DISCUSSION of paid camping at a Dalveen Park has inspired councillors to explore more options for camping and caravanning around the region.

Southern Downs councillors in their meeting this morning tabled the potential implementation of a $10 a night camping fee at Jim Mitchell Park.

The fee would cover the council maintaining amenities such as toilets and water access at the park as well as acting as a revenue stream for SDRC.

Councillor Sheryl Windle suggested amending the motion to state the council would commence community engagement in relation to RV rest areas and camping options in small communities throughout the Southern Downs region.

"These smaller villages are gateways to our region, and if we offered camping options visitors could spend few days in our region," Cr Windle said.

"I would like to suggest hold a forum for representatives from each interested village to come together to brainstorm ideas about implementing camping."

Cr Windle said towns like Dalveen and Leyburn already had camp areas established.

Council colleagues Vic Pennisi and Marika McNichol supported the idea to attract more visitors and support smaller communities.

"This is an opportunity to get it right," Cr Pennisi said.

"For me this is starting with a blank sheet of paper and not starting out with a predetermined view on how we would implement camping in different areas of the region."

SRDC engineering services director Peter See yesterday said the council would need to specify what type of camping would be allowed in each area.

"Camping is a very open ended term - when you say camping it might refer to caravaning or tent camping or otherwise," Mr See said.

"In the past in Dalveen we've had complaints about backpackers staying in Jim Mitchell Park long term. "The council would need to police it in some way so we need to be careful in what we are after in this policy when you say camping."

Warwick in particular has previously come under scrutiny for not being an "RV-friendly town."

Members of the Southern Downs Residents Action Group Facebook page said paid camping could lead to campers, especially grey nomads, looking elsewhere.

"We're travelling at the moment and I can assure you all that Warwick councils attitude is all over the camping sites," Dennise McKenzie said.

"As RV people ourselves we would not stay in Dalveen but go elsewhere if we needed to stop overnight," Ellie Clark said.

"Grey nomads bring income to small towns so why penalise them?"