Bursting at the seams

The crowds continue as we head north. Rain was hanging from thick wet clouds in the mountains this morning so we decided to leave the tablelands till our return trip, waiting for better weather and instead headed towards Cairns. 

Major error. There the traffic was so dense we could barely move. The esplanade was a sea of people sunbathing and walking. We simply could not believe how busy it was all over the city. 

It’s about ten years since we visited Cairns. At that time it was a slow moving little country town with a random downtown area, that was more a hopping off place for backpackers intent on seeing the reef than a holiday destination in itself. How things have changed in such a short while! 

Now Cairns is a sea of glass-fronted high-rise hotels with endless boulevard restaurants lining the streets which used to house the odd colourful alternative tropical shot drinks cafe, or t-shirt and thong markets. 

No longer. Now, Cairns looks quite the international playground, but hardly the place to park a motorhome. And with absolutely zero chance of booking a casual campsite (as, we are duly informed, they are booked out weeks in advance, and at extortionate prices that can be charged when things are in such high demand) we move on. Without even finding a parking space to have a quick look around. So be it. 

Still the crowds are with us as we head yet further north. We find the last tight squeeze of a tiny caravan spot in Mossman in late afternoon. Unpowered. There is not another available place between Cairns and Mossman. Late arrivals anywhere enroute simply have to continue further on, or camp illegally, when they become too tired to drive. 

The camping traffic has us gobsmacked. Standard campsites are bursting at the seams, stretched beyond their capabilities with the demands of the travelling public. Grey nomads from the southern states are out in force, seeking the sun in their caravans, motorhomes or tent-trailers. Many are even sleeping in vehicles, converted for camping. International tourists in hire vans make up the balance of the throng. There is hardly a pull out that is not chockers with camping vehicles: and many sites look a bit like gypsy camps with urgent washing pegged between trees in an attempt to get wet things dry. 

Some communities encourage transit travellers and set up RV parks in public spaces, arguing the visitors contribute to the town in other ways: shopping, eating out, and so forth. And the supportive ones often provide parking spaces with toilets, dump points and water, making the most of it. Others put up barring signs: wanting no part of any of it. 

But the reality is, with the grey nomads and international tourist numbers continually increasing there are more people demanding camping or parking spaces than there are legitimate spaces available in Australia. And something has to be done, Australia-wide, to solve this problem, and soon. The problem is not going to go away. The travelling numbers are only going to continue to increase.

Dozens upon dozens of campers at the RV camp at Mt Molloy 

 

This is why many come