Victorian NP booking system

Gday
Nice weekend away Murray?

We are coming to the Mainland in a few months, currently been looking at maps and Wiki Camps and from this end Vic Parks have got it wrong. We don't like cvp's but it's starting to look as if it's cheaper to stay in cvp's rather than enjoy the National Parks.
Cheers
baz

On a similar note.

I have just returned from a two week trip along the Great Ocean Road.
During my pre-planning, we chose the first 3 nights at the Yambuk Caravan park, which was quaint and enjoyable.
The next three nights was at the Johanna Beach Campground, part of the Great Otway National Park. This Campground was chosen as dogs were allowed.
I duly booked a site for the 3 nights through Vic Parks.
On arrival, two other vans were present, one on the site we had booked. The owner stated that when he arrived the day before, someone else was in his spot so he took one adjacent to it. No problem I said and set up camp in his booked spot. He said at the time bookings showed three sites had been booked. His, his friends and ours. But, by late afternoon and into the evening, the park filled up with "illegal" campers, many on an overnight stopover and none of whom paid for their stay.
They may think it's fair enough, but I and my adjacent campers who had booked, paid in excess of $100 for the three nights with only a bush toilet block a short walk away for amenities.
The Bush Toilet block was good enough and kept clean by a Vic Parks employee who I talked to one morning. He said it is common for all the intransients to use the park but he had no power to ask them to move on and it needed a Ranger with this authority, but none attended on a regular basis.
Their was a camp of 4 or five groups of young people close by and the girls especially, took over the 4 toilet cubicles at times and washed themselves using the limited rain water available in the tanks. Their was toilet paper all over the ground behind the toilet block for some reason or other.
It was a lovely spot, spoiled by folk who don't give a tinker's cuss about other campers, or the fragile environment they are using and without paying for the privilege.

Down on the beach, a small rocky area was littered by beer bottles and cans from some beach party some ignorant folk had, but didn't take their crap away afterwards.

This is too often, an example of the uneducated ferals and their lack of respect for the environment we share and the simple rules we need to follow.

Whinge over.
We enjoyed our trip nonetheless.

Hopeless system and I now avoid national Parks. Its the same in Queensland. The sooner they put either volunteer or even paid caretakers at these sites the better.
John

This is the whole purpose of making it difficult for campers to stay in National Parks, they don't want us there and if the number decline to a particular level they will then say there no call for a park and simply close it. Less work to be done.

cheers

Merv

Interesting that 486 sites were all booked out Murray.

I don't support the increased fees at Parks , Wilsons prom management has created the problem by restricting the places one can camp, it used to be a much better place when you could camp more of less anywhere,and it would have over a thousand and with just low level fees to cover real costs.

Hoping to have an Exploroz drive/ camp at our place soon, and I'll let you in at 1/2 the normal cost of $0.00 , provided you shoot a couple of rabbits.

The system stinks.

SA is going down the same track.

Email the Vic premier with your complaints.

daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au

My first brush with it: Cape Conron, $34 per night for 2 people with no power (and I'm fine with that), no drinkable water, cold open-air showers only, no laundry, full bins. Price gouging for a public good.

1..Increase the pricing to camp in the park
2.. Intro unworkable booking system
3.. Less people camping as a result of 1&2
4.. NP reduce services and conduct survey indicating the campers aren't coming as often
5.. To save money Rangers are reduced as are contractor who collect money
6.. Another survey indicates still less campers.
7.. Obviously the campers dont wont to come anymore as it is easier to Bush camp or go to a CP, besides its getting cheaper.
..Result NP's start closing down parks. Therefore a win for the Bean counters and State Govt.

Hope I'm wrong.

Checked out Kurth Kiln campground just after Christmas, normally the place would be packed with people everywhere this year there was a total of 4 campsites filled. I hate to be negative but I think they are achieving exactly what they hoped to.

It's driven by neo-liberal economics that holds that the market is the only way to allocate goods &services.

Rather than just whinge about the system and give some well deserved whacks to the 'green nazis I used the e-mail address in one of the posts and pointed out some of the problems to the new premier. I curbed my usually fairly aggressive words I use in these situations.
I got a prompt reply from his office, thanking me for the message and advice that it would be passed to the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water.
Today I got a reply from the Minister's office thanking me for raising the issue; she has heard from some others of the problems; will ask Parks Victoria to re look at fees and she will be .. " working through options to find a better balance between funding the facilities want and expect in parks and pricing people out of parks."
The system was imposed by the previous government [which was pointed out in the reply]
so possibly like the speed zone changes it might be that we get a better system.

I suggest the prospects for change will be enhanced if more forumites express their views directly to those who can make changes.

Ken

You are dead right about other groups, if anyone has contacts in 4WDVic it would be good to get them into action. My hope was that readers here who belong to 4WD clubs might stir a bit of action.
Pollies will only ever react to pressure, usually in direct relation to the amount applied, so let's hope something can be done with this one.
It is pointless ranting on the forum about greenies and hidden agendas to close off the bush, a bit like complaining about your wife to your mother in law !!

Ken

I can assure you that FWDV is doing something about this issue. If more people where in an affiliated 4WD club they would have a bigger stick to talk to Govt with. I personally have made a submission to Parks Vic and while I have had several replies they have been of a general nature and avoided the real issues. My submission is back with them and I am seeking a response which answers the specific problems that I have raised.
The best thing that people can do is to lodge a complaint on Parks Vic web site. http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/connect-with-us/contact-us
It does does not need to be long or detailed but needs to display utter dissatisfaction with what is happening. If you do not have time to write much just cut and paste and maybe reword some of the comments in this post. Our 4WD club did this the other day and filled up their mailbox, so if your email bounces try again each day until successful.
FWDV and other organisations that represent users of our public assets are currently engaging with Goverment you can assist by showing your rage. Go to the Parks Vic web site and complain, email your local member, the Premier, or anyone else you can think of. Complaining on this forum might make us feel a lot better but it is unlikely to achieve anything, action as mentioned above is what is required.
If you are not a Victorian still complain, ask them how can you be expected to come to Victoria with a system that is simply does not work. This cancer started in Queensland, has got to Victoria, SA look as though they will adopt this model also, it will be everywhere if we all do not do something about it. Governments are about one thing "votes" the more complaining the greater or chance of stopping this cancer.Go to it and that means YOU.