While recently in town, he got wind of the suggestion to council that land be put aside for  an additional tourist caravan park.

The 62-year-old says it’s “silly” not having another RV area in town.

“Young would be a leader – if it was at Chinaman’s Dam - people would flock there… and caravan people talk,” he said.

Mr Maloney said the local caravan park wouldn’t suffer from such a project.

He claims RV owners are all about cost-free camping because they are self contained.

But, he says, there are occasions when they need to use caravan parks - usually situated in towns - to get their caravan serviced, charge their batteries, get groceries, do their washing.

“Stats will tell you that RV owners will stay in a caravan park for only three nights,” he said.

If there’s an RV park in a town’s vicinity, he says, “the caravan park will definitely, definitely pick up.”

He now joins the push by  Councillor John McGregor and George Parris – a former Wirrimah man proposing council build an RV park in Bendick Murrell that he would help fund.

“It is hard for councillors who haven’t got caravans to understand. It’s hard to talk to people that are in that situation,” Mr Maloney said.

“My push is at Chinaman’s Dam – it’d only take a week, you just get a grader and put down some gravel. 

“It will cost them peanuts – you just need gravel and a spot to stay – I’ve been talking to John McGregor about it.”

He believes the RV park could also be a great way to promote local businesses if council put signage on trees showing visitors what was available to them in town.

He’s even offered to help out.

Mr Maloney estimates council could attract up to 30 to 40 vans to the location and says if they’re self contained only there won’t be any “rif raf”.

“They’re all very quiet, they’re retirees,” he said.

He suggested if council located it down the back of Sawpit Gully it wouldn’t be an eyesore.

“I absolutely love Young,” he said, “Young is an RV friendly town but they need more facilities.”

He says the council needs to understand this is the future .

“You see people driving through town, they slow down but they’re not stopping. And you need them to stay – there is a new generation of mobile home travellers and they’ve got money,” Mr Maloney said. 

“I meet them on the road and they tell me they want to spend it, and we – as in Young – are not letting them stop,” he said.

Mr Maloney quoted caravan magazines and a Queensland government advertising campaign that encouraged more RV owners to stay in Queensland, saying there were 40,000 caravans that came into Queensland each year.

“Campervan Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA) would help council greatly in the marketing of it,” he said.

“I’m probably going to get knocked for doing this – but someone who’s into RVs will understand. If you’re going to knock me, make sure you’re a business or an RV owner.”

RV park in the pipeline

“I don’t care where it goes, Young needs it” – was Paul Maloney’s response when The Young Witness asked him if he thought an RV park should be placed at Bendick Murrell as one man, George Parris, is pushing for.

Young residents George and Maureen Parris are seeking council’s help in amending the zoning limitations on a 35 acre block of Crown Land in Little Street, Bendick Murrell which they purchased to allow for RVs.

A story on Mr Parris’ efforts to fund and bring an RV site to Bendick Murrell appeared in the Monday, November 5, edition of The Young Witness.

It was his view, at the time, that red tape was preventing him from moving forward.

Young Shire Council voted in favour of having the area rezoned at their November monthly meeting, with the plans going on public exhibition following approval from the NSW LEP panel.

Young Shire Council’s planning, environment and strategic services director Craig Filmer said the proposal is now set to go back to the NSW LEP panel for approval. 

This will be decided at council’s next monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 17.

“You can’t expect to go any faster - there is a process we need to follow,” Mr Filmer said.

Along with Mr Parris’ rezoning submission, council is also set to consider two of Mr Parris’ subdivision applications sometime in the near future.

One application request land be subdivided into 20 residential lots and the other for an RV park with cabins and a restaurant.