Caravan parks around the country are looking dramatically different to this time last year, after fuel concerns caused travellers to cancel their trips.
Fuel prices soared after conflict broke out in the Middle East at the end of February. And while petrol prices have since dropped to pre-war levels, the cost of diesel, which most long-haul travellers rely on, remains high.
Parks that were last year thriving with campers and caravanners are now sitting almost empty, prompting a rural park operator and two long-time travellers to plead with people to get back out on the road.
Annette Jones is the owner of All Around Oz, a community she’s created to help thousands plan their lap around the country. She and her husband Kev have been travelling around Australia for almost three years and noticed that after uncertainty grew from the nation’s fuel crisis, “it has been quiet” on the roads.
The couple are currently on the road in Western Australia, heading north to Gibb River Road. On a recent visit to Ocean View Caravan Park in Onslow, Annette was surprised to see they were one of only a few vans parked.
“As we travel further north, the story is the same,” she wrote online. “The fuel fearmongering is really affecting our tourism industry.”
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Caravan park sees 65 per cent drop in bookings
Audra Smith is the president of the Shire of Ashburton, the council that runs the Ocean View Caravan Park. She reported that the park has seen a 65 per cent drop in bookings from last year. Businesses in the Shire’s Tom Price locations have also seen a significant regional decline, dropping 30 per cent compared to 2025.
“People are changing how they travel, and more people are choosing not to come at all or delaying their trips,” she told Yahoo News. She said there are even fewer forward bookings being made in the shoulder seasons.
Ocean View Caravan Park in Onslow before the fuel crisis, and (right) a recent photo showing an almost empty park. Source: Shire of Ashburton and Annette Jones, All Around Oz
Usually at this time of year, Onslow and Tom Price caravan parks are full and people are on waitlists, Smith said.
The clear drop in visitor numbers is consistent across the Shire, and in the broader northwest, the Shire president added.
Kev said parks like Cable Beach in Broome, which are usually “impossible to get into this time of year,” didn’t even require a booking. This is unheard of in normal conditions, he said.
Is there fuel in regional towns?
While high diesel prices and fuel concerns have played a huge part in disrupting travel plans, Smith said damage from Tropical Cyclone Narelle in late March disrupted Easter travel plans at the start of the season, “and it really has set us back”.
Businesses in these rural regions have not been able to recover from the extreme weather event and have been further impacted by the fuel crisis.
“We understand that people are cautious, but the level of concern doesn’t really match what’s happening on the ground,” Smith said.
She said fuel has been available in the Ashburton region, and there have been no fuel-related issues.
“We have fuel. Our towns are open. Our businesses are ready to welcome visitors,” Smith insisted.
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The fuel worries Aussies have had about travelling are not indicative of rural Australia, Smith claims, arguing the issue has been overstated.
She’s noticed people who do want to travel during this time sticking to main roads and larger towns instead of heading to regional areas. But she said, “we need them to do that,” because it deeply hurts regional towns.
All Around Oz encourages Aussies to continue travelling and say fuel concerns are not as bad as they might think. Source: Annette Jones, All Around Oz
Annette advises hopeful travellers to check local Facebook groups for the areas they want to visit, or to call tourist information centres in or around the towns of their intended holiday spot to ask about fuel supplies.
“The rural communities need us more than ever,” she said.
“You can’t put your life on hold.”
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