A Strategic Approach to the Caravan and Camping Industry 2012

Some of the more popular existing day or overnight rest areas in high appeal locations
could provide opportunities for contracted on site (or daily visiting) caretakers to
maintain the facilities and ensure they are kept clean and safe during the peak of the
season.
A minimal fee (cost recovery) would ensure proper management of sites and the
security for users, knowing there are caretakers on site. It is anticipated that these
sites would need to have capacity for at least 25 sites and be in areas with average
peak month occupancy of 80 percent or above to make it viable as per the below
example:
Rest area management
Camp sites 25
Av guest per site 2
$/person/night $8
Months/ peak season 4
Days/ season 120
Average peak month occupancy 80%
Revenue / season $38,400
Licence Fee (20% of revenue) - paid to LGA or Main Roads (for the provision/ replacement of $7,680
infrastructure provided)
Management Contract Revenue / season $30,720
Revenue / week $1,792
Estimated hrs / week 21
Rate / hr $85
The management contracts would likely appeal to a range of individuals such as
retirees seeking a small income to supplement superannuation; or businesses looking
to diversify income streams such as Indigenous communities, local caravan parks,
stations, roadhouses, clubs etc.
On site or visiting caretakers (located nearby) could enforce the stipulated duration of
stay to ensure equity of access for all visitors and minimise abuse by over-stayers.
Sites that have the capacity and facilities for more than a single night stay could
operate as transit camps rather than overnight rest areas. A designated number of
bays could be reserved for genuine emergencies and Heavy Transport Operators by
segregation and controlling numbers for each vehicle type.
A variety of payment options could be considered for locations which do not meet the
above criteria, and where unmanaged camping is an issue, including an online prepaid
permit system or permit payment through visitor centres. At locations near
towns, a ticket machine option could be placed outside Shire offices to sell single or
multi-day camping permits.
A communications strategy targeting online forums, clubs and guidebooks, together
with clear signage should be implemented to clearly indicate permitted duration of
stay. All sites could also be listed on the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse to
facilitate ease of planning for visitors.
Locations where existing rest areas could be relocated or co-located with other
commercially managed business locations would also need to be investigated with
roadhouse or caravan park operators able to tender for contracts to manage publically
accessible rest areas either nearby, or co-located with their existing facilities.
Some rest areas for preliminary consideration for improved management
arrangements and peak season on-site caretakers could include:
Spring Creek - Just outside Purnululu National Park
Leycesters Rest Area on the Ord River - between Halls Creek and Warmun
Ellendale Rest Area between Derby turnoff and Fitzroy Crossing
Cliff Head North Rest Area just south of Dongara
Galena Bridge Rest Area 13 km north of the turnoff to Kalbarri on the banks
of the Murchison River
Positive Impacts
Co-locating facilities has the potential to improve the distribution and increase the
number of rest areas, ablutions and dump points provided.
Management of rest areas and related facilities would improve the maintenance,
security and cleanliness of facilities provided and ensure enforcement of permitted
durations of stay. This would ensure sites can always be accessed by fatigued drivers
and those with a genuine need.
Management of the facilities would offer the potential to recover the costs of
providing and maintaining the facilities through a user pays arrangement. This would
enable the development of additional facilities and capacity to better meet demand
and user expectations.
A Strategic Approach to Caravan and Camping Tourism in Western Australia Page 95