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Permits for Queensland

The following information is provided to assist you in gaining the right permits to lawfully travel through or access specified regional and outback areas. It is very important to gain the right permit and follow the conditions imposed on it because they are in place to help protect the Aboriginal lands, National Parks, deserts and beaches as well as private and pastoral areas. This article by John Greig discusses most of the popular areas that four wheel drive tourists tend to visit within Queensland.
Article By: ExplorOz and John Greig (TLCC)   Updated: 8 Apr 2009
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 General Information

There are no major Land Councils or other such organizations in Queensland where permits to transit or visit aboriginal areas might be generally obtainable. However, if you want some general information regarding aboriginal lands and any general requirements, particularly the liquor laws, contact the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs

Charlotte Chambers, 35 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Phone: (07) 3224 2111
Fax: (07) 3229 2070

The telephone number for the Cairns Regional Office which has responsibility for the Cape York Region is (07) 4039 8177

There is also a specific Government telephone number you can call in Qld to check on the liquor laws on the whole of Cape York; it is 1300 789 000 and a website for the same purpose can be found at www.alcoholimits.qld.gov.au

From experiences however, it is simply a matter of contacting the particular community and ascertaining their requirements. Camping fees generally apply at most communities where camping is available. The fees seem to range from about $5.00 per vehicle per night up to about $30.00 per night. Others charge an entry permit of about $30.00 per week. There may also be a small per night camping fee on top of that. Again, the Exploroz website can be very helpful, and the Hema Maps of the area also contain contact details for the various communities. For areas on the coast north of Weipa, contact the Weipa Caravan Park on (07) 4069 7871

 Tip of Cape York

Tip of Cape York
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 The only permit currently required to access the tip of Cape York is one from the Injinoo people. This is however included in the cost of the ferry across the Jardine River. A small information booklet is also normally provided. Currently, (January, 2009), the ferry trip will cost $88 for your vehicle and an additional $11 for a trailer. The ferry charges include your return trip, so make sure you keep your ticket. Be warned that the old vehicle crossing is now too deep to cross. The Jardine Ferry shop can be contacted on (07) 4069 1369.

Camping at the very nice camping ground adjacent to the ferry and shop on the south bank of the Jardine is available at $5 per person per night as at March, 2008. Some contact details for camping at the Tip include:
The Cape York Peninsula Development Association maintains a reasonably good website which does have a lot of excellent (if slightly outdated) information available for tourists. The website can be found at www.cypda.com.au

If you want to access Elim Beach which is located within the Hope Vale Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) Lands, contact the Hope Vale Community Council on (07) 4060 9133

 Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Welford National Park
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 As far as can be ascertained, there are no annual or other permits (with the exception of those listed below) generally available from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, which is a Division of the Qld Environment Protection Agency. The Parks and Wildlife Service offer a Customer Service Centre which can be contacted on 13 13 04. You will find them very, very helpful. They can usually answer most of your queries and can make camping bookings for you at all National Parks and State Forests in Queensland, which are now virtually mandatory.

The website is a great source of information, with lots of extremely helpful information. The website should be your first point of inquiry for any plans you may have for visiting and/or camping in any Queensland National Park or State Forest.

Camp site bookings in all National Parks and State Forests (which are now virtually mandatory), can also be made on-line. Camping charges are levied for all Qld National Parks and State Forests. Generally, the charge (as at January, 2009) is $4.85 per person per night. A family rate is available at $19.40 per night for 2 adults and up to 5 children under 18. Children under 5 years old are free. If you are visiting any of the more popular National Parks or State Forests, particularly during any busy season or school holidays, it is generally "first in, best dressed", so it is highly advisable to book well ahead, otherwise you may not get a camp site. It is a real pain I know, but you will need to know the exact dates of your visit to do so. Self registration processes still apply in some of the more remote National Parks and Sate Forests where staff may not be on-site. You can ascertain from the website where self-registration may be in place by virtue of the fact that the particular Park will not be listed as one of those where on-line or telephone camp site bookings can be made.

Camping fees can also be paid over-the-counter at a large number of Qld National Parks offices. Again, see the website for a listing of where these are located.

A system of pre-paid Camping Credits is also in operation which could be very useful if you want to visit a number of Parks and don’t wish to carry sums of money with you or use a cheque or credit card to pay for self registration permits. This process also obviates the need to provide personal details on the application forms. Call the Customer Service Centre on 13 13 04 for further details and to purchase pre-paid Camping Credits.

Please note that no matter whether you book over the phone, on-line or over-the-counter, generally, (although not always when you book over-the-counter), you will simply be given a "Booking Number" which you will be required to write on a tag which are available at most camping areas or in prominent positions on tracks leading in to National Parks or State Forests. The "Booking Number" is to be written on the tag and the tag is to be attached to your tent or other camping structure. If you book over-the-counter at the nearest National Park Office to your intended destination, you may well find that you are actually given the appropriate tag for display.
Idalia National Park - Rainbow Gorge
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Porcupine Gorge National Park
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Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

EPA Customer Service Centre,
160 Ann Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Postal: PO Box 15155, City East QLD 4002
Phone: (07) 3227 8185 or (07) 3227 8186
Fax: (07) 3227 8749
Website: www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests
Email: csc@epa.qld.gov.au

The Parks and Wildlife Service has a Customer Service Centre which can be contacted on 1300 130 372. The Environment Protection Agency can be contacted on telephone (07) 3227 8186.

Another source of good information is "Tourism Queensland", which is a statutory authority of the Queensland Government.

Tourism Queensland

Tourism Queensland House Brisbane, QLD, 4000
GPO Box 328, Brisbane, QLD 4001
Phone: (07) 3535 3535
Fax: (07) 3535 5444
Website: www.tq.com.au

TIP

 If you are dealing with a National Park Service or any Government Agency and you have a Seniors Card, Pension or Concession Card of some description; always ask whether a discounted rate applies.

 Queensland Islands

Moreton Island
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Lake Mckenzie - Boorangoora
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 There are usually entry fees which are levied at such places as Fraser Island, Moreton Island and Bribie Island, as well as camping fees. A self registration process applies at Bribie Island at least. Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world at 1630 km² and is about 300km north of Brisbane and 40km off the coast of Hervey Bay and Maryborough. The island is administered by both the Maryborough and Hervey Bay City Councils. Fraser Island has over 100 dune lakes, as well as the second highest concentration of lakes in Australia after Tasmania. The freshwater lakes on Fraser Island are some of the cleanest lakes in the world. A popular tourist area is Lake McKenzie which is located inland from the small town of Eurong. It is a "perched" lake sitting on top of compact sand and vegetable matter 100 metres above sea level. Lake McKenzie has an area of 150 hectares and is just over five metres in depth. Vehicle access (4WD only) is via barge and there are two main barge operators, the White Barges (owned by the Japanese company that operates the major resorts) and the Green Barges (Manta Ray) owned locally. Both barge operators have essentially the same charges which are $80 return for 4WD and $135 return for 4WD and trailer.
  • Inskip Point, 15 minutes drive from Rainbow Beach (east of Gympie) to Hook Point; these barges generally run from 6am to 5.30pm (trip time about 10 minutes, no bookings required)

  • River Heads (east of Maryborough) to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba (trip time 30 – 50 minutes, bookings required)

  • Hervey Bay (Urangan boat harbour) to Moon Point (trip time 30 – 50 minutes, bookings required).
    Vehicle barges also take walk-on passengers. Passenger launch services run daily from Urangan boat harbour.

Fraser and Moreton Islands

Vehicle Entry Permits, which as at January, 2009 cost $37.10 and are valid for a one month period, (annual permits are also available), are required for Fraser Island and Moreton Island. They can be purchased from most Qld National Parks Office or on-line or by phone (see above). If you book by phone or on-line, you will be given a reference number and you will still need to call in to a National Parks office to actually pick up your Permit. For more information on this island - click here.

For Moreton Island, Vehicle Entry Permits can also be purchased from the barge operators, which is probably the simplest method. For Fraser Island there are National Parks Offices located at 46 Quay Street, Bundaberg, (telephone (07) 4131 1600); at Cnr. Lennox and Alice Streets, Maryborough, (telephone (07) 4121 18000; on Rainbow Beach Road, Rainbow Beach, (telephone (07) 5486 3160); and at Tewantin in Moorindil Street (telephone (07) 5449 7792). The Offices however are only open during normal business hours Monday to Friday. Don’t forget to ask for your "Fraser Pack".

The standard camping fees of $4.85 per person per night or $19.40 per family per night apply and of course ferry charges also apply. Camp sites can be booked on-line or by phone or at most National Parks Office. The normal method (see above) of picking up your tag and putting your camping fee "Booking Number" on it and displaying the tag at your camp site applies.

You can purchase permits for Fraser Island, Moreton Island and Bribie Island on the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service website or click here to go there directly.
Maximum Northern part of Bribie Island
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Bribie Island

On Bribie Island, the standard camping fees and processes (see above) also apply but the Vehicle Entry Permit which is $35.50 is only valid for a one week period. (Annual permits are also available). Vehicle Entry Permits can be obtained on-line or by phone (see above) which would again require you to call in to a National Parks office to pick up your permit. Vehicle Entry Permits are also obtainable from the Bongaree Caravan Park office on Bribie Island which is probably the easiest method. The previous self registration process for camping fees no longer applies.

 More Useful Information

For the more remote and lesser visited national parks you will either need to call in to the appropriate Ranger Station to book your camp site and pay your camping fees, or in many of them, for example, Cape Melville, Bathurst Bay, Lakefield, Mungkan Kandju and Alice & Mitchell Rivers, self registration requirements apply, which includes the camping fee of $4.85 per night per person. Again, check the website for those Parks and Reserves where self registration processes apply. If the Park you intend to visit is not listed on the web site as one of those where on-line or telephone bookings can be made, then it would be reasonable to assume that self registration applies. It would be worth checking with the Customer Service Centre on 13 13 04.

Donohue Highway

Travelers using the Donohue Highway (which becomes the Plenty Highway in the NT) to cross from Boulia in Qld to Alice Springs need to be aware that Tobermorey Homestead no longer provides either fuel or camping. Fuel and camping is still available at Jervois Homestead which is 220 kilometres west of Tobermorey. (Tobermorey is located just inside the NT, right on the NT/Qld border).

Savannah Way

If you are traveling the Savannah Way from Burketown to Borroloola ensure you carry sufficient fuel for your journey as both the Wollogorang and Hells Gate Roadhouses are now closed. The only fuel available on that trip is at Doomadgee. Hours of fuel availability at Doomadgee may also be unreliable.

TIP

 For the status of roads and tracks, visit ExplorOz Road Conditions, or go to the RACQ website at www.racq.com.au and then click on "Trip-Planning" and then "Road-Conditions".

 Final Word from the Author

Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this information, no responsibility can be accepted for either the accuracy of the contents or for any errors or omissions.

With your assistance we might also endeavour to maintain this information in an updated form. So if you wish to amend, or add to any of the information contained in this section or in any of the relevant State’s information, please type in the article feedback box below. You could also contact the undersigned on (02) 9523 9266 or email john.greig@bigpond.com

This article has been extracted from a document supplied by the contributing author and the Toyota Land Cruiser Club Of Australia Sydney.

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