Where the Bloody Hell Are the Nomads Going To
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Email us at [email protected] the Issue 53: August 30, 2013 Times discoveryholidayparks.com.au In this issue: •Discover sapphires & sunflowers •A cool way to cook •Stop the sway Where the bloody hell are ‘Open road thrills putting the nomads going to go? us to sleep’ Besides meeting new people, “The free camps of today seeing new things, and rev- will become the caravan elling in the sheer sense of parks of tomorrow.” freedom, there’s apparently another cracking reason to hit the open road ... to get a The surging popularity of the decent bit of shut-eye. grey nomad lifestyle is helping An overwhelming 81.3% of to create a caravan park capac- respondents to our poll on ity ‘crisis’. the issue said they slept bet- A new academic study has ter when they were tucked found that rather than expand- up in their caravan, mo- ing capacity to keep pace with torhome, camper trailer or the surging demand, caravan tent, rather than when they park numbers have plunged Some van parks are already packed to the rafters were in their ‘home’ beds. alarmingly. and all the rest,” Mr Caldicott “I predict that in five years’ Frank & Kathy T both no- “‘Where the bloody hell are told the GNT. “However, many time today’s popular freedom ticed a dramatic difference all the caravanners going to grey nomads just want a nice camping spots will be regulated but they suspected it wasn’t go?” asked the research paper’s patch of grass to park their in some way by government,” just the fresh air that was author, Rod Caldicott from self-contained vehicles for the he said. “There is going to be helping them to nod off. Southern Cross University. night, and perhaps pay $10.” a growing demand for gov- “I am thinking that happy “Nationwide there are 10% less So how will the ‘crisis’ resolve ernment supplied, low-cost hour may be assisting here,” caravan parks than there were itself? Mr Caldicott says it is patches of grass.” they wrote. 15 years ago and that at a time very much a case of going back Mr Caldicott also suggests that Diane L didn’t mention the when demand for RVs has gone to the future. more new caravan parks will booze ... but does she still through the roof.” “It all started in this country be built away from tourism get a better night’s rest on The statistics are startling. with people finding a nice hot spots, and we will also see the road? There are now 474,000 RVs spot and freedom camping security fences and boom gates “Most definitely!,” she said registered in Australia and the by a riverbank or behind the being put up at city centre car emphatically. “I’m much numbers are climbing steeply. sand dunes,” he said. “But then parks where self-contained more relaxed!” Of course, developers building more and more people came travellers will be free to spend So, what about the minor- on prime locations has been a and there was rubbish left, and the night. ity? Did they struggle with big factor in falling van park people going to the toilet in the Basically, he says, when de- lumpy van beds, wake up in numbers, but Mr Caldicott says bushes, and damaging trees mand reaches a certain point, fear of a bikie gang campsite ‘outdated’ planning regulations by tying ropes to them, and it entrepreneurs find a solution. invasion, worry they hadn’t are stopping new parks spring- needed to be regulated and so “You are seeing a backlash put the campchairs away? ing up to meet demand. caravan parks sprung up.” from some commercial caravan Actually, nothing quite so The academic’s study also However, with the move back parks now and they are calling dramatic ... at least not for focused on the changing site to freedom camping, Mr Cal- for freedom camping spots to Stephen M. mix within van parks and their dicott predicts some ‘hidden’ be shut down,” he said. “But He doesn’t sleep better in apparent ‘segmentation’. gems will become choc a bloc you can’t stop people ... it is a the bush, but then he doesn’t “Some owners looking for re- and the whole ‘who is going to tradition that dates back to the sleep worse either. turn on investment are building fix the roads, who is going to swagman days. We are a society “I am the same,” he wrote. family friendly parks with wa- take the rubbish out?’ cycle will of campers.” ter parks and jumping pillows begin again. Click to comment Click to comment Join Australia’s Largest Free Travel Club for Seniors and Get a $100 Travel To enter, just Voucherucher for Free!Fr buy a policy in September www.SeniorsHolidayTravel.com.auH lid T fastcover.com.au 1300 409 322 Free Call 1800-300-999 Want to advertise on our newsletter? Email us at [email protected] WANTED Issue 53: 900+ grain harvest the casual employees in VIC, QLD, NSW & SA August 30, 2013 Times Find out more Characters of the Road Nomads in Brief Birdsville croc Seven years on the road and The Birdsville croc, the 1.5m ‘freshie’ that has been ‘Stopalots’ still have itchy feet living in the Diamantina River near Birdsville for Bev, 62, and Frans, 69, are up to two years, has been on the road full time caught and transported Where is home? 1600km to a Gold Coast The road ... but we have bought theme park. It is not a house at RV Homebase in known how the crocodile, Maryborough, Queensland, nicknamed DD, got to the which is currently rented back Birdsville area. to village management. We may Caravan ‘flipped’ settle down there one day! A Melbourne couple are What do you travel in? lucky to be alive after a Southern Cross 8m fifth freak accident flipped wheeler (called Stopalot) towed Bev and Frans say a fifth wheeler is perfect for them their caravan near Broken by a Ford F250. It is our full- Hill in New South Wales. time home so it is big enough it suits us. We have solar panels and Local governments fight- The Toyota was travelling to be comfortable and to carry and big batteries, so if the sun ing the closure of free and low towards Menindee when a all we want, but not too big to is shining we can live comfort- cost camping spots. Bev likes to gust of wind hit the caravan stop us accessing some of the ably without mains power. read and knit and crochet. We it was towing, flipping it and like bushwalking, bird spotting, great camp spots we want to go Likes of the lifestyle? smashing it onto the road. and fishing. to. Obviously, it is too big to get The freedom to go where we Wicked words into a lot of national parks and want, when we want and to Do you work or volunteer? Police have said they can do other bush camp sites, (and a explore this beautiful country. We have been camp hosts, nothing to stop a camper lot of caravan parks) but we are We have seen many wonder- caretakers, volunteers on Out- hire company from embla- happy with it. It does not have ful places and met many lovely back cattle properties, helped zoning the F-word on the slide-outs so is a lot smaller people who will remain friends restore an 1860s timber slab side of their hire vehicles inside than the big American for life. hut, and we have also done a or from offering discounts fifth wheelers. lot of house sitting. ... any dislikes? to those who ‘smoke weed’. Time on the road? Being confined in a small space What wouldn’t you be without? The Advertising Standards Close to seven years now. There in wet weather, especially if the The diesel heater! It allows us Board has received 39 is still a lot to see, places to go surroundings are muddy. to be comfortable in very cold complaints against Wicked and explore, and we will just weather. Campers since 2008. What and why? keep going for now. Fridge snatched Favourite on-the-road meal? Favourite camp so far? Where do you like to camp? Smoked salmon risotto, with If we had to pick just one spot, Police are investigating We love the peace and quiet jaffles on the camp fire running it would be Osprey Bay in Cape the theft of $2000 worth of of the bush so, where possible, a close second Range National Park, WA. Be- camping fridges and equip- we go to national parks and ing able to snorkel just off the ment from the open awning On-the-road hobbies? bush camps. We use free camps beach is fantastic, and to swim area of a caravan at the Frans spends a lot of time whenever we can, and caravan with turtles is a really lovely Southside Holiday Village preparing submissions to State parks when we have to or when experience. in Rockhampton. QUIZ CORNER This week’s challenge: Grab a Cuppa and test your grey matta Caption competition Can you think of a fun Last week’s winning caption caption for this shot? sent in by Tony F: Do You Know 1. Crabs Drill Sieve (anagram). Don’t lose your shirt here next week! “Is it sup- 2. I’m in WA driving from Norseman to Esperance. Which highway am I on? posed to 3. Is Adelaide closer to Coober Pedy or Melbourne? be rolling 4.