Highway travellers and caravan users are at the forefront of a multi-million-dollar service station currently being constructed in the region's east.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A dog walking park, a children's playground, public laundry service and a waste disposal facility for RV and caravan users will be some of the features of this new $10 million Mobil service station in Coolac.
Latest figures from Tourism Research Australia revealed there were 12.9 million domestic caravan and camping trips in the year ending March 2019, which was an increase of 8.5 per cent from the previous year.
Frequent caravan user Jim Morton has travelled all around Australia and said the number of RV's on the road has dramatically increased in the past five years.
"At the start of winter Gundagai is full of caravans as everyone heads north," Mr Morton said.
"I usually get away for about three months and travel to Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia and earlier this year I was in Tassie.
"I've been through every desert in Australia over the last 20 years."
The 72-year-old said it is always good to have plenty of dumping point services.
"Most towns have a laundromat and a dump point, I mean you only have to get on Wiki camps to find out and we've done it that much so we know what to do, but I suppose people will use it," he said.
Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council mayor Abb McAlister said this will have a positive flow-on effect to Coolac and local businesses.
"Any new development is great for the area and will create jobs for the economy and bring money into the town," Cr McAlister said.
"Coolac's other businesses will benefit like the hotel as people might stop in the town and also get something to eat.
"A lot of people now are doing more travel in Australia than going overseas ... there's so much more traffic on the roads now and we can't stop progress."
Northaime Marketing CEO Louise Weston said the facility will be located at Muttama Road at the Hume Highway and will cater for both northbound and southbound traffic.
"There's currently a changing trend of highway travellers, with more people going on the road with motor-homes," she said.
"Originally these stations were truck stops but they're now developing a more broader customer base of recreational travellers rather than traditional truckies.
"In the future, we're looking to have the electric car charging and because there won't be any camping on-site, we're looking at accommodation as part of the phase two development."
Construction for the new service station began earlier this year and the development is expected to open in early 2020, creating an estimated 80 jobs for the local area.
Ms Weston said the 24-hour facility is seeking local and national businesses for the food and beverage area as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle.
"NSW Roads and Maritime Services is interested in large service centres that are promoting physical health and with this particular development there will be a dog walking park and playground space," she said.
"We're looking for more healthier options within the service centres and welcoming all businesses to come forward.
"We can't name any businesses yet, but we are working with some leading brands."
The development was approved in December 2017.