Camping in parks and reserves is NOT permitted in the Tweed Shire. Campers who choose to disregard any related signage could be fined by Council’s Compliance Officers.
At its meeting of 17 September 2015, Council resolved to approve a new management plan for Bruce Chick Park, located off the Tweed Valley Way, Stotts Park. The new management plan involves the cessation of a longstanding practice of overnight camping, in preference for a more limited stopping and rest area for travellers.
This decision follows extensive community consultation and investigation of the site conditions, environmental constraints and heritage of the area, including its original intended purpose as envisaged by Bruce Chick. Whilst Council was keen to explore the potential of establishing an RV friendly primitive camping facility at this site, it became evident through the site investigations that such a use would unreasonably conflict with the environmental values of the site as well incur a significant recurrent cost to the ratepayer by way of management and sewerage at the site and other site facilities.
Tweed Shire Council is very supportive of finding suitable alternative sites to seek to tap into the RV friendly campervan market.
To this end Council has been consulting with local industry groups, Destination Tweed, the CMCA and community associations to get their feedback and input into suitable alternative sites that are capable of achieving compliance standards, with an emphasis on finding sites in the Tweed hinterland villages such as Burringbar, Uki and Tyalgum.
Council has also supported the Murwillumbah Showground Trust over the past 12 months in assisting them to seek approval through Crown Lands to utilise that site The Showground Trust has recently received approval from Council for a primitive camping ground to provide 23 sites for RV Friendly vehicles. This also has the added advantage of supporting a local Society/ Trust/ Community Group whilst also not incurring a cost to the ratepayer of management or maintenance of the site. With its close proximity to town, local businesses are also likely to benefit.
There are 31 quality caravan parks in the Tweed Shire that provide a full range of products and services, including the seven parks operated by Tweed Holiday Parks (external link).
There are no public campervan dump points in the Tweed. Campervan drivers are required to enter caravan parks in the Tweed Shire that contain dump point facilities, most parks only allow paying guests to utilise these facilities.
Recreation tips
'Leave only footprints and take only photographs.'
These practical guides have been produced by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation to help us reduce our impact on the environment when camping, bushwalking and boating.