Free Camping debate fires up again

The controversial topic of Free Camping in Cobar was raised again at the Tourism Advisory Committee meeting last week with locals debating the pros and cons, benefits and problems that Freedom Campers bring to Cobar.

Cobar Services Club secretary/manager Linda Carter, who is very much in favour of Free Camping, said currently the club’s main revenue comes from Free Campers.

At the committee’s April meeting, Mrs Carter said it appeared Cobar Shire Council did not support the local tourism industry, and were not aware of the tourism revenue that Free Campers bring to the town.

She said Council’s decision earlier in the month to close the Council carpark to campers demonstrated they “talk the talk on tourism but fail on action”.

Mrs Carter said she understood Council’s reasoning behind the carpark closure (Council advised the area was overcrowded with campers who were impeding delivery trucks accessing the adjacent supermarket) however she felt campers should have been offered an alternate option. “The signage related to the closure was ambiguous, and I felt it hinted a serious offence,” Mrs Carter added.

At the April meeting, she requested the Tourism Advisory Committee ask Council if they supported tourism and, if so, in what way?

Cobar Shire councillors Julie Payne, Lillian Simpson and Kate Winders attended last week’s May meeting and all were adamant that Council very much supports tourism.

Cr Payne said Council supports tourism in numerous ways including providing facilities such as the museum, the caravan park and the dump point. Council has upgraded the roads to Mt Grenfell and the Old Res making it easier for tourists (and locals) to access, it maintains the parks and gardens for use by tourists (and locals), provides signage for local attractions, supports local festivals and has provided a toilet on the Bourke Road. She said Council is also planning further upgrades to the caravan park and is working on establishing a parking area on the eastern approach to town.