Priced out of nature: Is camping now a luxury?

Australia’s beloved tradition of camping is facing a nationwide affordability crisis as holiday park operators and state governments ramp up prices for mere patches of dirt to levels comparable to renting a house.

Adventurer and filmmaker Mike Atkinson, also known as Outback Mike, raised questions this week over a proposal to increase camping fees in NSW national parks that could see the rate for some campgrounds climb to as much as $97 a night or $679 a week.

By comparison, the average rent in Adelaide is $550 a week for a three-bedroom home, $550 in Melbourne, $635 in Brisbane, $630 in Darwin, and $518 in Hobart.

Only Sydney’s average weekly rent price – $760 – would be considered higher than the cost of a campsite.

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Filmmaker Michael Atkinson said it would cost $679 a week to stay at the Woody Head Camping Area or $600 to rent a three-bedroom house nearby.

Mr Atkison made the point in a social media video he shared from the Woody Head Camping Area in the Bundjalung National Park on the NSW North Coast.

“You can rent a three-bedroom house (down the road) with garage for $600, so it’s almost $100 cheaper to rent a three-bedroom house with garage outside the park, as opposed to a small patch of grass here in the park,” he said in the video

“I counted 89 campsites on this map, that is revenue raising of $55,000 a week just for this campground, excluding the money that they make from cabins.”

A quick google search reveals the NSW government isn’t the only campground operator looking to benefit from inflated prices.

Campers in Victoria will have to pay $80 a night for a powered tent site at Discovery Parks Braybrook.

An unpowered site in Mount Gambier will cost campers $64 a night.

In Mount Gambier, SA, campers are charged $64 per night for an unpowered site at Blue Lake Holiday Park, while Discovery Park charges $80 a night for a powered patch of dirt in Braybrook, Victoria.

Gold Coast Holiday Park also charges $65 a night for an unpowered site while Big4 Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast charges, on average, $84 a night for a caravan site.

“It’s never going to get cheaper after this,” Mr Atkison cautioned, expressing concern that camping could become exclusive to wealthier individuals, sidelining young people and those outside the middle class.

The NSW’s government proposed fee structure categorises campsites into six tiers based on facilities, with charges ranging from $22 to $89 per night during high season.

Additionally, fees will be linked to the consumer price index, ensuring annual increases, and seasonal pricing will apply.

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