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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: fishfinder on January 30, 2012, 05:41:35 AM

Title: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: fishfinder on January 30, 2012, 05:41:35 AM
Took the family for a stay at a Caravan Park from Australia Day til Sunday I had to work on the friday  (only stayed 50 minutes from work ) so I went to take a shower only to find out I needed to bring my wallet as there was a fee for the showers ???? I have stayed at plenty of CP's before and never came across a fee for showers , is this common ? has any one come across this before ? as I would have thought that having a shower was part of the sight fees but obviously miss informed on this one.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: TOY80ST on January 30, 2012, 06:08:51 AM
I have struck it before. Mainly in areas with water restrictions though as part of a council requirment to get the park approved.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: speewa158 on January 30, 2012, 06:17:50 AM
I think you nmight have missed the point  >:D
CP brings in the Traveler
Traveler has $$ thats how they got there in the 1st place
$$ shell be removed from traveler as fast as possible
Traveler will be flung to go earn more $$ to pay yet again
 Do you follow  ???       :cheers:
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: JustJim on January 30, 2012, 06:19:58 AM
As said, it often happens where water supply is limited, and also where people stop to have a shower while travelling but not stopping the night.

EG: most of the roadhouses across the Nullarbor have coin operated showers.

Jim
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Jon on January 30, 2012, 07:28:21 AM
They have the same thing at a local park at the bridge over the largest coastal lake in Australia, somewhere between Newcastle and Doyalson. >:D
Last time, and I emphasise "Last time" the showers were a $1 per 10mins.

BTW, throughout the recent drought, Newcastle water supply was never placed on any restriction.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: D4D on January 30, 2012, 07:36:59 AM
Yep, pretty common. As  long as it is good hot shower I don't have a problem with paying $1. In reality it is probably the time more than the water usage. Keeps people moving quickly through the showers.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: krisandkev on January 30, 2012, 07:42:28 AM
We have stayed at a few in each state and only found where there are water restrictions they put a timer in for the shower.  Never had to pay extra.  Not at even the most remote parks. What was the park, how much to stay and how much for the shower?  Was the money for the shower just so a timer could be used?  Perhaps the cost to stay is cheaper than other parks?  Kevin
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: bobnrob on January 30, 2012, 08:11:39 AM
Have come across it in some of national parks - $1 for 3min
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Desert lover on January 30, 2012, 08:22:13 AM
We have discovered the same issue (of needing your wallet in order to take a shower) at Stuart Range C/P (Coober Pedy) and at Treachery Camp in NSW. Both required 20c coins to operate and even then the water at Treachery was nothing more than luke warm! 
In Coober Pedy I think the costing is almost understandable although when you have paid for a site it does seem just a little over the top.  Then Treachery camp may be more of a control on unsupervised minors taking long long showers!
Anyway, we have taken to keeping a few coins in the wet packs now... and checking the toilet/shower blocks before we even think about going for a shower.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Maîneÿ . . . on January 30, 2012, 08:24:24 AM
Yep, pretty common.
As  long as it is good hot shower I don't have a problem with paying $1.
In reality it is probably the time more than the water usage.
Keeps people moving quickly through the showers.

Think if I had to go into a caravan park and pay camping fees I would also expect to be able to use the facilities supplied by the caravan park and would not stay there if had to pay extra for a shower, unless it was explained to me when booking in and not just left for me to find out from (bad) experience.
If I was paying extra, I would be enjoying my time under the shower, not having a quick one, but really using the water I had paid for so it would slow down the available showers  >:(
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: JethroT on January 30, 2012, 09:16:56 AM
Pretty common,

I imagine it's to save water and allow everyone to have a nice hot shower.

I don't think it's a money making venture because at 20c a go it would cost more in wages to collect the coins.

Anyway we love the place so 20c isn't going to stop us having a good time.

Regards
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: austastar on January 30, 2012, 01:50:07 PM
Hi,
  we have often called in to a CP about 10 - 11AM and ask how much to 'buy' a shower.
We have successfully haggled on a few when the price was over the top, Strahan wanted $5 each, to which we countered Bicheno only charges $3 each and they have water restrictions.
Mid to late morning usually means the showers have just been cleaned and not many residents are using them.
If they have a coin operated laundry we may use that as well, but would offer to pay if it was a freeby.

At Alice Springs one time the free solar powered showers were cold by the time I went for a shower, so I took a bucket to the laundry where the water was still hot, and jury rigged my own shower.

cheers
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Bushman on January 30, 2012, 02:20:15 PM
my eldest daughter recently stay a couple of nights in South Coast CP at $50 a night for a powered to pitch a tent, only to find they had to pay $1 per 3minutes for a shower.

I've only come across it once so far at Lake Lyell near  Lithgow, but only paying $10 a night to stay you expect to pay for showers

I remember as a kid travelling with my parents we had stop at Goulburn for a comfort stop, mum came runing back to the car to get money, seems the ladies requried 20c to use the loo, funny how the gents was free,
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: MDS69 on January 30, 2012, 02:42:36 PM
The council run CP in White cliffs have coin operated showers.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Redcherokee on January 30, 2012, 03:09:02 PM
We have discovered the same issue (of needing your wallet in order to take a shower) at Stuart Range C/P (Coober Pedy).......

When we checked in at Stuart Range, the guy warned us and offered to provide change.  He said they had previously had issues with miners coming in and using them, and charging 'keeps the undesirables out'.

Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Beachman on January 30, 2012, 03:22:18 PM
I also struggle with the concept of paying for showers when your already paying a site fee.  Same goes for coin operated BBQ’s in the camp kitchen.

I hate place which quote a rate, then throw on extra’s once your all set up.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: WaituiRob on January 30, 2012, 03:51:48 PM
We stayed in a National Park caravan park which has excellent facilities and didn`t mind paying  20c  for 2 mins. for a shower. Their reason was that people ignored water restrictions and a lot of irresponsible parents allowed their children to "play" under the shower for up to half an hour.

We didn`t hear any complaints, it`s such a beautiful place to stay and less expensive than most commercial caravan parks. I can`t see anything wrong in trying to conserve water. Anyone who relies on tank water does it all the time.

Robyn.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: TOPNDR on January 30, 2012, 05:44:25 PM
No coin charge at Drysdale River Homestead but a not explaining that one person taking a 40 minute shower and denying all others any hot water is an abuse of the facility.

I don't object to coin in the slot showers. Innamincka has them.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Mace on January 30, 2012, 06:12:11 PM
Big 4 at Coober Pedy (in the town, not on the highway) used to have them (coin in slot showers) years ago when we first went thru (1988).

Hvnt stayed there since, not sure now.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: fishfinder on January 30, 2012, 06:24:45 PM
It was not explained as an extra cost but at 6.30 am and finding out when I went to use the shower with no $1 coin on me or back at camp I was not the happiest grumpy person around , luckily my home was on the way to work so called in there . But I am surprised that it is more common than I expected from the replies given still at the end of the day if calling into a motel do you pay extra for a shower ? for bed and breakfast do you pay extra ? when my kids get old enough I will chge them a flat rate for bored and then extra for a shower . I understand if there is water restrictions and I as well as the majority of people that frequent cp's would respect restrictions but as far as I am concern if your paying for a nights stay some where it should include showers unless its a shire bush camp then i understand.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: D4D on January 30, 2012, 06:31:37 PM
Interesting thread given the news today. Don't complain about paying $1 for a shower. It may be the last shower you have at the park as next time you want to stay there it may be closed...
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Jenko67 on January 30, 2012, 06:53:40 PM
More common than you think....
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Macca357 on January 30, 2012, 07:40:14 PM
Hi Fishfinder, interesting thread. We paid for showers at a Coober Pedy CP a few years back. As others have said you can understand it at a place like Coober Pedy. I think the park managers where you stayed for the weekend should have made it quite clear to you at time of check in. Did they charge you for Shitter paper as well?
 :cheers: Macca.
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: 4runnernomore on January 30, 2012, 07:55:17 PM
Big 4 at Coober Pedy (in the town, not on the highway) used to have them (coin in slot showers) years ago when we first went thru (1988).

Hvnt stayed there since, not sure now.

 :cheers:

We travelled through Coober Pedy Christmas 2010 on our way to Darwin and stayed at the big 4. We were in Cabins but no charge for water.  We swam in there pool as well and you were required to have a shower before entering again no charge.

Cheers, Chris
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Kit_e_kat9 on January 30, 2012, 09:03:04 PM


I suppose paying for a shower (that's hot water not cold) means that more people will have a shorter shower.  Whilst we were in Tassie (the sis n me) we paid for showers 50% of the time.  It depended on the cost how long we stayed in the shower.  20c for 5mins is better than $1 for 5 mins ... get my drift?  Whilst at our 4th camp we were introduced to this style of bathing.   Lake St Claire asked us when we paid for the site whether we wanted "tokens" ... tokens?  What the hell for?  A shower we got told.  Not how long each token lasted which was 3 mins.  Half way through shampooing ... I discovered the time limit.  Rude!!  A lady in the next shower told me that hot water in the laundry was free and hadn't paid for a warm shower since she got here (she used a bucket in the ladies) ... so off I went wrapped in a towel, shampoo dripping all over :cup: and there I completed my shower routine with the door pushed shut (thong under the door works wonders ladies).

Kit_e
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: GeoffA on January 30, 2012, 09:12:29 PM
I remember my parents saying that, in their early days of caravanning (circa 1950), FREE showers were considered something special. Paying for showers used to be the norm.........

I don't mind paying if it keeps people moving. It's just small change........... ;D

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: Mace on January 30, 2012, 09:30:08 PM
Speaking of paying for showers:

we were quite happy to pay $6 a head to go for a swim followed by a shower (30 minutes for me, more for SHMBO) at the Lakes Entrance indoor pool during our recent stay at Lake Tyers Forest Park.  After 4 days with early morning salt water swims and a sponge down with fresh water it was:  :cup:

After the event we were told its "4$ for non swimmers"!!

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: loshde on January 30, 2012, 10:28:14 PM
Took the family for a stay at a Caravan Park from Australia Day til Sunday I had to work on the friday  (only stayed 50 minutes from work ) so I went to take a shower only to find out I needed to bring my wallet as there was a fee for the showers ???? I have stayed at plenty of CP's before and never came across a fee for showers , is this common ? has any one come across this before ? as I would have thought that having a shower was part of the sight fees but obviously miss informed on this one.

When we first started to visit Tassie many  moons ago, most CP's charged for to use the hot water, you could use the cold to your hearts content.  So has this changed or is it still the hot water that you are actually paying for?  I personally think it helps to keep the shower time short so that there is minimal water usage.

Loshde
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: fishfinder on January 31, 2012, 04:33:01 AM
Loshde , it may be showers and hot water as there was no hot water to be found else where but if they're concerned about how long people take showers a simple solution is on paying for the site they give you one token per person per day with and if you want more then pay extra for tokens
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: austastar on January 31, 2012, 02:44:03 PM
Hi,
   Slightly aside from the topic, but in 1976 it was quite common to get a free showers at Queensland country service stations, with the purchase of a full tank of fuel of course. This was quite novel for us - never struck it before in other states.
We only got a couple of request for a bit more cash from a couple of places because the motorbike only took 20L from empty.

cheers
Title: Re: Paying for showers at CP
Post by: gibbo301 on January 31, 2012, 05:17:01 PM
A van park we stayed at over Christmas had a button you had to push outside the shower and the shower was timed but you didn't have to pay i thought it was a good idea so people don't have hour showers  :D