Red areas = No camping. Areas to be revegetated. Green areas = Restricted camping Yellow ringed area = General camping. PIC: Borough of Queenscliffe
A popular camping area in Victoria that was closed to the public after wild storms ripped through last May is to re-open … but there will be less spaces for travellers to pull up for a night or two.
Victoria Park in Queenscliff shut when several storm-damaged trees were assessed as posing a risk to the public. The Bellarine Times reports that there was escalating community concern about the state of the park’s native and foreign vegetation.
Now, the Borough of Queenscliffe has decided that campers will be allowed to stay in Victoria Park but will be restricted to smaller areas than in the past to allow for protection of existing vegetation and the revegetation of other areas.
Several sites west of the main roadway are now designated as Restricted Camping and cannot be booked by vehicles longer than 6.5 metres in total travel length, including the drawbar.
There will also be an increase in the vegetated areas where no foot traffic will be allowed.
The Bellarine Times reports that councillor Isabelle Tolhurst noted it was a ‘hot issue’ in the community; and that campers were frustrated by a reduction in available space while others have called for camping to be banned to protect vegetation there.
“There’s been a strong push by the community to have the park’s greenery protected,” Cr Tolhurst explained. “We want the plants that go in now to be established… we will be planting both natives and exotics, but there’s no assurance we’ll get back what we lost.”
She said that the council would review the policy in a year to abide with the wishes of campers, and people passionate about the park’s botanical history.
The Bellarine Times reports that, after the one-year review, the council has committed to reviews every two years thereafter at a minimum.
WIN! WIN! WIN!Recycled Mats is offering grey nomads the opportunity to win one of its hugely popular 2.4m x 5m black and grey caravan mats. Designed for outdoor living, the Classic Diamond recycled plastic mat is ideal to use as your camping flooring or alongside your caravan or camper as an annex mat.
The mat has an RRP of $299.95.
Click here to find out how you can win.
