In this issue: •An avalanche of dump point letters •Talk the talk on a miniphone •Why they call it the blues

the

‘Campfires are key part of life on the road’The great Aussie tradition of lighting campfires should not be outlawed, despite ris-ing bushfire dangers ... and so says a whopping 85.7% or respondents to our GNT poll on the issue.“Campfires are a way of life,” said Steve and Di W. “As John Wiliamson says: we should have a right to light a campfire on the road.”Terry and Trina H agree.“A small bright fire on a cool night is a major joy of the outdoor life,” they wrote. “And the source of all cooked meals at our Light-ning Ridge camp.”Bev H though reckons simple-to-follow nationwide restrictions are the way to go.“It would be better to have a blanket fire ban from November 1 to March 31 (as they do in some areas of WA),” she wrote. “And then allow fires again in the cooler, wetter months.”Andrea D agrees a national-ly recognised fire ban period would reduce confusion.“But then, I’ve never been able to comprehend the fet-ish for campfires,” she said. “We seem to be a nation of pyromaniacs!” More in letters. Click to comment

Issue 38: February 1, 2013Tassie’s sinking popularity ... would ferry fare cut help?

Tasmania has come in for a hard time recently. Even before recent devastating bushfires hit the tourism sector, there were clear signs that visitor numbers were declining.The mayor of Kentish, which incorporates the north-western town of Sheffield, had already expressed concern about what he saw as the lack of caravans and campervans. Don Thwaites said both his own observations and anecdotal evidence sug-gested there were significantly less tourists staying in council-owned sites.That would be no surprise to the many grey nomads who were angered by last year’s Tasmanian government review of camping fees at council-run sites. The Statewide Directions Paper ruled that while local councils could continue to provide affordable overnight camping, they had an obligation allow for costs such as sewage, maintenance, rubbish collec-tion, signage, power and labour when setting camping fees. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the argument – and Tourism Minister Scott Bacon says the government has an

obligation to find a balance between commercial caravan parks and council-run camping sites – many long-term grey nomads warned that, without widespread free and cut-price camping the Apple Isle would be just too expensive to keep on the Big Lap itinerary.The recent bushfires have only compounded the problems fac-ing Tassie’s tourism authorities. There have been statements urging visitors to keep com-ing and reminders that Tassie is still ‘open for business’. And focus has also inevitably fallen on that other major bone of contention ... the cost of taking a rig across the Bass Strait.Some are saying that the state’s bushfire recovery taskforce should look at further subsidis-ing ferry fares as a way of lur-ing more nomads to Tasmania ... and reigniting the tourism sector.

“A one-off subsidy on trans-port such as TT Line (opera-tor of the Spirit of Tasmania ferries) should be considered,” said Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson. Such a move, if it were to happen, would certainly be popular with both tourists and Tasmanian business owners.Monica Houghan, who owns the Mole Creek camp-ing ground near Deloraine, describes the peak season ferry costs as `prohibitive’.“I just don’t understand why the Spirit fares are one price over summer but are almost half that amount in winter,” she told media outlets. “I’m sure Tassie would absolutely reap the benefits if the Spirit abided by lower fares all year round.’’How much would you pay to cross the Bass Strait? Is Tassie still on your ‘must-see’ list?Click to comment

Tourism Tasmania is keen to tempt more tourists to

target the Apple Isle

Your news and views? Email us at thetimes@thegreynomads.com.au

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Less visitors have been enjoying Tassie’s amazing sights

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Susan, 67, and Lou, 69, sold their Geelong home ...

and haven’t looked back What do you travel in?20’ Grant Tourer by Creative. Our ‘home’ has all the facili-ties including shower, toilet, barbecue, etc.

How long do your trips last? Other than occasional trips back to Victoria to catch up with family, we are permanent-ly on the road ... and are now entering our fifth year.

Where do you camp?Mainly in caravan parks as that suits our van and lifestyle although we have camped ‘off-road’ for up to 3-4 days if there is a nice quiet location.

Lifestyle likes and dislikes? We like not having to be any-where at any particular time. We plan our trips according to our mood at the time, but will change course if we feel like it. We also know that if we get stuck with a ‘know-it-all’, it’ll only be until tomorrow or whenever we next move on. We dislike filthy people who cannot be bothered to clean up after themselves and spoil pristine sites.

What wouldn’t you be without?My camera, my laptop for banking and skyping, and my

toolbox for running repairs to the van or car.

Favourite places? South Australia’s Eyre Penin-sula and Tasmania.

Scary grey nomad experiences? Not really ... other than just missing Cyclone Oswald. We also keep a close lookout for crocs in the north ... although we haven’t seen any in the wild ... yet!

Is medical care a problem? I have to have regular check-ups every 2-4 weeks and this has never been an issue. Even my medication I e-mail my doctor (in Geelong) whenever I need new scripts and he for-wards them onto a nominated pharmacy near where I am.

Also, he does what is called a Reg24 which means that you can get a six-month supply in the one hit. The only thing you need to be aware of is that they are stored in a relatively constant temperature. When I have a test done, the results are forwarded onto him and he contacts me by e-mail for my future dosage.

Advice for wannabe nomads?Go for it! Don’t let health is-sues stop you ... unless you are confined to bed! Even if you may not be able to visit all the beautiful sights/loca-tions by walking there, you are still going to see some magnificent sights driving around. Enjoy life on the road while you can.

Five years on the road and still going strong

Nomads in Brief

Snake’s revenge A 75-year-old snake catcher blacked out at the wheel and crashed his car into a tree after being bitten by a venomous ‘rough scaled snake’. WIRES volunteer Bruce Dwyer had just re-trieved the snake, originally thought to be a harmless brown tree snake, from a Coffs Harbour property. He was treated with antivenene.

Dump point delight An RV waste disposal point is to be installed at the Ad-elaide suburb of Athelstone. The free-to-use facility will be located near Foxfield Oval. Campbelltown Council will investigate the feasibility of allowing RVs to park overnight at the site.

Grisly discoveryThe badly decomposed body of a man aged in his 40s has been discovered in Broome’s Roebuck Bay Caravan Park. Guests had noticed a smell. The man is believed to have been a long-term park resident.

Hikers rescuedA large group of hikers had to be rescued by helicopter when fire broke out in Vic-toria’s Alpine National Park. The 37 walkers were on the Mt Feathertop-Razorback walking track when light-ning reignited a fire in the state’s north-east.

Issue 38: February 1, 2013

Sue and Lou have all they facilities they need in their rig

TimesCharacters of the Road

Ha! Ha! I’m going to steal your campfire sausages. Click here to find out

Do You Know 1. If it is now 5.30pm in Perth, what time is it in Coober Pedy?2. Shortest road distance between the NSW towns of Berry and Orange? A) 329km B) 479km C) 643km 3. I am in Thargomindah. Which road do I take to head for the Burke & Wills Dig Tree? 4. Where in NSW do you swap a lake for a small mountain and go to the ballet? 5. Oui! Mes amis Australiens. Zis Victorian island belongs to us! Name it. (Answers on page 7)

Grab a Cuppa and test your grey mattaZooming in

the Your news and views? Email us at thetimes@thegreynomads.com.au

Dear Editor,I can’t help but wonder if the amount of vans that lose con-trol or sway is contributed to by them being lightweight. We tow a 24ft Regent Brentwood weighing 3500kg and don’t have any problems. Most of the vans I have seen destroyed on the roadside appear to be the lightweight vans.

Annette BDear Editor,Re: Ros W letter (GNT: Issue 37). I agree there is no logic in the way caravan parks charge. I am a single female with a small camper trailer and often get placed next to a large van for two people. The vans usually include TV, air-con, heating, washing machine, and dish-washer, yet I pay the same as they do. This is just not right.

Wendy FDear Editor,Re: ‘Are WA van parks the worst’ survey (GNT: Issue 37). Recently in WA and in Port Hedland, in particular, we were made to feel very unwelcome. There were rude managers making comments about tour-ists only being there for a short time. They wanted permanents for the mining operations.

Sherill CDear Editor,The problem in south-west towns in WA is that van parks are either being chopped up for other uses or converted into resort accommodation. Parks inland have very reason-able prices and, in most places, are clean and tidy. Mining towns are expensive because there are no affordable house rentals so the workforce moves into van parks. North-west coastal towns are expensive in the dry due to supply and demand. The captive market means standards drop a bit.

George K (aka Sparky)

Dear Editor,I know that it is school holiday time but Bremer Bay takes the cake ... $60 per night!

Sandra & DennisDear Editor,We have been travelling around Australia for nine months. We find the van parks exactly the same in all states. No better and no worse in con-ditions and cost. My big gripe is finding a pet friendly park that will take dogs over the Christmas holidays. I cannot understand the reasoning of stopping pets over holidays.

Lesley RDear Editor,Re: Gadget of the Road (GNT: Issue 37). A solar generator would solve our problem. We have no space for a gennie in the caravan. We want to switch vehicles from a 4wd dual cab with canopy to a 4wd wagon, but the petrol gennie will ‘stink’ out the back. Hope we don’t have to wait too long.

Bruce & MaryDear Editor,Come on guys, it’s a battery in a box. You can buy a 20amp/hr deep cycle battery, 20 watt so-lar panel and a small 300 watt 240volt inverter for $200 on eBay. Put it in a box and give it a nice name and someone wants to rip the caravaners off to the tune of $600. I am sick of people thinking you are a bottomless pit when you retire.

Russ J PS: Love the GNT

Dear Editor,I guarantee that, once released in Australia, this solar-powered generator will be a winner. Many nomads, grey or otherwise, will be seen with one sooner or later. The only drawback is that it IS solar powered and needs the sun to charge it up. Not so good when there isn’t much sun for a week

or so. But, on second thoughts, is that possible to happen in our sun-drenched country?

Judy GDear Editor,Firstly, thank you for the great read each edition. Now I would definitely try the YETI. The main reason being I do not want to store a smelly pet-rol generator in the caravan. I have been thinking of moving the spare wheel from the back to front storage and attaching a large checkerplate toolbox on the back bumper bar to hold a small gas stove, butane cylin-ders and a generator. If I had the YETI, I could store it either inside the caravan, under the bed or in the front storage compartment.

Jan & HartDear Editor,Re: Great Places (GNT: Issue 37). On my frequent stops in Ceduna, I found that the locals were out of control. It became necessary to install a man-proof fence around the caravan park. Police dog squads had a marked positive effect. We changed from staying over at Ceduna to staying over and filling up at Penong and then going on to Streaky Bay. Cedu-na lost its appeal to us because of the unsavoury atmosphere. Love their oysters though!

Graham CDear Editor,Re Jaclyn & Heidi column (GNT: Issue 37). My superfit 72-year-old husband tripped over the dog lead in a subur-ban area, fell over and banged his head, then suffered a major life-threatening stroke. He got the use of his left side back and is now 100%. That could happen at any age but, at 73, the wife in this case could end up carrying the burden for the man’s stupidity if they are far from help in the bush some-where. Don’t let him put you

in that position. You have a right not to be stressed out of your mind.

Paulette MDear Editor,You Go Alec! It is better to die doing something you enjoy than to sit and wait for it to come and get you!

Arthur WDear Editor,I think taking out a big insurance policy would be a good step.

David RDear Editor, This is scary. Are we saying that, at 73, we should stick to 6km walks? My father was walking 35kms when he was in his late 80s and I hope to be doing the same. If this person has prepared well, then good luck to him. There are probably people who would envy him.

Wendy F Dear Editor,Re: campfire ban survey (GNT: Issue 37). If managed responsibly, campfires enhance our camping experience as well as being practical for cooking.

Gail JDear Editor,Campfires should be properly extinguished when finished with and any mess cleaned up. Enjoy your camp fire but always do it responsibly. Yours and my safety is a priority.

David and Chris M Dear Editor,How about managing the fuel load in national parks? Proper land management would make them much safer without loss of amenity and beauty

Al ADear Editor,They should be in fireplaces only. Communal fireplaces pro-vide a great area for interaction.

Max & Sue(Dump point letters are on pages 6-7)

Issue 38: February 1, 2013

Times

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What price coverage?The advance of modern com-munications technology has helped to make a grey nomad adventure into the Australian outback seem a little safer … and more accessible … but are we in danger of getting too much of a good thing? Does the ongoing expansion of the mobile phone coverage network mean that the wil-derness is less wild and that humdrum domestic issues are brought along for the ride? Read more here

Other website must-reads:Paying by the hour? Should the national park fee structure change?

Gas bottle disaster Man injured in campsite explosion

Show your colours Get your grey nomad stickers and stubbie holders

SURVEYAre mobile phones spoiling

the remote travel experience?Yes No

Website highlightsIf phones are so ‘smart’ why are they too big?

In the race to cram more and more features into our smart-phones, it seems some people are finding them just too big and unwieldly to actually use for making and receiving calls.While the latest and greatest phone might be perfect when you want to chill under your awning checking on your stocks and shares or mapping your route for the next day’s journey, they are less practical when you are packed up for a bushwalk and the blooming thing starts ringing. Apparently, many have now become so large that they sim-ply can’t be stored conveniently and whipped out of a pocket or bag in a reasonable time.In other words, the mobile phone just isn’t as mobile as it used to be. Of course, it’s not just the poor old grey nomads who have been suffering from ‘my-phone’s-too-smart-to-be-a-phone’ syndrome. The rest of the population has been endur-

ing the same condition, which may be why HTC has come up with the logical solution ... a mini phone for your phone. Huh! A phone for your phone! Has the world gone crazy? Maybe so. Currently only avail-able for the Chinese market, the (phone-sized!) HTC Mini is an accessory for the much larger HTC Butterfly. The ge-nius – or the madness – behind the thinking is that owners use the Mini to make and take calls without having to remove their super-sized smartphones (aka small tablet computers) from their pockets.We are told the mini device connects to the big Butterfly via

Near Field Communication (NFC). It’s small, light, and can be stored in a shirt pocket while the much larger Butter-fly sits in a deeper pocket or bag. As well as making calls, it can show messages, calendar appointments, and call history on its monochrome display.HTC has yet to announce when – and if – the Butterfly Mini will become available outside China ... and it’s yet to be seen whether other smart-phone manufacturers will pick up the idea and run with it. Is your smartphone too ‘smart’ to just be an easy-to-use phone? Click to comment

Issue 38: February 1, 2013

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DISCLAIMER: The Grey Nomad Times team is not responsible for any sale, trade, or other transactions between vendors and vendees or advertisers and respondents. All parties enter into transactions at their own risk.

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FACEBOOK FUN The end of an era Oodnadatta’s Pink Roadhouse up for sale. Click here for more.

LIttle and large ... the big Butterfly and its mini version

Hi hi, hi ho ... nah! Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,My wife and I are in our mid-50s and have been travelling full-time for the past eight months. It’s been everything we dreamed of and more ... in fact, it’s probably just too good. Our trip was supposed to be 40% work, and 60% living the good life. It’s turned out to be 5% work and 95% living the good life! We tried fruit-picking but had no idea how hard and relentless it would be and we didn’t last long there. We also helped out at a cattle station for a while but the owners had unreasonable expectations of us. We also got offered a cleaning/maintenance job in a roadhouse but no way ... it was in the mid-dle of nowhere and there were flies everywhere! How do other grey nomads manage to get the

work/travel balance right and how do they find the easy jobs?

Tommy I think it’s a matter of needs must, Tommy. If you and your wife have got a the cash and investments that will enable you to continue with your 5%/95% lifestyle for years to come, and you are happy to spend in order to do so, then good luck to you. However, it sounds like your finances may be less secure, so the bank manager may insist you readjust your life balance. Not everyone can afford full-time grey nomadding, especially if they are not ready to work as they travel, so you might be better suited to heading home and looking forward to trips of a couple of months each year.

Jaclyn

Oh Tommy. You really are the sort of wannabe freeloader that gives baby boomers a bad name. If you were some lily-skinned, pampered back-packer bleating about how hard working for a living was I could understand it. Reality check, Tommy. There ain’t no free rides in this life for grey nomads or anyone else. If you want to live the good life, you have to work for it. There are no easy jobs, just lazy people who aren’t ready to do a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay and try to get away with doing less rather than more. I think you’ll find that when the cash gets tighter, fruit-picking won’t seem quite as arduous and the cattle station owner might not seem quite as unreasonable!

Heidi Click to comment

Issue 38: February 1, 2013

Strategically located 450 kilo-metres from both Adelaide and Melbourne, Mount Gambier is an obvious stopping-off point for on-the-move grey nomads.With a population of just over 30,000, the South Australian city boasts excellent shopping and service amenities and half a dozen or so van parks ... but it’s neither the facilities nor the van parks that will linger long-est in the memory. The city is built on an ancient landscape of volcanic craters which play host to a number of volcanic lakes. Most visited of them all is the 70-metre-deep Blue Lake which famously changes col-our from steel grey to brilliant turquoise blue every summer. There are a number of lookouts

from which to view this amaz-ing natural phenomenon. Blue Lake has filled the largest of three volcanic craters in Mount Gambier. Visitors will also enjoy the walking trails and recreational areas around Crater Lakes and Valley Lakes Crater.The area’s geological formation means that limestone caves and underground waterways are in abundance. The plentiful water supply beneath Mount Gambier ensures the city is pretty much always beautiful, lush and green,You won’t need your ‘caving’ gear to visit Umpherston Sink-hole, a collapsed cave which has been transformed into a

magnificent terraced garden deep within the limestone. Similarly, the Cave Gardens, which are floodlit at night, are famed for their dazzling roses. The Engelbrecht Cave complex of caves are also in the city itself ... and more water-filled caves and sinkholes, including Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie Ponds, can be found further afield.Although Mount Gambier was not officially declared a city until 1954, it has a rich and fascinating history. The City Centre Walk is the perfect

way to view the settlement’s impressive heritage buildings, which are unique because of the use of local limestone and dolomite.Another great way to get your bearings is to walk up to the Centenary Tower to marvel at the view over the city and the surrounding farmland. To the south, the cone-shaped Mount Schank will be visible, rising as it does 158 metres above sea level. If you’re interested in a 20-minute drive out to the extinct volcano, there are a couple of walking trails to take you up to the very summit. Nearby is Little Blue Lake, a water-filled sinkhole, which is a great place for a cool swim after a hot hike.Who would have guessed that caves and craters could be so much fun?

Click to comment

Extinct volcanoes or not ... Mount Gambier is a white-hot desination

Bluer than blue ... Blue Lake in Mt Gambier

Feeling blue on the limestone coast the

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Issue 38: February 1, 2013

$15 to use the dump point in Echuca! ... most GNT

readers wouldn’t pay

Dump points can help bring travellers to a town

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TimesDUMP POINT COST DEBATE ... YOUR SAY

Dear Editor,$15 to use a dump point if just emptying a cassette toilet is far too much. Maybe if you are emptying a 100-litre black tank it is justified – just maybe. I think the whole concept of charging for dump points is a bit on the nose, though. Public toilets are free, and a dump point is just an alternative to a public loo.

Bev HDear Editor,That is so counterproductive. The streets of Victoria will be littered with black water due to a council’s greed. $5 or even $10 would be acceptable to this grey nomad but $15? I won’t be visiting in the near or distant future.

Phil CPS: GNT is a great read.

Dear Editor,Another reason not to support caravan parks.

Jim E Dear Editor,Why bother visiting towns/regions that so obviously don’t want RV-ers? Vote with your wheels. Drive your wallet down the road and visit lots of other nice campsites/towns in the Murray River region nearby with free public dump points. Echuca ratepayers pro-vide public toilets for tourists don’t they? I haven’t noticed any $2 coin slots on the toilet block doors there. Perhaps Echuca business people should demand the immediate removal of barbecues in the parks because the restaurants in town are losing trade. The forward-looking Shire of Cam-paspe had better ban swim-ming along the river beaches

because the local pool will lose money. And no more fishing because too many fisherman will put the fish’n’chip shops out of business!

Laurie HDear Editor,I was in the Gawler informa-tion centre some time ago when a group of motorhomers came in and asked where the nearest dump point was. They were told that the only dump site in town was in the Gawler Caravan Park but, because they were not staying there, they could not use it. The motorhomers were advised that the nearest dump site was at Marion, which is the other side of Adelaide. Their answer was: “Oh well, we will just drive down a country road and dump there!” Aaargggh! Won-derful South Australia!

Tony BDear Editor,$15 is daylight robbery and the town council should be abso-lutely ashamed. A reasonable cost should be no more than $2. If $15 is acceptable to use a dump point, this would equate to a charge of $5 per visit to a public toilet – how ridiculous is that? The consequences of overcharging will be people finding alternative methods of disposal and this needs to be discouraged. You do this by setting an acceptable fee.

Don D (aka Waterbags)

Dear Editor,I think $5 is a fair charge for dumping of waste at a dump point where you are not a guest. After all, someone has to eventually pump out the dump point. However, if $15 starts being the norm, then I foresee illicit dumping of waste being more and more common.

Myra SDear Editor,When we first took to the road as total newcomers to travel-ling four years ago, a certain caravan park in Brisbane insisted that we pay the full overnight accommodation fee to dump our blackwater (chemical-free). The charge was $38!

Andrea DDear Editor,The problem is that, if they charge, some will dispose of their black water illegally. Most will use public toilets for disposal.

John & JaniceDear Editor,My opinion is that if an excessive fee is charged it will encourage dumping illegally, $2 seems appropriate, and donated to a local charity, not the local council. Naturally it brings with it $$$$$ spent in the locality. $15 is ridiculous, but Echuca is renowned for charging excessively. For exam-ple, a minimum stay of three

nights, is the norm for there.Marg H

Dear Editor,Way, way too dear at $15! I could accept maybe NO MORE than $5. What a blatant rip-off and to say that most are happy to pay $15 is plain and simple BS.

JeffDear Editor,What do you pay to use a PUBLIC toilet? That what I expect from a dump point.

BenDear Editor,We live in Echuca and the previous council in my opinion were useless as far as looking after travelling caravanners. They, in their wisdom supplied a dump point in Kyabram, about 40kms from Echuca, and where I would be surprised if 20 caravans a day travelled through. As for charging $15 per drop, that is way over the top. Having toured all round Aussie, we have never paid ... and never will.

Barry G (aka Hallmark1)Dear Editor,My wife and I have been on the road for 22 months. We both agree that to pay $5 to empty out would be a fair price. After all, we have been in some places where it is to unhealthy to unload because no one has cleaned out. If you want these things, you should be prepared to pay some price.

Sandra & DennisDear Editor,It’s very simple! The more it costs for legitimate dumping, is in inverse proportion to il-legitimate dumping.

Colleen FDear Editor,Quite simply anything more than $5 seems like a rip-off to me.

Gail B

How much is too much?

Issue 38: February 1, 2013

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TimesDUMP POINT COST DEBATE ... YOUR SAY

Dear Editor,Like anywhere else, commer-cial enterprises will stand or fall on the service they provide – which includes cost. How-ever, in some instances the towns in question will suffer as GN’s will bypass towns that see as not ‘nomad friendly’.

John & JeanDear Editor,If you are not staying in the park, then why would you not want to be charged a small fee for using the dump point? They have to maintain it. It’s like using the washing ma-chines or showers. How many people go into van parks and abuse the parks facilities? Or, even better, stay a night and support the locals

MargaretDear Editor,I feel $15 is way too much to dump approximately 19 litres of waste. The cost to flush waste water in my home is $1.95 per kilo litre, yes, per thousand litres. Surely a cost like that is encouraging people to dig a hole somewhere? I would have no objection to a small fee however.

Sally WDear Editor,In regards to dump point ... or lack of ... or the high cost. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is more illegal dumping in rest areas or wherever a spot can be found. It’s in their (the coun-cils’) best interest to provide the service free, or a minimal fee. I personally would not pay $15. I’d use a public toilet in the middle of the night before being ripped off!

Bunnie CDear Editor,One or two points that I thought about when I read this. * Use of roadside points (prob-ably council maintained)? A fee of $5 fair enough. $10 ?,

Ahh getting a bit steep. $15? No. I think that’s rip-off terri-tory. * However a fee of $15 for use of caravan park points by free campers ? I think that is fair enough. The person does not want to pay for a site but wants the use of the facilities.* A caravan park asking people who are paying for a site to pay extra for the dump point? No way. I ran a business for 30 years, and if something was worth $1 and I could get $2 for it I would, but charging extra for the dump point? No, not on.

Greg FDear Editor,I think it’s fair if they want to charge a small fee if you’re not staying at the sites and even more so if you can fill up with water ... but $15 is way over the top!

Jodie HDear Editor,The $15 is not the problem (other than the budget), it’s the principle – and commer-cialisation of what should be a ‘public’ service. I don’t pay for public toilet use in the park. Word spreads and, visitors will limit their time at Echuca’s (and many others) peril. A monop-oly of having the only dump point and charge for its use is autocratic! (I got fleeced in Echuca over Easter a few years ago at a caravan park and that has turned us away forever).

Mitch M Dear Editor,To use the dump points should be free, but if a charge must be put on them, no more than $5. This should include the option of filling up your van tanks with water as well, at a CLEAN TAP POINT, a bit away from the dump point! Caravanners travel, buy fuel, groceries, get repairs done and see sites in many towns. They bring income into towns that

otherwise would never even be seen or see outside life. Give us a break! What next?

Cherry & BillDear Editor,Here we are doing the right thing ... travelling, spending money in the towns etc. If you start a charge for using dump points, we, the travellers, may dump illegally.

Helen KDear Editor,$5 seems fair when you fill water tanks.

Mouse PDear Editor,It is the right of commercial organisations to charge what they like for a much-needed service. However, there is also a responsibility on councils to provide services to the com-munity. In my opinion, dump points are no more than public toilet facilities for travellers. Would there be any local coun-cil that would not provide pub-lic toilets? I doubt it. And what would be the consequences of not providing them? In the case of dump point facilities, it could result in disposal of waste via said public toilets or a dug pit. Neither option is acceptable.

Terry RDear Editor,I think it is nothing but profi-teering to charge for the use of dump points and, as a matter of principle, I would bypass any town that charges as they obviously don’t want us to spend money in their area.

Paul DDear Editor,If controllers of dump points are smart, they won’t charge a high price like $15 because that will only encourage ir-responsible dumping along the road somewhere. To me, $5 seems a more realistic figure for something that should not

be a profit-making venture.Maurie Y

Dear Editor, I suppose an important aspect is the volume of waste to be disposed of. It is vastly differ-ent for motorhomes with their large grey and black water-holding tanks and the modest 10 or 15 litre Porta Potti tank of a normal caravan. The discus-sion should centre round what is a reasonable charge for each.

Graham CDear Editor,We are more than happy to pay for this service. The caravan park proprietor or the city council has to establish and maintain these services, and it’s reasonable to expect they will charge a fee to cover their costs.

Pint and JudithDear Editor,$15 ... I have a shovel! $5 ... that’s okay.

John RDear Editor,While travelling oz we have noticed that many of the travellers do not use common-sense or respect, especially if they come from the concrete jungle. We spent three months assisting at a roadhouse and, after that short time, we could write a book on the attitude of travellers.

John VDKDear Editor,Easy. Go to Queensland where there is an abundance of free dump points

Allan R (aka BigAl)