Flash replied:

Bob,
Agree totally.
the more people complain, the sooner we'll get this stupid idea turned around.
Rant as much as you like- it's for a very good cause.
Cheers

joc45 replied:

Hi Bob,
yes, that was my experience a couple of years ago. We spent over 15 mins on the mobile phone making a booking for two nights. Cost us over $15 in phone costs just to make the booking. What was a pain was that the person at the other end was "multi-functional", and their job was normally something else, so they only did this occasionally. The frustration we encountered as they were heard to be trying to find out "how this booking system works", why their computer was not responding, and all the time we could see the dollars ticking up.
Gerry

Shaker replied:

Wonder who voted for the Greens?

Brian B (QLD) replied:

Bob,

You can also make the bookings on line and yes it is a pain at times but in some circumstances I think it is good.

It is not set up in all QLD National Parks at this time. If you go to the EPA website and look under camping bookings, only the places marked with a red symbol have the online booking ability.

Like I said the system can be a bugger at times but in some places however it is great. We go to Moreton Island a lot. The online system is not running there as yet although I am led to believe it will be shortly.

Prior to having the online system at Moreton I would have to pay over $300 just to get my vehicle and camper over on the barge but with no gaurantee of being able to camp where I wanted to. With the new system I will be able to pre book my spot and know I am not risking the substantial barge fares etc before going.

The rangers at Moreton are looking forward to it being up and running as they have to deal with a lot of unhappy campers who have paid the money to get over there but can't get to camp where they want to.

We also go to Fraser Island a bit and again I think the online system is better for there as it allows the large number of campers visiting the place to at least know if they are a chance of getting a spot before spending the dollars to go over.

I am not saying for a minute that the phone and book/online system is the best option for all places but it has some merit IMO in a number of spots.

Member - Pesty (SA) replied:

Rant away Turist, make it loud, and dont bother ringing them, start at the top with your polly.

Simple answer for interstaters, dont camp in Qld Nat Pk's, in fact dont bother going to Qld at all, spend our money somewhere else.

Cheers Pesty

Turist (The Original One) replied:

Another National Parks issue that is getting up my nose is with regard to human waste disposal.

There is now a lot of pressure from the Yogi Bears to use portable chemical toilets and not bury your waste.

Well that is a really good idea, a lot of campers think that a shallow scrape of soil equates to “bury 150mm deep” and the waste and paper are soon exposed.

But a chemical toilet soon fills up and has to be emptied.
So you take it down to the Nat Parks dunny to empty it to be confronted with another bloody great sign saying “Do Not Empty Portable Toilets.”

Back to square one, dig a hole.

Bob

snow replied:

Yep that's the attitude Pesty...bet you wear socks and sandles too old son...

troopyman replied:

There is now a boomgate at the amity point camp ground .

Member - Doug T (W.A) replied:

Bob
Only a matter of time and i reackon they'll have some p#ick touring around in very expensive 4x4 to collect dollars of Truckies,Tourists, ......and yeh ok Pilot operaters too for camping in Rest Areas and Truck parking bays.
Shhhhh don't tell em
Doug

kiwicol replied:

Lake Tinaroo FNQ has a camping area that u book but when u get there, there is no room for camper trailers and only room for one tent all fenced of with those stupid coppers logs. Col

Alan H (Narangba QLD) replied:

I agree with most of the sentiments above. I avoid camps in national parks etc as much as I can. I should not have to pay to use public land. I already pay taxes.

The stupid trend to force all camps into one area just turns a campsite into suburbia and then attracts wildlife looking for a free feed. I do not want any facilities in parks. I accept that very popular spots might need toilets for health reasons but not park management reasons.

The permit to use roads in QLD is also another madness to be avoided. There is a tendency to try to get parks where all visitors are banned and then sell exclusive access rights to commercial tourist operators. There are already many instances of parking for tour buses etc and yet environmentally these buses place too many people in one place at one time. The same number spread over more time do not have the same impact.

We ever we go camping the first requirement of a campsite is that it is not used by anybody else.

I agree with the sentiment of not coming to QLD to such ridiculous officious power grabbing policies. However, when you do come, please send an email to the government, premier etc to tell them why you avoided coming.

User pays should imply some decrease in taxes but it never happens.
User pays if we have to have it should also imply choice.- hot water, interpretation centres etc but not access to a piece of land that did not require any "improvements" in the first place.

Sorry about the rave but I can't stand permits and fees.

Peter replied:

Yeah we also ran into this stupid system at Charlie Moreland. When we arrived we set up and then went back to the Rangers Office to register (wasn't towing 3 tonne of van back just to register). There's a payphone on the side of the road near the Rangers Office. Rang the number and spoke to the rep on the phone. She asked where I was and I advised her at Charlie Moreland. OK now start registering! Can I register at the Rangers Office (if it was open - this was around 1:00pm on a Friday afternoon). No they don't handle registrations, but she advised me I could register online - again told her I was standing in the middle of the bush! Oh! OK credit card number? I asked what if I don't have a credit card? Answer - wait and I'll find out. Then advised I can register at one of their offices (if they're open). Where are the offices located I ask - um Airlie Beach, Bundaberg, Caboolture etc. OK again I advise I am standing at Charlie Moreland. A plaintive cry from the end of the phone - do you have a credit card - so I relent and provide the details, then have to listen to all the privacy act etc.
That weekend a large number of people arrived at the campground and all were confused. We sort of assisted them by explaining the situation and suggested they decided that they would just use the campground passes provided and write down a number resembling the one provided to us. Not one person was caught illegally camping that weekend. How and when do the Rangers get notification of who has paid? Bearing in mind you can register anytime. What's to stop me from registering at the Kenilworth Office and then driving 10 minutes into Charlie Moreland? National Parks must be losing a fortune through this stupid system.
Hopefully someone in the Smart State will wake up to what idiots are running this system
Peter

Motherhen replied:

Hi Bob - I have yet to get to Qld, but have been reading of this ridiculous idea on the forums for some time.

When we travel, it is totally unstructured and at whim. We never book anywhere (exception; the ferry to Tasmania and the CP for the night before). We too want to see a place before deciding whether we will stay or not.

Most states have honesty boxes for NP camp fees - even then, having to decide if we will stay or not before entering a park has sometimes been enough for us to say no to staying, paying day fee only, taking a drive around and moving on before camping.

Perhaps a line of caravans camped on the road edge on the park boundary, not booked in and refusing to enter the park until morning, will give them a clear message.

Certainly i agree with your suggestion to start with the pollies - write to the minister for tourism for a start.

Member - Ozdyssey (QLD) replied:

Still getting over the $7/day vehicle fee in NSW!

What's that about. Similar in WA but you expect that from CALM.

Also NSW are sticking some camping fees up as well, sometimes $10/Adult - you'd want hot showers and power for that.

I think they will find visitor numbers will reduce dramatically in Qld with their bluddy stupid system which is probably what they wanted to achieve, but, it is still only $4.50/Adult and NO vehicle fee.

Free camping will become more of a problem for the authorities iin Qld with this system. I know I'll be doing it more.

Who knows maybe the Qld system has been put in place to deter full time travellers from using the parks. I can't figure out any other reason for the madness. They probably figure local family groups using the parks don't leave as much mess behind. If that's the case they've got it back to front I think.

They would have known when the system went in it was going to tick everybody off. They can't be that shortsighted? OK yes they can but surely they thought it through?

Member - David A (QLD) replied:

Camped at Cedar Grove in Amamoor SF this w/end. Did it all properly online a week or so ago. Rangers turned up to check the tag on Saturday morning.. what do you know.. no mention of my permit number on their sheet. Said "don't worry about it". Maybe that's indicative of how many errors in the system their are. I had my receipt with me just in case! At least one crew turned up and had to leave again because they hadn't pre-booked. I have no problem with being able to pre-book, BUT you should be able to register on-site if there's room.

Keith_A (Qld) replied:

We used the Qld website and booked online - for Coochin Creek this weekend.
There are aprox 25 sites, but only 5 are for campers/vans. The others are for tents, and the tent sites have 'bollards' for protection.
A check box indicates if you have a tent - or uncheck if a camper/van. However, you are allocated a site number purely in order of booking - irrespective of type of acommodation. We indicated a van - and were allocated site 2.

So - we booked - then turned up only to find all the camper/van sites were taken, including the day-use area. ALL the tent sites were vacant - and unaccessible for a camper of van.

We drove aprox 80 Klms to Charlie Morland, and the ranger was prepared to accept our explanation and receipt. Lucky the campground was not fully booked or crowded.
The system needs a major upgrade if it is going to work, plus the ability to book on site, IFF there are vacancies......................Keith

daisygirl replied:

Our 4wd club normally stays at Charlie Mooreland overflow each year for our Xmas party. This year we moved to Imbil Caravan Park because it was only 50c per person per night more expensive and you got proper flushing loos and hot showers plus a lovely creek and swimming area on site.

Imbil caravan park has heaps and heaps of space and you have lots of lovely shady places to park and you can even have dogs. We still went 4wding in the state forests as if staying at Charlie Moreland and even drove through on Sunday. We did notice a lot less people camping than normally so make a stand and don't stay there and support local businesses such as the carvan park instead of supporting the fat cats in government.