Shire of Harvey Councillors have approved a 12-month Recreation Vehicle (RV) Friendly Trial offering free overnight short-stay rest areas to fully self-contained RV and caravan travellers.
The Trial, to commence in March 2023, includes offering a limited number of bays for free for up to 48 hours to RV and caravan travellers located in Australind, Brunswick, Harvey and Yarloop.
Council made the decision after it was presented with the outcomes from the Recreation Vehicle (RV) Friendly Trial Community Consultation Report. The report was the result of a comprehensive community consultation process. The move towards the implementation of a Trial was spurred on by the Harvey Region Strategic Report released in 2021. It highlighted a severe lack of accommodation in the Harvey Region for the visitor market.
Shire of Harvey President Paul Gillett said that the Trial would focus on attracting RV and caravan travellers that currently to bypass the Region to travel to areas offering free RV and caravan short-stay options.
“The introduction of an RV Friendly Trial seeks to maximise sustainable economic benefits from RV and caravan tourism through increasing visitation numbers, increasing spending and extending the length of stay of RV and caravan travellers in the Harvey Region", Cr Gillett said.
“The Trial will be closely monitored by Shire officers with an initial review due back to Council after six months".
“The Trial only allows for self-contained RVs and caravans defined as motorised camping vehicles with internal sleeping accommodation, internal kitchen and dining facilities that carry their own internal water supply and have internal shower and toilet facilities."
“The first step in the process is to assess each site and ensure they are user ready.”