Parks Vic public notice

Here's a link.

Wonder what caused the change of mind? Lack of patronage? People not booking on line? People not paying? All of the above?

Cheers

Its a good news story Garry , and at the right time of year , and even petrol is now under a $1.1 , when I brought my latest fuel guzzler it was supposed to be $2-3 / lt by now , geez we just can't lose lately !

So they should.

Looking at the site a one night at Wyperfeld National Park and in particular the Wonga camping ground,

An unpowered site (the only ones) is $28 for one body a night.

Sure they have a BBQ and toilets (we take our own). But if you don't use or want the BBQ (we take our own), the shelter (we take our own) that is an expensive "drop".

Phil

Hi Robin cheap petrol dosn't equate to good economy, get a diesel

One main reason may have been the lack of "policing" by Vic Park Rangers.

We booked online for a three day stay at Johanna Beach Campground in the Otway National Park
back in February. The cost was $95 Concession rates for three nights.
When we arrived, another camper was set up on our booked site as his site was in use when he arrived the day previously. No problem as we set up next to him on another site.

At this time, there were three legally booked campers in the park, Us, him and a friend of his.
By the time sundown had arrived each day we were there, the park was full, mainly by overnighters in their "Wicked" style "poopboxes".

The night before we were due to vacant, a couple of women with a campertrailer were a little perplexed with us residing on their "booked site", until we explained the situation to them and they were happy to set up camp next to us.
Johanna Beach Campground is a great little spot and one of the few National Park places where dogs are allowed in certain areas. The Women had brought their two dogs along and they got on famously with our Border Collie.

There was on large group of young people who had set up a considerable colony of several tents, etc. A group of teenage girls amongst them delighted in running to the eco toilet block together and commandeering all cubicles. These same girls also giggled as they poured water from the rain water tank over themselves by the bucket load without any thought to the fragile environment with limited resources they were abusing.
I spoke to a Parks Vic person who came daily to maintain the eco toilet facility and he said he had no authority to "police" the Park but was aware of the abuse caused by inconsiderate people whom used the facilities, generally free of charge.

A great National Park Campground only spoilt by folk who don't give a tinkers toss to other camp users.
My understanding is that places like this were to have had camping fees lifted entirely and god only knows what it is like now, if no income is generated at all to help offset maintenance costs and the salaries of Park Rangers, etc.

$38 down to $28/$21 in peak times. Hard to find references to non-peak.
Damn good move.
The major beneficiary of the old fee regime was local caravan parks who jacked up their unpowered site costs to match. I was disgusted to pay $35 or more per night for a patch of grass (or dirt) for my hike tent.
Yes, it's a Govt decision, on equity and access grounds.

The change is a result of the change of government. At first, in April this year, they removed all fees from the totally unserviced campgrounds, with a promise that they would review the rest. This is the result. The "barely serviced" with just a toilet of two are now down to $28 - still quite a lot for next to nothing.

I wonder if they will look at the semi serviced campgrounds. These are charging $50 - $60 for a semi serviced (unpowered) campsite and $67.70 for one with power.