The Proston Round Table community group will be officially launching the town’s new free overnight camping area on Saturday, April 15.
The group approved a plan to create an overnight camping area on a vacant, Council-owned block at the end of Railway Park in Rodney Street, diagonally opposite the Golden Spurs Hotel, in February this year.
At present large numbers of caravanners bypass Proston – either going to the Lake Boondooma Tourist Park, or taking a shortcut from the Durong-Mundubbera Road to the Bunya Highway – because the town’s CBD is not on the main road.
The aim of the overnight camping area is to provide an incentive for caravanners to stop in the town and help revitalise Proston’s CBD.
Saturday’s launch will take the form of a Meet And Greet Morning Tea in Railway Park between 8:30am and 10:30am.
The morning tea will welcome visitors to the area who are either driving through or travelling to Boondooma Dam for the long weekend, as well as provide an opportunity for Proston residents to meet Round Table members.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff, who is also the chair of the Council’s Natural Resource Management and Parks portfolio, has been acting as a Council representative on the Round Table group since it was formed.
“Council has planted some beautiful bottle trees to delineate the overnight area and the Proston Men’s Shed have organised signage, which will be funded through my Councillor discretionary fund,” Cr Duff said.
The morning tea is free, and everyone is welcome.
Free visitor bags will also be handed out to travellers at the morning tea to encourage a longer stay and return visits.
- Related article: Freestay Plan For Proston
Make it 48hrs and you will get a better result
As someone who has worked as a travel writer, and also behind the scenes in tourism PR industry, I also have to add my support to the people who are suggesting a longer stay would be more successful. Travellers are more likely to stay if they can ‘linger longer’ and rest for at least two nights – three is better. That also gives them longer to explore the area, wash clothes, take hot showers, stock up at local suppliers, eat out at pubs and restaurants, see to any maintenance required, and generally spend their money in the area. However, this is a great start and let’s hope it attracts more visitors to that part of the Burnett. I noticed many of the free camping areas were busy during my travels over the Easter long weekend and I hope businesses were able to receive some benefit from this.
Maximum 72 hours would be nice. Grey Nomads could linger longer and sightsee etc. I live in Plainland in the Lockyer Valley. I would be happy to stay. Good town initiative.
To just have overnight stay is not going to help the business in your CBD. I agree that at least 2 or more likely 3 nights would be a more financial benefit to the town. Will pop in on our way north next month – John
I have a lot of experience with the vanning / camping communities. Overnight stays will not bring a lot of money into your community. 72hrs will serve you much better.
People will shop, fuel up, have a meal at the local, and enjoy a cold drink or two. A butcher and bakery will get plenty of business, too. An overnight stay will see people arrive maybe 4pm, and leave by 9am.
Great initiative to set up an RV stopover in Proston.