Free Camping Trial in Goondiwindi

2 May 2017

COUNCIL AGREES TO SIX MONTH TRIAL OF FREE CAMPING

Goondiwindi Regional Council approved a six-month trial of free camping at the Redmond Park rest area at the Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, 26 April.

At the same meeting, Council also approved free camping with limited facilities at five of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM) approved Stock Reserves just out of Goondiwindi and on the Cunningham Highway near Whetstone.  This stay will be classified as Bush Camping under the Goondiwindi Regional Council Camping Strategy.  Only skip bins will be provided at those sites with the length of stay limited to 14 days.

“The six month trial of free town camping will have a lot more stringent requirements,” Mayor Graeme Scheu explained today. “It will be restricted to a two night stay; with the water and the dump point already existing as does public toilets.  All vehicles should be self-contained and no tents permitted.  A shopper docket survey box will be installed so that Council can decide at the end of the six-month trial on the benefits to business for a long-term position. All overflow vehicles will be redirected to other options”.

DNRM has approved the six-month trial, as the land is State owned land.

The long term issue of free and low cost camping has been a sensitive issue for some time and the trial will allow Council to determine the outcome for the future,” Mayor Graeme Scheu said.

Council will now amend its Local Laws so that enforcement does not become an issue if the condition of the trial is not abided by.

For further information, please contact:

Councillor Graeme Scheu
Mayor
Goondiwindi Regional Council
Mobile: 0427 718 877
Email: gscheu@grc.qld.gov.au