While state and territory borders seem to open and close pretty much overnight in reaction to any new Covid-19 outbreaks, some are questioning why camping areas aren’t always quite as quick to respond.
Camping at Shire-run foreshore reserves at Rye, Rosebud and Sorrento on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula only re-opened on January 2 after being closed throughout the state’s long and painful ‘second wave’.
Campers were asked to observe a number of Covid requirements such as registering, as well as maintaining a clear distance between sites, complying with density quotients in amenity blocks, and wearing masks where appropriate.
However, the Frankston Times reports that some local residents are anxious to know why camping was allowed to continue even after Melbourne recorded new coronavirus cases earlier this month,
Sally Baillieu, of Fingal, wrote to councillors expressing concern that the shire had not changed its decision to open the camping grounds “despite the change of [Covid-19] figures that were used to lift the ban in the first place”.
Writing before the latest Melbourne outbreak was brought under control, Ms Baillieu said she couldn’t see consistency in the shire approach.
“State borders have been shut, and we are being forced to wear masks again and follow social distancing guidelines, yet campers are being encouraged to move in and socialise in small confined spaces and use shared bathroom facilities in an area that the rest of the population must access if we are to use the beach,” Ms Baillieu said. “There are few masks down there, and despite [the shire’s] efforts, having to share bathroom facilities with strangers from across the state makes any efforts they go to virtually useless.”
Ms Baillieu said she was ‘definitely not against camping” on the peninsula’ but questioned the economics, saying social costs were not fully accounted for. However, she said she was “most immediately concerned with the risk that the resumption of camping is putting us all in at the moment”.
The shire’s property and strategy manager Nathan Kearsley said camping on the foreshores was operating at about 40% capacity and extra cleaning of the amenity blocks was in place. The Frankston Times reports that the shire has repeatedly stated that its main priority is to keep the community safe throughout summer.
I live in Yamba and currently we have more than our share of tourists. Some have recently come from known hot spots but for the most part we have not had any known cases since early last year (2).
The caravan parks are absolutely chockablock, the beaches are packed, the shops and cafes are crowded and social distancing just doesn’t exist … and yet we have not had a problem with any Covid infections.
And yes, I will be glad when the holidays finish so that we can enjoy our town again, but I have to remind myself that I also am a tourist when I go walkabout, so I don’t want to be a hypocrite.
There were 1,846 deaths due to influenza and pneumonia recorded from 1 January to 27 October 2020 in Australia but we don’t go around yelling ‘the sky is falling, the sky is falling’ but for something that is less lethal we go into hysterics!
I would think that no tourists means no towns like Yamba