I don't want to put a damper on all this righteous indignation; we are on the 9th page and probably 28 on the caravaners forum as well.
I love independent camping too, but this all reminds me of the furore over The Shire of Rockhampton and their no compromise stand against campers unwilling to use Caravan Parks. Late last year, pages and pages of incredible wrath and how no one would ever spend a cent in the joint again, Rocky would go broke and that will teach e’m a lesson. And what is the end result......
I think it’s all in the Decembers Caravanning news. http://caravanningnews.com/bigrally.htm
"Planning underway for 10-day event. Beef capital will host state's biggest gathering of caravans. UP TO 700 CARAVANS EXPECTED to flood into Rockhampton Showground."
In the end they just recover and we are left behind. And why is that?
Because the caravanning public in general just doesn’t know our opinion. The few forums who are preaching to the converted are a small amount of press in the scheme of things. Righteous indignation on its own is a storm in a tea cup.

The Caravan & Motorhome Magazine and others are the real voice of independent campers and all caravaners alike. I reckon this has to be the voice of the people. But the catalyst is money and our mag is now becoming a top seller. Somehow we have to convince them to publish some of the thoughts from threads like these and do a series of articles on the plight of the future of caravanning in Tassie or any where we are not welcome.
And I don’t mean just passing interviews from the odd person in some camp and what a wonderful time they are having and what they are saving either.
A front cover reading “Our freedom being eradicated” would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Of course getting it done is another big step.
Aside from a small editorial which Simon was brave enough to print no one has yet seen the value of putting this stuff into print .Money is in charge and I reckon you can just kick along with the crowd.

Hi there,

Ah Tassie, what a great place to go vanning, particularly "Freedom Camping", as the Caravan Parks are crappy & overpriced.

I spent about ten weeks in Tassie last year & from my observations, they haven't got a clue how to promote tourism.

Whilst I was there:-

Pollie # 1) If the Spirit of Tasmania lowered the prices, we would get more tourists.

Hello, the Spirit is chockers at the current prices, if the prices are reduced, does that get more people on it? How does that work?

Pollie # 2) If you are out of a job, "go to the mainland" & get a job.

Hello, that's very easy, particularly if you have to sell your home & want a decent price. And by the way, have they worked out that the money, the spending & the Taxes goes to the mainland as well?

One in ten homes are for sale. Many streets we drove down had several homes for sale. Looks like a buyer's paradise?

Scottsdale had seven sawmills, the last was closed down whilst I was there.

Then again, with the likes of Bob Brown at the helm, Tassies problems are not surprising & won't change any time soon.

Tar Trekka.

Any day above the ground is a great day.

Yeah!!! Tar Trekka,
We also spent 9 weeks in Tasmania this time last year, and I concur with your comments.
The way I see it is that we all pay our taxes and vehicle registrations to travel around this great country and Tassies and Mainland residents have to cop a double whammy ( twice) to use the road between Melbourne and Devonport.
We are not hit for extra fees to travel say between Longreach and Mt Isa. So why should not the government fully subsidise the road the call the "Sea Bass Motorway."
This family patriarchs of ours ( government) is borrowing and spending money like there is no tomorrow.
If they keep on this track maybe there will be no "next week."
We may visit Tassie again in the next couple of years, depending if the "next week" does eventuate.
Jay&Dee

the Tassie national parks you can take your vans in are not much chop
expensive badly corrugated roads lacking basic facilities
free camped all around Tassie never went into a van park
spent the money we would have paid going out to attractions and eating out
why should the van parks get all the money

Back to where it all began at Gowrie Park (one of four):

This is being managed by the Kentish Shire, not the Caravan Park owners from Gowrie Park as earlier thought. An honesty box of $5 per night will be levied for the present facilities at this pleasant location, and this will be implemented some time prior to the summer tourist season.

Meanwhile enjoy it and other free and low cost campgrounds. At $5 per night to cover costs, i hope that most will not object, and that all will use to honesty box - otherwise we can expect to lose this low cost option.

This will stir up a Hornets Nest,

What we have seen in Tassie since arriving on the 10/12/2011 at most of the East Coast Free Camp Sites is that there are heaps of Tassie locals setup for sometimes up to a couple of months for the school holidays and up at the lakes certain areas people are allowed to setup for close to 12 months for minimal fees. So I dare say that there will be more people than travellers to the state who will have plenty of input and complaints to the relevant authorities.!

So it will be interesting to follow the outcomes of these changes if they eventuate as this is part of the local Tassie peoples lifestyle to be able to do this. There are plenty of small Caravans, Camper trailers,Camper/Motorhomes and Tent setups owned by a multitude of locals for this reason, you see these whilst driving around small towns and city suburban areas everywhere.

It will be interesting,

Kevin

Some free camps we visited (including some we didn't stay at) had Tasmanian campers set up there for the whole summer. Semi permanent looking camps, with shade cloth wind breaks. The only one that seemed pretty full was Montagu near Smithton where there was little or no room for short term campers. It was free when we visited in 2006 but now a fee of $10 per night applies with cold showers and flushing toilets provided. It was popular with fishermen and mutton birders .

You make a good point Kev
The rug (so to speak) is being pulled out from under those who have 'gone to that same camping spot with the family for years' - as is a national holiday tradition I'm sure.
I'm too am dirty with the highland camping - a favourite campground at Arthurs Lake has been over-run by semi-permanents who have set-ups resembling shacks. Whilst they pay a fee, its to the detriment of the infrequent camper (which includes me) who's camping in the same area is encroached upon and the best areas taken by the semi-permanent - I have no doubt that the management of this area is dollar driven and its managed by the Bothwell Progress Association.

Motherhen - The Montagu Campground is pretty much the 'local' camping ground for the far North West residents. Its a favourite of ours too. A lot of people who live 15 - 20 minutes away, pay for the priviledge of a designated site for a designated period - this year, I think it was about $400 for a six month period with varying rates for periods in between. There's not much else in the way of camping down there aside of the Caravan Park at Stanley about 30 minutes away. The area is very popular and well serviced by the local council and a caretaker on site over the peak period.
cheers
Jdog

This is a cut and paste from todays local paper - The Advocate - online and concerns the (former) free camping area at Latrobe (another of the four councils being forced into action by the economic regulator) behind the supermarket.

LATROBE'S overnight camping area is set to close over the coming months while renovations take place at the site.

The grassed area behind Latrobe's Station Square, which is frequented by motorhome and caravan travellers, will be closed off for about four months as Latrobe Council upgrades the facility.

The work began earlier this week and will take until September to complete.

Latrobe Mayor Mike Gaffney said the council had committed to the camping ground upgrades to provide a great all- weather camping spot for Latrobe tourists, as the site would no longer be free upon reopening.

"As Latrobe Council has been required by the state government and an economic regulator to charge a fee for the facility, it was felt that the upgrade works were best to be provided now to improve the amenity of the area for future all-weather use," Cr Gaffney said.

Works to the site include grading, top- soiling, resowing grass, signage, planting of trees and creating a better access in and out of the overnight camping area.

This will also enable a sufficient period for the rectification of the undulating areas that hold water and become boggy in rain periods.

In order to complete the works, the area will be closed to all campers over autumn and winter, chosen because of the traditional tourist drop-off during those months.

Upon the re-opening of this facility, a nightly fee of $10 per compliant motorhome or caravan, a requirement by the state government regulator, will be charged.

i read the paper today re latrobe and was gob smacked by the economic regulator and the council ,fair enough they have to recoup costs to upgrade but there is allways a body of some sort there to take a buck for nothing one wonders ! !
another interesting point motherhen raised and a few others is re locals staying for long periods
apparently why, or one of the reasons why the batman bridge site was closed by the powers to be
we were told by locals the authenticity of such unconfirmed ,is that too many were staying there too long ,having loads of fire wood delivered and setting up for time indefinite
we are still here ,and have found the state a treasure of places to see , national parks i disagree with earlier comments ,we have stayed at mt feild ,n/p authurs river n/p and narawaptanu n/p and were really impressed ,compared to caravan parks of one down where we are at the moment was $30 night which taking into account the quality of ammenities etc was a bit much we thought narawaptanu near port sorrell our favourite except for the tiger snakes earlier but thats the bush hey, we are at the moment at stanley area not too cold , taking our time and enjoying
safe travels everyone