TRAVELLING OFF-SEASON

Sick of crowded, overpriced parks? Here’s our sure-fire way to save big bucks on the road

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS OLAFSON AND MAZ MACKAY OLAFSON

“I remember you, Lyall,” said the vanner I was welcoming to our park. “You helped me park at the height of the tourist season last year. And I took your advice.”

“I’m pleased,” I answered, smiling, but furiously searching through my synapses to remember what I’d advised him. And as if in answer to my prayers, he continued, “I don’t travel with those hordes of other vanners anymore. Too blooming crowded. I leave home a month earlier and now I can pick my own site, and have space around me when I’m parked. It’s a whole lot cheaper and the roads aren’t clogged with other vanners and frustrated truckies. I wish I’d thought of this years ago.”

This set me off thinking about our past eight years on the road and I realised he was right. Travelling in the off season was a whole lot easier, safer and less costly. And for a whole host of other reasons, a far better deal.

My mind went back to a season that Trish and I worked in a van park in Kununurra in WA, where on some mornings we’d have to turn away up to 20 ‘vanners’ per day because we had no room. No wonder the free camps were full every night. Off season, there was no such rush for sites and quite often travellers had a choice, without the stress of seeing the dreaded ‘sorry, we’re full’ sign and the subsequent stressful drive searching for a spot in a free camp.

Many outback parks have only four months of the year in which to earn their living, so naturally, they use the ‘pack ‘em in’ philosophy to maximise their returns in the tourist season. Then your next door neighbour’s annexe is quite often only a metre (or less) away from your van. In the shoulder season Trish and I would park vans on every second or third site, so everybody has lots of space, and far less stress.

WHAT CAN YOU SAVE MONEY ON? AND HOW MUCH?

How does a saving of $105 per week on van park fees sound? In one Sunshine Coast van-park, which Trish and I recently managed, the peak season fee was $59 per night, but the off season fee was only $44 per night. $105 per week is a very reasonable saving. One of the easiest ways to achieve a cheaper rate is to try a couple of different nights in the month – community events, concerts and popularity can increase the nightly rate of a van park, so try and stay on dates when these things aren’t happening.

At some parks you can choose to have an unpowered site for a saving of $4 to $10 per night, and still have use of all the facilities. That could save you up to $70 per week.

LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

What would you say to a 10% discount for two years, simply for asking? Right now, Discovery parks are offering a 10% discount if you join their loyalty programme, and for a short time they’ll waive the $20 joining fee. That’s almost $27 per week in your pocket, simply for asking.

Or Big4’s current offer is stay for seven nights, but only pay for six. That’s a discount of $38 per week. Big savings, and all you have to do is ask.

So what is the reason for all these discounts? Empty off-season van park sites return no income to the owners so they’re quite prepared to offer you incentives to stay longer or take advantage of their loyalty programmes to spend your money with them and you reap the rewards. All you have to do is ask.

WHAT OTHER BENEFITS ARE THERE FOR TRAVELLING OFF-SEASON?

All of us caravanners are aware that a freely-running rig with minimal traffic is quite a bit cheaper on fuel. On a recent round trip from Mt Isa to Brisbane and back, Trish and I saved $32 in fuel costs by returning via the inland route instead of the coastal route. We were averaging 2L/100km less fuel, and the travelling was easier due to less congestion.

The free camps were far less crowded, there was no rain (unfortunately for the drought-stricken Longreach people) and the people in the shops along the way were really friendly. Drop into the bakery at Barcaldine and you’ll see what we mean. Incidentally, Barcy’s streets are very wide and welcoming to caravanners.

Camp at the Julia Creek free camp for a few nights and you’ll receive a discount if you then go to the council-owned caravan park in town – ‘But that’s not all’, as someone famous once said. There’s a caretaker at the free camp, the waterhole is pumped full of water so it’s never dry, some of the businesses in town offer $10 meals if you’re free camping, and there are even free councilprovided bicycles for you to cycle the kilometre or so to town. Why the heck wouldn’t you camp there, save money, have a fantastic time and help the residents of Julia Creek with your custom. Now, how’s that for a money-saving deal where everyone benefits?

CONSIDERATIONS FOR OFF-SEASON TRAVEL

The off-seasons in most areas are mostly related to the climate. In the northern parts of the country people dodge the heat, but conversely, in the snowy areas they often use the snow as recreation and the off-season there requires different strategies and planning. Ample supplies of food and water would be considered a wise precaution particularly if there aren’t many fellow travellers in the off-peak.

In the past years we’ve seen some almost tragic circumstances because of poor planning. One bloke had blown three tyres. In the desert. In summer, and then had to drive 90km on the rim. With a wife, kids and no spare water in the car.

With a few simple precautions and a bit of the right equipment you’ll be able to experience every wonderful thing that this country has to offer AND avoid the madding crowds, and even do so economically. It’s all a matter of planning. Trish and I will be watching out for you in the next shoulder season.