Camping has been banned at a popular WA waterside spot due to council concerns over possible water contamination from RVs illegally dumping grey and blackwater at the site.
The West Australian reports that the Shire of Waroona has banned all forms of camping at Drakesbrook Weir south of Perth in in the state’s south west.
For the past three years, RVs have been allowed to stay at the camp site for 24 hours free of charge. That has now changed.
Shire president Mike Walmsley told the newspaper he was disappointed the council had been forced to enact the ban, stating the council had ‘good intentions’ in allowing RVs to stay at the site.
Keep on rolling! RVs will no longer be able to camp at Drakesbrook Weir. PIC: Cizza
“It was a sad decision to make because we had visions of people staying there but it probably became its worst enemy in terms of its popularity,” he said.
There is no CCTV at the site, which meant that activity at the weir is generally only monitored when visited by council rangers.
Concerns centred on the difficulty in checking whether RV campers were dumping greywater or blackwater at the site, an increase in rubbish being dumped, and an inability to properly manage the 24-hour stay limits.
Cr Walmsley told the Werst Australian that the vandalism and damages caused to weir facilities were also a factor.
“There was a bit of vandalism there – the toilets we refurbished were being smashed, people damaging doors and putting rolls in toilets,” he said. “We keep getting it fixed up, but it is a cost to everyone.”
However, Cr Walmsley reportedly left the door open to camping being made available at the site once again if circumstances improve.
The West Australian reports that other RV camping areas in the shire, including within the Waroona Showgrounds will continue as normal.
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We stayed here 2 times last year in our self contained motorhome but there were several campers in tents who were NOT self contained or near the toilets. This, along with the locals coming down late at night doing burnouts on both nights, I don’t thing banning self contained motorhomes is going to solve your damage problems.
spot onn.
Always the same the few ruin it for the responsible majority doing the right thing. Can’t blame the shire when it’s a free stop over and it’s costing them to repair.
I find it difficult to believe that nomads would vandalise toilets as described. We need these wonderful facilities when we travel so why would we damage the place? No discussion on cars of youths who may visit and perhaps destroy things in their wake!
100% right, you would think in most cases it’s locals
Another decision made because fickle “it’s my right to do what I like” mentality of some travellers ruining it for everyone. I feel sad that a town has made this decision because of people’s poor choices, the town loses as well.
If it was grey water and blackwater being dumped then your nose would tell you
So we loose another avenue of enjoyment for free camping. This is a campsite we are very familiar with. A wonderful stopover near a great community and have spent many times camping in this area, both paid and unpaid.
We have a fully contained Motorhome and always treat every site with respect and appreciation.
I know it is easy to point the finger at back packers etc. BUT the worst I have experienced is the Caravaners. I see on numerous occasions where they allow grey water to empty out with no respect to the surroundings. Washing machines allowing water to run off onto the ground and into waterways. Classic cases at Camooweal billabong Qld treated with total disrespect with grey water being discharged into the Billabong.
This may arc up a few of on road travellers but its time some of you take a long hard look at yourselves and change your habits. Stop complaining and ensure you are fully self contained or alternatively only stay on caravan parks. And please make sure that your water connection is fully sealed and not leaking water for your duration on site.
It’s all about attitude & doing the right thing. Fully self contained or not visitors make the choice to release grey & black water. We have just returned from Exmouth where they rightly charge for water. A few $s to pay for huge rigs, costing 350 grand that take 300 litres + to fill their tanks. Unfortunately we have seen people filling their tanks at the fish cleaning area so they don’t have to pay less than a couple of dollars.
Yes Trevor. Absolutely agree. I often wonder if caravaners know what SC means. The number of times I’ve stopped at free camps, which state you must be fully SC, & I see grey water hoses out everywhere.
Dianne – Self contained does not mean that you may not exit water to the ground. It means that you have to have toilet and shower facilities – “everything that is needed for the stay . . . .”
Free camping at the cost of local communities is not fair. Solve the problem by charging an entrance fee to free camps exactly the same way as done by National Parks. Cost recovery is fair.
The town recovers the cost from the tourist.
are you saying that Australia doesn’t need tourists any more?
should we charge them?
Hard to imagine that RV’ers would vandalise facilities that the/we us and rely on in our travells. Yes there are some that are disrespectful and have found young internationals are a problem. Is it locals that want the camp closed,??.
Being a local resident and caravaner I have witnessed a few things . The majority of vans do the right thing. Some do not. Yes have seen grey water going on the ground, as it is a sandy area thinking it’s harmless. Never black water. Also some choose to overstay the 24 hour limit, this boosts numbers over the 5 van daily limit. I would not blame vans for any damage to facilities. These are the antics of disrespectful youth. Idiots. . Rubbish I don’t think much is generated by 5 vans. Again the few spoil it for the many. It’s dissapointing
Likely not so much – more like nearby caravan/rv park enterpreneurs.
We are Grey Nomads ourselves and as much as I agree with others in regards to the vandalism being a problem with the grey nomads as a possible cause , we have witnessed some pretty bad behaviour by some older caravan and RV travellers as well dumping their waste and having no respect for other users.so I don’t think ALL can be blamed on the internationals or younger ones entirely . Always a hand full of disrespectful and entitled people that spoil it for every one else .
I have observed, during my work travel commitments, a great number of “RV Friendly” country towns now providing “comfort points” for travellers in motor homes/caravans to freely and safely discharge grey/blackwater from their tanks. Therefore I find it frustrating that there are still the mindless few who have the mentality of “I can do what ever I want” to screw it up for the rest of the population, not just the travelling fraternity. Eventually your actions affect every one of us….♂️….Travel safe, happy camping & enjoy this great country we have while you can…..AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY EVERYONE!!
If we all dumped our grey into dump points the Councils would soo scream about the pump-out and disposal costs. Soapy water never hurt anybody – home sewage treatment systems to the point.
I like how the RV’s are singled out as tge cause… no mention of possible damage done by others that frequent the site..
Just blame the Grey Nomads that’s an easy out for Councils. Look at the locals first and you will see a different picture.
vandalism by the Nomads, I think not. Local youths running amuck more likely.
Spot on!
Caravans who let their Grey water out at sites that have signage advising self contained vehicles only, are their own worst enemy.
Chris B and others .I agree it is unlikely to be “responsible ” users doing the damage. If there are toilets , couldn’t a dump point be installed? I suggest a key code lock on the facilities and anyone who wishes to use them register with the local authority.( Name , Vehicle type , rego and mobile number. Once cleared, authority could text code to each user. Put a donation box inside. What they save on maintenance costs should easily cover the admin costs.
My policy is to leave the site in better condition that when I arrived.
Great attitude!
I forensically clean up before I leave the site, collect all the spent cartridges, neutralize all blood stains, obliterate tire tread marks and ensure I didn’t leave any d.n.a behind.
And take any cow pats home also.
It will be interesting to see if the vandalism continues , now the Shire thinks they have solved their problems by banning conscientious Nomads with RVs , who I very much doubt would block toilets or graffiti or any other form of anti social behaviour. We are a responsible lot and know the rule , leave no trace, is the only thing to do when leaving a camp site . It is disturbing to think someone would empty a black water tank other than at a dump point and we go out of our way to find one on our travels , often meeting others doing exactly the same thing. Grey water should not be emptied out either when it is clearly not appropriate. I have seen some free camping sites we have passed along our travels where camping in tents and many O/S travellers in hire vans leave a dreadful mess behind them and I find that in most situations they simply don’t care. We stopped at a beachside car park and the campers just dropped their rubbish on the ground and left , some threw it under their vehicles as if hiding it … so I’m sure the Shire will have more to report as time goes on. It’s very disturbing to think the blame is put squarely at our feet each time events like this happens. Just saying maybe a ranger does need to visit these sites more often and it would give people more jobs in their communities and also ensure those who break the bylaws are caught or made to clean up their mess.,CCTV should be installed at the toilets there to dampen the possibility of vandalism as well. Just saying. It’s no use the shire sitting on their hands thinking problem solved … we will see …
Let us be quite clear that the majority of travellers are responsible which obviously leaves the minority not so,
Now it is about time the authorities budget for rangers to attend these sites and maintain control of the minority after all we are ALL spending money in their shires, it seems to me that a lot shires in the south west are anti travellers.
Nearly Every one has a mobile phone, if you see some one doing the wrong thing take a photo, send it to the council, national parks, Transport authority in your state, I saw a motor home on the free way dumping grey water on to the road at 100kph,it came out of a marked grey water outlet, my wife was told where to go when we pulled up along side to let them know, we thought it may have been an over sight, I backed off the wife took a photo with the number plate showing the water spraying on to the road, another one along side clearly marked Grey water Drain valve, sent it off to the NSW RTA, Never heard back from them, dont know what if any thing happened.
How about a show and tell section for Grubs on Grey Nomads, if its local hoons or Soverign Citisens in self contained RV’s, campers, tourists, or day trippers, catch them red handed get their number plates, I wish I still had the photos I would have sent them in. It’s one way to fight back, councils and rangers have fines for ofenders, It’s not a matter of dobbing in it’s a matter of keeping these facilities open and Free for all to enjoy.
Sounds awfully like a cheap way to ‘cop’ out of providing barest minimal facilities possible.. so instead of having cashed up visitors to his town / region, he bans them from coming,,, great move.
Sorry but I see no issue with dumping grey water on the ground if allowed or even on the road driving along, most areas are nearly drought stricken and would love a bit of grey water.