Caravanning News is registered with the National Library of Australia's PANDORA archive

April 2020

April 30:
Victorian-based award-winning Royal Flair Caravans has shipped its first caravan to an overseas customer ... in Mongolia. The manufacturer, an accredited member of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, has wished the Raptor "a safe trip".

APRIL 29: The Queensland-based Roustabouts RV Club is trialling a group video using Skype to keep touch with members and hold committee meetings during the continuing coronavirus crisis.

APRIL 29:
Man who allegedly threatened two people at Kimberleyland Holiday Park at Kununurra in WA and is the subject of arrest warrants in Victoria and Queensland remanded in custody to reappear in court in June.

APRIL 29:
A burning candle left inside a caravan is being blamed for a blaze which destroyed the RV as its owner toasted marshmallows and cooked damper on a backyard bonfire at Ross Creek in Victoria.

APRIL 28:
The hunt is on in Victoria for a white single cab tip truck seen towing a caravan believed to have been stolen from Keysborough on April 21. The truck, one of three in a convoy, failed to stop for police in Drouin West last week.

APRIL 26:
Apollo RV Holidays says it is "very keen" to work with Queensland's tourism industry to promote road trips after the COVID-19 crisis is resolved. Meanwhile, Tourism and Events Queensland’s chief executive Leanne Coddington said the industry needed to be ready for a "staggered" re-introduction of tourism in the state.

APRIL 24:
The Caravan Industry Association of Australia's Camp at Home Easter initiative encouraging families to keep the spirit of camping alive during the coronavirus crisis has been hailed a huge success.

APRIL 23:
TT-Line to move its Victorian port operations for the Spirit of Tasmania ferries from Port Melbourne to Corio Quay, north of Geelong.

APRIL 23:
Mansfield Mayor Marg Attley has urged owners with permanent sites at caravan parks in Victoria to ensure smoke alarms are working and have fresh and not outdated batteries.

APRIL 23:
A man whose two-month crime spree including stealing a bicycle from Echuca Holiday Park in Victoria has been jailed for three months.

APRIL 23:
A Tasmanian man has made sure his upcoming adventure in his brand new caravan will be certainly be up to scratch. The lucky punter from Launceston is planning a dream road trip after scoring a top prize of $10,000 on a $1 Instant Scratch-Its Sloth Dosh ticket.

APRIL 21:
Member of an online grey nomads forum wants to know whether caravanners will be reimbursed a portion of their registration fee after being forcibly grounded by the coronavirus crisis.

APRIL 17:
A meeting for creditors of Rolling Home Sunshine Coast Caravan Sales, which went into liquidation in 2016, has been arranged for May 6 at the Maroochydore offices of Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants.

APRIL 16:
Caravan parks all over Australia report experiencing 'the sound of silence' resulting in the loss of most of their income as the coronavirus crisis continues to cripple holiday markets.

APRIL 14:
A Canberra caravanner was turned round by police as he headed for the NSW border during the Easter break, it was revealed today.

APRIL 12:
New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys says caravans on the state's roads and highways during this Easter "are almost non-existent" as travellers obey coronavirus restrictions.

APRIL 12:
Construction of new toilet facilities at two Maria Island campsites will begin after Easter in preparation for the re-opening of Tasmania’s parks and reserves after the coronavirus emergency, says Minister for Environment and Parks Roger Jaensch. The upgrades to toilet facilities at Encampment Cove and French's Farm campsites, located about 10 kilometres outside the World Heritage Darlington Precinct, aim to improve the visitor experience for the growing number of visitors. "Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is getting on with important maintenance work during the public closure of parks and reserves to help support jobs and regional economies and to help the tourism industry to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic," Mr Jaensch said.

APRIL 10:
Hinchinbrook Shire Council in Queensland warns that all camping ground and sites, walking and vehicle tracks, swimming areas, BBQ facilities and day-use areas at Hinchinbrook Island, Girringun and Paluma Range national parks are now closed.

APRIL 10:
Police in Tasmania report that over 35 people have been intercepted in cars during the last 24 hours, including some towing caravans, questioned and turned around if required.

APRIL 10:
Cause of blaze involving car and caravan in Mashoobra St, Coburg North, Victoria, under investigation. No one injured.

APRIL 10:
Following complaints on social media, police say campers at Edi Cutting and the Pioneer Bridges rest area near Everton in Victoria were homeless travellers and were not breaking any coronavirus rules.

APRIL 9:
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has issued a stern warning to anyone shunning the coronavirus rules and heading for a caravan park during Easter. "We will be going through caravan parks early, issuing warnings to people that may think they can get around these laws," he said.<p>

APRIL 9:
Australia's domestic overnight travel continued to perform well over the year ending December 2019. The latest figures (pre-coronavirus) released by Tourism Research Australia show that 59 million nights were spent at caravan parks and camp sites. Holiday visitors spent their nights in many different accommodation types, with 26 percent preferring caravan or camping. Top state was NSW with 39 million visitors with a $23.7 spend followed by Queensland with 25.9 million and $19.4 billion.

APRIL 8:
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said people travelling over Easter could cop hefty fines. "If you've got the whole family with you and a caravan on the back, you might get a $1000 ticket," he warned. Meanwhile, Queensland's Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson has issued a similar warning, saying there would be a major police crackdown on the roads targeting grey nomads, caravanners and holidaymakers.

APRIL 8:
Work on stage two of the Stuarts Point foreshore area redevelopment in NSW is progressing well. A new amenity block has been installed in the caravan park as well as new footpaths.

APRIL 8:
Some Toyota models used by many caravanners for towing have been recalled for safety reasons. Affected vehicles include Hilux, Prado and LandCruiser sold between October, 2013, and April 3 this year. The recall warns that the fuel pump on affected vehicles could fail resulting in a loss of power which could increase the risk of a crash. For more information click here.

APRIL 8:
Bundaberg Regional Council in Queensland has banned overnighting in rest areas at Childers, Sharon Gorge and Lions Park near airport to comply with the Chief Health Officer's directive.

APRIL 8:
Three people have been charged with trafficking in a controlled drug after police allegedly found drugs inside a cabin at a Semaphore caravan park in SA. They will appear in court on October 8.

APRIL 7:
Illegal campers have forced the closure of Crescent Head's foreshore car park in NSW. Kempsey Shire Council said it had been forced into the action after reviewing and assessing the numbers of visitors to the popular holiday destination. General manager Craig Milburn said that while a swim in the ocean or walk on the foreshore fell under allowable exercise, concerns had escalated over the number of illegal campers staying in the reserve overnight or for long periods during the day. "It is heartbreaking to have to take such determined measures and effectively close off one of our iconic tourist hot spots but the message remains clear, now is not the time for extended stays at the beach," he added.

APRIL 5:
Anger in NSW town of Coffs Harbour when the coronavirus crisis closed caravan parks, resulting in tourists and travellers illegally overnighting at boat ramp carpark.

APRIL 4:
NSW Health and Medical Research Minister Brad Hazzard has released revised restrictions for the state's caravan parks. They can now accept permanent residents of the park or camping ground, overnight travellers, local workers and people with no other place of permanent residence or whose primary place of residence is temporarily unavailable.

APRIL 4:
Travellers have been warned that WA borders will close to the rest of Australia from midnight tomorrow. "We are living in extraordinary times, it's something we have all never experienced before," Premier Mark McGowan said. ""These new harder border closures essentially mean we will be turning Western Australia into its own island, within an island ... our own country."

APRIL 3:
WA Arson Squad Detectives are appealing for information relating to a caravan fire at a property in Kelmscott on Monday, March 30. About 3.55am police and fire crews responded to the blaze at the Banyard Avenue property. The fire is being treated as suspicious and detectives are urging anyone who saw suspicious activity, people or vehicles or who has any dashcam footage of the street around the time of the fires to come forward.

APRIL 3:
WA Police's deputy commissioner Gary Dreibergs has warned that caravanners who are not heading directly to their homes will be prosecuted.

APRIL 3:
New Queensland border restrictions came into affect today to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Non-Queensland residents or those without exemptions from the restrictions are not being allowed into the Sunshine State. Police Minister Mark Ryan said strengthening border crossings and reducing the number of people travelling to Queensland would assist in minimising the spread of the virus. "Now is not the time to be travelling interstate unnecessarily," he said.

APRIL 1:
The Spirit of Tasmania has scheduled extra day sailings on April 3, 4 and 6 to enable all non-essential workers and visitors with caravans and campervans to leave the Apple Isle.

APRIL 1:
NSW-based Kimberley Kampers is exporting its caravans and campervans costing up to $US135,000 to America where road trips are becoming increasingly popular.

APRIL 1:
Owners of static caravans at parks which have closed because of the virus crisis complain of still having to pay site and electric fees.

APRIL 1:
To comply with the directive issued by Queensland's Chief Health Officer, Bundaberg Regional Council's holiday parks will close their gates to any new visitors.

APRIL 1:
Nova Caravans closes factory as Victorian government ramps up restrictions to protect against corovirus ... but promises: "We'll be back".