May 29, 2015
Sprucing up the formerly run-down Murgon Caravan Park and converting it into a free 48-hour camping ground appears to have paid off for the South Burnett Regional Council and Murgon’s businesses.
Today Murgon Business and Development Association (MBDA) president Leo Geraghty reported that guests using the camping grounds had spent at least $4500 in the town last week, and their actual expenditure was probably higher.
The MBDA knows how much was spent because there is a “Receipts Box” in the upgraded camping grounds, where guests are asked to deposit receipts from any purchases they make in the area.
This week Stacey Perrett, the Murgon Visitor Information Centre Team Leader who cleans out the box every week, said this week’s receipts totalled $4500.
“The box was absolutely full, could not fit another receipt in it,” she said.
“And we are getting a lot of great comments from visitors.”
The short stay camping area has also drawn a favourable response from caravanners.
Today findacamp.com.au, a site that specialises in reviewing Australian camping areas, posted the following opinion piece on their Facebook page:
“Once upon a time there was a small country town in the South Burnett which, like all country towns, has seen its ups and downs and lost its major employer and industry.
“It had a small council owned caravan park which over time became less viable and eventually closed, but the businessmen’s association was determined to keep it opened as a free park to encourage the tourist to stay awhile.
“Now Murgon is the sort of town that you often drive through when going from one major centre to another, so the plan was ambitious and of course had some opposition from certain sectors of the accommodation industry.
“Well we have just received an email advising that the freedom camp is working, they ask freedom campers to place their receipts from local spending in a box at the park and it is cleared weekly. Last week it was chockers with over $4500 in receipts spent with businesses in the town.
“We congratulate Murgon for their forward thinking and trust that the partnership between the town and the … travelling (community) will continue to flourish for the benefit of all.
“Next time we all pass through it might pay to linger for 48 hours and discover what the town has to offer.”
MBDA secretary Margaret Long said the idea for the receipts box had originally come from the Visitor Information Centre and as word about the camping area has spread, the weekly figures have been climbing.
She believed the overnight area wasn’t any threat to either the Yallakool Tourist Park or the Barambah Bush Caravan Park, because it catered for a different type of visitor.
“Yallakool is a destination visitors go to for a week or a long weekend of fishing, boating and lake side activities,” she said.
“And Barambah Bush is an alternative site you go to if you’re looking for a quieter long stay environment.
“But this camping area is in the CBD and it’s primarily for short-stay visitors who are passing through on their way to somewhere else.”
She said the camping area was attracting a new group of tourists that Murgon formerly missed.
And the receipts box had proven that if visitors can stay in the town at no charge for a day or two, they’ll do their shopping there as well.
“There was some opposition to the idea when it was first proposed because some businesses were worried it would impact on them.
“But that doesn’t seem to be the case, and I think most Murgon businesses are very much in favour of it now.”
This could be a great idea for Nanango as well. Instead of having overnight caravans down at Tipperary Flats, why not have them on the strip of land between the RSL car park and the old squash courts? This might entice people to have a meal at the RSL or wander into town. Tipperary Flats, while convenient, is not conducive to a quick trip into town for provisions or shopping. Caravanners spend the night and then travel through Nanango without stopping. C’mon people, let’s get some of these caravans to stay and spend some money!