Caravanning News

ACC Welcomes New Non-Accommodation Member Benefits

A gas strut supplier, a general merchandise shop and a brasserie have joined the many businesses offering member benefits to ACC members.

Gas struts can be purchased from Gas Strut Sales & Service online, by telephone, or if you live in South-East Queensland, by calling in at the shop at Capalaba or utilising the mobile service.  Mark sells and regasses a large variety of gas struts for caravans and vehicles and offers a 10% discount to ACC members.

With the summer season approaching, you may be planning to visit Red Rock in New South Wales.  If so, call in at the Red Rock General Store who offer ACC members 15% off store purchases (excluding tobacco) and 2 for 1 kayaking and paddle boarding. Private dining is available for group bookings.  As well as groceries and general merchandise, the store has takeaway food, and can refill your propane tank.  If you are planning about writing to family and friends who are at home, the store has a Post Office from where you can send postcards telling about all your fun activities.

Down the road from Red Rock, Top-Knotch Brasserie at the Amble Inn at Corindi Beach, New South Wales has bistro meals, $10 blackboard specials and can cater for functions.  The brasserie offers ACC members a 10% discount on main meal menu items and a 15% discount on group pre-booked menu bookings of 20 or more, and has a $10.00 lunch menu available.

Full particulars about the above member benefits and the full range of non-accommodation member benefits can be accessed by ACC members on the ACC website by clicking on ‘The Club’ tag, then selecting ‘Member Benefits – Non Accommodation’ from the dropdown list or clicking the orange button to the right.

Lynne Friis – Director, Marketing and Communications

Australian Caravan Club (ACC) members attending their Club’s national muster in Shepparton last month injected over $200,000 into the economy of the City and its surrounds, the Club’s National Chairman Craig Humphrey said today.

The ACC held its annual national muster at the Shepparton Showgrounds from 16 to 23 October 2016.

“Almost 400 members in 200 RVs stayed at the Showground for a week to ten days to attend the national muster,” said Mr Humphrey.  “Members attending were asked to complete an expense sheet detailing money spent during their stay.”

“The total expenditure for the national muster period was in excess of $212,000,”said Mr Humphrey. “That equates to an average spend of $1,060 per RV over the muster.”

“This shows that towns and localities that can attract RVers, can really benefit economically from the RV community.”

Over the national muster week, ACC members visited local wineries, a packing shed, SPC, Dookie College and other tourist attractions, and dined out in the Shepparton area.

“The recorded expenditure shows that during their stay in Shepparton, ACC members purchased fuel, groceries, alcohol, and chemist items.  Other expenditure included eating out, vehicle maintenance and repairs, and tourism items.”

“Our Club data shows that over the past 5 years, ACC members attending our annual musters have injected in excess of $1,020,000 shared over the 5 communities where the musters have been held.”

“On behalf of the members of the ACC, I’d like to thank the people of Shepparton and its surrounds and the Shepparton Agricultural Society for making us feel so welcome during our stay,” Mr Humphrey said.

The ACC’s next national muster is scheduled to take place in October next year at Bingara, New South Wales.

The Club also undertakes two Chairman’s Musters each year where up to 100 vans gather in a regional location for a week.  “These Chairman’s Musters also support regional towns with significant spending by Club members.  In 2017 these will be staged in Kingaroy Queensland, and Peak Hill in New South Wales,” Mr Humphrey said.

ACC Chair Craig Humphrey at Destination Q last week in Mackay with now acting Director General Damien Walker. At the launch of the Advancing Queensland Tourism Strategy I asked the Main Roads Minister a question about rest areas. The Government has reviewed over 3000 rest in Qld. The ACC will follow this up to ensure members views are presented in any developments in the future.

Australian Caravan Club (ACC) members returning from their Shepparton National Muster stayed overnight at Willow Tree and attended the official opening of the Liverpool Plains new freedom camping area in Willow Tree on Friday morning.

The freedom camp was officially opened by the Liverpool Plains Shire Council (LPSC) Deputy Mayor, Cr Doug Hawkins.

The facility is situated at the Recreation Ground at the end of Recreation Street.  It provides toilets and showers, is pet friendly with potable water available and has the ability to cater for large caravans and motorhomes.

The camp ground provides a pleasant and affordable area for travellers with RVs to stay for up to 72 hours and complements freedom camping sites at Wallabadah, Premer and Currabubula and more basic sites at Caroona and Spring Ridge in the LPSC.

“The new Willow Tree facility is another step in implementing Council’s Recreational Vehicle (RV) Strategy which aims to cater for the steadily growing tourism potential of self-contained recreational vehicles, caravans/motorhomes as well as the camping market,” said Cr Hawkins.  “This market is an increasingly important contributor to the LPSC economy.”

“Recent research through Tourism Research Australia reveals the average weekly spend of RV tourists is $500.  When they stay at rest areas, 78% spend in the order of $80.  LPSC is investing to provide these travellers with value for money and an experience that won’t cost an arm and a leg.”

Cr Hawkins acknowledged the contribution that RVers make to local communities. “A visit by the ACC earlier this year resulted in an average of $504.56 being spent by each RV realizing approximately $25,228.00 to the local economy,” Cr Hawkins said.

ACC Deputy Chairman Tom Smith presented Cr Hawkins with an ACC RV STAY sign for the site.  “As an RV Club, the ACC strongly supports the LPSC’s RV Strategy.”

“A lot of credit has to go to the LPSC and staff for being prepared to think out of the box and supply what the market wants,” Mr Smith said.

Trangie Caravan Park Continue to Offer ACC Member Benefits

Andrew and Deb at Trangie Caravan Park continue to offer a 10% discount off each night’s accommodation to ACC members.  They also offer ACC members a ‘Stay 7, Pay for 6 – no limit on nights’.

Returning home from the ACC 10^th National Muster at Shepparton, Deputy Chairman Tom Smith and a band of ACC members took the opportunity to call in and stay at the Trangie Caravan Park.

Tom took the opportunity to present Andrew with an ACC ‘RV Stay’ sign which Andrew will be displaying prominently so ACC members will be able to clearly identify the park.

ACC members themselves, Andrew and Deb joined their fellow ACC members at Happy Hour.  Andrew entertained the group explaining all about cotton growing and its processes.  He organises tours through the local cotton gin for visitors to the park.

There is much to see in the local vicinity with not only the cotton gin, but also an Aviation Museum at nearby Narromine.

The Trangie Caravan Park is situated on the Mitchell Highway, 77 kilometres West of Dubbo and is a member of the Kui Park chain.  To receive benefits, ACC members must produce their membership card when booking in.  Pets are welcome.

The park was newly mowed and tidy, and the amenities clean.

It is a great place for ACC members in the southern States to stay on their way heading North to Lightning Ridge, or for members heading West along the Mitchell Highway from the Eastern States. 

Well, we have now concluded our term as National Muster Co-ordinators, and passed the baton on to Tom to organise Bingara.

From the summary we've made of the Feedback Forms, it appears that most people had a good time. A couple of comments (and obvious from who they came from) made us laugh! - "you can't please all of the people all of the time".

One of the real positives that came from our muster, is that we believe the Greater Shepparton Council will now be prepared to put a Dump Point in Shepparton, which the locals have been lobbying for, for many years.

We're sorry the Trade Area was sparse, but three Traders let us down at the last minute, and others said they were going to a 'bigger' rally - (probably thought to be more commercial for them).

We apologise for the power outages, and sorry if we did not specifically mention your Branch donations that were made for Raffles and Spot Prizes.

Thank you to all Branch members that gave us assistance, it was really appreciated.

A reminder, that the Agricultural Society would like you all, when on your travels, to take a photo of the little cow (that was in your Welcome pack) from distant and exotic places, and send the photo to them on face-book.

Don't worry, be happy!

Susan & Derek Smith.

10th National ACC Muster Co-ordinators.