Existing 48 hour camping on Main Street set to stay. Photo: Geoff Vivian.
Ravensthorpe Shire Council has decided to leave the existing free 48-hour camping in the town’s main street, and to work towards shifting the Hopetoun facility to a place in or near the local caravan park.
When passing the draft Recreational Vehicle policy in April, Council had intended to relocate the Ravensthorpe campsite but changed its mind when it adopted the Shire’s new policy this week.
Shire president Tom Major said Council had changed its mind after considering public feedback.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” he said.
“Hopetoun is a destination town whereas it’s Ravensthorpe is a town where people are passing through, a thoroughfare, so they just need to be treated a little bit differently.”
Before Tuesday’s vote, Council received 19 public submissions when it put the draft policy out for comment.
The letters came from local residents, associations and several regular travellers from other shires who had used the facilities.
They expressed a range of opinions for and against the move.
Some said free RV camping undermined local businesses such as caravan parks, while others said it brought more trade to businesses such as pubs and shops.
One letter writer wrote to support RV parking in Hopetoun.
“I drive past the area two or three times a week and have not noticed any littering,” she wrote.
Another letter writer had a very different experience.
“I live around the corner from this disgusting camp,” she wrote.
“When we walked past this camp the smell is absolutely vile of human waste.
“Not only that there is toilet paper everywhere there is food scraps (and) chemical toilets being emptied!”
She did not specify whether this was at Ravensthorpe or Hopetoun.
Corporate submissions came from Ravensthorpe Historical Society and Hopetoun Progress Association.
RHS said it did not support relocating the existing 48-hour free campsite in Ravensthorpe.
“It is a convenient sport to stay overnight, close to coffee, pleasant park, Genestream sculpture and other town amenities,” the letter says.
“Travellers using this particular camp site will NOT use a paying campsite, irrespective of the amount charged: they’ll prefer camping in the bush somewhere, thus depriving the local business of potential income.
“RHS does not understand why a RV site should be inside a caravan park; isn’t that defeating the purpose of RV friendly?”
Hopetoun Progress Association said it supported the Draft Recreational Vehicle (RV) Friendly policy circulated in April.
“We appreciate the Shire’s efforts to promote responsible and sustainable camping while supporting tourism and local businesses,” it reads.
“The policy provides a balanced approach that benefits visitors and the wider community, and we are pleased to see steps taken to manage camping in a way that works for everyone.”
Of the 19 comments, five supported the policy, four were somewhat neutral but wanted to comment, and 10 were wholly or mostly against it for various reasons.
