A free camp at a popular destination in WA’s south-west is the reportedly under threat due to growing incidence of people not following the rules.
The ABC reports that the Shire of Waroona is considering scrapping free camping at Preston Beach, one-and-a-half hours south of Perth, having already stopped allowing campers at Drakesbrook Weir.
“We’re finding toilet paper and all sorts of items — nappies and bits and pieces — in the sand dunes … they shouldn’t be there,” said shire president Mike Walmsley. “We’ve had rangers move [campers] on and they move away and then later on they re-appear … sadly, unless that [littering] improves, and people actually use [camping] for what it’s there for, then we will be scrapping it I think.”
There are still some fantastic free camps all around Australia. PIC: Cizza
Mr Walmsley told the ABC that he currently did not think the economic benefit to the community was enough to justify keeping its camp sites open.
However, there is more positive news in WA’s largest regional city, Bunbury.
A trial of free camping for RVs in two beachside car parks has been largely hailed a success, and has been found to have generated more than $250,000 in economic activity over its first year.
Mayor Jaysen Miguel told the ABC that, while there had been issues, the initiative was bringing people to town and bolstering the local economy.
“There have been conversations with the rangers who monitor that and we have to continue to make sure people are doing the right thing,” he said. “But we know people that come and utilise that service do spend in the region, they do spend in town … it is about making sure we have people coming in to Bunbury who might not otherwise be coming in.”
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We’re often shocked at what people leave. Whether it’s simply rubbish, or when there’s a full bin people stack their’s up next to the bin attracting wildlife that of course tear it open. Too few understand ‘take it with you’. One of the recent problems is the use of wet-wipes. Camp, go for a walk through the bush and sure enough, there’s wet-wipes all over the place. I can’t believe people don’t understand that they don’t break down! Baby nappies too of course…
Both the sensational free camps at Dundee Beach NT have been closed for the same reasons. Disrespect of the privilege
Our caravan club has travelled extensively around Western Australia and used free camp spots.
No-one leaves anything other than tyre tracks and a bit of grey water that soaks in quickly.
We take our rubbish even if there are bins and wait until we stop at a Caravan park.
I reckon locals use these camp spots as dumping grounds to get the councils to ban them.
Absolutely.. same is happening in Tasmania.. great campers but nearby locals trashing free sites with rubbish etc as part of “we’re entitled, we live here here, you don’t attitude” .. and when the sites are restricted or closed down altogether, then someone else to blame. Just spent 4 weeks then 2 weeks at a couple of great free camping spots checking out a new hybrid caravan purchase. Met some great people from all all areas of Aus..unfortunately, met some really “ignorant and privileged locals”. Witnessed one group that we now know lived less than 50km from the beautiful free site they used throw 4 full garbage bags of trash into the river.
I hope that you got his number, and reported it?
To me it is too easy to blame “the locals” the “backpackers” etc. These locals and the backpackers are generally short term stayers and not the problem in my opinion. It is the non self contained stayers and the long term stayers eg. as stated “a bit of grey water”. Don’t people understand what self contained means.
In WA there are many well set up and beautiful sites that are for self contained campers. That means what you bring in you take out, from toilet waste to rubbish – ALL of it.
We’re quite often shocked by the appearance of many of the free camps that we’d previously stayed a decade or more ago.
Many of these camping areas had lush native vegetation, now they are bare & barren places with the ground covered with fire scars.
Travellers wanting campfires have chopped & sawn down all the native trees & bushes.
We stayed overnight in the RV park at Preston Beach about 6 weeks ago. There were about 4 vans and 2 SUVs with roof top tents. All the caravans had grey water tanks/buckets.
A busload (over 40 men) of Indians came down about 4pm and took over the car park and beach. Next morning the car park was a mess from all their rubbish. The toilet was perdona non grata!!!!!!!
To see the real disgraceful mess left by free campers just take a trip over the Nullarbor and pull over wherever it is suitable to free camp and see the copious quantities of toilet paper, wet wipes, empty cans, bottles, cut down trees/bushes and other damaged vegetation. I would ban camping along this stretch until ALL the rubbish is removed. (By who I don’t really care!). During this time, erect signage, actively police camping and issue on the spot fines where necessary.
I think the evidence of nappies being dumped is damning and points to the perpetrators being from one or two generations, those would be fairly recent generations that were spoilt, had everything given to them and make everything about themselves, unlike our older generation (boomers) where we think of others and try to do the responsible thing