Changes to Parks Victoria - mortgage required for some campgrounds

[lochgilphead]

http://parksvictoria.cmail1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/65049CA63CD9C85B2540EF23F30FEDED/6A5AD5085B1150E7C5EC08CADFFC107B

I received this email from Parks Victoria detailing changes to camping fees and bookings.  On the face of it not too bad but some places will become prohibitively expensive IMHO.

I would like to see what future impact it has on people using the parks and what improvement or infrastructure upgrades we can expect as a result of the funding.

Cut & Paste the link into a browser, I couldn't get the link to upload...my bad.  Mac

[Tim - Stratford]

Try this link...

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/visit/book-your-stay/changes-to-camping-and-accommodation-fees


I'm all for it IF it keeps a few of the ferels out and as long as the fees get rolled back into the Park's infrastructure/up-keep.


Tim

[Alan Loy]

I always thought that fees should be reasonable so that the National Parks are acessible for everyone.  We enjoyed them when the kids were little and  we didn't have a lot of spare cash.  Now we are looking at retiring and the fees are going through the roof (in commercial parks as well).  More areas are getting locked up and generally access is being restricted.

I guess some of the increased prices are a result of more facilities but personally I can do without them.

[Landyline]

I always thought that fees should be reasonable so that the National Parks are acessible for everyone.  We enjoyed them when the kids were little and  we didn't have a lot of spare cash.  Now we are looking at retiring and the fees are going through the roof (in commercial parks as well).  More areas are getting locked up and generally access is being restricted.

I guess some of the increased prices are a result of more facilities but personally I can do without them.

I had that phenomenon explained to me by National Parks once. They said that people begin to camp in an area because they like it there. They like the solitude and there are no amenities so it keeps people away. However word gets out and more people come. Then Parks decide that with that amount people you need a pit toilet. That brings in more people who wouldn't have come if there wasn't at least a pit toilet. Then Parks decides that with all these people it needs a proper toilet block.  Once again people who wouldn't come without a proper toilet being there come. This goes on and on until you have a Big4 style amusement park.

That was their take on it anyway.

Also high prices won't keep ferals out. Not all ferals are poor and not all ferals pay anyway.

[Azz]

Reading the list, its parks within 1.5 hours of Melbourne.

At the moment, it does not effect country folk........... yet.


Easter we did the some of the high country with mates from Sydney. They were blown away with no fees, being able to gather your own fire wood and the lack of crowds.

I think I am blessed to live further than two hours from Melbourne 

[GGV8Cruza]

Reading the list, its parks within 1.5 hours of Melbourne.

At the moment, it does not effect country folk........... yet.


Easter we did the some of the high country with mates from Sydney. They were blown away with no fees, being able to gather your own fire wood and the lack of crowds.

I think I am blessed to live further than two hours from Melbourne 

This is always why we normally travel around 3 hours plus to get the good spots 

GG

[Pog]

Reading the list, its parks within 1.5 hours of Melbourne.
I think I am blessed to live further than two hours from Melbourne

Anyone who lives more than 2 hrs from Melbourne is blessed. Goodness, I am very blessed because I don't even live in Victoria!

[Azz]

Pogasauras, you certainly live in a beautiful spot. 

GGV8, 3 hours drive and you are almost, (well another hour) at our place..... we head North east from here to get to gods* country 





*God, Allah, Yoda, Buddha, Huey or who ever you worship 

[Tim - Stratford]

Also high prices won't keep ferals out. Not all ferals are poor and not all ferals pay anyway.

..but hopefully the fees we pay will roll back into upkeep including enforcement so the rangers/staff can get out amongst it.

With the current Parks management in my area they are out and about at every opportunity often with escorts  - with more money it would go a long way to keeping the ferals at least under control and obeying some of the rules.

Tim

[Alan Loy]

..but hopefully the fees we pay will roll back into upkeep including enforcement so the rangers/staff can get out amongst it.

With the current Parks management in my area they are out and about at every opportunity often with escorts  - with more money it would go a long way to keeping the ferals at least under control and obeying some of the rules.

Tim

I would rather pay for enforcement than facilities

(I'm not sure what that says about me or our society)

[Draggin]

Alan Loy - you've nailed it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enforcement would be nice to see at least once in my life, I am totally sick of the damage ferals do to my camp sites.

My latest "remote - no one else will find it" spot has been found. I'd built a great fireplace with lots of flat stone on top, a great cooking facility with lots of room for plate warming, billy to sit, frying pan and pots could all be placed on flat surfaces. Yeah you guessed - just knocked over and scattered, Empty food and drink containers, broken glass, partly melted cans and melted glass in the fireplace plus the worst of all the dunny roll flags EVERYWHERE and within 10 metres of the fireplace !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My only consolation is that the ferals must have had diarrhoea. The only reason they live is that it is still illegal to exterminate them.

Sorry, rant over - still don't feel any better about it though...........it is getting harder to enjoy "the bush"

[knoath]

Hmmm… just wondering if Parks Vic are in bed with the big fuel boys… get us to drive further for non-paying sites…?
Oh well, the best sites are too far away for the ferals to be bothered driving to, that's why we go there!

Just have to enjoy them while we can…. when does the Oxygen tax kick in???

[Meken]

Nah - ferals be ferals they'll never obey - the more rules - the more they'll disobey and screw up everyone's enjoyment


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Coiled]

Anyone who lives more than 2 hrs from Melbourne is blessed. Goodness, I am very blessed because I don't even live in Victoria!

You have a great fee structure too with the annual vehicle and camping permit!

[Pog]

You have a great fee structure too with the annual vehicle and camping permit!

Wouldn't know. I camp in the Chowilla Game Reserve (SA) which is free, and in the Murray Sunset Park (Vic) between Lock 8 & Lindsay Point which is free. Other times I have camped, it is generally on Private Property.

[Tim - Stratford]

A bit of a reprieve for some camp spots. Looks like only the basic sites will go back to being free....but it's a start.

http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/government-set-to-scrap-fees-for-camping-at-states-most-basic-sites/story-fnii5sms-1227288987069



Tim

[Bird]

interesting result..

On Thursday Environment Minister Lisa Neville said the fee for 536 camp sites at 70 camp grounds had been axed. People who have already paid for Easter camping will be entitled to a refund.

The booking system for basic sites, which are unserviced and have either a pit toilet or no toilet, will also be phased out by July 1.\

Parks Victoria has also been asked to review the fee structure for other camp grounds to see if it is fair and whether it may adversely affect visitor numbers.

Ms Neville said the basic camp fee had turned away some campers
All it [fees] resulted in was massive administration for Parks Victoria and costs associated with that and a lot of red tape," Ms Neville said.

"It also meant we saw a lot less people using it."

[xcvator]

Funny about that, I know a couple of people that free camped last week instead of going to a national park 

[Bird]

Funny about that, I know a couple of people that free camped last week instead of going to a national park 

honestly what did they expect??? "theres less people using it"... well ****ing der...

[loanrangie]

So they didnt get the revenue they expected , maybe if they made the fees reasonable we wouldnt mind paying.

[Bird]

So they didnt get the revenue they expected , maybe if they made the fees reasonable we wouldnt mind paying.

I wanna know what they expect to happen when a family who has booked a site, driven 8 hours to get there and theres a pack of drunk scrotes there who are never going to move - what happens for the family then? whats 1 or 2 rangers going to do against 10 deadShits who have no respect..

[Barry G]

honestly what did they expect??? "theres less people using it"... well ****ing der...

"They" ( the current govt ) didn't institute the system, hence didn't 'expect' anything.
Good to see they are reversing this ill thought out charging system.

[Bird]

"They" ( the current govt ) didn't institute the system, hence didn't 'expect' anything.
Good to see they are reversing this ill thought out charging system.

ok
what did any ****wit party "they".... "expect"....

[Barry G]

ok
what did any ****wit party "they".... "expect"....

No idea what the ....wits that instituted these changes expected.
I'm guessing that they didn't see too many votes going their way from them who free camp in the bush. 
Or maybe they thought they would use that money to pay for the grant they gave to Four Wheel Drive Victoria.  Whatever, I'm just glad the decision has been partially reversed, hopefully with more to come.
Either way, I reckon it would be useful if as many 'happy campers' as possible e-mailed Lisa Neville and told her that they think it is a great decision, and to 'keep up the good work'.
Doesn't matter if you voted for the others ( or for no-one in your case) encouraging the government to keep doing what we would like makes more sense than calling them names.

[theins]

So they didnt get the revenue they expected , maybe if they made the fees reasonable we wouldnt mind paying.

Happy to pay - a reasonable price.

Seems to work in QLD...