MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Draggin on May 16, 2012, 02:33:15 PM
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Excerpt from 31 page report available at - http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgd (http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/lgd)
The review of council overnight RV camping services found that councils must adhere to the principles of competitive neutrality and should apply a ‘full cost attribution model’ approach when operating these services. Each council-owned service in Tasmania is likely to be competing with a privately-owned caravan park, either within its own municipality or in surrounding municipalities, and needs to price its services to reflect costs.
The provision of free or low-cost camping services by a council may be a useful short-term solution to some of the amenity issues facing councils, for instance to prevent RVs parking and camping on the side of the road and to attract visitors to the area. However, these measures may discourage private caravan parks from investing and operating in the area and reduce the benefits from a competitive market. These benefits include efficient market prices (reflecting the costs to provide and operate such services), customer choice through a wide range of services and the development of services that customers want, leading to economic development. Setting prices to recover costs will, in the long term, enable councils to contribute to a more sustainable overnight camping industry.
The review included consideration of the LGAT publication titled Recreational Vehicles - Development and Management of Facilities 2008 (the LGAT RV policy), and found it to be no longer appropriate to the extent that it referred to the provision of free camping. The LGAT policy has subsequently been amended to reflect Local Government obligations under the NCP in relation to competitive neutrality.
Haven't read the "whole" report yet but that sets the tone for you.
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Keep in mind that this is not being driven by councils but a few caravan parks via the ACCC. Sucks.
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Another crock to come out of some oxygen theiving office waller... >:D
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Im fine with all that..............free camps generally have no or little amenities so priced accordingly is the old fashioned honesty box of a gold coin donation ;)
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is there not another massive thread on this elsewhere?
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This one has come up a few times in the past year with a few different opinions on previous threads.
Kevin
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Yes Lost and KrisandKev but this is the report released TODAY which sets out the new guidelines.
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Draggin, good point. Previous threads were talking about the proposal. Now it seems law that all councils have to start charging for camping. >:( And it cannot be just a gold coin, it must be a ‘full cost attribution’, even if they do not provide a service? And I don't thing they will start putting toilets etc in. It will be interesting what happens now. We may have to rethink our plans for returning with our van.
What is amazing the review came about because of the complaint from only 4 caravan parks. Kevin
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As some of you are aware I manage an area in one of the councils down here.
In the short term I wouldnt be too concerned. Our councils are some of the smallest in the oz with many not even having officers that would patrol this.
Additionally, you will need a by law change for each council to enforce them. At the very least, if they change the local govt act then you need to delegate the officers to do that and that is only if the council wants to.
I know that in the south you will be fine and will post if i hear anything on the cards. We should get something from LGAT asking what councils are going to do about any changes.
cheers
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I spoke to our councils executive officer today and he confirmed basically what has been discussed already. Our council has decided to charge $5 per night per space on an honesty basis. The money raised will go to that camping ground for improvements. He said by doing this they meet the ACCC side of things and are seen to be 'abiding' by the rules so to speak.
$5 - Sounds reasonable IMO. Not sure of other councils (we are in the sth)
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From todays Hobart Mercury. Looks as if the Commercial Caravan Park lobby to reduce low cost camping area numbers has come up short:
TASMANIA'S councils are opening up more areas to campervans and motorhomes as the state tries to lure the grey nomad dollar and shake off its reputation as an unfriendly RV destination.
Tasmania has received a bad rap from the caravan and motorhome brigade in recent years.
The cost of getting vehicles across Bass Strait is a major gripe along with claims Tasmania does not provide enough spaces, outside of traditional caravan parks, to cater for what is a rapidly growing tourism market.
But now 25 Tasmanian towns are listed by the Campervan and Motorhome Association of Australia as RV Friendly.
The association has 64,000 members and warmer climes are competing for the money the RV fraternity spends on petrol, food and visiting local attractions.
Sorell was one of the first towns in Tasmania to enter the "grey nomad hall of fame" as a top spot to visit.
Circular Head Council this week decided it would look at setting up a new "freedom camping" site for recreation vehicles close to the beach and other amenities at Stanley.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief Luke Martin said the state needed to cater for what was one of the few growth areas in domestic tourism.
"We also need to get over the perception that they don't spend money," he said.
"We want these tourists and we have to have both great caravan parks and free or low-charge camping sites in order to attract them."
In Tasmania's South, Franklin, Huonville, Sorell, Port Huon and Glenorchy are listed as RV Friendly towns.
To be RV friendly, a town must provide enough parking within the CBD, spaces for self-contained vehicles to park and camp within 5km of the post office, access to potable water and a free dump point close to town.
Last year it was reported that Tasmania was missing out on billions of dollars because grey nomads were giving the island a miss.
Campervan and Motorhome Association of Australia director Ken Kipping said at the time that Tasmania had failed to roll out the welcome mat and word was spreading fast.
"They vote with their wheels and wallets, and if you want them to come, you should facilitate and encourage travel," he said.
"If you don't, other people will welcome them with open arms."
A Tasmanian Government Statewide Directions Paper last year ruled that local councils could continue to provide affordable overnight camping, but that they had to allow for sewage, maintenance, rubbish collection, signage, power and labour costs when setting fees.
Sorell Council charges $6.50 a night for its RV area in town for up to six consecutive nights.
The camping review was triggered by complaints from four caravan parks to the Tasmanian Economic Regulator. Minister for Local Government, Bryan Green said councils had indicated they wanted to keep prices as low as possible.
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Oh, and by the way!
New Town now has a friendly CT camp area. $5/night, water & dump point. Only one drawback, our back yard has a slight slope to it!!! ;D
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We were in Tassie the other week, just for a week (NSW school holidays). Drove up Mt Wellington to see the snow etc.
One gripe is that although a vehicle gets subsidised on the ferry, additional length from a CT/caravan etc doesn't, and the price quickly rises based upon length. It is a big turn off to bring a trailer over and it feels like those who want to be self sufficient are being penalised. If the same length of space were taken by a vehicle then the cost drops significantly - go figure.
We ended up leaving our trailer in storage in Melbourne for a week and it cost all of $40.
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Now they need to make it cheaper (half price would be a start) than going to New Zealand to take a camper, 4b and family and people will go there in larger numbers than they can cater for.
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The cost across the bass is crazy. It should cost what it would in fuel to drive across if there were a bridge.
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The cost across the bass is crazy. It should cost what it would in fuel to drive across if there were a bridge.
We're going in December this year and it is costing us around $1800 return with the car and camper. That is way more than we are budgeting for the 3 weeks that we will be there! >:(
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If Mrs Snow and I head to Tassie, we would fly and hire drive, staying in B&Bs. That's really what the local hospitality industry would want us to do anyway, and it would cost us less than taking the Snowmobile and Snowcave over and back.
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If Mrs Snow and I head to Tassie, we would fly and hire drive, staying in B&Bs. That's really what the local hospitality industry would want us to do anyway, and it would cost us less than taking the Snowmobile and Snowcave over and back.
That is fine if travelling 'two up', and not wanting to stay remote from towns, but becomes a bit $$$ if you have a tribe in tow.
When we took the kids back in 2003 the car was free. ;D
I recon the current prices create a potential for camper hire. Not as good as taking your own, but better than being tied to B&Bs.
Dazzler,
RE: "It should cost what it would in fuel to drive across if there were a bridge." I agree, but the 'competitive neutrality' id10ts would insist that we meet a share of the cost of paying for the bridge in the current financial year as well! >:D
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When the sister and I went in 2007, we flew down, hired a campervan (ie car with bed in it), and did 60 / 40 CVP's and freebies with a B&B on the first night. Loved it immensely ... but this was the cheapest way for us to see what we saw and still have the ability to go where we pleased. Will definitely do it again before I kark it.
Getting that Over Priced Tin Can Bargy Thing to take us across the gap = cost of the entire flight, car hire, etc, alternative we took.
Realistically ... Tassie needs to start there (the barge) rather than in the CVP's or Freebie stops regardless of who owns them.
Kit_e
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Getting that Over Priced Tin Can Bargy Thing to take us across the gap = cost of the entire flight, car hire, etc, alternative we took.
Realistically ... Tassie needs to start there (the barge) rather than in the CVP's or Freebie stops regardless of who owns them.
but that's what they want.. you to fly over, hire a car, stay in places owned by Tassie people, and eat at Tassie places. They don't want campers there... although I dunno how many Nomads they expect to do that...
I know it aint many, but I know 17 people alone who wont go over due to cost.
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I totally agree, the cost of having a trailer attached is ridiculous on the boat. If they were to lower it I'm quite positive that people would flock over here, but hey that would make sense and the decision makers over here rarely do
Sent from the machine that goes..... Bing!
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This is the same situation as Kangaroo Island, council run campsites are $5 a night but the cost to get a tug and CT across Backstairs Passage is ridiculous, they charge the same for a trailer as a car, I think the last time I looked at it which equated to about $600 return for a 16km crossing. You can sometimes get specials so you don't pay for the camper if you book into a CvP but that wipes out the saving of using the council run sites. >:(
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I know it aint many, but I know 17 people alone who wont go over due to cost.
Make that 18 :'(
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This is the same situation as Kangaroo Island, council run campsites are $5 a night but the cost to get a tug and CT across Backstairs Passage is ridiculous, they charge the same for a trailer as a car, I think the last time I looked at it which equated to about $600 return for a 16km crossing. You can sometimes get specials so you don't pay for the camper if you book into a CvP but that wipes out the saving of using the council run sites. >:(
$336.00 per direction 2ad 2 kids
Bloke in my club wanted to run a club trip there 5-6 years ago, got no takers once people found out how much to get there and back.
You get the feeling these people dont want tourists.
Charge 1/2 the price, get 4 times as many tourists = more profit.. ??? ??? ???
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I think it's known as "killing the goose that laid the golden egg" >:(
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This is the same situation as Kangaroo Island, council run campsites are $5 a night but the cost to get a tug and CT across Backstairs Passage is ridiculous, they charge the same for a trailer as a car, I think the last time I looked at it which equated to about $600 return for a 16km crossing. You can sometimes get specials so you don't pay for the camper if you book into a CvP but that wipes out the saving of using the council run sites. >:(
Compare that to $170 return for a 10min - 500m crossing to Fraser at Inskip. ??? Yours is better value I reckon on distance rates.
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Compare that to $170 return for a 10min - 500m crossing to Fraser at Inskip. ??? Yours is better value I reckon on distance rates.
hey Noel, Is that camper and tug?
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Yep, just checked their site $170 return with 4by and trailer.