Polies want your feedback

1st - Location location location

2nd - Some sort of standard for cleanliness - would be a good start to improvement (which in a lot of camping grounds seems to be lacking in WA compared to the Eastern states). There a few beautiful caravan parks around where the staff are helpful, polite and the area is clean and safe, but there are some that have an attitude that they are going to packed out and make money if they have an sanitary park or not. Just because they have a monopoly in a favorite area. I am relatively easily pleased, as long as I can shower my kids in safety, where they won’t cut their feet to bits on broken tiles or fingers on broken mirrors etc, don’t smell rubbish that hasn’t been removed for a week, or can approach a cooking area without throwing up. I’m usually understanding about the rest. It’s embarrassing when you have arranged a weekend away and have to put your family in such accommodating park with a like it or leave attitude. And really it wouldn’t take much to make a difference.

As for facilities I guess what ever makes wife/mother/lover happy, if she is having a nice time then there’s a more then good chance we do as well.

regards to all

William

Modern Toilets in Nat Parks that Dont stink as they use along the Hume Hwy between Sydney & Canberra & the Boss will be happy therefore so will I.Regards Bob
Where to next

Yes hooray!!! My two cents worth...

Firstly, freedom of choice in camping/caravanning accommodation options. Recognise that not all campers want the same type of facilities. Some prefer bare bones camping with few if any facilities whilst others want everything (eg. 5 star facilities, pool, camp kitchen etc). With a trend by many caravan parks towards "resort" style accommodation it is becoming increasingly difficult for those of us who prefer self-sufficient, casual style of camping to find this type of accommodation in popular areas. Believe it or not, some of us prefer a natural, undeveloped camping environment to a flashy, sterile, manicured lawn type camping area.

Secondly, with the rising popularity of caravanning and camping many parks are full to overflowing much of the time. Campsites are getting smaller and smaller. Also, nothing worse than being in a tent or campertrailer sandwiched between caravans or cabins. Give us room to breath pleaassseee!

Many caravan parks have a proliferation of permanent residents. I HATE having to camp side by side permanent set-ups. Why not set aside area's for each.

Please give us more bush camping options whether it be on crown/council land, reserves or national parks. Don't fall under the misconception that those of us who prefer bush camping are cheap-skates. Whilst for some, free or cheap camping is the difference between staying home or getting out there, for many of us it is a matter of choice not necessity. Whatever, we all contribute to some degree to local economies.

Regarding camping in reserves and NP's, get rid of those damn pine bollards that restrict access to camp sites. It's about time NP's and to some degree councils actually opened their eyes and recognised the major trend in camping to vehicular-based camping and campertrailers, both of which are left out in the cold under the current bollard policy.

Improving road side stops would be another positive step. Some now have toilet facilities and a few picnic tables which is great but what I'm talking about is more basic than that. Too many roadside stops are just off the shoulder of the road and are quite daunting with trucks and cars whizzing by at high speed, especially if you've got kids with you who are anxious to spread their legs after being couped up in the car. Please plan rest area's and stopovers that are well off the road and if possible, where there is a shady tree or two. A nice rest area will also encourage people to stop and stop for longer so surely there are positive safetly issues that will come from this too. And, if you're going to provide bins and loo's please maintain them. Too many rest area's are developed to this degree and then not maintained to the point that the loo's are filthy and rubbish is blowing around everywhere to the point many of us will bypass them instead of stopping.

Finally, why not develop more heritage and/or 4WD type trails where possible. I think this would be particularly beneficial to small rural regions that could well pick-up some tourist dollars if they set out to attract the rapidly expanding 4WD fraternity. Many of these rural regions have plenty of historical and natural interest as well as existing networks of tracks and trails that could be opened to travellers. A region that bucks the trend of restricting access and locking up vast tracks of countryside will stand to benefit as the camping fraternity look for alternatives.

Finger's crossed that having asked for input, Mr Best and his political counterparts actually listen.

:o) Melissa

Dont get too excited.. $100 says they already have in mind what will happen..

they are just doing this to cover their ass..

Can you tell I dont trust pollys??

Last year our group stayed at thePemberton caravan park overnight , the GREAT thing was that they had open fire places avalible for use for cooking and sitting around as a group we found this great , it was the first time I had come across this ,especially having so many around the park with plenty of fire wood supplied for free , a camp fire is an Aussie icon would love to see more of them in other caravan parks .Born to drive a 4x4 , not a keyboard
Peter York 4x4

It's sad to see our enlightened group cannot refer to our leaders/politicians correctly.

Their "Pollies" not "Polies", we must strive to get things right the first time.

PS How do your tell when a "Pollie" is lying???

Their lips are moving !!! Boom Boom

RTA

Russell

Get rid of the treated pine bollards in campgrounds. It cuts down the options for camper trailer destinations

decent toilets and rubbish points along ALL highways and byways and a education program to teach people what the hell they are for so that the baby with diarhea can be stopped and the nappies put where they belong
my 2 bobs worth probably find more but that is my biggest gripe "have pigs will travel"

steveimagine a 03 gu 4.2tdin the picture
as i am having trouble sizing the picture

People that I have spoken to really like those ensuites that you can park your van or trailer next too. Seems to be a real shortage of those. Should be standard ratios for toilets/showers/laundries to people for proper caravan parks. Should also have minimum standards for upkeep and cleaning and things like basins and soap and drying for washing hands after the toilet!! Also minimum site sizes.
I would like facilities for kids such as playgrounds that meet Australian standards, and open areas. Should have information on local area, emergency proceedures, locating things like hospital or health professionals etc. Should have public phones and internet access.
Also good to have some community cooking / kitchen / eating / barbecue areas to encourage interaction.
Would also like wilderness type camping opportunities with either nothing or maybe just some pit toilets.
Diversity of camping experience is important and should be encouraged. It is alright to charge for camping in National Parks but they then should be kept in order and have moderate supervision by Rangers
Andrew

Dunnies that have fresh water flush... not those foul dry pits ...and maybe a long shot thought ......but where can u stop every 2 hours on a trip ( revive survive etc ) when there are no facilities and not shady spot or dunny facility to be seen... the travelling experience in Aus is a struggle when u know that the 'staging' posts are few and far between .... and of course no proper facilities provided over the whole country network of 'National Highways' .... isnt it about time they were incorporated with a system of service units ?... or am i just a bleep stirrer ?

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses. I will ensure that all these suggestions are put forward in my response to Mr Best.ExplorOz