Camping restrictions anger caravan owners
Restrictions at the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder's free camping area at Centennial Park have angered some caravan owners.
Visitors say conditions requiring a grey water tank and forbidding the use of external generators are unfair.
Reg and Sue Sharp from South Australia said the restrictions would force people to move into caravan parks or camp illegally.
"It will make us have to go to more caravan parks, which we really can't afford," Mr Sharp said.
"It's an elitist move … because the average Joe just can't afford to travel."
Mr Sharp said the City was failing to recognise caravan owners' contribution to the local economy.
"It's a bit of contra-action to want people to come in and by the same token exclude them," he said.
Caravan owner Alan Dean also voiced his objections.
"I think they're basically trying to drive everyone into caravan parks," he said.
"I've got what I consider to be a very self-contained caravan, shower, toilet everything, but no, I don't have a grey water tank."
Going through Kalgoorlie-Boulder for the past three years, Mr Dean said he spent thousands of dollars when visiting.
"I'm a detector, retired … and I must've bought $10,000 of gear just in the detecting shop over the last three years," he said.
Mr Dean said pushing people into caravan parks would drive pensioners to visit other areas.
"There's a lot of cheaper caravan parks in WA and the Goldfields than … in Kalgoorlie," he said.
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder chief executive Don Burnett said he had only received one complaint regarding the requirements at Centennial Park.
Mr Burnett said the conditions had always been in place at Centennial Park, but the City had erected signs last week clearly outlining expectations.
"What we've applied is the international standard for 24-hour stopping points and it's called Leave No Trace," he said.
"The signage up there explains what the caravan or camper van owners are required to comply with and the absolute majority of them are very happy to do that."
Mr Burnett said if caravan owners did not have grey water tanks and generators, they could not use the Centennial Park site.
"If people aren't self-contained, then they need to go to a proper camping area or caravan park," he said.
"This is not set up for people who are not self-contained."
