Authorities along Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road are ready to crack down on the free camping phenomenon that is apparently upsetting local residents.
The Otway Coast Committee has said it is seeking the power to regulate its own laws, which would allow it to employ people to police free camping. Executive officer Gary McPike told the Geelong Advertiser said the committee had been in talks with the Department of Sustainability and Environment about the planned reforms.
The Committee is also to meet regional councils in coming weeks to develop a consistent policy along the coast.
One of those councils, the Colac Otway Shire Council, says it is certainly concerned by the growing trend towards free camping by grey nomads and other travellers.
“While these holidaymakers do spend money at local businesses, their free camping is often to the detriment of local accommodation providers,” said the council’s economic development manager, Mike Barrow. “Council is committed to working with the Otway Coast Committee, which manages the Apollo Bay foreshore, to devise ways to manage this issue.”
The Geelong Advertiser reports that the ongoing problem has angered local residents, who are left to pick up the mess after the campers leave towns such as Apollo Bay. It says on one day last week more than 20 caravans and campervans and another eight tents were set up near the surf club in Apollo Bay in contravention of council bylaws.
Resident Ros Jamieson said the ‘problem’ was getting worse.
“I have never seen such a large, organised mob free camping like this,” she said. “It is local residents who are largely responsible for picking up the enormous amount of rubbish and toilet paper left behind by these free campers.”
Have you free camped along the Great Ocean Road? Do the ‘concerned’ residents have a point? Comment below.
We have been on the road only since late July 2012, and have noted that those who have no concern about picking up their rubbish and “leaving no trace” are the backpackers travelling around this beautiful country on visas which allow them to work and travel for a year. It is a shame that grey nomads who do the right thing are going to be penalised.
Councils who oppose free camping should look at other ways like issuing on-the-spot fines to those who litter and leave rubbish, or who disregard signs that plainly indicate “no camping”.
Noticed the same thing last xmas,travelling around the coast , but not just in this area, right around the coast,back packers camped anywhere and every where,they could find a empty spot.Even stringing clothing from trees..So again we all get persicuted because of them..
Agree totally with John,have found the same thing. We get around it by finding out of way spots to sleep(not camp)in our motorhome. In Apollo Bay we slept just outside the church right away from any signs,other good spots include outside telstra depots. We are selfcontained and “leave no trace”.
We free camped at Johanna Beach late last year, and did day trips to Apollo Bay as well as other places. It was Melbourne Cup long weekend and it was packed, but nobody left any rubbish etc around. I agree, I reckon it’s the backpackers who are giving us all a bad rap.
thank you so much for investigating free camp sites before you came! Us locals often use them ourselves for social and school fundraising weekends ourselves. Yes, the issue for us locals is the itinerant travellers who pull up on the foreshore, dump their rubbish and excrement in the dunes, yet fail to ‘spend’ money in shops and restaurants and campsites (there are 6 just in the Apollo Bay area) which would employ us. Yet the belief that our council is to collect via rates from us for maintaining the tourist attraction of the GOR without us pressuring them to revenue raise from the “free-loader’ element that fails to employ us is just narrow-minded.
Have to agree with the above topics, its the backpackers that are to dirty campers & will camp anywhere, I have chipped a few about washing dishes in the toiletes, & under taps for the washing out of portable toilets at dump sites, discussting.
Also in the outback where we have only tank water at the roadside rest areas, these same people just leave the taps running while they wash dishes & have a bath under the tap.
We have never seen a dirtier lot of travellers & the people doing the right thing are blamed for this.
We watched two lots of them stop & read a sighn that stated no parking on a concrete slab in a free rest area because it had rent paid on it for the purpose of running a mobile coffee/ food business.
So they set up camp on the said slab & had to be moved the next morning at 5.00am when the coffee truck arived,
The owner said this happens all the time.
They have no respect for any one or any thing.
Jim.
We have been living on the road now since 2004, during that time we have had many a time where the itenerant travellers have shown NO respect for our country or any of the lovely sites around. We have also found backpackers doing washing of clothes and dishes in the same water as well as just leave the tap running as there is enough water for me B—gg— anyone else.
Having experienced a very significant turning point in my life trying to educate those that we are discussing, (was beaten up by four drug crazed idiots to within an inch of death) it is very difficult to point out the error of thier ways to backpackers. Recently staying at the DeGrey free camping spot in WA I watched with horror a young female deficate in open ground, wipe her backside and throw the paper on the ground, pulled her knickers up and laughed at what she had just done. Deciding that a gentle word was in order, I was bombarded with just about every profanity that can be utilised and threats from their male friends, all of about 18 years of age but mass numbers like my last experience, so no, I don’t think it will ever stop and these day’s believe me, it’s a brave person that will intervene. I think that the expression “turn the other cheek” is in today’s society the only way to go.
Yes leaving rubbish behind is a shocker and poor form. Howver it sounds like the councils also using lack or revenue for accomodation owners is just and excuse to impose more rules. Talk about a nanny state. There willalways be those who dont have the cash for an overnight stay everynight. Why not provide more designated free campsites that are clearly marked along the great ocean road? That way you can have proper waste managment facilities and encourage the backpackers away from parking illegally. Imposing new harsh laws and the continued removal of freedom shouldnt be the only answer. Please councillors think this through a little.
When we travel our funds are limited so free camping is our choice. By free camping we have more cash to spend in the town and generally if free camping is not available we don’t stay long but instead move to a place that has this free option. We are very conscious of the environment and unless bins are provided take all rubbish away with us.
In our opinion the only effect from free camping is on the holiday/caravan parks which are not used. We will buy food – petrol – eat out – visit more attractions in towns tat allow free camping.
If holiday/caravan parks had a graduated fee structure where they charged for services used I think more travellers would use them, we are self contained so don’t require amenities, power etc – would be happy to stay if we only had to pay for what we needed.
Good one Sue and Lindsay, yes a graduated fee at caravan parks would be ideal. Jumping castles, yes if the grand children are with us.
Back packers, in the main,appear to be a very grubby lot.n
I am very disappointed that it seems everybody is criticising all backpackers. We have been backpacking since July 2013, we have never left a trace if evidence that we were ever there and can say as much for the other backpackers we have met along the way. I think you are all being extremely narrow minded and stereotyping all backpackers.
As we travel around the country, we see that the great majority of rest areas and free camp sites are left very clean by users with rare exceptions. The call by caravan park owners to close independent camping sites is a blatant ploy to force RVers and campers into their parks to protect their investments. It’s happening all over Australia. Some councils are thankfully resisting the pressure from the park owners but other councils are “towing the line” and acting like puppets. Next we’ll see free BBQs in parks being pulled out on the pretext that the BBQs are left dirty but only to get users to buy from the local cafes. There’s more rubbish being spread with this issue and its not what’s on the ground.
I wonder what would happen if all the travelers bypassed the GOR and only stopped for tea, lunch and dinner, leaving only the drug crazed, profanity dropping back packers… Would then be a good time for these anal councils to review their policies pertaining to caravans and camper trailers and responsible campers who have worked all their lives and now want to see and enjoy our beautiful country and what the economies are losing out on?
most of these towns may well rely on the tourist trade, but the key factor is the ‘paying’ tourist trade. Even the site cost ensures wages for cleaners, rubbish removal, and amenity improvement. Those that pull up in town and refuse to pay for site hire, are actually refusing a job to a local.
And……….. the upshot is………. if you don’t configure costs for site hire in your travelling budget to at least show some respect for the locals and the amenities you ‘assume’ should be available, the amenities can’t be provided, or they are at the cost of rates garnered from under-employed locals. It really is a catch-22.
there are heaps of free camp-sites along the GOR and in the Hinterland, don’t pull up and park and dump rubbish in places where the locals pay to remove it.
And don’t criticize us for insisting with our councillors that the itinerant travellers pay for the service or are moved on. Our rates are for OUR quality of life, not some tourist who refuses to invest in our local economy.
Very disgusted to see how people can state so surely that the ones to blame are backpackers on a working holiday visa. That is only pure racism. As if there were no backpackers from australia destroying your own country and the ones around!
I had a van in new zealand , no self contained, and it was quite funny to actually see how the same people that complain about backpackers, were the same ones that were litting everywhere and emptying the grey water in public toilets. This people happen to be kiwis. So I would not critise so quickly if you cannot be sure of what other 20 million aussies do when they camp. Because you might be surprised! 😉
Have spent half of the last 5 years travelling the eastern half of Australia. The last 2 years have been in Qld. Which tourists stay for months despite signage indicating 24, 48 or 72 hours, who chain their generators to the sign stating no generators in complete defiance and who were running 23 generators at Fletchers Creek War Memorial free camp despite a total ban according to the sign and who dumps their toilet waste in public toilets because, ‘ We use Napisan instead of chemicals’- Grey Nomads, not Back Packers! Who chainsaws the timber despite a no open fire rule?
I am a Nomad and embarrassed to admit it. ‘We won’t be back here so if it is closed it will not worry us,’ is a selfish attitude. When free camps are all shut down by Councils, these inconsiderate Grey Nomads will disappear as well!
We are currently travelling Australia and have been for the past 4 month and for the next 2 years. The Great Ocean Road has always been on my list to see, however with the lack of free camping for self contained vehicles (we are in a motorhome) I certainly won’t be back. We are finding it very difficult to find accommodation anywhere and the one in Apollo Bay was $73 and available for one night only. I understand supply and demand, but as a previous comment says, free camping provides additional funds to spend in shops and restaurants “the people who pay rates”
For something so great I cannot understand how councils can get this so wrong.
Great if you’re in a car, not so great for anyone else whom are self sufficient.
Cheers and happy to move on!
Dont I have a right to explore my country for free? Especially along PUBLIC roads. I’m happy to pay for a night here and there but when u get slugged min 3 night stay and you want to move on in a day, that’s BS. I’m not a grey much younger just an Aussie that loves camping