Council
20 August, 2026
Goulburn-Mulwaree Council keen to capture RV market
Deputy mayor Caitlin Flint said Goulburn had previously signed up as an RV Friendly town “however it appears that the reality on the ground is that we aren’t so RV friendly”.
Goulburn-Mulwaree Council is keen to improve Goulburn’s reputation as an RV friendly town.
Deputy mayor Caitlin Flint said Goulburn had previously signed up as an RV Friendly town “however it appears that the reality on the ground is that we aren’t so RV friendly”.
She moved a Notice of Motion at council’s August 18 meeting that council reviews and identifies the suitability of council-owned facilities for RV/caravan parking stays that meets the criteria of the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia and other relevant industry bodies.
She has also recommended that council introduces an affordable user-pays model as a revenue stream at locations where amenities are available.
Cr Flint said Goulburn was “aptly located” between Sydney and Canberra and was the main thoroughfare for people driving an RV or towing a caravan through to the South Coast.
However, the only space in the LGA advertised as being RV/caravan friendly is the Visitor Information Centre carpark.
Cr Flint said the space didn’t have any amenities outside of office hours and has no dump point or potable running water.
She said the site was close to the CBD but wasn’t welcoming to the town and “sleeping next to the train line isn’t likely what visitors to the region had in mind for their stay in Goulburn”.
She said the essentials for an RV friendly town included appropriate parking within the town centre, the provision of short-term, low-cost overnight parking (24/48 hours) for self-contained recreational vehicles, as close as possible to the CBD, access to potable water and access to a free dump point.
“There’s no doubt that becoming an RV Friendly Town does have considerable benefits,” Cr Flint said.
“According to the CMCA, there are about 620,000 RVs in Australia whose owners spend around $770 a week in the towns they visit.
“Particularly in these slow economic times, many country towns need to give those RV travellers a reason to stop, stay and spend and we have an obligation to be more hospitable.”
She wants council to capture the RV market and she wants RV travellers to share their experiences with others.
RV driver Graeme Dally addressed council’s August 11 public forum said if there was nowhere suitable to park, people would simply drive through to another location.
He said RV drivers needed somewhere to park overnight that was safe, secure and budget friendly.
He said the Goulburn Showground (officially known as the Goulburn Recreation Area) would be a suitable location for overnight stays and suggested a charge of between $10 and $20.
Mr Dally said ‘best practice’ towns and cities for RV drivers included Cooma in NSW and Benalla and Beechworth in Victoria.
Council’s general manager Scott Gallacher said Goulburn had been a designated RV Friendly Town since March 2021 with the long-vehicle parking and associated facilities at the Visitor Information Centre.
He said parking was limited but its proximity to the CBD was a big selling point “and we typically see RVs occupying every available spot”.
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