What is going on with caravan numbers.
Submitted: Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:16
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Fatso
The reports on caravan sales & trends say there is a big upswing in sales & ownership. Production & demand are sky-rocketing they say.
But where are they?
Caravan parks are disappearing at a million
miles per hour & the remaining ones are complaining about falling patronage here in Qld.
In the last 25 years 24 caravan parks in the area of
Cairns from
Gordonvale to
Palm Cove have gone. There is only 1, or maybe 2 at the most new ones built in that time.
If this was just a trend of caravanners avoiding
Cairns it should show up by putting greater preasure on other Qld coastal caravan parks. But it doesn't.
If it was a matter of caravanners avoiding Qld it should show in increased demand on caravan parks in NSW & NT.
The free roadside stops can't be absorbing the increase in numbers. Free roadside stops have been
well patronised since I was a kid. They are reducing in numbers as
well.
So where are the caravans?
If they are out there as they say, what are they doing?
Do they sit at
home more often?
Do they take journeys of shorter duration?
Does anyone actually know the growth figures in caravans in Australia?
Reply By: Member QLD Steve & Lorraine Mc - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:41
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:41
As the old going says "Go West
Young Man Go West" This is where the caravanners are hiding !!!!
Cheers Steve.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member QLD Steve & Lorraine Mc - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:46
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:46
Bloody Hell, I have not even had a drink yet, as the old saying goes " Go West
Young Man Go West "
They are out here !!!!!!!!!! In their numbers
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Motherhen - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:54
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 20:54
What are they doing? Many are buying expensive modern vans with their own power and bathrooms just so they don't have to go into the sardine can caravan parks.
Lots more people are taking up the lifestyle of being full time travellers.
From our point of view, when our nearest neighbour is a kilometre away, as
camp site more remote than that is a good holiday. A roadside
rest area is a very last resort for an overnight stop.
While those needing the
services of caravan parks, vanishing parks will be a problem, but for those owning the land, it is an economic decision and of course they will choose the best way to make money.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Wilko (Parkes NSW) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:14
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:14
I agree with the wise
young MH, getting away from the crowds and being self sufficient is a lot of peoples aim.
I see them going thru Parkes on the Newell hwy and on my travels out to
Cobar and
Broken hill in there 100's
Cheers Wilko
FollowupID:
739461
Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 21:09
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 21:09
yep, they are out there, Australia now looks like a sheeps back crawling with flies . pardon the pun ..... but they are scattered evenly all over aussie, the "iconic" tracks are not a shade of a track any more, they are
well maintained roads that any CAR could drive down and people are out there with all sorts of vans ...
Even asking for a CAPPICHINO at Camerone Corner store .... sorry Gal but you DONT belong out there, it is just wrong ....... but it was sooo funny to see the look on the chaps face behind the counter ..... was a good laugh eh ..
Cheers
Joe
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Follow Up By: Member - Kevin S (QLD) - Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 21:23
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 21:23
Joe, I'm sure that you know that there are cappichino machines fitted to some luxury motor homes. So perhaps Cameron's Corner store should get with the times. Remember, the customer is always right.
Kevin
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Follow Up By: Member - Wayne B (NSW) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 19:30
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 19:30
Hang on If my memory is working ok we did get a hot chocolate and a cuppichino at Camerons Corner.
That was only last month and I am sure we did. I know we had a fantastic egg and bacon roll one of the best I have ever had.
Wayne B
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Reply By: Member - Paul&Bill M riverton- Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 22:35
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 at 22:35
yes 100s and 100s bumper to bumper in w.a. i should no when trying to find a spot to sleep in roadtrain
parking bays. can be frustrating when your tired.
maybe im jeolous. goverments could help by not blocking back areas in
parking bays like in s.a.
from r/t driver
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: stoney123 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:24
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 07:24
Some of the caravan parks are doing a con, they are getting their land rezoned as residential and banging up apartments.
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Follow Up By: The Landy - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 10:31
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 10:31
It's no con...no-one wants to pay the fees they need to remain a caravan park, so why shouldn't they do something else with there money...they aren't a public service...
Just my thought!
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Follow Up By: stoney123 - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:38
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 11:38
thats why it is a con, unscrupulous park owners put price up too high. then whinge to council and convert to housing. 4 years one is pambula wanted $38 a night for a single person tent in winter! (i didnt stay.......the park was also empty)
yep a lot of other have fees too high because they built huge pools and cabins which we dont use and sure as hell are not going to pay for.
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Follow Up By: Member - Rick P (NT) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 15:49
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 15:49
The
Walkabout Creek Hotel at
McKinlay in Qld. (The pub used in Crocodile Dundee) is charging $28 for a tiny powered site but wait there's more add $1 to use your credit card and they wonder why we free camp.
Safe travels
Rick P
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Reply By: snailbait (Blue mntns) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 06:46
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 06:46
hi Fatso
Go look on the RVMAA site and see the slow rise of caravan ownership till 2010 then the slow down in 2011.
You might be thinking all caravans sold do long distance touring like so many caravan park owners think . This is not the case a lot of caravans are only for the 4 week holidays once a year and a local long weekend a couple times a year.The excceve increase in park fees over the years has fritghtion the
Grey nomads from going to
Queensland for winter .
Also the wild weather. The pre war 2 babies are dying out and or getting to old to travel and these were the people who liked caravanning. The baby boomer's are more soficated they are going on sea cruses and going overseas the A$ is very high so it is much cheaper to fly overseas and also fly in Australia TO RESORTS.
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Follow Up By: Jeff D - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:04
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 08:04
We have had a 'bumper' year for tourists here on the Central Qld
Gemfields and they are still arriving each day.
I fully agree with MH - the style of caravans have changed over the years and most are now self contained. We are about to head south for 6 months and will not stay in a c/p at all during that time - we
bush camp on all our trips and never stop overnight in rest areas.
Jeff D
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Follow Up By: Member - Vince B (NSW) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:52
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:52
Snailbait.
I must be one of the unsophisicated baby boomers.
I have no intention of going overseas or flying to resorts.
I love to get away in the country &
bush camp.
Cheers.
Vince
FollowupID:
739485
Reply By: Member - Vince B (NSW) - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 09:39
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 09:39
Hi Fatso.
I spent last July in western Qld towing the van.
I reckon that is where the"missing" vans were. They were everwhere enjoying the great outback.
Cheers.
Vince
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: On Patrol & TONI - Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 20:06
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 at 20:06
Hi Vince
Your right, we have recently (July this year) returned from a 3 month sojourn in our caravan (60 ish boomer's) and it was wall to wall Vans, Campers, 5th wheelers & motor homes. A large percentage of them, like us, are well set up & self sufficient with our rigs & avoid the CV parks etc and headed outback. The reasons for this are many & varied, such as expensive and cramped CV parks etc. Believe me the boomer's are out there because every second vehicle on the Stuart Highway NT &
Outback Qld was an RV of some description BUT the CV parks were mostly empty, reason= self sufficient camping.
Get out there & see for yourselves.
Cheers Colin
FollowupID:
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