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  Search ends in tragedy

Park mourns death of boy, 15

By Dennis Amor

A NORTHERN Territory caravan park is in mourning after the tragic death of a teenage boy. The 15-year-old was found drowned in the river after he reportedly ran away from the McArthur River Caravan park at Borroloola, about 970km SE of Darwin. A spokeswoman at the park told Caravanning News: "We are in shock and his parents are pretty distraught. They want to grieve in peace." She declined to comment on whether the family was tourists or residents at the park. The boy's parents and police had scoured surrounding areas after the boy disappeared last weekend. Superintendent Michael White of the Arafura Division said police and local health clinic staff located the boy's body in the water at the Rocky Creek Boat Ramp. There was nothing to suggest any crocodile involvement. Have your say

Liquidation move sparks closure denial

VANGUARD CARAVANS
STILL IN BUSINESS

VICTORIAN manufacturer Vanguard Caravans has denied it has gone bust. Confusion arose after the company was reported to be in voluntary liquidation. But director Barbara Kyriakidis told Caravanning News: "We had several names and it was all too messy. Our accountants advised we get rid of Vanguard Caravans Pty Ltd and retain Vanguard Caravan Sales." She said Vanguard Caravan Sales was "alive and well" and had full order books until next March. Liquidator Keith Sutherland told Caravanning News there would be a meeting of Vanguard Caravans Pty Ltd creditors on June 27. This company appeared to have no assets but debts of about $698,000, owed mainly to director John Kyriakidis. Have your say

'Resurrected, dusted off and back on the shelf'

REGENT REVIVED AND SET TO ROLL AGAIN

Caravanning News exclusive
By Dennis Amor

IT'S official ... the factory which produced Regent caravans until the company went belly up in April, is again manufacturing caravans bearing the same brand name, Caravanning News can reveal.

The first of a new breed of Regent is expected to roll off the production line at Campbellfield in Victoria within the next few weeks.

As forecast in  Caravanning News' last edition

"Regent Caravans has been resurrected, dusted off and put back on the shelf," general manager of the new company Graeme Groves told Caravanning News. "And this time it's here to stay."

Founded in the early 1990s, the well-respected Regent Caravans company shocked the industry when it went into voluntary liquidation on April 3, throwing dozens of staff out of work.

But Caravans Australia has now taken over Regent and promises to produce the same quality caravans for which the original company had become well known.

"Everything has been signed, sealed and delivered," Mr Groves said. "There will be some minor changes but Regent produced a very good caravan so we see no reason to change it drastically."

He claimed the factory had been left "in a terrible mess" following the closure but said three new-breed Regent caravans were already at various stages of production and dealers had been lined up.

AL-KO HELPS COMBAT LETHAL JACKKNIFING
	AN award-winning Victorian company has developed an innovative unit which could drastically reduce the number of potentially lethal accidents involving caravans jackknifing. And the electronic sway controller has been applauded by a government minister who recently opened AL-KO's $4.3m Recreational Vehicle Technology Centre at Dandenong, where the unit will be manufactured. Click to read more
AL-KO's new sway controller under test

 Six charged after NSW park shooting

Six people have now been charged in connection with a shooting at a NSW caravan park in February. The arrests came after police went to bushland near Nowra and recovered  a .22 calibre semi-automatic rifle believed to have been used in the shooting at The Willows caravan park in Nowra. A 30-year-old man was inside his cabin when he was shot a number of times. The badly injured man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition and is said to be now a paraplegic. Have your say

Doomed aircraft which crashed near park was overloaded: report

AN AIRCRAFT which narrowly missed crashing into a NSW caravan park at night was overloaded and the pilot lacked experience, an official report has revealed. Four people died and two others were critically injured when the single-engine Piper Saratoga swooped low over Moree's Gwydir Caravan Park in the state's north-west. The doomed aircraft clipped trees before nosediving into a paddock on the fringe of the park. Stunned tourists and residents from the 150-site caravan park, a member of the Family Parks chain, rushed to the crash site and helped pull two badly injured passengers from the wreckage.

City 'losing thousands of dollars'

Grey nomads support call for
Darwin free-camping zones

Story and Photo: Dennis Amor
  Have your say

GREY nomads have joined backpackers in calling for free or cheap overnight camping facilities in Darwin. Travellers, including many from overseas, have accused the Top End city of being 'unfriendly' and turning them away, despite their potential to inject thousands of dollars into local businesses and tourism operators. But locals claim they have only themselves to blame by littering beaches and parks and using harbour-side rocks as toilets. One young traveller in a campervan rejected the allegation, telling local media she and her friends had cleaned up after themselves while staying at Fisherman's Wharf for three weeks. Queensland grey nomad Dave Masterson, who is three months into a round-Australia adventure, pointed out that Darwin was an isolated city which could only be reached by enduring many hours of driving through desolate terrain. "But there's certainly no welcome mat when we arrive," he told Caravanning News. "The Northern Territory forbids free camping in so many places ... despite the isolation. I really can't understand why Darwin can't offer free or cheap places to spend a few nights after the torturous journey to get there." And another commented: "I know that many caravanners would certainly support any move for free overnight camping zones in the city."

Heart-attack victim banned from selling home
PLANS by heart-attack victim Alison Paris to sell her caravan park home in Queensland and move into a retirement home have been dashed. Mrs Paris and other owners of permanent caravans at the park have been banned from on-selling their homes. Shocked residents are furious after receiving letters informing them they must remove their homes when tenancies run out. "I planned to sell my home and this would have given me capital to enjoy myself in the retirement village," a heartbroken Mrs Paris told Caravanning News.

New caravan every nine minutes
A NEW caravan is rolling off Australia's production lines every nine minutes as the industry strives to keep up with increasing demand. Today, there are about 430,000 caravans, motorhomes and camper trailers registered in Australia, making it one of the world's most caravan-friendly countries. Around 25 percent of these are registered in Queensland alone. The news comes as Caravanning Queensland prepares to throw open the doors of the state's major Caravan, Camping and Touring Holiday Show, which will be staged at Brisbane's RNA Showgrounds from June 6 to 12.

Executive officer leaves RVMAA
EXECUTIVE officer Colin Young has left the caravan industry's peak body, it has been revealed. Mr Young had worked for the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia for seven years. No reasons for his departure have been given but it is well known Mr Young had worked tirelessly to make the association more open and transparent in recent years. Mr Young told Caravanning News he had decided to "move on" after nearly seven years with the RVMAA. "I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with many fine people, and hopefully I have been able to assist them and the Australian RV industry," he said. Meanwhile, tributes were paid to Mr Young on Australia's largest online caravanners' forum. "I would like to place on record my appreciation of what he has tried to achieve," wrote one member. "There are some within the industry who may not always agree with his approach but nobody could doubt his sincerity, nor his willingness to instigate changes for the better." The RVMAA failed to respond to requests from Caravanning News for a comment. Have your say

Caravanners cane school bonus holiday idea
CARAVANNERS have slammed a suggestion the school bonus should be spent on family holidays. THE $2.1 billion federally-approved handout will begin flowing this month, giving parents payments of $410 for each primary school child and $820 for those attending high school. AAA Tourism has reportedly suggested families should spend the money on local holidays. Caravanning News went on the road to ask travellers for their opinions.

Caretaker overcharged guests and pocketed difference, court told
A FORMER caretaker at a Victorian caravan park charged guests more than the official tariff and pocketed the difference, a court was told. Geelong Magistrates' Court heard how 52-year-old Louise Garside stole $13,445 while employed at the council-owned Queenscliff Caravan Park between 2008 and 2010. Her duties included office reception, administration and handling all incoming and outgoing cash. In addition to refunding herself money after overcharging guests, she was also said to have admitted being responsible for transferring refunds to her own bank account, voiding transactions and transferring credit balances between accounts. Garside was handed a three-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to repay $13,445 before December 5, 2012. Have your say

Training the key to staying ahead: ATPM
QUEENSLAND'S award-winning Australian Tourist Park Management company has teamed with ACE Community College to "train and retain" its workforce. The Coolangatta-based company employs 25 local staff in its head office and many more at its 26 holiday parks around Australia. It says it has embarked on the staff training regime to stay ahead in a competitive tourism market. Have your say

Sleep-deprived 'vanners move out

Pretty parrots ruffle nomads' feathers

LIKE birds of a feather, the southern grey nomads are flocking to Queensland to enjoy the winter sunshine. But their feathers are being well and truly ruffled by one noisy species of native wildlife at Hervey Bay. Caravanners at the 3.5-star Scarness Beachfront Caravan Park are moving out after complaining about thousands of screeching rainbow lorikeets keeping them awake in the early morning. "It's the most beautiful spot for a caravan park, but I'm not coming back until the birds are gone - and I'm telling all my friends," squawked one sleep-deprived grey nomad, who also grumbled about the amount of bird droppings soiling his car and caravan. But locals were unsympathetic.

Finance team lauds Fleetwood
INVESTORS sitting on the sidelines should keep a careful watch on the Perth-based Fleetwood Corporation, which builds the Windsor and Coromal range of caravans. That's the view of a team of renowned Australian finance journalists who own and produce a twice-weekly Australian stockmarket outlook newsletter. It predicts continuing success for Fleetwood which, it says, is one of six Australian Stock Exchange companies offering stocks successfully riding on the back of the baby boomer generation.

Jail for woman who cleaned up at park
A CLEANER who stole $55,000 from a Victorian caravan park is behind bars. Suzanne Harvey, 46, was jailed for two years after a jury found her guilty of taking the money from a safe while working at Lakeshore Caravan Park in Lake Eppalock. Harvey, who proclaimed her innocence throughout the two-week County Court trial, must serve a minimum of six months before being eligible for parole. The jury was told she was addicted to gaming machines and stole the money while the caravan park owners were overseas. Have your say

Parks 'reinvent' themselves, say analysts
CARAVAN parks and campgrounds in Australia are rolling out the changes to help combat tough economic times, according to a new report. Leading business information analysts IBISWorld said the holiday spots were being forced to reinvent themselves and become more family friendly. With a record number of Australians holidaying overseas, international visitors being driven away by the strong Australian dollar and rising site and rental fees, it has been a tough time for holiday parks.

'Appy' caravanners welcome new camping aid
MORE and more caravanners are turning to a dynamic user-generated camping app to help them travel around Australia. WikiCamps Australia, available from iTunes and Google Play, allows users to add, edit and share their favorite campsites and caravan parks. With over 2700 listings already, it is heralded as the largest and fastest growing camping app in Australia. Users can even add and view photos from other people so they can see what sites are like before they arrive. Extra gadgets include satellite dish pointer, camping checklist and compass. Click here for more information and to see a selection of screen shots. Have your say

Koala puncher hit with $500 fine
A NEW Year's Eve reveller who punched a koala at the One Mile Beach caravan park and resort in Port Stephens, NSW, has copped a $500 fine. The Muswellbrook man was allegedly involved in chasing down the defenceless animal and hitting it at the park, which adjoins the Tomaree National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service tracked him down after speaking to witnesses at the Top Tourist holiday destination. Have your say

Cops unimpressed by bizarre island 'road train'

A QUEENSLAND holidaymaker who turned his recreational vehicles into a somewhat unusual road train has copped an unexpected $166 fine. Police couldn't believe their eyes when they came across a 4WD towing a poptop camper towing two jet-skis on Stradbroke Island in Moreton Bay near Brisbane. "Too bad it was very unsafe ... and totally illegal," astonished police said. Have your say

Free passes to compensate for pool closure
THE award-winning Beachlands Holiday and Caravan Park in WA will offer improved swimming facilities next summer. The BIG4 Busselton holiday destination's pool will close for refurbishing on June 5 and reopen "bigger and better" in mid-September. Meanwhile, a limited number of free family passes to the nearby Geographe Leisure Centre will be offered during the July school holidays. Have your say

BIG4 trio tops in TripAdvisor awards
THREE BIG4 resort and caravan parks, including two on Queensland's Gold Coast, have been voted tops in the latest TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards. Leading the field as the most most popular family destination in the world, South Pacific and Australia was the Coast's 4.5-star NRMA Treasure Island Resort and Holiday Park. A second park on the Coast and another in WA scored highly in the gongs, which are based on the highest amount of positive comments and ratings made by past guests.

DENSO to build caravan rooftop air conditioners
JAPANESE auto giant DENSO will develop and manufacture caravan rooftop air conditioning units in Victoria. Manufacturing, Exports and Trade Minister Richard Dalla-Riva made the announcement after visiting DENSO’s headquarters in Nagoya. Two other new engineering projects will also be based in Victoria, home to more than 140 Japanese companies. The DENSO Group in Australia is located in Croydon and employs 400 staff, with another 16 jobs being created as a result of the new projects. A DENSO spokesman told Caravanning News  the company already produced the Australian designed floor-mounted (under-bunk) UB1 air conditioners for poptops and reduced-height caravans but was looking forward to the new challenge. Have your say

Flood-ravaged park back in business
THE Narrandera Caravan Park, which was ravaged in NSW's disastrous March floods, has reopened for business. The four-star, pet-friendly park at the junction of the Sturt and Newell highways, was inundated when part of the levy bank surrounding it was washed away. Cabins, together with powered and camping sites, are now available and the amenities block and camp kitchen operational at the park, a member of the Oz-Parks chain. Have your say

Alison's slice of nostalga

GRANDMOTHER Alison Paris fondly remembers taking her young children on caravanning holidays. And she thought she would share a little of her nostalgia with Caravanning News readers. Seventy-two-year-old Alison, from Bargara in Queensland, snapped this picture of her children enjoying a holiday when they lived in Canberra. "My children gave me this photo of our holiday together at Lake Eucombine in the NSW Snowy Mountains. It is a wonderful memory for me," she told us. Have your say

Helping you plan your show visits
THOUSANDS of enthusiasts are already flocking to this year's round of nationwide caravan and camping shows. The events showcase the RV industry's latest models and range of must-have accessories. Caravanning News has compiled a list of dates and venues of upcoming events.

Apple Isle strandings give travellers the pip
CARAVANNERS without return ferry bookings from Tasmania are complaining it can up to a month to get back to mainland. Now they are warning fellow travellers not to book one-way fares to the Apple Isle. Latrobe and Mersey River caravan park owner Gavin Imlach said some travellers with one-way tickets were stranded at his park. "People will book one-way because they don't know when they are going back," he told media. TT-Line, which operates the Spirit of Tasmania ferry, admitted there were delays for some owners of large rigs but said the company was monitoring the situation. Have your say

Family offers $10,000 reward

Royal jeweller drowning mystery

MYSTERY surrounds the death of a former royal jeweller who vanished from a Queensland caravan park. The body of Brian Sutherland, who lived in a cabin at River Gardens Caravan Park on the Gold Coast, was recovered from the Nerang River. Now his family, who has been stunned by the unexplained drowning, has offered a $10,000 reward for information. Police have reportedly told the family there were no suspicious circumstances. Mr Sutherland created jewellery for Queen Elizabeth II after training at Royal Warrant holders Hamilton & Inches in Scotland. Have your say

Park plays host to French student
CAIRNS Holiday Park in north Queensland is playing host to a French student for six weeks as part of her studies in business administration at a college in the south of France. Nineteen-year-old Warda Afif landed at the park in mid-May and is gaining practical experience under the guidance of park managers Bob Bastian and Roz Barnett. Have your say

For stories from the last six editions of Caravanning News, click on the appropriate month:

May 2012	April 2012	March 2012	February 2012	January 2012	December 2011

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Editor: Dennis Amor
PO Box 678
Caloundra
Queensland 4551
Australia
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