Recently, the Queensland National Parks Service decided that bookings and payments for sites in national parks would in future be handled via the internet or by phone through a centralised system rather than self bookings or registration with Rangers at a specific park. We travelled to central and northern QLD in July-August and experienced the problems that this change has caused first hand. I implore all people who
camp in national parks and want to retain reasonable access to write to the Minister responsible for National Parks,
Recreation, Sport and Racing, Steven Dickson MP, either email via the QLD Govt website www.cabinet.qld.gov.au or by writing to PO Box 187 Buderim 4556. Unless we nip this in the bud, other states will follow and we will be locked out of NP’s everywhere.
For those who have not experienced the new QLD system, the concept is that you book the dates and sites that you want at national parks on the internet or by ringing a 1300 number. Payment is made by credit card and a receipt is send by email. Sounds OK until you start to think which is probably not what some public servant in
Brisbane did not do or they have no concept of camping and travelling in Qld.
From my experience and talking to both staff in QLD NP offices and people who travelled to a range of parks this year, the following problems are common;
1. The obvious problem is that when travelling in remote areas, people don’t have mobile phones or internet connections. It seems the assumption is that people staying in NP’s are sitting in an office or at
home!
2. People don’t know when they will be at a particular park so book a week but only stay for 3-4 nights. This means that many parks/sites that according to the internet are booked out are only half occupied.
3. People don’t know when they will arrive or are delayed and need to change their bookings. NP staff are tearing their hair out dealing with these problems. (A staffer I spoke with at length said she was absolutely frustrated but could not/was afraid to object due to the job losses underway in Qld.
4. People are travelling and need to stay somewhere, if they are effectively locked out of the main camping areas they will
bush camp probably without
toilet facilities
5. The website does not work very
well (I paid online but the system froze and did not complete the transaction). Also, the NP staffer told me not to use a mobile phone as the call could cost $10-20 due to waiting times. If an overseas traveller traveller is using a credit card to book 1-2 nights, it could cost more in bank fees than the camping cost.
It seems to me that the NP service is deliberately restricting the number of sites available and access to NP’s. One thing QLD is not short of is land. If NP’s are busy or crowded, surely they should make more sites available, not just not refuse entry. People are travelling and so will come anyway and probably
camp in an inappropriate area.
Premier Campbell
Newman has said often that his govt will listen to the people so this is our chance to talk to the them and tell them to go back to the previous system. Unless we nip this in the bud, other states will follow and we will be locked out of NP everywhere.
What to do? If you have had personal experience good or bad with the new Qld system please add your comments to this post. If you feel strongly about the matter, I encourage you to write or email to the minister as discussed above.