Caravanning News is registered with the National Library of Australia's PANDORA archive

March 2015

 

 

Letters to
the Editor

LAST month's story in Caravanning News about travellers cold-shouldering specially allocated budget but basic caravan park sites brought a flood of letters. So many in fact we have dedicated a whole page for just a selection of them.


Sites need more promotion

I AM not surprised that some of these parks are receiving little trade, simply because nobody knows they offer these facilities.

If you are going to cater for this self-contained market you have to promote it.

I recently stayed in a camp where there was a $10 donation, only to discover the next morning that there was a $10 self-contained park just a short distance away.

Perhaps the Kui Parks group needs to make a GPS file available so we can find its parks offering cheap sites more easily.

By comparison, the Charleville Bush Camp is well known because they have made the effort to promote it.

Arthur Bugden.

Difficult to understand

I FIND this news difficult to understand.

We visited this wonderful park at Coffs Harbour in July last year and were so appreciative of the way they catered for us in our motorhome.

They provided a quiet grassed area for us to stay out of the way from all the normal goings on associated with a busy family orientated caravan park.

We are fully self-sufficient and don't require all the extras so often supplied for caravan owners and their families.

Caravan parks are designed for families with caravans, who stay there for maybe one or two weeks, who will take advantage of the playgrounds and other facilities on offer.

Motorhome people tend to only require somewhere to get a good night's sleep before continuing on their journey.

Coffs Harbour was seen by the motorhome fraternity as being one of the more progressive parks.

It's a great pity that this opportunity is in danger of being discontinued.

Paul Turvey.

Not in the know

I DON'T believe it was ever announced.

Many caravaners do not know about this offer.

Leo Frances.

On the tariff schedule?

IF these sites were advertised and appeared on the tariff schedule I am certain they would be used.

But I imagine creating a separate secure area is a major cost for the caravan park owners.

Perhaps finding a way to provide these sites at an acceptable cost is also part of the issue.

Jan Brinkworth..

Remove your blinkers

UNBELIEVABLE! How well are they marketing them?

As one of many consumers who would use these sites, I suggest we need more of them and longer trials.

The tone of this article suggests that this is the result they were looking for.

There was so much controversy in this region that it is possible that it was avoided for a while.

Take your blinkers off.

Kymnlyn.

Cheap sites are safe

MAYBE it wasn’t advertised enough.

We love those type of sites because you are safe.

We are self-contained and really don't need all the extras.

Pat Dixon.

More advertising needed

MAYBE because no one has heard about these sites.

I'm sure people would use them if they were advertised more.

Jill Roberts.

Another silly excuse

CARAVAN park managers grumbling about the lack of take-up, should stop and remind themselves why it is not working.

The obvious question is: "When and where was it promoted?"

As a constant visitor to many internet RV sites ‒ and the delightful Coffs Coast ‒ I, like many travellers, have never heard of this offer.

I really wonder about these people and ask myself whether they are genuine, or are they really attempting to discredit the grey nomad because of our non-co-operation.

I personally believe they are suffering from a massive dose of self-absorption and are using their lack of genuine enthusiasm to effectively promote their parks.

All I see is another silly excuse to bash the free-camping fraternity.

Robert.

Empty words . . .

IT certainly seems strange that caravanners who have been bellyaching over the rising costs of caravan park pitches seem to be ignoring these cheap but basic sites.

After all, many "free-campers" claim they can't afford to stay in caravan parks and would gladly welcome a basic site in a caravan park if offered.

Empty words, methinks.

The trial at one Coffs Harbour holiday park has now been abandoned after very few travellers took advantage of the reasonable $10-a-night offer.

This is a great shame.

It just goes to show that many caravanners would rather grab what they can while on the road without any real interest in paying their way ... hence the growing problem of illegal camping.

I have heard many tales of these people even ignoring honesty boxes at some camping areas or slipping away before dawn, well before caretakers do their fee-collecting rounds.

It's not too difficult to understand why caravanners are being given a bad name ... particularly when their rigs are often worth well in excess of $100,000!

Frank Winterbottom.

Why is this happening?

WHY it this happening when travellers can park overnight for just $10?

Are they going into more expensive parks, ie those being upgraded to accommodate more caravans, have pools and activity rooms etc.

Or are they seeking free-camp sites.

If so, where can I find a list of them in NSW to start with, please?

I enjoy reading your news articles in Caravanning News.

Joy Gough.

Cynical exercise

I BELIEVE it was set up to fail.

I noticed that these cheap sites received little, if any, publicity.

One traveller reported having to ask specifically for them, having been offered an identical site at normal commercial rates.

I think it was a cynical exercise designed to prove a predetermined point.

Richard Robertson.

A grey area

I WOULD venture to say that the requirement for 'self-contained' (various definitions of this exist) would be the culprit.

Not many caravans are self-contained if the term refers to retaining grey water on board.

Frank Turner.

Never heard about it

BUDGET-priced camping in Coffs Harbour ‒ never heard about it before.

We have driven through Coffs many times during our journeys when we were aiming for somewhere else.

And after this announcement, it looks like we will continue ... using Glenreagh recreation ground for $15 a night.

Phil Jones.

Huge appeal to some

WITH the number of off-road caravans and trailers being made, the $10 option which comes with a dump facility is of huge appeal.

These days more and more such caravans have effective solar power.

This means that non-powered sites are not an issue for modern trailers and off road caravans.

Douglas Linacre.

Not understanding

PERSONALLY, I don't understand why that's happening.

The number of people looking for free and cheaper sites appears to be huge, particularly on the WikiCamps forum.

I would suggest there's not enough advertising about this.

Or maybe it's the size of the sites or their locations within a park.

BernieS.

It's a pity

IT'S a pity that these facilities are not more well known ... I'm sure they would be utilised if more widely publicised.

Look at the use made of showgrounds, and they are around the same price.

Ray Buck.

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