Private shower ban at Burrum Coast National Park - Is this a trend?

[jetcrew]

I sort of agree ..(run and  hide)

The issue must be a phosphorus or other chemical used in some shower gels and soaps that can cause an imbalance in a small area . I am no expert either but after 2-5 people showering in one small area over a week and using chemicals I am positive the ground would show signs.

Maybe though a better solution though would be to ask people to use enviro friendly shower gels and laundry powders .

Banning showering seems excessive if the message is to tread lightly and preserve and conserve.

I mean sometimes in some places the extra water could be a good thing , but if chemicals are causing harm then that should be raised as the issue , saying showering is the issue kind of makes no sense.and seems very British  ( no offence intended )

Jet

[Foo]

Why wouldn't you make it compulsory to use bio-degradable soaps. The rangers are supposed to be checking on you too see if you have paid, so why not ask to see evidence of bio soap.?

                                                                                           Or

Have a dispenser at the point of where you pay and pick up your permit and it gives you 100-200ml of soap. Yeah I know to much commonsense there and to hard for the dipsticks that want to manage the parks to think of. 

Foo

[Spada]

When you shower at home, that water does'nt magicly dissapear after it goes down the plug hole...........

It still gets returned into the enviorenment, just through a different process.

[jetcrew]

When you shower at home, that water does'nt magicly dissapear after it goes down the plug hole...........

It still gets returned into the enviorenment, just through a different process.

That's true , but maybe the concentration of chemicals is greater when showering in a camp shower , I mean you use the same amount of soap but a lot less water so makes sense that the concentration  of chem V water would be higher in a bush shower.

I mean without knowing why they banned it its hard to make a judgement but as people have said there are bio friendly products out there.

We have a treatment plant on site at my place and it has def highlighted how chemicals effect natural processes. Every bit of brown and grey water out of my house ends up on my lawn and by using natural products we have zero smell and the water is so clean. But when chemicals are used the system looses its ability to treat and the water smells and looks bad .

I guess my point is that chemicals hurt the enviro and yes your right it eventually ends up there but at least when we are all  out camping we could prevent a direct injection of chemicals directly to the places we need to protect for future camping .

Maybe just a little step people might choose to consider next time they go camping , just as import as picking up our rubbish .

But still can't see why a shower ban is in place without an explanation as you would still use the same soap in their shower block so really nothing achieved on the enviro front and if this is the reason  then education would be a better option than regulation.

Jet

[Paul (SA)]

What's this thing called soap that you are all talking about?

[Pauly]

Reminds me why I dont bother with National Parks... Just a thought are you allowed to swim in streams in NP's ?

I see lots of things grubs do in the bush like not bothering to bury their paper or digging a hole next to streams, putting up their shower tents next to streams allowing their soap to run into the stream etc.

[Jason B]

What a load of xxxx . Do you think that the water that falls on the Kimberly is nice and pure after the dry, filled with cow sh1t and all manner of things. It is then used as bore water for stations etc. It can be done if people are sensible. It filters back into the land. I'm taking about showers. What do you do when you need to pee in the middle of now where

Bet if you took a soil sample after a few days you wouldn't know they were there. I've never seen sewerage on the ground after a shower though 

Agree totally

NPWS are such twats, they corral you into small bollarded camping areas and then punish you because over use is an issue. If they allowed you to spread out and access more of the park for camping there wouldn't be an issue. The world is turning to sh!t !

Jas

[deepop]

I believe sewerage is waste water from a toilet (sewerage system), whereas showers, sinks etc produce grey water.

Strenuous activity such as hiking is also banned, as sweat may fall on the ground, containing salts which would then damage the environment.

Yeah, that's exactly why I banned hiking as an activity when I'm camping!

But ............. what happens when I go swimming?   Maybe we should ban that too - I'm sure I've knocked off at least a few swimming wildlife downstream of where I've bathed my svelte body.

[Kit_e_kat9]

I believe sewerage is waste water from a toilet (sewerage system), whereas showers, sinks etc produce grey water.

Correct.  I should know as this is the business I'm employed in ... We Suck Shyte ... true!

And grease trap is what comes from the kitchen sink .... which I believe a lot of campers use to extinguish the fire. 

Any collection and transportation of such products as listed above, requires EPA and government approval and the appropriate permits, and must be disposed of at an appropriately registered and permitted business.

Kit_e

[cruisindub]

I use my grey water at home to water my plants and gardens and they thrive on it.

As do we, almost all of it, well, as much as we can.
Our plants are doing well, my curry tree is testament to how good grey water is for watering.

Makes awesome curries straight from the garden,

We also eat the figs, apples, pears and figoas from the same watered trees.
As does the tomatoes, corguettes, brocolli, strawberries and lettuce and numerous other vegies my wife plants and we both eat. Almost all are watered from our grey water usuage.

[Andrew_C]

If I cared about it as much as some of you appear to, I would ring the mobile number on the notice and have a chat with the ranger.

[kiwipride]

Yep, many will agree - many will disagree. But I was brought up in a 'take only photos - leave only footprints' way.

As far as I'm concerned "grey water" is sewarage and I treat it - and the people who create it - with the same disdain as the also-growing number of caravanners who drop thier washing machine water ("grey water") all over campgrounds and road-side rest areas

It's disgusting and as the orginal poster asked, yes I hope banning of showers is a trend

You've never peed on a tree?

[Kit_e_kat9]

If I cared about it as much as some of you appear to, I would ring the mobile number on the notice and have a chat with the ranger.

Already have.

"The mobile number you have just called is not connected, please check the number and try again"

... yes I checked the number ... no I didn't dial it again ... just hoping that it's 899 and not 859 on then end (yes I cleaned the specs and even squinted to see that).

Kit_e

[Topender]

It's 859 on the end

Dave

[Marcus73]

Definately 859 and I can see that on my phone ..... Perhaps some new specs are in order

[Brucer]

they corral you into small bollarded camping areas and then punish you because over use is an issue.

Yep!

[Jeepers Creepers]

If this is the case, what harm would having a shower while camping do? Taking a dump in the middle of a camp area may be slightly different though

Yeah, they hate that, no matter jow pissed you were/are. 

[rodsswag]

X2
 

Rod....

[rodsswag]

You've never peed on a tree?

Only the lemon tree.......
 


Rod.....

[MDS69]

As do we, almost all of it, well, as much as we can.
Our plants are doing well, my curry tree is testament to how good grey water is for watering.

Makes awesome curries straight from the garden,

We also eat the figs, apples, pears and figoas from the same watered trees.
As does the tomatoes, corguettes, brocolli, strawberries and lettuce and numerous other vegies my wife plants and we both eat. Almost all are watered from our grey water usuage.

Does it work on the money tree cause normal tap water doesn't seem to do a thing.

[cruisindub]

Does it work on the money tree cause normal tap water doesn't seem to do a thing.

my money tree dried up and died quite some time back....!

[briann532]

my money tree dried up and died quite some time back....!

Just sussing out a theory here.......................

Was it the around the same time you got married?

[grizzly]

Pauly.
 I have invited the knockers of National Parks on many occasions to go and spend some time with the people who have to fix all of the vandalism and clean up after those who believe it is their god given right to disregard rules that the majority seem to have no problem following (mostly for the greater good) My question is if those that want to go anywhere anytime and do anything they want are such great assets to our community of bush campers, why is it they even go to National Parks, they would have so many private land owners begging them to camp on their properties for free, if they have such a small impact on the environment.
Fully agree that an explanation of the ban would be helpful, but I am sure the answer is the discusion above.
 I do not know if it is a trend but with a steadily increasing numbers of people camping the impacts are getting bigger

[Crimso]

So why not just heat your water & take it into the shower cubicle? As an owner / user of a shower tent, I have done this at a couple of national parks where there is only cold showers or one of those donkey set ups. We use one of those hand pump Coleman (I think) showers. Works well.

For those that use their grey water on their garden at home, maybe you should check the local laws as you may find that it is illegal to do so. Ther usually is more than a bit of detergent in grey water.

[Jason B]

Pauly.
 I have invited the knockers of National Parks on many occasions to go and spend some time with the people who have to fix all of the vandalism and clean up after those who believe it is their god given right to disregard rules that the majority seem to have no problem following (mostly for the greater good) My question is if those that want to go anywhere anytime and do anything they want are such great assets to our community of bush campers, why is it they even go to National Parks, they would have so many private land owners begging them to camp on their properties for free, if they have such a small impact on the environment.
Fully agree that an explanation of the ban would be helpful, but I am sure the answer is the discusion above.
 I do not know if it is a trend but with a steadily increasing numbers of people camping the impacts are getting bigger

Instead of bringing in rules that over regulate everyone because of a few, NPWS needs to actually develop a compliance policy, that targets the wrong doers. If they actually issued fines and enforced regulations instead of giving every one cuddles they might find that more people toed the line.

NPWS is known as a soft touch, when it comes to compliance. Education only works on fair minded people, the idiots that vandalise areas need a big stick. The legislation is there but the culture needs to change. Once some of the morons are prosecuted the word might get out.

In addition there our parks, NPWS is funded with tax payers money, this should be used to provide facilities and open up areas not build fences and do research to find some obscure nymph that justifies the closure of areas to people.

I have done many joint ops with the NPWS and am constantly amazed at the soft approach they have to compliance. We came across a guy in Kosy one day that had driven 50km into the park with his pig dogs. He had then thrown them in his boat and taken them across the dam into a wilderness/conservation area. He also had some illegal traps and no fishing licence and was in possession of a bow with arrows. NPWS action = a warning. I issued him with $700 in tickets for the licence/traps and seized the illegal traps. Turns out he had form with the Police for illegally hunting in parks previously.

Jas