Overnight stays could be ‘paused’ at a popular Tasmanian camping area, following an horrific New Year’s Day incident which left a young child in hospital.
The Kentish Council is said to be looking closely at the overnight camping situation at Kentish Park West Kentish Road Campgrounds, in the state’s north-west from Easter onwards.
Kentish Mayor Tim Wilson told the Advocate that the campsite had a history of anti-social behaviour, and that the council was unwilling to let the ‘status quo’ continue.
“We have had trouble over the years, and it came to a head on New Year’s Eve,” Cr Wilson said. “Someone was badly hurt, and it could have ended in their death … we’re aware we need to be better.”
On January 1, police alleged a man drove a car through a tent which contained two adults and three children at West Kentish Campgrounds.
One of the children was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital Intensive Care Unit for treatment of their injuries.
According to the Advocate, a report submitted to Kentish Council identified several areas of concern including longstanding issues around patchy mobile reception, the remote location and the inability to have a continual police or security presence due in part to resource constraints.
However, challenges in securing resources for safety and site improvements, potentially through introduction of a camping fee, have also been raised with potential for a breach of competitive neutrality laws.
Competitive neutrality relates to the need for state-owned and private businesses to compete on a level playing field.
“Council finds itself trapped in a paradox”, the report reads. “The remoteness and lack of oversight are part of the attraction for camping at the park … however, these are the very reasons that give rise to the insurance, legal and regulatory risks.”
It said council needed to strike a balancing act between the two, where amenity is maintained but the risk profile significantly decreases.
The report proposes the campsite is closed for overnight use immediately after Easter, with it unlikely to open for the foreseeable future as opportunities for safety improvements are explored.
The Advocate reports that suggestions put forward include returning the site to Crown land, exploring getting a private company in to manage the campsite, and improving facilities.
“Staff should immediately commence undertaking due diligence to determine if there are suitable engineering solutions to prevent unrestricted vehicle access and associated anti-social behaviour in the hope that camping can be allowed again in future,” the report says.
Cr Wilson said while he couldn’t pre-empt the outcome of the meeting, he was aware he was not the only councillor or staff member ‘uncomfortable about the site and things that have been happening’.
“It’s a temporary closure (proposed), but we’re still working out how and if we can re-open in a way that’s feasible.”
Kentish Council will discuss their options at the council meeting tomorrow.
Earlier this month, a popular RV stopover at Burekup in Western Australia’s south-west was closed due to a lack of supervision resources, and alleged poor behaviour by visitors.
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So what happened to the $%#@wipe who was driving the vehicle? Probably a tap on the shoulder and a fresh roll of loo paper.
Make it for fully self contained vehicles! Easy.
how would that help????
First thing that needs to be done is for a Cell Phone Tower to be erected close by to improve communications. The State Government could put pressure on Telstra/Optus to install a tower.
It would be wonderful if the toilet block could at least be cleaned … it is a fantastic boating and swimming facility well used by visitors and locals and the toilet block is an utter disgrace.