Mining Boom Vs. accommodation for travellers!

G'day all

We have just got back to St George after a pleasant weekend in Hebel.
On the way back I started thinking, ( a rare occurence my my tells me).

Anyway I am going on a fishing trip off Gladstone later this year and our group is having a very hard time finding accommodation due to the fact that motels and pubs are being booked out for 12 months in advance by mining and construction companies.

The organiser of our group has been trying to get accommodation from September last year and gets the same reply.

That is the motels are unable to book that far ahead because their rooms are booked out well in advance by mining and construction companies.

Some times some of the rooms are not required, but the motels are only advised a few days in advance.

Even in St George accommodation is very tight with workers for mainly non mining work live in their large caravans in the caravan parks in town. Many are here to fix flood damage, but seasonal workers also affect accomodation.

And please don't think I'm knocking the workers,,,,,I'm not. I am merely wondering how many travellers have found it difficult to get accommodationin towns influenced by mining and the like.

We are travelling to Normanton in the near future and we will not be taking the van so we will need accommodation on the way.

I will be booking our accommodation tomorrow and see if any difficulies arise.