Consideration is being given to establishing parks for recreational vehicles (RVs) near the Bundaberg CBD, with Council today discussing two sites as possible designated areas for self-contained vehicles.
The two sites in question include the north-east corner of the Old Showgrounds and a lot adjacent to the North Bundaberg IGA.
In an effort to assist in positioning the region as RV-friendly, the Council will be calling for expressions of interest from operators wishing to lease the council land for the purpose of setting up an RV park for self-contained vehicles.
Spokesperson for Economic Development, Cr Greg Barnes described the national RV market as lucrative, emphasising that caravanning and camping visitors pumped billions of dollars into the Australian economy each year.
“Information from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia shows that RV travellers are worth $17.4 billion to the Australian economy annually. In addition, about 90 per cent of RV visitor nights are spent in regional Australia, making the sector a large economic contributor to regional Australia.”
“Figures collected from the Tourism Australia National Visitor Survey indicate that in the year ended September 2013, there were more than 30 million domestic visitor nights spent in a caravan park or commercial camping ground. This sector makes up 10 per cent of all visitor nights in Australia, which is a massive slice of the domestic tourism market,” Cr Barnes said.
“Further to this, statistics gathered from the ABS Motor Vehicle Census suggest that there are more than half a million recreational vehicles registered in Australia and that registrations of this kind have continued to grow by about five per cent each year for the past six years. Obviously it’s a market that is only getting bigger and one that the Bundaberg Region can’t afford to ignore.”
Representative for Division 4, Cr Helen Blackburn said Council was keen to hear from the community and would be consulting with nearby landholders.
“It is worth emphasising that these sites have been chosen because they are in flood prone areas near the CBD and alternative development options would be severely constrained,” Cr Blackburn said.
“Flood prone areas are suitable for fully self-contained vehicles as drivers would be instructed to leave well before any flood event. Also, given the minimal infrastructure required at a self-contained RV park, there is minimal risk of flood damage to such items.”