Police released these photos in their search for the stolen caravan

  Police release images after theft

Thieves spoil family's
Boxing Day holiday plans

THIEVES have ruined a Victorian family's plans to embark on a festive caravanning holiday. Police said their Jayco caravan has been stolen from Altona. It disappeared from business premises on Kororoit Creek Road about 3.45am on December 22. The white 2016 Jayco Starcraft, registration X37109, is valued at $40,000 and has two bunk bed windows on the side. It had a four-bicycle rack on the back. Altona North Police have released images of the caravan and a vehicle they believed was used to tow it away, thought to be a silver/grey Land Rover Discovery. Anyone with information or sees the caravan is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Have your say

Only a 'remnant' of the past

Final death knell for iconic park

By Dennis Amor

THE final death knell has sounded for the Mooloolaba Beachfront Caravan Park on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Protesters have lost the last round in their long-running fight to save the iconic 34-site park with million dollar views over the South Pacific Ocean. Members of Queensland Heritage Council have unanimously decided not to add it to its Heritage List which would have protected the half-century-old park. Bulldozers will move in next year to demolish the council-owned holiday destination ‒ which enjoys almost 100 percent year-round occupancy and is the highest income generator of Mooloolaba's two caravan parks ‒ to make way for parkland and a public walkway. Heritage Council chairman Professor Peter Coaldrake said it was decided the park did not satisfy any of the criteria for state heritage significance. The council concluded it was only a "remnant of a much larger camping area" and not important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.

Fleetwood's caravans still valuable assets: chairman

By Dennis Amor
Have your say

THE future is looking bright for Fleetwood Corporation's Coromal and Windsor caravans, according to newly appointed chairman Phillip Campbell.

He said the brands were still "valuable assets" despite the lack of investment by previous management.

Mr Campbell (pictured) admitted at the company's annual general meeting in Perth that the value of its shares had been savagely eroded from 2012 to the end of last year.

But he added: "We have confidence in the new RV management team and will keep investing in the recovery of one of the cornerstones of the Fleetwood business."

Meanwhile, readers of Caravanning News' Facebook page urged caution and hoped Fleetwood could benefit from "lessons learned".

"A bad reputation is a death knell more than ever in the age of the internet," wrote Stephen Glasson.

"You can trim only so much out of a company before it turns around and bites you in the backside."

Gail Marie claimed Coromal had always been one of the best built caravans on the market.

"Then around 2006 they went off the rails and lost the plot and their reputation," she wrote.

"It's going to be hard graft to get it back on top."

Fleetwood's RV division has suffered heavily in recent years from poor sales and falling profits.

It has weathered increased competition as more and more small Australian caravan manufacturers hit the market, the global financial crisis and a savage plunge in the value of Fleetwood shares.

The division reacted by winding back research and development, cutting its workforce, consolidating caravan production in Perth and producing a range of budget caravans.

Mr Campbell told the AGM that orders for its caravans were now up 300 percent and production had increased 150 percent.

The number of factory floor staff had risen from fewer than 100 to 215.

He accepted there had been a lack of investment in product development over the years.

Employee numbers went from a peak of 390 to less than 100, severely weakening its shop floor manufacturing skill base, he said.

The company had since secured the services of a well-regarded industry professional with extensive experience to lead the RV business.

New and talented designers and engineers had been recruited to transform Fleetwood's design capability.

Its five new RV models had been very well received and more were in the pipeline, Mr Campbell said.

'We want our Dad home'

Truckie's wife rests her case over inconsiderate parking

A TRUCKIE'S wife has made an impassioned plea to caravanners to be more considerate when using rest areas over the festive season. In a message to Caravanning News, she wrote: "My husband is an interstate truck driver. He is not a cowboy. He is not on drugs. He just wants to do his job and come home to his wife and three children. A lot of parking bays do not have toilets and when he finds one that has, this is often what he finds ... caravans everywhere and nowhere to park. He needs his rest and legally can only drive a certain amount of hours. Even if goes five minutes over his time he can be fined $1000s. Please have consideration for our truck drivers and park your caravans elsewhere. Please do not use truck rest stops for your overnighting camp. I want my husband, and my kids want, their Dad home for Christmas. Thank you for reading."

* According to the Big Rigs national transport newspaper today, an angry and weary truckie contacted police when truck bays at the Yelgun rest area off NSW's Pacific Hwy south of the Gold Coast were "filled to overflowing" with snoring caravanners. "The lawman knocked on every caravan in the truck bays," it reported. "Very disgruntled caravanners, rubbing sleep out of their eyes and copping a blast from the missus, pulled out into the night." Have your say

Police launch manhunt

Fiend attacks sleeping child at Maroochydore caravan park

POLICE were hunting a man who assaulted a child at a Sunshine Coast caravan park in the early hours. He attacked at 4am yesterday as the youngster slept in an annex at the council-owned 400-site Cotton Tree Holiday Park, Maroochydore. He fled when the child, who was not physically harmed, raised the alarm. Police described the fiend as being Caucasian in appearance, aged in his 30s, about 175cm tall with dark brown hair, of slim build and with a fair complexion.  Police were combing through hours of CCTV footage to help track down the suspect. Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Dan Collins described the crime as being on a "minor level", but admitted it was still "concerning". People who may have seen anyone acting suspicious in the area over the weekend are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Have your say

Appeal for information

Police hunt caravan thieves

HOLDEN Hill Police in South Australia are investigating the theft of a White Desert Sky caravan from the front yard of a home at Fairview. The caravan, registration S104TFD, was stolen from Player Drive sometime between 8am and 4pm on Friday, December 9. Police are asking for anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area or has any information that could assist the investigation to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Have your say

Storm terror at Kilcoy
CARAVANNERS and campers have told of a terrifying storm which lashed a caravan park in south-east Queensland. One caravan ended on its roof while tents were shredded and campsites torn apart when storm winds battered the 45-hectare Lake Somerset Holiday Park near Kilcoy. Huge trees were uprooted by the cyclonic onslaught and boats moored on the lake were also blown over. One young camper reportedly suffered a broken leg. A camper told Caravanning News: "It was utter destruction and very, very frightening. The whole place looked like a war zone. It was amazing no one was killed." Have your say

Caravanners welcome $15m boost to mobile coverage
CARAVANNERS have welcomed news that mobile phone coverage in Queensland will receive a $15 million boost. The latest Commonwealth-State governments funding will benefit townships such as Injinoo, Ayton and Cape Tribulation in Far North Queensland, locations in remote western shires such as Cloncurry and in South-East Queensland such as Kholo and Wongawallan. Innovation, Science and Digital Economy Minister Leeanne Enoch said that providing mobile coverage at key points along remote roads was critical for locals and tourists alike. The 4000-member Australian Caravan Club welcomed the news. Chairman Craig Humphrey commented: "This is definitely a move in the right direction. RVers can encounter all sorts of problems including health issues and vehicle breakdowns while on their travels. Many RVers conduct business while on the road, and of course many need to keep in touch with families at home. I look forward to the day when RVers can travel without the worry that in an emergency they may not have mobile phone coverage." Have your say

More sites at Mudjimba for Christmas revellers
WOULD-BE Christmas revellers are already hankering to book sites at the newly-extended council-owned Mudjimba Beach Holiday Park on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. The news comes only days after it was announced another of the council's parks ‒ the nearby Mooloolaba Beachfront Caravan Park ‒ would not be saved from the bulldozers to make way for public open space. Forty-six new sites will be opened at Mudjimba on December 9 ... a 30 percent increase in capacity. Sunshine Coast Council said they were already heavily booked for the Christmas school holidays, with the two weeks from Christmas Day to January 7 fully booked.

TV ad not sexist, rules watchdog
A TELEVISION advert depicting an old woman sitting outside a decrepit caravan was not sexist, Australia's advertising watchdog has ruled. Sportsbet's Punters Club 90-second advertisement has upset at least one viewer who protested to the Advertising Standards Board, claiming it was sexist and degraded women. "I take offence," he fumed. The advertisement portrays an end-of-year trip in which five men turn up in the middle of nowhere only to be greeted by the smiling old woman in red singlet and short shorts sitting on an old sofa outside a dishevelled old caravan named Paradise Escape.

'Disrespecting Grafton at its finest'

Anger as thoughtless travellers use supermarket trolley as trash bin

THOUGHTLESS RV travellers have copped a caning from a disgusted local who accuses them of dumping their rubbish in a supermarket trolley at Grafton in NSW. Nicole Delaforce posted photographic evidence on the Clarence Valley Rate Payers, Residents and Business Owners Facebook page, complaining angrily: "It seems these RV drivers didn't appreciate Grafton being an RV friendly town. After having done their shopping at Coles mall they decided to unpack all their meat into their RV and then clean out their van of all their rubbish. Didn't bother taking it to a bin but just left it all in the trolley beside the tree, including empty meat trays. That's disgusting and not a good look. Disrespecting Grafton at its finest. Please don't start on a bashing me spree ... I just wanted to show everyone how they don't respect our town but whinge because there is nowhere for them to park." Have your say

Caravan, camping industry sentiment rises
A NEW report reveals "stable" conditions in the caravanning and camping sector. The industry said its latest Business Sentiment Index was 107 for the six-months leading up to October, a 6.8-point increase from April's figure. "This index reading indicates stable business conditions, which aligns with industry commentary regarding challenging national and international economic conditions along with faltering consumer confidence," the report said. The increase was in line with similar growth trends in Roy Morgan's National Business Confidence Index and NAB's Quarterly Business Survey over the same period, which noted increased business confidence due to middle-income tax cuts which were an important factor in promoting confidence. But, it pointed out, there were still concerns over the continued economic impacts of Brexit and the Presidential elections in the US, along with the slowing economic conditions in China and how this could impact the Australian economy. Have your say

Truckies take swipe at inexperienced 'vanners
AN online truckers' magazine has posted graphic footage of caravans coming to grief on the nation's highways. The unedited dashcam videos show a variety of caravans developing the wobbles and jackknifing after overtaking trucks. And the magazine also takes a dig at Australia's road rules which allow people without any experience to hitch up their caravans and hit the road without any training or tests. It warned that the basic dynamics of a car and caravan were "all wrong".

St Helens still on fire in Tassie awards
TASMANIA'S BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park near the world-renowned Bay of Fires ‒ voted by Lonely Planet as the number one beach in the world ‒ has been named the Apple Isle's best caravan park for the ninth time. It again won top placing in the Tasmanian Tourism Awards' Best Caravan and Holiday Parks category and will now represent the state at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin next February. The park has already been inducted into the Tourism Tasmania Hall of Fame. Have your say

Caravanners urged to become property tycoons
CARAVANNERS and campers are being given the opportunity to become property tycoons ... at the mere throw of a dice. They are now able to buy some of Australia's best caravan parks ‒ or even a group of them ‒ after the release of a new version of Monopoly. The Caravan Industry Association of Australia joined forces with Monopoly to develop what is believed to be the world's first ever caravanning and camping themed version of its board game. "We believe caravanners and campers love the game and will love a special edition matching their lifestyle," the association told Caravanning News.

Loyal Boroma Roamers at their last get-together

Annual tradition continues

Loyal Roamers keep
Boroma name alive

A LOYAL band of enthusiasts is keeping the Boroma name alive. Owners of the caravans have held annual get-togethers ever since the manufacturer went into liquidation in 2008. The annual rally was once organised by Boroma staff themselves and always held within a three-hour drive of their former factory at Yatala north of the Gold Coast. But when the company went belly up, owners of its caravans banded together and formed the Boroma Roamers, with members faithfully upholding the annual rally tradition ever since. Seventeen Boroma caravans gathered for the last rally at BIG4 Casino Resort in the NSW Northern Rivers town. Members are planning to hold next October's rally there too. Have your say

Families the big spenders at pre-Xmas show
FAMILIES rather than grey nomads were the big spenders at the 32nd annual Brisbane Caravan and Camping Pre-Christmas Sale, with organisers reporting more than $15 million in sales. The show featured nearly 100 exhibitors displaying a range of new caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers, tent trailers, fifth wheelers and other recreational products. Show manager Jason Plant was ecstatic. "With more than 300 vehicles sold, this is certainly our most successful sale in our 31-year history," he said. "Grey nomads used to be the driving force behind the caravan and camping industry at 25 percent, but families have taken over and now make up 50 percent of the industry," he said. Kratzmann Caravans general manager Dale Lawrence, whose company displayed 75 vehicles covering seven brands, said there had been a consistent increase in the family market. Have your say

Musters pour $1m into local communities
AUSTRALIAN Caravan Club members attending their club's national muster in Shepparton injected over $200,000 into the city and its surrounds. Chairman Craig Humphrey said this equated to an average spend of $1060 for each RV. Nearly 400 members in 200 RVs attended the Victorian gathering. The club, spawned 10 years ago at a Sunshine Coast caravan park, now has 42 branches spread nationwide and has poured over $1 million into local communities during its last five musters.

Deniliquin parks return to normal after floods
CARAVAN parks at Deniliquin in NSW are almost back to normal after being paralysed by floods. The town's Riverside Caravan Park and BIG4 Holiday Park were inundated when torrential rains caused the Edward River to burst its banks in October. But owners have reported that business is returning to normal, with one park even boasting a return of its green grass. "We are well and truly in recovery," Riverside owners Andrew and Shelley Hall told media. "The river is looking good and we just need to get the message out there for people to come and visit." Have your say

OFFENSIVE WHIZBANGS OUTLAWED
Wicked campervans. Photos: Caravanning News

Queensland gets tough

Sunshine State joins
the Wicked backlash

THE Queensland Government has joined the growing backlash against campervans sporting spray-painted offensive and lewd slogans. Caravan parks and local authorities all over the country have already banned Wicked campers daubed with highly suggestive words and drawings after complaints from families. New legislation introduced into the Sunshine State's parliament now also outlaws the offensive slogans on vehicles. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland had no place for "sexist misogynistic rubbish on full display". If Wicked 'whizbangs' ‒ so called by grey nomads because of their noisy sliding doors ‒ continued to ignore Advertising Standards Board rulings, the Brisbane-based company would be given 14 days to remove the offensive slogan or mural, or have the vehicle's registration cancelled. Have your say

Park voted Territory's best
BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park has been voted the Northern Territory's top park. Located 4.5km south of Alice Springs, it picked up Gold in the recent Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards' caravan and holiday parks category. It claims to be the most awarded tourist park in the Territory. Meanwhile, millionaire businessman John ‘Foxy’ Robinson, well known in caravanning circles, collected the awards' highest honour.

Cows and buffalo keep caravanners amused
WILD cows and buffalo are amusing grey nomads at Dunmarra Wayside Inn and caravan park on the NT's Stuart Hwy at Birdum. The beasts have taken to making regular appearances, roaming through the park ‒ 625km south of Darwin ‒ and grazing on the green and juicy grass. "It gives the tourists something to look at," a spokeswoman told the ABC. Have your say

Whitsunday resort wins gold
QUEENSLAND'S $23 billion tourism industry applauded its dedicated individuals and caravan park operators at this year's Queensland Tourism Awards. Hosted by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, the event attracted around 160 entries from across the state. BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort scooped a Gold award in the caravan and holiday parks category and will now represent the state in the national finals in Darwin next February.

Mayor opens $1.3m attractions
TWO new attractions at Victor Harbor Beachfront Holiday Park in SA are already proving a hit among guests. The $1.3 million upgrade includes a waterpark and an all-ages pumptrack for bikes, skateboards, scooters and roller skates ... the first to be installed in an Australian holiday park. The waterpark features a three-metre slide and a huge soaker bucket. Victor Harbor Mayor Graham Philip cut a ribbon to officially open the attractions. Have your say

Dealer continues free-weekend tradition
JAYCO Newcastle has continued its tradition of thanking customers by treating them to a free weekend away. The NSW dealer has now held 11 official customer appreciation sessions, the latest being at the BIG4 Karuah Jetty Holiday Park. More than 50 RVs and 140 people attended. The VIPs tucked into free food and were also treated to a surprise performance by Aussie country music star Catherine Britt, who has become the dealership's ambassador.

Aspen continues the chase
ASPEN Group, which once operated a successful range of caravan parks, is continuing to chase investments in the affordable accommodation sector, its AGM was told. It recently snapped up the BIG4 Koala Shores Holiday Park at Port Stephens in NSW for $10m and the 96-site BIG4 Tween Waters Holiday Park at Merimbula in NSW for $6.8 million. "The group continues to ­actively originate additional acquisitions in the affordable accommodation sector with $30m of assets under exclusive due diligence," chief executive Joel Cann told the meeting. Aspen cut its portfolio to six properties valued at $80m this year after selling its interests in the Aspen Parks Property Fund to Discovery Holidays Parks. Settlement of the Tween Waters deal is scheduled to occur in time for peak Christmas trading season, with funding from the group's existing cash holdings. Releasing details of the takeover, Mr Cann said: "As with the recent acquisition of Koala Shores, the purchase of Tween Waters is another example of Aspen executing on its strategic vision to become an industry leader in the affordable accommodation sector." Have your say

Free ponies for park buyer
THE historic town of Toodyay's holiday park in WA is on the market ... and it comes with a special bonus. The asking price for Toodyay Caravan Park is $1.375 million and the owners are willing to throw in its two resident "child-friendly" ponies for free, says its advertising blurb. Situated on the banks of the Avon River, it has been operated by its current owners for 20 years. Toodyay hosts the world's longest white water race annually, as well as a mix of festivals and events. The park is within walking distance of the town and comes with three separate titles. Have your say

New park mooted for Murray River city
ALBURY Council is preparing a report on the possibility of building a new caravan on the banks of the Murray River. This is despite recent heavy flooding and follows local Councillor Murray King's pre-election commitment for a riverfront caravan park in the NSW city. The report will be presented to councillors before the end of February. Cr King has argued that Albury needs a caravan park. "Development of this type of facility would increase tourism exponentially and promote the town exponentially," he said. Have your say

New overnight rest area

Town lays down welcome mat

CARAVANNERS are putting a new rest area at Childers in Queensland to good use. Scores of travellers have already used the recently opened designated overnight parking area adjacent to the town's CBD. Mayor Jack Dempsey said the 20-hour facility in Crescent Street was an integral part of the rollout of RV friendly sites across the Bundaberg region. "Council has been in active discussions with representatives of the self-contained caravan and RV industry and they are watching with keen interest as we deliver these RV friendly sites," he explained. The council was anxious to ensure local caravan park operators were not disadvantaged, he added. Divisional representative Cr Bill Trevor said the opening of the Childers RV friendly location was testament to the perseverance of the Childers Chamber of Commerce. *Pictured at the official opening are, from left: Richard Masiney (CMCA), Katherine Mergard (Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism), Mayor Dempsey and Rene Cini (Childers Chamber of Commerce).  Have your say

New image planned for Crown land parks
A POPULAR caravan and holiday park group in NSW has signed up a Melbourne company to give it a new image. NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust awarded its extensive project to brand development, marketing and advertising agency LEAP. The re-brand will involve 35 holiday parks and boutique accommodation throughout the state. North Coast Holiday Parks, South Coast Holiday Parks and Inland Waters Holiday Parks will all be affected.

Beacon still shines at Victorian awards
VICTORIA'S peak body for the caravan and holiday park industry has paid tribute to the multi award-winning BIG4 Beacon Resort at Queenscliff. The praise came after the Bellarine Peninsula holiday park scooped Gold for the third year running in the recent Victorian Tourism Awards. "The achievement in winning this award across three years is testament to the park's commitment to developing superior service to its customers," Victorian Caravan Parks Association chief executive Elizabeth White said. The resort, owned by the same family for 45 years, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the second time.

Ingenia profits from 'seniors tsunami'
INGENIA Communities continues to benefit from what it calls the seniors tsunami. The stock exchange-listed company owns and operates 60 rent-based seniors’ living communities, as well as some of the largest caravan parks or tourism parks on Australia's east coast. It was formed four years ago. Chief executive Simon Owen told the company's annual general meeting that in addition to its rent-based senior living businesses, it was now one of the largest owners of tourism parks across Sydney and coastal NSW. It also had a "rapidly growing" portfolio in coastal Queensland, he said. Ingenia recently announced that it has now bought Palms Oasis Caravan Park at Bluey Beach in NSW for $7.5m. The mixed-use property has 187 tourism and permanent sites and 25 others approved for new permanent home. "Ingenia now owns some of the most iconic holiday parks on the east coast," Mr Owen said. It would continue making more "targeted acquisitions" in existing and new clusters, primarily focusing on key metro and coastal location. Ingenia's revenue soared 41 percent during the 2016 financial year to $107 million. Underlying profit from continuing operations was 20 percent higher at $20 million, while operating cashflow rose 133 percent to $21 million. Have your say

To view previous editions of Caravanning News, click on the appropriate month:

November 2016	October 2016	September 2016	August 2016	July 2016	June 2016

Copyright 2005 Dennis Amor
All Rights Reserved