As always, the festive season has seen a huge surge in the number of people out and about camping, but it’s also seen the return of some very unwelcome behaviours … like ghost camping!
In popular camping areas which commonly fill up during peak summer times, it appears that a significant minority of people choose to set up tents weeks in advance and then leave them empty as a way of ‘reserving’ a spot until they need it.
The practice is most common in places where free camping is widely available.
In Tasmania, the Parks and Wildlife Service said the north-east of the state was a very popular holiday destination and that there could be a very high demand for camp sites. It said there was signage in place on-site to remind visitors of the length of stay permitted … but it seems nothing to stop people ‘ghost camping’. Currently, a maximum stay of 28 days is allowed in the one spot.
Break O’Day Council Mayor Mick Tucker told the ABC that people claiming camping sites in advance is ‘un-Australian’ and unacceptable.
“I don’t think it should happen,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, we do have people who do it, but it doesn’t just happen in Break O’Day … it happens in Cockle Creek, Lake Barrington, it happens all over the place.”
The ABC reports that some campers have been calling for a booking system to be introduced. One user on the ABC Hobart Facebook page said they would be more than happy to pay a fee and use a booking system.
“Bay of Fires should be a booking system and fees put in place, with a maximum stay time of 14 days, especially in peak season,” one user commented.
The Mayor agreed that something needed to be done.
“I’m a great supporter of free camping … but people do need to be honest with themselves, they should not take up camp sites if they’re not there,” Cr Tucker told the ABC. “We need to make sure this doesn’t destroy free camping — a handful of people doing the wrong thing.”
Cr Tucker said camping would be a key topic of the Bay of Fires masterplan being developed by the council, Parks and Wildlife and East Coast Tourism.
“What they’re doing is not reducing camp sites but they’re going to actually define what a camp site is … there’ll be sites that will be for tents, sites that’ll be for caravans, and sites designed for mobile homes,” he said. “Parks and Wildlife are very restrained by, I suppose, the number of feet on the ground and resources available to do everything for everyone all the time, so I think we need to be fair to them as well … I think we need to be patient and wait for that masterplan to be finished and go from there.”
Lake Meredith Colac. Many caravans set and left on foreshore. Genuine campers pushed into the no camping zones, risking fines because of rude, entitled people that make bad choices
Easy to deal with. Nobody been there for 5 days – confiscate the gear.
My thoughts exactly.
Absolutely. Or have a set nominal fee when no one there in camp even if stated free camp site – only free when occupied.
J graham you are 100% right council complain about this 5 days pack it up if then they want the goods back they pay a large fee
Permit slips (with date of issue shown) with registration at local info centre, council or post office, to be displayed clearly. If not shown, or out of date, ranger has permission to remove and store at council depot until collected.
Even a minimal fee for duration of stay, $5 pr day. Paying per day would discourage ghost camping, as well as the possible loss of items.
Yes good idea
When we were travelling in Tassie for 15 mths from December 2002 we come across this anomoly at Mayfield Bay and Chain n of Lagoons Bch.
The ones at Mayfield were vacant before we arrived and not used in the week before we left there.
Phone the local
council/Ranger and they will come and shift the stuff and leave a note attached to a post.
It happens on the merry at Yarrawonga every year
If you’re aware that premium camping sites are being ghosted then you should also be aware what camping areas aren’t being utilised. After 3 days of being empty simply remove the camping equipment and sell it. Problem solved
We seen this at swimcart bay a couple of weeks ago,, many sites taken & no one at them for 10 days…..very dissapointing for those that drove in& had nowhere to park & be able to enjoy the beautiful place.very frustrating to see.
Why is Saltworks closed
Don’t give them so long to camp in the first place , share it around
Kentish Park on Lake Barrington, happens every year to lead up to Easter, Christmas and long weekends. It’s not just tents it’s very expensive caravan’s being setup and left.
They are risking vandalism, or being stolen.
There should a small fee to use these areas , it’s been done in other places and has worked.
Everyone should be able to enjoy theses places .
That would be classed as a low cost camp site and yes they do work.. But then you get those that whine that they don’t want to pay and will strive to find ways to avoid paying even the smallest of fees , pledging that they will not spend any money in that area but quite prepared to fill up their tanks with water and dump their waste at the dump point before moving on. No time for those moochers what so ever..
We stayed at cosy corner south in November and cosy corner north and there was ghost camps then
We camped at Davies Beach at Cobram Victoria early in December, and there was four caravans there set up for Christmas, that we were told. We only stayed a week.
I’ m from SA, been travelling on off few years now. This is the first I heard of ‘ghost camping’ I know if you only have a mobile home small or large and not towing another vehicle, you put out a tent this is just to keep your spot whilst out for the day. But until travelling in Tasie didn’t know about people doing this weeks in advance. You can’t hold a free camp end if story! But I would like something done about making it fair for all and this includes those that have CHOSEN to go huge and therefore take up massive space at free camps often parking right accross views rather angle or verticle parking, which I find rude and greedy. We need to keep some places for solo travellers or just those who CHOOSE to stay small. Hate for free camps to disappear or a booking system. Camping has always been a working class holiday now wealthy people and their mobile hotels are trying to even take that from us. If you can afford to pay you should or go to a B&B, hotel or OS.
If a person books and pays for a site regardless if they use it, is no one’s business. I’m a firm believer in first come first served the way it should be. That would prevent a lot of greedy people who always have money to take from families who don’t and only want a weekend out but can’t book one. With the price of camping, ridiculous rules and the forced use of paid wood, it’s not worth it anymore. Stealth camping is the only way I want to do it.