Gulgong Showground’s camping and caravan park caretaker, Ken Evans, believes holiday makers will do the talking when it comes to deciding where to stay in the Mid-Western Region.
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Mr Evans said at most he expected a small increase in visitors. as a result of restricted camping being imposed on Mudgee Showground by Mid-Western Regional Council,
“It’s up to the people,” he said. “The flow will go where they want to go.”
Mid-Western Regional Council will allow camping in the Mudgee Showground only when all other caravan parks in the town are full. Showground fees have been raised above those of the caravan parks to further discourage travellers.
Mr Evans said one problem the decision may create is free camping – where people would be more inclined to camp at the side of the road instead of at a showground or caravan park due to costs.
He said Mudgee Showground’s restrictions were not the first in the country.
“Goondiwindi had the same problem as did Glen Innes. I know Goondiwindi opened their showground back up and charge the same as what the commercial caravan parks do so people have the choice,” he said.
The Gulgong Showground caretaker of about 18 years said there needs to be a realisation of benefits campers and caravanners bring.
If you get a group of say 20 to 30 and they meet up with others at the site chances are they will all go to the RSL for dinner one night.
“We had about 52 vans here over the Henry Lawson Festival weekend including a group of about 25.
“That [52] was almost our capacity for powered sites.
“I think the most we had here was about 170 when there was a big rally in Mudgee and most of them didn’t need power.
“I’d say about 80 per cent of travellers don’t want power as they are already fully equipped.
“If you get a group of say 20 to 30 and they meet up with others at the site chances are they will all go to the RSL for dinner one night.
“If they only spend $20 each that starts adding up.
In a letter to the Mudgee Guardian and The Weekly, National Association of Caravan Clubs secretary Frank Smalley, said it should be travellers’ decision on where they stay.
“It’s called “freedom of choice”. If this caravan park owner and the caravan industry have their way then we will have no choice but to stay at their parks, paying top prices, staying for minimum periods (when it suits them), arriving and leaving when they tell us to, and paying for facilities we do not want, to help them prop up a business that they created,” Mr Smalley said.
Australian Caravan Club president Tom Smith also called on council to reconsider the decision in the interests of other businesses that benefit from travellers’ spending.
“Competition is good and if caravan parks can make them more attractive they will find more people will use them,” he said.
“Our members certainly use caravan parks when it suits them but many prefer the less regimented places to stay like showgrounds and National Parks.”
However, Mid-Western Regional Council general manager Warwick Bennett said use of Mudgee Showground as a caravan park or camping ground was not legal.
According to a report to council, the Mudgee Showground is exempt from regulation covering caravans, campervans and tents on crown reserves, but if council were to establish a short-term caravan park or camping ground it would be required to prepare a plan of management and upgrade facilities.
