Comment: Free Camping - What is the real cost?

Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 29, 2011 at 14:03

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Free Camping - What is the real cost?

Story: Baz – Landy (Updating the original – May 2013) One of the things that make Australia great is our ability to travel the wide open spaces and find our own little piece of Australia where we

Mick O

Bill, I think the debate also has to be tempered by the realisation that many small rural communities are striving for ways in which to keep their local area and businesses alive. This means identifying and promoting ways in which people can be attracted to the town and encouraged to part with some dollars at the local store, hotel or service station.

In many smaller towns, the highway that passes through is the only asset they have to promote and build on a passing trade. My brother lives in a small community of 90 people north of Hamilton. It sits on the Henty highway and has recently seen its local businesses suffer. The local hotel closed so the locals banded together in a co-operative arrangement to buy and staff it. The general store has now closed meaning a 30 km trip for the basics and fuel. They do have a river running through the town so to encourage people to stop, you may camp on the picturesque town reserve (by the river) for $5 per night. For this you’re provided with a key to use the toilets and showers at the recreation reserve which overlooks the area. To stop permanents making a welter of it they have imposed a 3 night maximum stay.

The hope is that those staying will buy something at the store, patronise the pub for a meal and generally contribute to the economy of a struggling rural town. The meagre income is used to maintain and stock the facilities and to assist the townscape committee on town projects (it just about pays for the mower fuel). Personally, in times where the continued rural downturn is putting pressure on many small farming communities, I’m all for seeing these initiatives flourish and can only hope that something positive results for the community. The real shame is that there are always far too many who’ll take advantage of rural hospitality to avoid contributing even that small amount.

As for “free camps” and in particular many those indicated by Camps Australia, I have had far too many negative experiences with inconsiderate nomads to use them. I avoid them at all costs (A gross generalisation there I know but unfortunately far too accurate these days).

A great topic. Regards, Mick

''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
Richard Maurice - 1903

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Reply By: The Landy - Wednesday, Mar 04, 2015 at 01:10

Wednesday, Mar 04, 2015 at 01:10

You’ve raised some good points, and I would like to pick up on a couple...

The issue is not so much free camping, but how it might affect private sector investment in short-term accommodation and tourism infrastructure generally, especially where councils are placing themselves in competition with private operators, at subsidised pricing. The ‘real cost’ of this will most likely be a decline in tourism infrastructure and standards in the longer term.

And I understand people no longer feel that caravan parks represent fair value when they look at the services they require. Perhaps the model needs to be changed, but local government subsidies in centres where short-term accommodation is already provided will lead to supply issues in the future. Private investment will slow, or dry up completely and we end up with sub-standard tourism infrastructure provided by a council, or at worst, none at all.

The example you have used is a good one, as I would assume there is no short-term facility in the town that can be used by motor-homes, caravans, and the like. So good on the community for looking at ways in which they might be able to ‘keep things alive’ and I am all for this, and remember the example you use is private enterprise at work, not a local government subsidy.

The question I ask is whether it achieves the stated aim of attracting business, one hopes it does. Anecdotal evidence suggests this is hit and miss as many will take advantage of the cheap accommodation, and purchase supplies and fuel at larger centres. The cost pressures of extended touring lends towards the argument that people will not pay-up for supplies and fuel in smaller towns when there is a Woolworth’s or Coles, and a number of services stations in larger centres close by providing cheaper pricing. As I said earlier, I could be persuaded otherwise in my thinking, but I’m yet to see any studies to the contrary.

But to ensure some perspective on my view; I am not against free camping in its entirety, but I am concerned about the future of our tourism infrastructure when people call for local government subsidies, which is what it is when councils provide areas free of charge, or for reduced prices, in places where short-term accommodation is already available.
Cheers, Baz, The Landy

AnswerID: 548228