIAN council may pay caravan parks to allow caravanners and other RVers to empty their toilets at their dump points for free. Ballarat City Council believes it would be cheaper than installing public black water disposal facilities in the former gold rush town. Four caravan parks would be paid $10 every time a traveller used their dump points, the money coming from a $4000 council fund to finance the 12-month trial. The council had been recommended to give the thumbs up to the trial, but decided to seek more information. Cr Peter Innis told Caravanning News some minor issues had been raised and needed clarifying. "From a personal point of view I think we should do more to attract caravanners and other travellers to the town," he said. "If this trial is a total failure, that's fine. But we will do something else." He accepted that the experiment would upset some people. "You have got to try these things," he added. A council report suggested that when visiting towns, major purchases by RVers included $235 on fuel and vehicle maintenance, $160 on groceries and other living expenses and $51 on accommodation. "By making dump points available free of charge at local caravan parks, it is expected that some of this economic benefit will be captured by local businesses," it said. Parks supporting the trial are BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park, BIG4 Ballarat Welcome Stranger Holiday Park, BIG4 Ballarat Windmill Holiday Park and Eureka Stockade Holiday Park. Have your say

RV travellers mean 'money in the bank'
QUEENSLAND'S Sunshine Coast has been urged to do more to tap into the lucrative grey nomad market. Writing in the Caloundra Buzz magazine, the local Chamber of Commerce's Bill Darby said the travellers could mean "money in the bank" for the holiday strip. "We are not known as being RV friendly," he wrote. "But the Sunshine Coast is presented with an enormous opportunity to grow tourism expenditure through this market segment." He believed the area had "innumerable sites" for attracting travellers. "All we need is for council regulations regarding RV parking to be the enabler and to also provide a few extra sewer and water access points. The rest will take care of itself," he said. "If you are in the hospitality, tourism, transport or medical services sector, this is a lobby you need to be part of. Let's ramp up the visitation from this lucrative, responsible and rapidly growing market and reap the financial benefits." Have your say

Coober Pedy park joins national chain
BIG4 Holiday Parks has welcomed a new addition to its 180-strong network of caravan and tourist parks. Coober Pedy's Stuart Range Outback Resort, well known for its hands-on approach to attracting tourists to the world famous opal mining town, says it is delighted to be joining the national chain. The 4-star park offers daily coach tours ... and delicious pizzas!

CampAware cuts crime by half
CRIME at foreshore camping areas on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula has plunged by half since police introduced its proactive CampAware programme. The popular area attracts hordes of caravanners and other travellers but many experiences have been soured by reports of theft, damage, assault, obscene exposure and drunken anti-social behaviour. Authorities decided to tackle the problem head-on, with increased police and ranger presence, the CampAware scheme and regular patrols on an all-terrain vehicle. "The vehicle allows us to have a quicker response time and it had broken down the barrier between us and the people because they can easily approach and interact with us when we're in the vehicle," Crime Prevention Officer Julie Simpson told media. Have your say

More care needed to prevent RV fires
NEW South Wales' fire chief has urged caravanners and campers to take more care after figures revealed firemen dealt with 131 caravan and mobile property fires last year. "There is something special about camping, being in the outdoors with family and friends ... but it can turn into tragedy," Fire Commissioner Greg Mullins warned. In the past 10 years, FRNSW firefighters have attended nearly 1000 incidents involving caravans, campervans and mobile homes, with more than 60 injuries and eight deaths.

United effort staves off rent rises
CARAVAN park dwellers have heaved a collective sigh of relief after hearing that plans to slap GST on their rents have been scrapped. The draft Australian Tax Office plan would have applied to mixed-use parks which have both long term residents and temporary sites for caravans or tents. But it has decided to abandon the move after a nationwide protest. And the Caravan, RV & Accommodation Industry of Australia has welcomed the news, with chief executive Stuart Lamont congratulating the ATO on responding to industry and stakeholder concerns expressed during the consultation process. "The announcement by the ATO is welcomed to take away the concerns from residents facing uncertainty on what the GST decision may have meant for their rental payments," he said. "This outcome is an example of what can be achieved when the entire industry comes together united in a common cause." Have your say

New national industry body planned

Show briefings as merger nears

BRIEFINGS will be held at caravan shows for members of two major Australian caravan industry organisations as they move closer to a merger. The Caravan, RV and Accommodation Industry of Australia and the manufacturers' peak body, RVM Australia, say they are committed to delivering a new national industry organisation by July 1. A joint statement said professional advice was being considered ahead of board meetings this month. This was to "ensure that the most effective use of stakeholder funds is employed during the process, and that the interests of all sectors of the caravanning industry remain represented within the new organisation". The working party looking at forming the united national body comprises David Duncan, Chris Goddard and Ben Binns from RVM Australia and Stuart Lamont, Steve Bartlett and Mark Lindsay from CRVA. They are said to have already worked through "a number of key issues" relating to the proposed new single entity. "It is acknowledged that such an outcome is ambitious but achievable," the statement said.

* The merger is expected to be a key talking point when CRVA holds its national conference at Hobart's Hotel Grand Chancellor on April 2. Have your say

Government spotlight on rest areas
THE Queensland Government is quizzing the state's travellers, including grey nomads, on their experiences of roadside rest areas. The online survey comes as the government engaged PSA Consulting (Australia) to prepare a Best Practice Guide to help local authorities and community groups design and manage the facilities. Three workshops are also being held in the Sunshine State at which people can give feedback and offer ideas.

Murramarang resort rebranded
NRMA Holiday Parks and Australian Tourist Park Management (ATPM) have rebranded ATPM's Murramarang Beachfront Nature Resort. Although remaining in ATPM ownership, from March 1 the 4.5-star park at South Durras in NSW will be known as NRMA Murramarang Beachfront Nature Resort. ATPM bought the resort in December, 2010, and rebuilt it as a nature-based, fully inclusive family resort which become part of the ATPM-owned Escape2 Holiday Parks. ATPM chief executive John Tilton commented: "We are proud our resort has captured the eye of NRMA and look forward to our continued working relationship." Have your say

Costs soar for remedial work at Miara caravan park
REMEDIAL work at flood-ravaged Miara Caravan Park north of Bundaberg in Queensland will cost $173,000, nearly twice as much as first thought. Raging waters from the adjoining Kolan River last year cut a swathe of destruction through the 134-site park, one of four operated by Bundaberg Regional Council. The torrent was so ferocious it split the mouth of the river into three separate waterways, one dividing nearby Moore Park Beach to the south. The 3-star caravan park was closed for about three months while major repairs were carried out to its infrastructure. In a new update, the regional council said the initial works had been carried out involving the use of sand nourishment techniques to stabilise erosion problems.

Compliance programme rollout set for completion
THE RV manufacturing industry's peak body, RVM Australia, is on target to complete the roll-out of its RV Manufacturing Accreditation Program this year. Launched last April, RVMAP is a key element of the association's effort to ensure total industry compliance. Chief executive David Duncan said the programme had been completely reviewed last year to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. "The review confirmed that RVMAP is very much what our industry needs, and we have now fine-tuned it," he said.

Facebook fans offer helping hand

Splashdown for new water park

WHEN a NSW park wanted help in naming its latest attraction it turned to Facebook. More than 1600 of the park's fans on the online socialising medium offered suggestions, with judges finally deciding NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Park's new water park would be called Splash Away Bay. With its sea creatures, toddler zone, splash buckets, spirals , arches, shaded areas, BBQ and seating area, the feature has already proved a resounding success. NRMA Holiday Parks commercial manager David Birch commented: "The water park was created for the enjoyment of our members and guests and it was only fitting they had a say in naming it. We asked our Facebook fans to suggest names, with the winner receiving a holiday at Ocean Beach." A panel from NRMA narrowed it down to the top 10 names, with Facebook fans voting for the final winner. Splash Away Bay scooped 36 percent of the votes. Have your say

Sophisticated European styling

Jayco launches its new generation Silverline

JAYCO has launched its next-generation caravan – the Silverline. With its aerodynamic exterior, the caravan sports sophisticated lines of Euro-styling. "And the sporty aesthetics are matched by superior handling, in both the tourer and the outback models," national sales manager Shane Holloway said. "The front sweeps back and features a wide, almost full-width window, tinted and double-glazed for comfort and protection. A rear chrome bumper, diamond-shaped LED back lights, stylish external graphics and alloy wheels add to its overall appeal." Silverline comes in multiple lengths, from 21ft to 25ft, and 10 base layouts. They are fitted with durable, super-strong nitrogen-filled tyres and the unique J-tech suspension, allowing wheels to react independently of each other on bumpy roads. Heavy duty Pedders off-road shock absorbers and coil springs can handle demanding outback conditions. Silverline was extensively tested over two years at the Australian Automotive Research Centre and covered thousands of kilometres under extreme conditions. Have your say

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