A Strategic Approach to the Caravan and Camping Industry 2012

Location
Exmouth
Shark Bay
Carnarvon/ Coral Bay
Esperance
Broome
Derby -West
Kimberley
Wyndham-East
Kimberley
Ashburton
Port Hedland
Roebourne/Karratha
Augusta/Margaret
River
Busselton
Mandurah
Murray
Rockingham
Gingin
Comment
Current Inventory of caravan sites generally sufficient. Some seasonal peak shortages. New caravan park proposed, plus DEC proposes expansion of Cape Range National Park camping area. Overflow to
cater for peaks.
Current sites not adequate. Sites shortages at Denham and Monkey Mia in peak times- Aspen proposal for expansion of sites and accommodation at Monkey Mia held up in approvals for 15 years.
Current sites at Coral Bay do not meet at peak times. Consumer feedback indicates a need for improvement in standard of facilities. Completion of Banksia Drive extension is a priority.
Caravan parks currently adequate but there has been the recent loss of one caravan park. New pressures will emerge from infrastructure projects. DEC advises demand exceeds capacity at Cape Le Grand.
Industry stakeholders indicate sufficient supply apart from high season. However, consumers report necessity to bypass Broome due to lack of availability throughout major part of dry season. Potential
closure of one existing park. New Broome North park under consideration. Need for dump points. Supply of sites likely impacted by LNG Hub project. Sealing of Cape Leveque Road presents opportunity
for Indigenous camping developments on the Dampier Peninsula.
Demand exceeds capacity at Windjana Gorge, Silent Grove and Mt Hart. High tourism potential for travel on Gibb River Road needs additional camping infrastructure. Potential for environmental impacts
unless ablution facilities and dump points are provided. Potential for station stays and Indigenous owned and operated facilities. Existing Campgrounds should be capable of expansion to meet demand.
Wyndham caravan parks are reported to be in need of improvement. Investigate opportunities for development of seasonal nature-based parks closer to Kununurra and Broome. Future opportunity for
additional Indigenous owned caravan park at the site of the Ord Expansion Project worker's camp in Kununurra, which has designed on a future caravan park services infrastructure grid. Potential to add
inventory to existing parks in the short term. Provision of additional dump points is required through the region. Additional facilities required on this section of the Gibb River Road.
Demand is currently met for majority of visitors to Karijini. Demand exceeds supply at Millstream Chichester. DEC management plan recommends new campground. Rest areas and dump point required
through region. Opportunity for development of new caravan park and expansion of existing park in Tom Price. High proportion of tourist sites occupied by resource mining workers which is a trend that
will continue to impact on tourism availability. There has been two caravan parks closed - at Onslow and Wittenoom. High demand in Onslow due to Wheatstone Gas development.
Substantial proportion of caravan sites utilised for worker accommodation - likely to continue over the next 5 years at least. High tariffs due to demand. Transit Park(s) nature-based and expansion to
existing facilities required to mitigate shortages. Closure of South Hedland Caravan Park and occupation of all sites on Black Rock Caravan Park by BHP workers has exacerbated shortfall of tourist sites.
Need for more road traveller facilities including dump points.
As for Port Hedland - Insufficient tourist sites due to resource project accommodation demand (unmet). Requirement for transit park(s) and overflow capacity to be added. Need Ministerial waiver on
50km exclusion zone. Investigate opportunity at coastal locations for new park development. New park has been developed at Point Samson.
Demand exceeds capacity at Margaret River. DEC is to investigate future sites for caravan park the region and camping at Leeuwin- Naturalist National Park. Issues with illegal camping in region.
Occupancy statistics distorted by lower demand at Augusta. Planned expansion of caravan park at Augusta may relieve pressure on Margaret River facilities. Dump Points required in region. Closure of
caravan park in Augusta has reduced number of available sites. Evidence of potential for further closures of caravan parks for conversion to higher use in region.
High seasonal demand and site shortages in peak holiday periods. Loss of a number of caravan parks to higher use in recent years. Potential for new caravan park developments at Siesta Park but existing
leases have been extended. Popular interstate and intrastate destination. Pressure on existing site inventory from retiree market and fly in - fly out workers. Require additional tourist sites and overflow
facilities.
The closure of three caravan parks in Mandurah has created a shortage of site during the holiday seasons. Potential closure of an additional three parks will exacerbate the shortages. A significant number
of the remaining caravan sites are utilised for permanent occupation and by workers on mining and other projects. The City of Mandurah does not afford a high priority of the development of new caravan
parks in its Tourism Strategy which may result in some equity issues. The Peel Development Commission has been active in promoting the provision of caravan and camping sites in the Peel Region and
has formed a Sector Support Group Framework to investigate opportunities. There are potential coastal and near-coastal sites in Mandurah and in the Yalgorup National Park that would be highly
desirable if the land was deemed suitable for development. DEC does not have camping as a priority in Yalgorup National Park.
The availability of tourist sites in the shire of Murray has been diminished by the recent closure of Aqua caravan park. The adjoining parks are at future risk of redevelopment for other uses due to
commercial creep along Pinjarra Road. Permanent occupiers of sites take up a high proportion of sites. Development of new camping area at Baden Powell, potential new caravan park development at
Thompsons Road and the potential for new caravan and campgrounds on the eastern side of the Peel Estuary have come into focus through the completion of the Forrest Highway, which provides better
access to Perth and other major gateways. The Shire of Murray holds the key to the provision of caravan and camping facilities to meet anticipated demand in the region.
Rockingham caravan parks have the highest occupancy in the state. However, many of the sites are occupied by permanent residents. A potential new caravan park development at Port Kennedy was
incorporated into the land development agreement with the State of Western Australia. City of Rockingham has prepared a planning policy for caravan parks to address the shortage of tourist sites. There
is high potential for the development of sustainable tourist caravan parks in Rockingham due to its proximity to Perth, coastal location and access by road and public transport.
Two coastal caravan parks at Ledge Point and Lancelin have reduced site availability at beachfront locations. The closures have been mitigated somewhat by the development of new parks at Ledge Point
and Gingin, although neither are on the coast. There is a possibility that the other caravan park at Lancelin will be developed for alternative use in the near future. Tourism WA and the Department of
Regional Development and Lands are considering a potential new coastal site at Lancelin for the development of a large tourist caravan and holiday accommodation park. The provision of new caravan
and camping infrastructure at Lancelin and adjoining coastal areas is seen as critical due to its high demand as a holiday location and the increased visitation through the opening of the Indian Ocean
Drive.
A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 83