Latest news with #caravanning
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Lake District camping and caravan site 'required' upgrade approved after closure
A CAMPING and caravan site near Keswick is set for a major upgrade after plans to introduce a raft of improvements were approved. Braithwaite Bridges Camping and Caravan site, between Keswick and Braithwaite, is set to become a 'five-star touring site with tent pitches', as the Lake District National Park Authority gave the green light to a programme of refurbishment proposed by the site's owner, the Camping and Caravanning Club. The Design and Access statement says that the site has been closed for 'five to six years' since its acquisition by the Camping and Caravanning Club in 2018. It says that the site 'does not currently meet the high standards required'. Upgrades will include the modernisation and extension of the existing amenities building along with a range of improvements across the site including the creation of a 'natural play area for children'. The scheme would see a shift toward replacing tent pitches with hardstanding areas designed for touring caravans, and a number of 'hybrid' pitches, for caravans and tents. The planning decision statement says: "The applicant outlines that in their experience there has been a shift in market demand towards more flexible pitches to accommodate the increasing variety of tents and touring caravans. "The hybrid pitches are designed to accommodate this shift and would be primarily for the guests who require grass pitches, mainly including Tents, Tentboxes, Trailer Tents, smaller campervans (which then generally need tents to provide additional accommodation) and even 'Teardrop Caravans' (which often have a tent pitched next to them)." READ MORE: Plans submitted for new holiday park with 100 caravans READ MORE: Locals predict 'unsustainable' traffic if new holiday park off A66 approved It says that although tented campsites are 'limited in this area', the site is 'well connected to Keswick and the Borrowdale Valley in which there are numerous tented campsites present'. Addressing the potential visual impact of the improvements on the area, the statement says: "Though the physical works proposed are extensive they are all contained within the existing site which benefits from mature landscaping, both around the perimeter boundaries of the site and internally. "The plans submitted show that all of the existing planting would be retained and would be bolstered by additional internal planting." On highway concerns, it says that the proposal has to the potential to 'reduce movement numbers', from the high occupancy rates associated with the previous permission.
ABC News
03-07-2025
- ABC News
Businesses in WA coastal town Carnarvon struggle amid tourism decline
Residents of what was once a key highway stop-off feel they are being passed by as tourists head to Western Australia's north to escape the winter months. Carnarvon, 900 kilometres north of Perth, is the only major town between Geraldton and Karratha. It has generally hosted thousands of caravanners and other travellers on their way to tourist destinations in WA's Pilbara and Kimberley. But many businesses said this year's trade was so poor it could force their permanent closure. Jo Bumbak, who has sold preserves and ice creams using produce from the local area for 26 years, said this would likely be her final season. "There's businesses I've spoken to that said they don't even know if they're going to reopen their doors," she said. "I'm one of those businesses." Ms Bumbak said the length of stay for most caravanners visiting the region had declined, and state government-imposed liquor restrictions were a major factor. "I've heard of people who get all their stuff in Geraldton and bypass Carnarvon altogether," she said. "That's kind of a bit unfair because it's not the Carnarvon people who have made these decisions." Michelle Pinna, who has run the Norwesta Cararvan Park in Carnarvon for more than a decade, said the decline was noticeable. "Normally by Mother's Day I'm full, and it was certainly a lot emptier this year," she said. Ms Pinna said good weather in Perth may have stalled the season, but there were larger issues to be fixed. "It's always a stopover on the way to Exmouth, on the way to Coral Bay, but it is such a beautiful place." Many business owners also said the town's ongoing struggles with crime had hurt its reputation. "I know it's not just Carnarvon that has these issues," Ms Pinna said. "There's other big towns ... that have big problems, probably worse than Carnarvon. "I just think that Carnarvon does get a bad rap." Ms Bumbak called on the Shire of Carnarvon to check in with businesses to see how it could help. "A lot of the business people are feeling exactly the same way," she said. "That they have been let down by the shire and by the state government." Shire chief executive Amanda Dexter said tourism in the town had been "on the low side", citing the ongoing impact of COVID and liquor restrictions as factors. She said the shire had been working to improve the attractiveness of the main street, holding workshops and promoting local businesses. "We've talked a lot about stimulating the town centre," she said. "How we could possibly get people to linger a little longer and maybe spend a little bit more money?" However, when it came to crime and the impact of liquor restrictions, Ms Dexter said the shire's hands were tied. "We lobby and work with the government as much as we possibly can … but many of these things are not in our hands," she said. "We're often a toothless tiger." The WA Tourism Conference will be held in Carnarvon next May, bringing industry, government and academics to the region. Ms Dexter said she hoped it would bring a boost to the town. "We're hoping that we get to help the tourism community understand what Carnarvon has to offer and how wonderful it is," she said. "From that exposure get some real advertising and some real feedback out to … WA and the nation, and then be able to encourage more people to come and share this incredible place that we have."
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pet owner's urgent warning after dog almost dies following trip to beach: 'Scary'
A Queensland woman is warning pet owners to be vigilant after a trip to the beach almost killed her beloved dog. Billy the kelpie had only been out of the car for "one minute" when he found something in the dunes that left him incredibly unwell. Brenda De Pol Cope and her husband are caravanning through Western Australia, and this week found themselves at Song Beach in Denham on the state's isolated west coast. After parking up and letting their two dogs out of the car, Brenda quickly realised that she couldn't see Billy. After spotting him near the dunes, she saw that his mouth was covered in drool. While she didn't realise at the time, Billy had found a sea hare – a type of sea mollusc that is toxic to dogs and other animals. Sea hares are mostly around 20cm in length or smaller, and have a soft body with an internal shell. They have large 'wings' to help them swim and are usually well camouflaged, making them difficult to spot. The couple continued their afternoon, playing fetch with the dogs and returning back to the van for dinner before Billy started showing signs that something was wrong. "We'd settle down, and then he'd start crying again, and then the vomiting started," Brenda told Yahoo News. "It was probably about 9, 10pm. He had us up till 3am vomiting and eventually it was just bile coming out." As well as the consistent vomiting, Billy grew "unbelievably" weak and couldn't get into his bed on the lower bunk. By this point, Brenda and her husband knew it had something to do with Billy's find on the beach. With the closest vet more than three hours away in Canarvon, the worried owner had a phone appointment to see what could be done. "He said, 'you either take him down to Geraldton or you take him up to Canarvon, but I'm going to be honest with you, by the time you get there, he could be dead'," Brenda recalled. "It was scary." Small dogs can die in just six hours from consuming a sea hare. Luckily for Billy, his 23kg build helped him overcome the poisoning. And the biggest thing that helped was the vomiting. Four days later, the 13-year-old kelpie is feeling much better. "He's quite old, so he's still a bit unsteady on his feet, but otherwise he's eating and he seems very happy," Brenda said. She's now looking to buy a muzzle for Billy as an alternative to keeping him on the lead all the time, and she's urging other dog owners to do the same. "Keep them close," she said. "If you want to go off lead, use a muzzle." Sea hares produce a purple ink and toxic chemicals as a defence mechanism against predators. The ink contains a mix of secondary metabolites, some of which can be irritating or toxic to other marine organisms. Their toxicity comes from their diet — primarily red and green algae — which contain compounds that can be harmful if ingested. Dr Tim Hopkins from Northern Beaches Emergency Vet previously told Yahoo News that dogs will usually require immediate attention from a vet. "You'll see immediate symptoms from them having mouthed the sea hare, and then usually within hours, you're seeing those systemic signs," he said. "It's often hard with these inquisitive dogs, they'll find a random washed up item or animal and we do see that [poisonings] sometimes after mass beaching events, with jellyfish and other venomous animals. "It's about knowing what to do if they do get exposed, and then it's really about knowing where your closest emergency vet is." Hopkins said if a dog is exposed to a sea hare, owners can attempt to wash their mouths out, but that "shouldn't be done at the expense of getting prompt veterinary attention". Symptoms in dogs can include vomiting, drooling, lethargy, tremors, seizures and death in severe cases. While not all sea hares are equally toxic, ingestion is risky, and pet owners are advised to keep their animals away from these creatures when they wash up. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Caravan dad left gagging after 'nightmare' camping mistake
There are plenty of things to love about caravaning around Australia. The vast landscapes, incredible sunsets, awe-inspiring wildlife and wide open spaces are just a few of the reasons why so many people are quitting their jobs, selling their houses and hitting the open road. But just like life back home, there are jobs that you don't want to do. One such task in the caravanning world is emptying what's affectionately known as the "devil's suitcase". When the caravan toilet is filled with waste, it must be emptied at a designated dump point. But it doesn't always go to plan, with regular instances of the dirty task going awry. One caravanning dad learnt the hard way just how wrong it can go when he dropped the lid down the dump point into piles of human waste below. While some may simply accept their fate and give up on the lost item, determined dad Ashley Moy, who was staying in Alice Springs with his family at the time, told Yahoo News it was too "important" to leave behind. "If you don't have the cap, you run the real risk of your waste sloshing out of the cassette," he said, describing that scenario as "yuck". 🤢 Man's disgusting mistake at campsite horrifies caravaners 🚽 Family's 'foul' caravan photo reveals truth about life on Aussie roads 😢 Caravan owners fight to save their homes after 'heartless' council decision Ashley told Yahoo the family of five, who are doing a 12-month lap of the country, had just arrived in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory when they realised their caravan toilet needed emptying. He sarcastically said it's a "very common but enjoyable chore" all caravanners must undertake. "We found the local toilet dump site and began emptying out the waste from inside the casette," he said. "The casette has a great lid that screws onto the casette, you unscrew the lid when emptying it." When he was finished, he packed away the hose used to clean out the cassette, and "knocked the cap into the dump point hole" and into the septic tank down below. Armed with a pair of tongs, the Aussie dad attempted what many would simply refuse to do and put his hand down the dump point. In a clip shared online, the dad is seen gagging while his wife Rachel cackles in the background as she films. Incredibly, after gagging a few times, the dad manages to get the cap out of the septic tank by putting his entire arm down the dump point hole. Some viewers described the scene as their "worst nightmare". "I'm dry heaving just watching this, I can't imagine doing it," said another. Luckily, the dad was able to retrieve the item and avoided the risk of human waste sloshing around in his caravan. But if you're wondering what happened to the tongs after the deed was done, Ashely said: "Let's leave the tongs up to people's imagination". Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Brutal outback photo sparks warning to Aussie drivers: 'Consider the legalities'
An experienced outback traveller is urging Australian motorists to stay vigilant on rural roads, especially in regions with roaming livestock — highlighting not just the serious safety risks of animal collisions, but the potential legal consequences for drivers as well. Simon Christie is a well-respected voice in the 4WD and touring community in Australia and shared a disturbing example that highlights the dangers. A photo taken at the time of the incident shows a cow that was killed on an outback road northeast of Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory, after it was obscured by a cloud of dust created by a passing truck before it was ultimately hit by the driver of a ute. Simon snapped a photo of the collision aftermath when it happened last year but recently shared it with a caravanning community page online before describing the confronting scene to Yahoo News. "A truck was coming the opposite way, and a dual-cab ute was heading the same way as us, just in front. In the dust behind the truck, a cow suddenly stepped out onto the road," Simon said. "The ute had a proper steel bull bar fitted and was travelling at a safe speed, but it couldn't avoid the cow. It hit it head-on, and the impact instantly killed it. "The cow landed in the middle of the road, and the driver pulled over safely, and we were able to pull up behind them. Thankfully, they were medically fine, and the vehicle only had minor damage — it was completely driveable thanks to the bull bar." Simon said this reflects how conditions can change in an instant, especially on dark, outback roads, and it highlights the life-saving benefits of having a proper bull bar fitted. "We helped drag the cow off the road using a recovery chain attached to the back of my caravan, because leaving it on the road would have been incredibly dangerous — especially at night," he said. "Someone else could have hit it, including a semi-trailer, which could cause a major crash. Plus, the carcass could attract predators like foxes and dingoes, creating more road hazards." Simon, of 4WDTV, arrived at "just the right time to help" and was able to tow the animal off the road despite also towing a caravan himself. But, "incidents like this are actually quite common", and he encouraged drivers to be aware of how they can stay safe in the event of similar scenarios. Calls grow for total 4WD ban on Australian beaches Outback neighbours in bitter $400,000 battle over 28km fence Air crew makes exciting 'once-in-a-lifetime' discovery in outback "If someone hits livestock, and they're equipped and know what they're doing, moving the animal off the road is the right and responsible thing to do. A lot of four-wheel drivers carry recovery gear, like winches and drag chains, and can do it safely," he said. "Night-time adds to the risks — poor visibility makes it harder to spot animals. That's why our vehicles are fitted with steel bull bars and a lot of aftermarket lighting — front, side, and corner lighting. It's basically as close to daylight as we can make it." He said the overarching message is simple: be aware, understand the risks, and drive to the conditions. "If that means slowing down, then slow down," he said. "And if you need to drive at night, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped — bull bars and lighting are essential. Factory headlights alone aren't enough out here." It's also important to consider the legalities, Simon said, adding that in some states, if livestock is on a road and is hit, the driver may be liable for the animal's death — or vice versa. "If the road is fenced and the animal got through a broken gate or fence, the farmer might be liable. But on unfenced roads with cattle grids, like in the outback, it's your responsibility to drive with caution, the animals are allowed to roam," he said. Drivers "should absolutely report these incidents", either to local authorities or the nearest town. "That can help with insurance, too, and it makes sure others are aware of the hazard," Simon added. A spokesperson from the Everything Caravan and Camping group, who shared the photo initially, echoed Simon's plea. "The key message for caravan owners, and all travellers, is to stay vigilant, particularly in outback areas where conditions can change quickly and visibility can be poor," a spokesperson told Yahoo. "Hitting an animal can be tragic and extremely dangerous, not just for the driver but for anyone else on the road. "And while every incident is different, we always encourage travellers to act with care and responsibility. If it's safe and legal to do so, removing roadkill can help prevent further harm to others, as Simon and his team did in this case." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
