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Poor camper behaviour sparks council crackdown

Published: November 18, 2018

Ongoing poor camper behaviour has forced a New South Wales council to act to introduce a raft of regulations at a popular campsite on the state’s south coast.

Shoalhaven City Council has voted to limit camping at Danjera Dam, increase ranger patrols, ban alcohol consumption, and monitor activity there via CCTV.

The measures had been proposed by Shoalhaven Water, which said they were needed to improve safety.

The South Coast Register reports that Shoalhaven Water director, Carmel Krogh, warned councillors of risk-taking behaviour taking place at the campsite, which is based on council-owned land and Crown Land.

“Considering the fact that many of the unpleasant behaviour at the site has related to the consumption of alcohol, council could place an alcohol free exclusion upon the council-owned land,” Shoalhaven Water warned via its report. “This would also be consistent with the feedback desiring a ‘family friendly’ camping area.”

Ms Krogh said visitors had driven up an embankment in a four-wheel-drive and down into the dam catchment area. Council has since placed bollards to block drivers from entering the catchment area.

“There are serious risks in not taking action to formalise the use of this site,” thew reports to council said.  “Large groups of people are currently camping at the site with limited bushfire safety measures in place and no means of providing compliance.

The South Coast Register reports that the following recommendations were approved by councillors.

That Council:

1. Prepare a new planning proposal based on limiting camping to the main camping area adjacent to the dam.
2. Close the camping area in times of ‘severe’ fire danger levels
3. Close the camping area when the dam level is 4 metres below Top Water Level.
4. Provide ranger and other security resources to enforce ‘no camping’ areas and to monitor anti-social behaviour.
5. Classify the council-owned land as a 24-hour ‘Alcohol Prohibited Area’
6. Install CCTV cameras and warnings at appropriate spots within the council-owned land.
7. Write to the state government and request that they develop a management plan for the Crown Land in this area, including the disused mine areas.