Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 08:51
Well put Warb, you have covered some of the problems from the landholders point of view. Insurance / being sued is definitely an issue. I will only discuss our area as I know nothing about laws elsewhere. People used to
free camp all along the dirt roads in the North
Kimberley, this was mostly turned a blind eye to mainly for two reasons. (1) the numbers were not that high (2) in times long gone by most people seemed to do the right things re fire,
toilet etc.
Times have changed, the numbers are now massive and to be blunt many free campers are thoughtless pigs. They leave not only unburied fecal matter &
toilet paper but also rubbish bags, lose cans, rip tags, bottle tops, broken bottles etc etc. Then to top it off they get in their car and take off without putting out their
camp fire.
Many of you will get up in arms and say ' I don't do that stuff '
well perhaps YOU don't but believe me LOTS of others do all those things.
Many of the riverside camps are full of nasty weeds, these are picked up on tents, swags etc and taken to the next
camp spot and if a bush one this just spreads the weeds around the stations, if a paying one this makes massive work for the
campground owner to pull and spray the weeds every wet season.
The other problem is everyone wants their own bit of space, so they go another 50m past the other campers and so on and so on. Before you know it a big area is overtaken and lots of wheel tracks are made, then along comes the yearly floods and it's those wheel tracks with no grass remaining that just wash away and rip up the creek edges.
The next point is while the land may be unfenced it does belong to someone, even pastoral leases do have private property rights. Someone is paying rent ( pastoral rent has gone up massively in recent years) on the land you are camping on. In reality you have no right to be on it without permission, I wonder how you would feel if it was you paying rent on a house or any land and people free camped in or on it, without your permission? And to top it off they left an erosion problem and left uncovered poo and rubbish and a dangerous burning fire. Even people that ' put out ' their fires often only half do the job, the log is left smoldering and it just takes time and a wind and it flares up again.
Some of the creek crossings you need gumboots to walk around by the end of the season, it's a health
hazard.
It can be said I have a private agenda in saying all this because we do offer a
camp ground. A legal one which the local shire makes us pay to have and makes us put in full facilities including expensive disabled facilities. Then there is insurance etc to pay.
This is true I do have a vested interest but it's even more true that I hate to see what is happening to all the river & creek crossings and even gravel pits and
all places that people
free camp. All on land we locals pay rent on.
I can honestly see it from the campers point of view, nothing nicer than a private
camp in the bush, but please when you are discussing your ' rights ' just try to also see it from the locals and the landholders point of view and do consider their rights and the fact these free camps are now making a hell of a big mess.
cheers, Anne
AnswerID:
510847
Follow Up By: Cheeky1 - Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 10:40
Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 10:40
Anne, both you and Warb have given me a perspective that I was totally oblivious to and I thank you for that. However, I enjoy
free camping and will continue to do it - armed with the information that you guys have given. I've paid a lot of money for my gear to be able to go into secluded
places and be self sufficient. I am very careful to make sure that I leave no trace after I've gone though. There are a lots of people just like me. The problem is, the ones that aren't and they're the ones that are spoiling it for the rest of us. They are the ones that you are forming your opinion from. As I've stated in a couple of other threads, there needs to be more focus from the relevant authorities (DEC, councils,etc) to change the culture through education and supplying more amenties and dump points. People such as yourself will always get campers utilising your
camp ground. I myself still use paid
camp grounds and caravan parks. Particularly ones that offer campers a "camping experience" like yours and a couple of others out there on the GRR. I would much prefer to
camp somwhere like Miners
Pool than in the bush because you get the best of both worlds. But if I had the choice of camping in the bush, or going into a caravan park full of roudy people, I know which one I will take. Both sides of this debate need to work together to change the culture of camping in Australia - to educate the "thoughtless pigs" as you put it - to make them see that it's not acceptable to go bush, or even paid
camp grounds, and abuse the environment.
Ray
FollowupID:
788977