QLD NP's camp site bookings, a waste of time ?

[Bird]

Yep,
NSW has adopted this brilliant idea.
Way to go.

when did that start there?

[Rob Mac]

Yes ranger eventually attended,
It was noted the imposters had all quickly knocked back a few beers while the ranger was on the way.
After a heated chat between ranger and imposters, the ranger came back to us to say that as they had been drinking he can not tell them to pack up and drive out of there.
It looked obvious to us that these guys had done this before, and knew how to get around the rules.
Talked to another group of locals in next town a few days later and they said it is very common.
So clearly there is a large group out there that know to just squat on a campsite, knock back some beers, ignore the rules, and they will get to stay put and ruin another groups trip.

Ok, so the ranger should have issued them with an infringement/ summons for not having paid fees to camp as regulations required?. This doesn't help you but it should happen and make you feel better!

[Hairs]

when did that start there?

http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/bookings/north-coast-accommodation.
They've been getting ready to implement it for awhile now.
Some of the smaller ground have moved to this already..
This was brought to our 4wd clubs attention a couple of months ago.


Sent from my SM-P585Y using Tapatalk

[Steffo1]

My comment on another Forum about the same topic.

"The last time we were away we decided to stay another couple of days at our camp as we were the only people there after the weekend campers left but, No signal, no booking extension available.
 A ranger showed up two days later so I approached him with the intent of paying for the extra time.
 He told me not to worry about it as he had no means to process a "Cash Sale". He also mentioned that Qld NPWS bookings went through an agency in Melbourne (I think) and that the rangers had no idea of bookings if they haven't access to the internet.

 A couple of years ago we went to Fraser to camp at Dundubarra, which has six camper trailer sites, and on arrival found that someone was in our site. They were booked in until the following day and were nice enough to do a 75% pack up so we could share the site with them. Whilst camped there for two weeks, the number of camper trailers that came in with double bookings was around five or six. Once again the rangers there had no control over bookings.
 A bit sad really all round."
 Steve

[Jayson]

We had the other side to the story, tried to book for Carnarvon Gorge NP and the site showed the all the Van sites where booked and only tent sites left. So we booked into the Caravan park down the road.
 When we drove to the to the NP there was not a van in site and only on tent setup camp (The Tent site would have fitted a large Caravan too!) we went back to the NP three day in a row for bush walks and was empty every day? Are people booking sites hoping that they will get there and then not cancelling there booking if they don't get to the site? As It would be much cheaper to book a week at the NP park then a couple of days at the Caravan Park.....
Yes the system doesn't work on both ends!

Looking forward to NT, first in...

[BaseCamp]

Yes - that is sometimes the case....   particularly in places like Bribie Island. ...

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[Bird]

Yes - that is sometimes the case....   particularly in places like Bribie Island. ...

None of this makes sense...
Is there a fee to book? You have to prepay fully before heading there yes?

People are just booking and losing money??? Refunds?

talk about a ****ed up system..

[BaseCamp]

Its been a couple of years back for me...  but I remember first trying to figure out from the booking website what zones might have an ocean view - and be close to the amenities etc....   then try to book them....   we were very flexible with dates etc...    but found these choice sites were booked out "in blocks" - well in advance   like 6 to 9 months I recall...

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[Hairs]

South Australia doing the same.
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2015/12/parks-online-booking
Just came up in my FB feed from Ron & Viv Moon's Remote Australia.

[Bird]

South Australia doing the same.
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2015/12/parks-online-booking
Just came up in my FB feed from Ron & Viv Moon's Remote Australia.

they started ages ago....

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

[Hairs]

they started ages ago....

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

[Ben.Archer]

they started ages ago....

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

Mysawg national day of protest - book out as many sites as we can during new year break? Booking every other day would really screw the system....

[duggie]

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

I do this a lot , there are three sites at my favorite fishing spot at Lakefield NP and I will book all three if I can . Costs a little but having the water hole to yourself is priceless.

None of this makes sense...
Is there a fee to book? You have to prepay fully before heading there yes?

People are just booking and losing money??? Refunds?

talk about a ****ed up system..

You can if you cancel a spot get credits for another time , and another spot .

[Sixpack]

they started ages ago....

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

You will end up spending your trip living beside free loading grubs that will move in on top of you. 

[Hoyks]

So if theres no penalty for booking sites and not using them why wouldn't you book every site in an area to ensure you had the place to yourself??? Maybe this is a brilliant system

Nope, no penalty and you can book 12 months in advance and cancel at 23.59 the day before and get 100% of your booking fee back

[corndog]

Don't think this system works well. There will always be those that won't book camp there and don't give a s**t about others. Try moving one of those off your site. If they want you to pay for a site then someone should be there to enforce who camps where. That's not gonna happen. Just another cheap grab for some money thought up by someone sitting behind a desk.

[xcvator]

Nope, no penalty and you can book 12 months in advance and cancel at 23.59 the day before and get 100% of your booking fee back

I don't think this is quite correct, I just had a look at this site  https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/camping/bookings/#changes   and followed the links, but my reading is that the cancellation must be done 24 hours before the permit time starts, but then the dementia could be kicking in   

[rossm]

DO other states have the system we use in WA where you will often find a volunteer couple looking after the camp grounds in national parks? They call them camp ground hosts and they free up rangers to do other things.

The hosts usually stay for a month or two in peak season, collect the fees and do small tasks like keeping the toilets clean.

To be a host you have to do a weekend training course which is held once a year and then the vacancies are advertised.

 Last year at Mitchell Falls the host was from Queensland or NSW and I think it was his second or third year there.

We also have had on line bookings introduced at some of the popular campsites closer to Perth. Not heard any complaints about how that is going.  But there are sure to be some grizzles.

[Nifty1]

Stayed at Gundabooka NP near Bourke a couple of days ago. They seem to have a combination of online bookings and pay on site envelopes (don't ask me how that works, but the envelope system DOES work). Well despite the box for the completed envelopes being bloody huge, it was almost impossible to stuff mine in as it was overfull! I rang NPNSW to suggest they go and unload it. Good to see people paying, bad that they can't be bothered collecting the money - are they trying to make the system fail? Anyway, if you haven't been, this is a great spot with rock art, utter silence, good facilities, but take your own wood and water.

[Pete79]

DO other states have the system we use in WA where you will often find a volunteer couple looking after the camp grounds in national parks? They call them camp ground hosts and they free up rangers to do other things.

The hosts usually stay for a month or two in peak season, collect the fees and do small tasks like keeping the toilets clean.

To be a host you have to do a weekend training course which is held once a year and then the vacancies are advertised.

 Last year at Mitchell Falls the host was from Queensland or NSW and I think it was his second or third year there.

We also have had on line bookings introduced at some of the popular campsites closer to Perth. Not heard any complaints about how that is going.  But there are sure to be some grizzles.

Some parks here do have 'hosts' sometimes.

Carnarvon Gorge NP (that only opens in school holidays) had hosts last time we visited.
They greeted you as you drove in and made sure you had a booking. Then the guy walked around with a beer just on dark and checked out everyone's sites.

We tried to report a mother and young girl that hadn't returned from a day hiking the gorge. It was well after dark and no sign of them, we where a little shocked that the 'hosts' had absolutely no idea what to do about missing people.
This is a camp site that pretty much only exists so people can walk the gorge and the people charged with looking after campers had no training on dealing with missing hikers.....

[Fizzie]

We tried to report a mother and young girl that hadn't returned from a day hiking the gorge. It was well after dark and no sign of them, we where a little shocked that the 'hosts' had absolutely no idea what to do about missing people.
This is a camp site that pretty much only exists so people can walk the gorge and the people charged with looking after campers had no training on dealing with missing hikers.....

Pete, I'd agree with you that they should have had some sort of briefing on what to do "if", but, in their defence, I also reckon that even if you'd had a QPWS Ranger on site, his response would probably have been "Jeez, that's not good. Here's a phone, better call the cops"

[Pete79]

Pete, I'd agree with you that they should have had some sort of briefing on what to do "if", but, in their defence, I also reckon that even if you'd had a QPWS Ranger on site, his response would probably have been "Jeez, that's not good. Here's a phone, better call the cops"

Sadly I'd have to agree with that too.

Fortunately the hikers did make it back to camp around midnight and to the host's credit the guy was straight over to make sure they where ok as soon as he noticed movement at their campsite.

[Annieandandy]

Whilst the online booking system is far from perfect, I'd rather drive 5 hours in QLD at xmas time knowing I've got a site booked rather than driving 5 hours into NSW to find the campsite is full. Neither system is going to stop free loaders taking the pi$$ but with the booking system I reckon 95% of the time the site you've booked will be vacant.