As the full implications of a Tasmanian Government report into free camping on the Apple Isle continue to hit home, another local council has announced it is to introduce new camping restrictions.
The Waratah-Wynyard Council says it will now designate camping areas at popular Boat Harbour Beach on Tassie’s north-west coast and the area adjacent to the sandy strip.
The Mercury newspaper reports that signs will be put up at the beach outlining areas where public camping is permitted and council officers will patrol the area taking an “educative approach” to enforcement during the initial period of change.
It comes following February’s edict from the Department of Treasury and Finance saying councils needed to limit public non-powered campsites to no more than 10% of all camping offerings within a 60 kilometre radius.
If the number goes above that, councils must start charging or prove the free sites provide a public benefit.
The Waratah-Wynyard Council said the local community was recently asked to provide feedback on the management of public camping, and survey results showed overwhelming support for it to continue but within in designated areas and with regulatory controls and enforcement in place.
“Public camping at Boat Harbour Beach has been an ongoing cause of concern for council, the local community and day users of the beach for some time,” the council told the Mercury. “Police will also respond to complaints and penalties will be applied if continuing non-compliance occurs.”
The recent Department of Treasury and Finance clarified a directions paper issued in 2012 after the Tasmanian Economic Regulator investigated four complaints lodged by private caravan park operators. It found the Kentish, West Coast, Latrobe and Central Highlands councils had acted unfairly by providing free unpowered caravan and camping sites.
Councils around the state are continuing to re-evaluate where motorhomes, caravans and tents should be able to stay for no cost.
It’s now only a matter of time before all of tassie is locked up, imagine if the ‘bay of fires’ area was also locked up, St. Helens would be devastated as many, many people use this area year round and use St. Helens for all of their shopping / leisure spending needs. Will it be worth spending near $2000 to get to tassie and then be forced into cramped CPs – don’t think so.
Silly silly
How some councils not see more visitors = more economic benefit to the region.
Some councils are very pro visitor like in country QLD they know and see the visitor benefits. How other councils not learn from them and lock out visitors is bewildering
If caravan park operators finally get their way and limit free camping, then they also have a obligation to lift their game and provide value for the almighty dollar. They need to ask themselves if they feel they are doing the right thing, not just bleating it’s not fair. After all for those of us NOT totally self contained we need them at times, but really, how much power can we consume, how many showers can we take, how much water can we use in one night. Because let’s be honest our site fee is for less than 24 hours. Plus not all parks are equal in the standard of park or facilities, yet they expect pretty much the same pound of flesh for the usage. Why not introduce a tiered site fee, if you are self contained you pay less, you don’t get amenities keys or codes, you pay for your power if you need it, Lift your game park owners, then people may not complain about using your park.
Ruth, well said, I could not agree more. WHEN the caravan park owners understand that we do not need all thier amenities, maybe they can accommodate us at a fair cost. The CMCA has ‘dollar wise’ parks scheme, and it is encouraging the number of caravan parks that are now offering $10 per night – so, they CAN do it!
Come on park owners, just charge us for what we need please.
Add the price of the Spirit Of Tasmania just to get there and it’s nearly not worth go to Tasmania to explore already. Some people in Councils are just so stupid.
Was intending to visit Tassie next year wirh caravan .. the cost of getting there was to have been offset by the cheaper camping.
Based on the new Policy, we wont be visiting .. sad for all the local businesses that must benefit from the nomads but we seek value and that has been destroyed by this Policy ..
Think I may also have to change my plans.
Agree with all above,will spend our money in towns that want us and appreciate the grey dollar.Tasmania,s loss in the end,but all caravan parks need to take notice as you will in the end wipe yourself out. Stevo
Exactly
They need to change business model or they will all disappear
I totally agree with all above comments but I also understand that the caravan parks are under pressure from local councils as they are the ones that charge rates,rubbish removal Al,etc ,so far they have seemed to escaped the attention of the grey nomads ,maybe complaints to the councils may prove more effective.
when we were over there a few years ago when this garbage was first mooted mainly by one park owner he went around to all the other parks to get them on board. The owner of the park we were staying at said no way and was asked why not His reply was that when he had time off to go fishing or shooting he wanted to stay where he could .
Well said Ruth. For me a single, i still have to pay the same rate as a couple.
i refuse to use caravan parks on that matter alone. Couples are paying half the rate EACH that i pay? If a park charges $40 a night for a couple to park
and i come in i am charged $40 for 1 person .Work that out ?I hope they all go broke. I am happy to free camp or use small town parks who charge a fair rate. I don’t need any frills.
The Tasmanian tourist industry will suffer
Owners don’t read these criticisms of their caravan parks so there will never be a change in their attitude. They take on the motels with cabins but won’t let us take them on when it comes to us wanting free camping. They are very ignorant and money hungry people.
Regulation of Boat Harbour Beach has nothing to do with the new Tas Regs.It has everything to do with making the visit better as the location has become very popular with people camping anywhere, removing bollards,having campfires on the grassed areas.Great to see the council make some control measures and still have a free camp to visit!
As a local I find the new regs somewhat convoluted though to date no campsites have closed to my knowledge, with social media there does seem to be a knee jerk reaction without fully upstanding what is actually happening.
Well said Chris. We visited Tassie 18 months ago and stayed for 4 months. We didn’t visit a caravan park once as the free camping at that time was excellent. Our only issue/problem was the younger backpackers who’d arrive after dark, make a mess , be noisy and disrespectful then just drive away leaving the locals or the grey nomads to clean up after them. Something had to change because pristine Tassie was being abused. The grey nomad freedom campers are great for any town which welcomes them. The difficulty is how to manage the influx of those who do not respect the country or the people who provide them with a beautiful place to stay. Not an easy problem to address although caving into greedy caravan park owners is not going to benefit Tasmania.