Compliance laws and Vic Caravan Parks (Goldfields)

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loamer

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Welshmans Reef Caravan Park at Cairn Curran is reportedly closing - reported in Tarrengower Times due to compliance laws - chiefly the Safe Water Drinking Act and the compulsory CFA upgrades and access.

Tarnagulla Caravan Park closed for these reasons as well.

Laanecoorie Lakeside is facing the same issues but is going to spend up to $200,000 to comply. Some parks have spent up to $395,000. They are compliant on everything else. These new CFA laws mean install fire hoses so they can reach any site, no longer than 36 metres, water tanks, static tanks, generators etc etc. There are a host of other rules - ALL electrical appliances must be tested, sheds moved, fences to come down etc etc. Mate showed me the compliance list that the camp caravan/cabin owners have to adhere to - bloody hell - its amazing. But still - nice place, prospector friendly.

So, guess what this all means? They will probably pass the cost on - they certainly are to caravan/cabin owners.

These are well used places by prospectors and Laanecoorie is the home of the annual gold bash.
 
I certainly glad Laanecoorie is staying open. I have stayed there and it a great spot and I plan to spend more time there later in the year. They supply drinking water and I normally take ample in small twist top bottles :D

Sad to hear others are shutting. You would think there would be some sort of assistance for them. We give enough to others who don't battle to make their own living.

Real shame.
 
No bushfire or flood levy for us puppies after the floods and fires. State carried some insurance, our Shire rates and private insurance.
 
Seems GMV had the option to use some funds from the irrigation authority but decided against it ..... the amount was (I think) around $2.6mill so hate to think what the actual cost could be ..... guess the years of drought didn't help either.

http://www.g-mwater.com.au/news/med...lshmansreefcaravanparkcapitalexpenditure.html

Wish I was detecting at the time .... found a nice old remnants of a stairway that would have led to a substantial residence that was there before the lake was constructed .... sure there would have been some great relics to be had, sadly back under 10+ metres of water again now.
 
GMW states $25,000 operating profit. The 65 sites alone pay on average $2,000 each - some pay more. No maintenance has been done for 2 years apparently and no-one applied for an extension. Smacks of 'we want it gone'. Laanecoorie Lakeside sits next to GMW's weir and reservoir, right on the edge in fact - now that will be interesting. As for the drought - what a killer that was and still suffering. Followed by the fire, then the floods then the fires again.

What has also sparked my interest is the Laanecoorie town 'overnight' park by the Loddon run by the Shire which IS NOT compliant, and the Newbridge Footy ground where you can stay, which is also NOT compliant and in fact these and other 'overnight' spots, which are clearly being misused take business away from the operators who are/have to be compliant. Want to see some arguments in the pubs? Listen to an 'overnight' stayer gloat about ripping off the Shire, in front of a pub full of very peeved rate payers who are subsidising these leeches. Not talking about the occasional user, nor the folk who are entitled to camp for free in the scrub or down at Wanyarra - they are cool folk, well mostly, except for the ones who keep nicking my yabby nets or taking my yabbies.
 
I'm a pensioner, I'm also on occasion a Free Camper. There are arguments for both sides of the "fence". I would come over to the Goldfields for 3 x 4 week trips a year, 3 months total.

The services a van can need are; power, water, gas, shower and toilet.

I've been on Caravan Parks and as happens at the Talbot Football Club, where caravans are charged metered power. So, even with an electric heater on for 5 hours (no longer needed) and the other things used in my van, I use about $3 per day in electricity off the grid and I know I can go to the indoor pool in Maryborough for a shower for $3 also. This totals $6 per day.

When out bush, I use my Honda to charge the battery and where possible save gas and use the microwave to cook dinner. It costs me about $2-3 day, so about the same. I carry about 100 litres of water which lasts me over a week. My gas bottles for fridge and cooking last about 2 weeks. I now have a diesel heater installed which uses about $2.30 for 12 hours (I run it all night when really cold). I have a Porta Potti for a loo and a shower tent if I'm brave enough to get cold. Otherwise I have a good wash with water I heat in my nice warm van. So Total about $8 per day

So when I'm asked to pay $30/night or more at a Caravan Park, I ask myself, "What more am I getting here than when in the bush". I know the usual answers, ie running hot water, mains power and porcelain to pee in.

I still support local business, such as the servo, the pub, the supermarket, the detector shop, hardware, caravan spares etc etc.

The decision I have is, support one business where I put my van and for less time because of my budget, or free camp for the whole time and upset someone eventually or:

As I normally do, mix and match, spending 1/2 my time bush and half my time in a van park and spread it as fairly as I can afford to.

I'm talking about people usually retired not the 4 weeks annual leave crowd like I was until retirement.

I do feel for those affected by compliance regulations, but I also question if those regulations need to be applied in all areas without consideration to individual circumstances.
 
I'm not talking about the free bush campers, or the irregular overnight campers, for which the overnight stops are designed and subsidised by rate payers. I'm talking about the people who abuse this privlige. No issues with the footy club campers, however, how can these spots not have to comply if they are offering the same service? As for application of the compliance laws, it is a complete over-reaction to Black Saturday A key issue is that a lot of these rural parks have no town water at all and thus have to pump and gravity feed the water that is there. Then add on top the new tanks that have to be installed, well the costs add up quite quickly. I ponder whether the Shire/Council owned areas will have to comply. Imagine if you will, bush camping that gets out of hand, a fire starts and then what will be the result? I also ponder the amount of times over the years I have seen the results of poor hygiene carried out at bush camps, with little piles of presents left behind, so to speak. I am all for using the bush for camping for free as long as it is not abused - we as rate and Victorian tax payers end up footing the bill. What is giving many of us the hump is that local businesses have to comply, yet there seems to be exceptions to the rule.

I think though that the days of free camping are fast running out. Many places now have fees and I believe places like Wanyarra may not be far behind if not closed,as it will not be compliant. How will they stop free camping - good question. By all means, promote gold tourism, but some-one always ends up paying.
 
Condor - hey mate - imagine this. You are sitting out in the bush, doing the right things that you do with your gear and facilities and in the middle of nowhere there is a knock on the caravan door.

"Excuse me Sir, just checking that you are compliant." :lol:

we may laugh - it will come to that.
 
Hey Loamer, some time in the future you won't be able to make fun of the government, officials and so on. I used to live in country like that.
Karl
 
loamer said:
Condor - hey mate - imagine this. You are sitting out in the bush, doing the right things that you do with your gear and facilities and in the middle of nowhere there is a knock on the caravan door.

"Excuse me Sir, just checking that you are compliant." :lol:

we may laugh - it will come to that.
Click to expand...

With

Police, Park Rangers, RFS, MFS, Council Inspectors, Parking Inspectors, Motor Vehicle Inspectors, Health Inspectors and many more I would imagine, who's laughing

and, they call this a Democracy. I thought Democracy meant freedom to chose, but I was wrong when I realised we don't even have the freedom to chose if we vote or not.

:) :| :( :D :eek: ;) :/ :p :lol: :mad: :rolleyes: :cool: 8.( 8) :8

Didn't know which to chose, I think they all reflect the tone lol
 
loamer said:
Condor - hey mate - imagine this. You are sitting out in the bush, doing the right things that you do with your gear and facilities and in the middle of nowhere there is a knock on the caravan door.

"Excuse me Sir, just checking that you are compliant." :lol:

we may laugh - it will come to that.
Click to expand...

I had another thought, if I get that "knock on the door and asked if I'm compliant" I undo my fly flop it out and say "here's my hose and it's less than 36 M away" :rolleyes:
 
My sister lives on small farm in central table lands in NSW. Some time ago some greenie discovered some protected plants along the only access road to the property. Since then the council can't grade the road, no hzard reduction burning allowed. The access road become a tunnel of dry vegetarian since then. When it will burn, as it will sooner or later, they will be completely cut off. The ironical think is that there is thousands of square kilometers of National Parks all around.
What we need is the ability to sue not only department responsible for such stupidity, but individual persons responsible withing the department in case of bush fire with tragic consequences.
But then, justice is only for those who got money.
I wish there was a way to opt out of the system. To be able to stake claim, build the shack there and stuff the politicians, environmentalist and the academics.
I used rate used car salesmen as most untrustworthy people. Now it is
No. 1 Politicians of major parties and the Reds or is it Greens.
No. 2 Academic
No. 3 Banks
No. 4 Charities
No. 5 Internet
Then used car salesmen can not match any of above.
Karl
 

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