How can free camping be best managed?
Port Macquarie is the latest east coast town to wrestle with the ‘problem’ of how to approach free camping,
The Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has decided to go ahead with an eight-month staged trial to manage free camping at coastal reserves and car parks at the town on the mid north coast of New South Wales. The initiative will also see research conducted to allow decision makers to better understand free campers’ habits and their impact on the economy,
The Port Macquarie News reports that information gathered during the trial will feed into the development of a long-term strategy. It says the approach will include a trial of signs at hotspots with fines as a last resort.
Mayor Peter Besseling said the council was looking at what would work in a sustainable manner so the problem was not moved from one area to another.
Recommendations will be made at the end of the trial for a long-term strategy to manage free camping.
Council’s commercial services and industry engagement acting director Monika Bretmaisser told the Port Macquarie News that free camping was an increasing phenomenon, and if the council retained the status quo, the result could be more and more free campers
The issue has sparked huge debate across the country, but particularly in coastal areas. While some view free campers as messy freeloaders who are a burden on local ratepayers, others see them as a potentially vital boost to the local economy.
It has led to a contrasting approach. Tweed Heads and Byron Bay have a no-tolerance approach with regulation and rangers used to remove the majority of free campers from hotspot areas.
Elsewhere, a more ‘enlightened’ approach is taken. Free camping advocates point at  Dunedin in New Zealand as an example of what should be done. There, the local council welcomes so-called freedom campers and manages where they can stay in recognition of their contribution to the local economy.
While there is no doubt that some grey nomads do park up in the coastal reserves and parks, the practice is traditionally the domain of young overseas backpackers. In a fortnight-long free camping crackdown last year, Cairns Regional Council issued 64 fines … but only eight were paid and 30 were withdrawn due to a lack of an address.
wats the point of fining overseas tourists they just hop on a plane home
its not only them anyway our young do the same stuff
some retired people do it also
have a designated spot to camp for nort otherwise move them on I suppose could be the go.
but it always seems some folk will push the boundaries’ and spoil it for others. wat is the real answer
we all have an opinion
enjoy life
I have been in contact with PMHC in regard to his matter and it is the Wicked camper brigade who are causing the problems.
This in turn causes a flow on effect whereby “grey nomads” are targetted as being “freeloaders”.
I have written to the Mayor of Port Macquarie and expresed my views on the matter in its entirety.
I have also contacted the PMHC by phone and found that they were extremely interested when I notified them that I was expressing my opinion as a Port Macquarie ratepayer and as a motor homer.
I feel that it is well worth appraoching the councils direct and expressing any concerns.
It has the added benefit of being able to present our individual case.
What was interesting was the comment from PMHC that there are complaints that campers leave their washing hanging out for 3-4 days. This is a fair and legitimate complaint.
I would suggest that this is an issue that should be addressed by council rangers.
The trial will commence in a months time and as it is planned to run for an 8 month period this will overlap with the Christmas holiday period which will see an massive influx of grey nomads and the Wicked camper brigade.
The wheels are now in motion for the 8 month trial so all we can do now is wait and see.
New Zealand manages free camping very well, BUT they have a NZ Standard for Self-Containment and this allows campers to park in Self-Contained free camping areas. It allows easy enforcement by local authorities and rangers.
They still fine people who camp illegally whether it be in no camping areas or if they are NOT self-contained. Until Australia institutes a similar self-containment system it will be impossible for uniform local or state laws to be put in place and enforced.
Bev u have hit the nail right on target, that’s all we need to stop all of this.
What constitutes self contained. We don’t have an ensuite, but we do have a portable toilet. We have an outdoor camping shower, but would not set it up for only overnight camping, instead we would boil up water on the stove and have a wash. Are we considered self contained????
I agree with Bev also, we went to the extra expense to make our RV Self Contained so as we could free camp. Wicked Campers and the like are NOT self contained. If you can’t contain your waste, water and the like, you’re not self contained. Thats what grey and black water tanks are for. We have seen numerous travellers dump their portable toilets in the bush, thats not self containment iether.
Good lord, this is so simple. The councils should charge $10 a night, have a caretaker and reasonable facility at the park. We dont need pools, jumping castles etc. Just a good sized plot with power and someplace to put the sullage and toilet. That way all the issues would be resolved. Its not rocket science councils!
Exactly Phil it is not rocket science.
We know that but the councils don’t which is why I have written to Port Macquarie council and expressed my views.
What we all really need to do is to write to councils as these issue arise and express our opinions and also provide solutions, solutions that the councils have not thought about as generally they have no idea or understanding of grey nomads.
In short we need to be pro-active and be seene to be pro-active with and deal direct with councils.
Ask yourself the question, how many of these council decissions are based on those who oppose?
If a minority can have a negative impact then what influence could a majority have?
You know if traffic on roads increases councils and governments adjust for it as best they can by building new roads or adding new lanes. Surely if there’s an issue with this free camping it’s better to ‘adjust’ for it by setting aside land to cater for it. Yes it costs to maintain, but these campers spend money there too so perhaps local businesses can be levied an annual fee to pay for it. Consultation with townspeople and small business is essential though before any decisions are made.
If people think this is bad….Just wait till the Budget hits home….There will be Campers everywhere one looks….A person needs a Bed and places to cook a meal And the money will not be available Because of the Budget and the Misery it will cause….I’m only concerned about the Grey Nomads at this stage….The overseas backpackers can go to buggery for all I care they are the Main trouble
We are in a self contained motorhome and get very annoyed with backpackers and nomads being put in the same freecamp basket.The nz format looks quite good.
I absolutely agree Mark, Councils Australia wide should be looking at the NZ model and adapting and modifying to the respective needs of their locale.
But then again this solution is logical and would be too easy.
But we can only hope.
I am a CMCA member and reckon their Leave No Trace scheme is a great starting point to differentiate self contained RVs from the Juicy van types.
Non self contained vehicles should be limited to sites that have toilet facilities as an absolute minimum. At the same time we need to recognize that young travellers have limited financial means and not price them off the roads or out of Oz. Supporting them with cheap toilet equipped campsites would be a start. They too spend money in local businesses and buy petrol and the like.
Could someone explain exactly what “Self Contained” means because in some towns it means that you must have a toilet & a shower but in the next area, it means that you must have grey & black water tanks to hold everything & not allow any water/waste to go onto the ground. We have been travelling around Oz for over 16 years and we have everything (toilet, shower & holding tanks) but we’re just curious and we think this needs to be explained. Tks.
I am homeless in port due to medical problems and I live in my van.
I have been told to move to a campsite 50k out of town.
I am fighting cancer and a heart problem and I have to go to doctors appointments etc a minimum of 4 times a week.
so if they start enforcing this then it will be a death sentence for me.
the study will be flawed they put up no camping signs weeks before they started asking people about their habits.
the amount of campers compared to last year is dramatically low
and the problems they are complaining about are mostly caused by the locals
I am so sorry you are in that circumstance ,Greg. I hope everything worked out for you.